Sermon – “The Prince of Peace”

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’[a] 37 He who loves fa-ther or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the LORD, who has mercy on you. 11 “O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, Your gates of crystal, And all your walls of precious stones.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am go-ing to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. 29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

This morning I titled my message. The Prince of Peace had actually prepared this message for that week that it snowed and we had to cancel church saw you know what it’s still kind of the Christmas season but really this is not just a message for the Christmas season this is a message for all time. The Prince of Peace. He is the Prince of Peace always not just during the Christmas season Amen. Well Scriptures this morning. I want to be speaking from Isaiah and then also in Matthew and after I read three that through these you might say wow these kind of contradict one another but I hope then to clear that up. That’s my goal here this morning. Beginning with Isaiah Chapter nine verses six and seven we already read it as our caller worship for unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulder and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor mighty God Everlasting Father prince of peace of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. Upon the opponent. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with Justice judgement and justice from that time forward even forever. The zeal with the LORD of hosts will perform this you know as I think about this of the increase of his government. His government will increase his government his rule his authority willing crease. So his government will increase and his peace will increase and thus think about that we think of our the worldly governments they get too big. Sometimes And we’d like to see them decrease. But of his government how they lose it. We want to see it increase we want to see it grow. We want to see his authority grow because we know that his is a just wealth or T. we know that his is truth and honest. So we want his authority and government to grow and we want his piece to grow Amen. And then Matthew ten versus thirty four through thirty nine. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth while those that go with what I just read from Isaiah do not think that I came to bring peace on earth I did not come to bring peace but a sword for I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother. And a daughter in law against her mother in law and a man’s enemy the enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it. And he who loses his life for my sake will find it may God at His blessing so that here in the reading of His Holy Word that us pray Heavenly Father we do thank you and praise you for your work. We thank you for the Prince of Peace. We thank you Jesus. That you are our peace that lives within us and helps us work in order just pray that your spirit will be upon us today. Gotta do a Guidice directives father may you have mine own way in our presence today. Father I just pray that you would touch our hearts and our minds. Give us the words that you would have us to hear. We just praise you and thank you. And just pray that we would live our lives for you in Jesus’ name amen. What is peace. No during this Christmas season. I know many of you have received Christmas cards and borrowed a couple of cares for Christmas cards from home. And many cards will have script that invokes the idea of peace on this card for example says Wishing you peace at Christmas and inside it says may he bless you with his light his love and his precious piece this card just has the word peace. So in front and inside though it’s a Enjoy the beauty of this peaceful holiday season. Another says. Wishing you the comfort of his love the joy of His salvation and the peace of his presence. That is what we invoke at Christmas time peace. But what’s the world’s idea of peace where the world’s idea of peace is that there are no conflicts there are no wars going on. That means that there is no conflict with other nations or there’s no conflicts within a nation. And surely that is something that I don’t know about you but I would dearly love to say I’m sure we’d love to see a time of true peace. Whenever our all of our young men and women could go to my home because the conflict is over. Would it be wonderful to see all the fighting and stuff going on in our city stop and have peace in our cities see all the gangs lay down their arms and live in peace with their neighbors. One of if wonderful to go into the one I just say Chicago. And walk down any street at night without any fear would not be a wonderful thing. What we now know is a capital murder murder capital the United States would be wonderful if we had true peace in that city. Be a wonderful thing. You know it probably accurate to say thinking of wars. That ninety nine percent of people would truly rather have peace than he would war. Statistics say that wars are usually fought over resources or power. Resources such as land or mineral rights. Or you or power or some. One has power and control somebody else wants it. Somebody has the resources and somebody else wants them. So the one percent. Try to commit the ninety nine percent that this is a just and worthy cause to go to war. Oftentimes they’ll mask. The real reasons with things like well it’s a good moral ethical thing to do when in reality often times it’s over tried to gain power or to gain resources. Most would rather have peace though there have been peace movements around for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years even in this nation as far back as eighteen hundreds and United States the first such peace movement was the New York peace aside he founded in one thousand fifteen by the theologian David Low dodge and the Massachusetts peace aside it became an active organization holding regular weekly meetings and producing