Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

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

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:

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.

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.”

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

Luke 2

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!

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.

Do you have peace with God?

This Christmas season, have you been able to find true peace?

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

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).”

Matthew 5:1

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

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.

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!

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 29

When we are about peace, we are promoting spiritual well being.

P

Isaiah 48:18

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

Colossians 3:15

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.

You and I can be peace but we have to make the effort to do so!

Ephesians 4:3