And He Shall Be Called Prince of Peace
And He Shall Be Called... • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Over the course of this glorious holiday season, we have looked at the child that is born and the son that is given as having the wonder of a counselor, being Mighty God in which we studied that He is good, gracious, and generous. We have talked about Him being Everlasting Father where is indeed the Father of Creation, the Gospel and Eternity. Today, we will talk about this child that is born and this Son that is given being Prince of Peace.
A Prince is a representative of the King. He is heir to the royal throne.
Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is the wholeness that comes as a result of alignment with God’s creative and redemptive purposes. The Hebrew word is SHALOM. It is the daily greeting in Israel. It means to be well, to be whole, to be complete, to have physical and spiritual resources sufficient to one’s needs.
There is a song that I love that has been made popular 25 years ago by Vince Gill. It is called Let There Be Peace on Earth.
There is a song that I love that has been made popular 25 years ago by Vince Gill. It is called Let There Be Peace on Earth.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let There Be Peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be
With God as our Father
Brothers all are we
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With ev'ry step I take
Let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live
Each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
This is a beautiful song no doubt. But can peace really begin with me? I would suggest that the only way one can truly know peace is to know the Prince of Peace. The song should say, “and let it begin with me knowing the Prince of Peace.”
By knowing the Prince of Peace, I am convinced that you can be in peace, you can be of peace, you can be about peace, and you can be peace.
You Can Be in Peace
You Can Be in Peace
We have already said that peace is the wholeness that comes as a result of alignment with God’s creative and redemptive purposes. Because of our sinful human nature, we were alienated from God.
Colossians 1:
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
What is evil behavior? It is selfishness and anything else that separates us from a Holy God. I mentioned earlier in this series that Jesus became our mediator when He became man and stood in the gap between us and a Holy God. Jesus rescued us from our evil behavior when He became Immanuel.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Charles Spurgeon said it this way: “Jesus rescues us from contempt, from ignorance, from misery, from despair, and there reveals Himself as God with us.”
“ ‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.
Aren’t you glad that thousands of years ago, God spoke to the Prophet Isaiah and the Prophet Jeremiah and assured us that He would bless us with His Prince of Peace?
Jeremiah
John 14:27
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
For God to be with us, we must accept Jesus. He cannot give us peace unless we allow Him to enter into our lives.
Immanuel. God with us!
Aren’t you glad that thousands of years ago, God spoke to the Prophet Isaiah and the Prophet Jeremiah and assured us that He would bless us with His Prince of Peace?
For God to be with us, we must accept Jesus. He cannot give us peace unless we allow Him to enter into our lives.
Because of God with us, we can have peace with God through the sacrifice of Christ!
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Because of the Prince of Peace, you and I can be in peace. This means that we no longer have to live as mankind in worry or fear.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Do you have peace with God? This Christmas season, have you been able to find true peace?
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You can be in peace this Christmas season and all seasons by trusting in the Prince of Peace.
You can also be of peace.
You Can Be Of Peace
You Can Be Of Peace
Jesus speaks the words of peace and will incarnate the way of peace. Jesus tells us about peace and shows us how to live it out.
The great theologian of the 1700’s Matthew Henry said that “He is our peace, and it is His peace that both keeps the hearts of His people and rules in them (Matthew Henry).”
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:1
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Because of the Prince of Peace coming into this world, you and I can be of peace by being a peacemaker, a peace giver, and a peace receiver. In turn, we can be about peace.
You can be in Peace. You can be of Peace. And you can be about Peace.
You Can Be About Peace
You Can Be About Peace
Remember the greeting that is used even today in Israel? SHALOM. It is a greeting that is about being well, to being whole, being complete, having physical and spiritual resources sufficient to one’s needs.
When we can be about peace, we are encouraging what SHALOM is all about.
You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
Isaiah 66:12
When we are about peace it influences our whole community!
We can pray for our community and all those that are in it!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure.
Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Jeremiah
Jeremiah 29
When we are about peace, we are promoting spiritual well being.
Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
P
Isaiah 48:18
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Peace is a by product of righteousness and truth. Peace does not associate with wickedness.
Throughout the New Testament, we are able to see the fulfillment that the the Peace of Christ has come.
In Eugene Peterson’s translation The Message, we see that Prince of Peace is Prince of Wholeness. What a beautiful description of what happens when we enter into a relationship with Christ. We are made whole. And because we are made whole, we are able to be in peace; we are able to be of peace; we are able to be about peace. But wait, there’s more....we are able to be PEACE.
You Can Be Peace
You Can Be Peace
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
When you and I are being peace, we are promoting unity with other believers in a way that non-believers become curious and want some of it!
When you and I are being peace, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through us to produce fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
You and I can be peace but we have to make the effort to do so!
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Romans 14:
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
As in all the congregations of the saints,
1 Corinthians
We are not only able to live apart from strife, but we can live in true Harmony. My fondest memories of Christmas was being at my grandparents homes. Both sets of my grandparents lived right across the street from each other in a little North Carolina town in Iredell County called Harmony. When I think of Harmony, I think of a time when peace prevailed in my life. I think of a time where love reigned and I felt secure in who I was. Because of the Prince of Peace, you and I have the opportunity right now to move into Harmony, where ever we are.
How are you doing this season with your peace and with your love?
In fact, Bob Goff says, “The way we love each other lets everybody know the baby in the manger isn’t just a decoration.”
in 1865, William Chatterton Dix was working as the manager of an insurance company.[5] He was afflicted by an unexpected and severe illness that resulted in him being bedridden and suffering from severe depression. His near-death experience brought about a spiritual renewal in him while he was recovering. During this time, he read the Bible comprehensively and was inspired to
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
In 1865, William Chatterton Dix was working as the manager of an insurance company. He was afflicted by an unexpected and severe illness that resulted in him being bedridden and suffering from severe depression. His near-death experience brought about a spiritual renewal in him while he was recovering. During this time, he read the Bible comprehensively and was inspired to write these words:
What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Do you know Him? Let me invite you just now to meet Him. His arms are open wide and He is ready to embrace you so!