Prince of Peace

8:38 a.m.

In the marvelous book of Isaiah, the prophet declared the coming Messiah would be the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).  And, indeed, when the angels announced Jesus' birth, on that dark night as the sky exploded with light and sound, their message was "Peace on Earth..." (Luke 2:13-14).
In His first physical appearance to the disciples after His resurrection, what were the first words Jesus spoke to them?  (John 20:19, 21) "Peace be with you."
And then, again, just before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus spoke of His gift of peace to His followers (John 14:25-27).

How ironic that the Advent season is often one where peace runs away from us like Forrest Gump.
I have not purchased the first Christmas present, y'all.  Not.The.First.  And, how many days until Christmas?  My relentless Christmas plate in the kitchen declares there are merely 22.
Furthermore, my weekend upcoming is slammed and . . . there is the possibility of a winter storm brewing.  Lovely.

These things are minor irritations/challenges, though, compared to those faced by several of my friends, who are dealing with the impending death of a loved one, or a serious illness, or the marital problems of a young adult child.  Christmas shopping may break my purse, but it won't break my heart.

During Advent, even for those who are not "religious", personal pain/lack of peace is amplified because, well, you know, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", right?  So, where's the peace?

And, what peace were the prophet, the angels and Jesus referring to?

• They certainly did not mean that Jesus' coming would bring peace among nations, at least not yet.  It has not.  All you have to do is look around the world to see that.  Furthermore, at the root of most of the geopolitical conflicts is either a money/power grab or a conflict over whose religion is better!
• They certainly did not mean that Jesus' coming would bring peace within families either, sad to say.  Jesus flat-out stated that the gospel message would divide parents from children and sibling from sibling (Luke 12:51-53).

Let's go back to John 14:25-27 (The Message version)

The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

So, there it is.  Do you see it?
In past Advent blog posts I have left off mentioning the "peace theme" until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day...But, this year, I want us to deeply grasp this crucial concept and remind ourselves of it amid the chaos and the noise we encounter this Advent season.

The peace that Jesus gives restores . . . making whole the individual human heart.  It takes a sin-devastated heart and does a miraculous, transformative work - - leaving it spiritually well and whole.  It takes a soul, separated from a holy, holy, holy God because of Adam's lasting legacy of sin, and makes that soul SO thoroughly redeemed, SO completely justified it's "just as if no sin had ever been sinned"!
This truth is eternal.  For the Christian His parting gift to you, His own beloved, transcends time and circumstances.

In this Advent season (and no matter the season), Christian - - -

When you are financially depleted and anxious about those needs . . . your soul is well and whole.
When unplanned circumstances change your life's direction . . . your soul is well and whole.
When those you love betray you, leaving you abandoned and bereft . . . your soul is well and whole.
When your body becomes chronically or terminally ill . . . your soul is well and whole.
When {insert your own "whatever"} . . . your soul is well and whole.

As we move through Advent together, let's "eat dessert first".  The prize of Advent is Christmas, is Jesus, our Prince of Peace.  Let's defy the chronology of Advent and grab onto His beautiful peace today, with all we've got.  God knows, we need it!

Advent Day 22: Peace Transcending

Well, it is finally Christmas Eve.

Today's text is Luke 2:8-20 (ESV).

8 Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people:11 Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. 17 When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said.19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean.20 So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

The Gentile gospel writer, Luke, is the only New Testament writer who chronicles in such detail the events surrounding the birth of Jesus.  We are told in the opening statements of his gospel that he was meticulous about interviewing witnesses and corroborating their stories, so that his friend, Theophilus, could be sure that what he had been told concerning Jesus was true.  I sometimes wonder... If it had not been for Luke, what stories would we tell at Christmastime?!

The whole Christmas narrative is just not the way we would have scripted it, is it?  What a strange way to introduce the world to Messiah!  God orchestrated this grand, glorious display of jubilation over the birth of His Son and presented it to some of the lowliest members of society, shepherds.   (Lepers were farther down on the societal ladder; but, they could not have gone to worship Jesus in the manger.)