literature that was spread as far as go broader and Malta describing the horrors of war and advocating pacifism on Christian grounds. I found a really interesting story about how peace can win. Many many years ago when a city of Cincinnati was nothing more than a little frontier town there was a wild rumor going around that Red Indians were on the warpath. So whenever the settlers were here and these rumors. They got scared and they fled to the neighboring Fort things were much different Cincinnati. Than they were in Pennsylvania because in Pennsylvania where William Penn that great Quaker leader lived he had learned to make peace with the Indians therefore saving many lives and homes from the dangers and the perils of the Indians that lived around them back in Cincinnati. There was one man who did not fear and go to the fort. Why because he was a man. And from Pennsylvania. It was a man named George Fox. He said that he strove to live in the power of that spirit which takes away the occasion of all war. It seemed to him that the right thing for he and his family to do was to trust in the better way of peace and goodwill. As he learned from William Penn and the people Pennsylvania. So he stayed on in the little log hut and did not get any guns or other weapons ready to defend themselves if the savvy didn’t came but they often prayed together and gave themselves into the keeping of the of the God who said I will never fail The nor for sake the in those days the fastening of a door was often a heavy wooden latch which was raised from the outside by thong made of deerskin this last train was pulled inside when there was no admittance to say that the last train was out meant that visitors were welcome. Which is the way it usually was in George Fox’s home but one night as they was getting ready to go to bed. George drew the latch string in. After this was done his wife could not sleep at last she said to him this you fell in uneasy and felt that didn’t seem right that it wasn’t the way of trusting the way of the Lord and good will. He was beginning to feel the same way also. So he got up out of bed. Put the latch string back out. Before long they heard Indians coming. The hut was surrounded. There was a babble wild cries and savage war hoops as the Indians near the door but then it grew quiet all the sudden and it presently began to steal away Georgian’s family arose and crept to the window to watch and out at the edge of the forced the Indian stooped down to hold a council as Indians do talking over things perhaps the pioneers heart began to sink and they’re wondering are they going to come back and kill us all. Waiting they’re waiting to decide what they’re going to do but soon a tall chief in Warpaint left the rest of the group and came slowly back to the cabin. He carried in his hand a long white feather and he reached up and fastened this at the top of the door then in a few minutes all the Indians were gone there the white feather hung for a long time the summer sun shone on it it swayed in the winter winds as they swept across the prairie. But they never took it down for a friendly Indian who spoke English told them that it meant. This is the house of a man of peace do not harm he had heard that the band of Indians felt sure that any man that would leave his door open to a stranger and welcome all was a man not to be harmed piece one would we be that brave. You know Jesus knew that in this world we would have conflict. He knew that there would be conflicts. Even within families between those who would believe in him and between those who would reject Him as our path passage in Matthew revealed do not think that I can bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword for I’ve come to set a man against us father and daughter against his mother her mother and a daughter in law against her mother in law and a man’s enemy as enemies we those of his own household. So why do we call him the Prince of Peace. If he says I did not come to bring peace but a sword. Well we call him. Prince of peace because the peace that Isaiah the prophet speaks of is not the same kind of peace that most people think of when they think of what peace is his is not a peace that is visualized eternally it can be but is a peace that is realized. Within a peace that is real as within our hearts and within our minds. There is a passage in John sixteen. Where Jesus sharing with his disciples that He will be soon leaving them and I’ll see him no more. I’m not going to read the whole passages real long it’s going to fix few verses beginning verse sixteen seventeen he says a little while and you will not see me and again a little while and you will see me because I go to the father and some of his disciples said among themselves. What is this thing that he says to us a little while and you will not see me and again a little while and you will see me because I go to the Father. Therefore they said The one another. What is this that he says a little while we do not know what he is saying now. Jesus knew that they desired to ask him and he said to them Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said a little while and you will not see me again a little while and you will see me most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament. But the world will rejoice and you will be sorrowful but your sorrow will be turned into joy. They knew that they were going to be sorrowful he knew that they were going to be trouble in their hearts and in their minds but he knew that they would soon have peace that they would soon understand. I’ll jump all way down to verse thirty three. He says these things I have spoken to you that in me. You may have peace in the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world that is were true peace comes from from Christ. He says it in me you will have peace. Jesus knew that our lives upon this earth there would be times of trouble there will be times of stress there will be times of war within stress from whatever our situations may be stress from our drop stress from our family situations stressed. Sometimes