The angels' message is one of the most misinterpreted of all the aspects of Christmas celebrations. Generally, Christmas cards proclaim, "Peace on earth, goodwill to men."  For years, I totally misunderstood that message, because it was incomplete.  Take another look at the entire message, in verse 14 above.  The angels were glorifying God for His marvelous work, but also celebrating that peace would now be available to all people with whom God is pleased.

So, God sent Jesus to make peace available to all people, not just the Jews, to provide a way back to Him, to have peace with Him - - a peace that transcends all earthly circumstances.  But, this peace is only available to people with whom God is "pleased".  Some versions say, "those whom God favors".  The Greek word (eudokias), which is translated in the KJV as "good will" only occurs one other time in the New Testament, and that is in Philippians 2:13, where it is translated as "His good pleasure".

How does one, then, obtain God's favor?  We are unable to do it through our own inherent goodness, because we do not have any, in and of ourselves.  The Bible makes clear that we are each conceived and born into the world with our sinful nature firmly in place.  It is impossible for us to meet God's standard of sinlessness.  This is the very reason Jesus had to come and live His sinless life on our behalf.

We obtain God's favor and transcendent peace with God through His Son, by accepting His sacrifice, His substitutionary death FOR us.  There is no other way.  Peace was and is made available to all who will embrace it.  It is not forced upon anyone.  Every person, however, must make a choice....to accept Jesus or not.

The day after Christmas, we are going to look at Simeon again.  He warned that Jesus's birth and life would be divisive to people.  Jesus, Himself, proclaimed that His message was divisive, that it would divide even close family members.  Consider His words, as recorded by Matthew:

Never think I have come to bring peace upon the earth. No, I have not come to bring peace but a sword! For I have come to set a man against his own father, a daughter against her own mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those who live in his own house.

Matthew 10:34-36

You know...Jesus' half-brothers thought He was a lunatic when He first proclaimed Himself Messiah.  They did not even attend Jesus' crucifixion.  At the foot of the cross Mary, Jesus' mother, was put by the Lord into the protection and conservatorship of the disciple closest to Him, John.  Where were Jesus' brothers?  Certainly, they were not at peace with the earthly ministry Jesus had chosen.  Yet....later, after Jesus' resurrection, they became so convinced He was who He claimed to be that they went on to write books of the New Testatment (James, Jude) and eventually died martyrs' deaths.  Transcendent peace - - - peace that even bests physical death.  Such is the love of God.  Such is the power of the gospel.

We certainly do not see peace on earth among nations, do we?  That is most certainly not what the angels meant.  The tiny country of North Korea has been threatening terrorism upon the United States for years. 

 When people heap insults upon the dead "prophet" Mohammed, adherents to that faith rise up and threaten to annihilate the scornful.  There are so many examples of strife, conflict, all-out war on this earth, it is obvious that peace does not reign here...

Except in one place: the hearts of the followers of Jesus Christ.

The apostle John records some of Jesus' final words to His followers, speaking about peace in the heart of a person, peace between a person and God:

The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

John 14:25-27  The Message

When He was born, the message was "peace with God".  When He was about to leave, the same message was given: He is the originator of peace, its only true Source.
I like this pithy little saying:  "Know Him; know peace.  No Him, no peace."

There are those of you who read this blog who do not know Him.  Don't you wonder sometimes if the gospel message is true?  If HE is true? Don't you long for peace that abides, deep within your soul?  There is only one solution, one remedy.  Take that leap of faith this Christmas.  Kneel at the manger of the God-child, Jesus.  Take Him into your heart as your own.

The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;  the Lord lift up His face upon you, and give you peace.  

Numbers 6:25-26

Merry Christmas!

Psalm 8:9 - - Oh Lord, my LORD, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!" You give strength to Your people (Ps. 29:11), because You blessed us with peace at the birth of Your One and Only Son, and You continue to extend Your hand of peace to all people today who will receive it.  Hallelujah!! May Your holy Name be praised forever and forever!  Amen.