we just stress to be because we have nothing. Also worry about worry about little things but he knew that there would be times of stress. He knew that there be times of persecution. He knew that there would be time to struggle. He knew that there be times that we would be persecuted because of our faith in him. Like many are experiencing in the world today he knew that there be times when like the disciples that our lives would feel like we’re being tossed on the seas. And these times we need to trust him. We need to find our peace in Him and allow his peace to Philis I know that there are times in this life when it seems like the storm clouds just keep coming like they won’t lift. It seems like they just won’t let up on know that there are many just in our small church in the last year that have had many many things come upon them on a right and Bonnie has lost a mother a sister. A number of friends a husband. There’s been many storm clouds and many of our lives and you know it may not be that when we believe in the Lord of the storm clouds won’t come but we know that he will take our hand and guide us through them. He can be your peace in the midst of the storm. He is our rescuer. He may not rescue us from the storm but will help us through the storm collation six nine says and let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we selves reap if we do not lose heart. That’s a key that we do not lose heart. You know obeying the scriptures is not always an easy task. Is hard not to become weary at times just like the powerful winds of stirs up that storm or that wind it shakes our house. It makes us feel uncertain at times or uneasy. And sometimes we do get anxious. And we get weary of the unknown. But we need to trust in Him we need to find our peace and our rest in Him our rest is under the shadow of the Almighty. It is in his secret place. He is our shelter from the storms. In Matthew eight. I’m sure you’ve all read this passage. Now when he got into a boat his disciples followed him and suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea. So that the boat was covered with the ways but he was asleep while. He’s asleep and they’re all excited more and unstressed than his disciples came to him awoke him saying Lord save us for we are perishing but he said to them Why are you fearful. Oh you of little faith then he arose and rebuked the wind and the sea and there was a great calm. So the men marveled saying Who can this be that even the winds in the sea obey him. Don’t let the storms rock your boat. Call him a Lord for strength call him The Lord for peace. Remind yourself that he is the captain of your ship. Amen. Isaiah fifty four. Ten through twelve says for the mountain shall depart in the hills be removed but my kindness shall not be poured from you. Nor shall my covenant of peace be removed says the Lord who has mercy on you though you afflicted one toss with Tempest and not comforted Behold I will lay your stones with colorful gems and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies and your gates of crystal and all your walls of precious stone. If you believe God’s word is true and you can stand on his promises that his covenant of peace will never be removed from you you will always have it with you in John Chapter fourteen versus twenty five. Nine these things I’ve spoken to you while being present with you. But the helper the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring to remembers all things that I said to you Peace I leave with you my peace. I give to you. Not as the world gives to you do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid you have heard me say to you. I am going away and coming back to you if you loved me you would rejoice because I said I am going to the Father for My Father is greater than I and now I have told you before it comes. That when it does come to pass. You may believe that is or peace in knowing that he is coming back. He says I’m going away but I’m coming back to you Do you not find peace and that to know that he is coming back to know that he is coming back to set up His kingdom that was the P.C. brought the kingdom of God is near the kingdom of heaven is at hand. That is our peace that is what we set our hearts upon to know that to know that there is coming a day that there will be no war. There will be no need of a police force there will be no need of an army there will be no need of locks on the doors. We won’t need any of these things we don’t need it won’t need any weapons or rockets or any of these things because in that kingdom the calm there will be perfect peace there will be no war there will be no sin that is our hope and natural give us peace today to know that he is coming back to rescue us. From the tribulation and the trials and the suffering and all the things that we have in this world. He says in this world trouble. Baba. Evil me he says and you will have peace. I found another story called the cushion of the sea several years ago a summary was being tested and had to remain submerged for many hours when I returned to the harbor the captain was asked how did the terrible storm last night affect you. The officer looked at him in surprise and explained storm. We didn’t even know there was one the sub had been so far beneath the surface that had reached the area known to the sailors as the cushion of the sea. Although the the ocean was being whipped with huge waves in high winds. The water below was never even stirred the Christians. Mine will be protected against the distracting waves of worry if it is resting completely in the providence of God there sheltered by his grace and encouraged by His Holy Spirit the believer can find a perfect tranquillity that only Christ can provide Jesus Christ is our cushion in the storms of life. This is a sailor’s could be down the depths of the sea unhindered unstressed by the storm going on above them. That’s where we can be whenever we have Christ in us and us in Him we can have that perfect peace. He is the Prince of Peace. Are you allowing him to be your peace today and man I hope your.