The Prince of Peace

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the third Sunday morning in Advent, the 15th of December, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Around 700 years before Jesus was born, God revealed the coming of His Messiah, His Son, through the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah told of what Jesus’ life, and death, would be like, all the mighty things He would do, how He would be despised, beaten, and executed just to offer us forgiveness of our sins and salvation from eternal death and torment.

Listen and follow along to one small part of what God revealed through Isaiah, as recorded in chapter 9 verses 6 and 7 of his prophecy, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

6 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.

--Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You spoke to Your chosen people through Your prophet Isaiah and told them of the coming Messiah.  Through Isaiah’s writing, You spoke to the world, You speak to us, telling us of Your Son Jesus, of how He would be born and come into this world as one of us, how He would be die at our hands.  Help us, please Father, to yearn for and accept the unending peace Jesus offers.  Let Him truly be our Prince of Peace.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can better express our appreciation for Your many blessings.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Christian author Berit Kjos, in her book A Wardrobe from the King, told this little story:

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace.  Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece.  The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide.  Finally the great day of revelation arrived.  The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.

The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.  As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.  A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.

The man who began the search uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise.  Could this be peace?  A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice.  The crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray.  Stormy, gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain.

In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls.  One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.  A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch.  Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs.  With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.


One dictionary definition of "peace" is the state of being free from anxiety or distress.  That would pretty well describe the mother bird.  Even with all the turmoil around her, she was at peace as she covered and protected her eggs.  Someone whose name is lost to time once said, "Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always."  During His ministry on earth, Jesus often told those He healed and saved to “go in peace”.  Go, and be free of anxiety and distress; you are saved.

In chapter 2 verse 14 of his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ Himself is our peace.  Jesus is perfect peace.  He brings us freedom from anxiety and distress.  He is our ever faithful reassurance in times of trouble.  All we have to do is turn to Him, open our hearts to Him, trust in Him.


This is a busy day for the Pilgrim family.  We recognized some of our own for their contributions to the family and the community.  We welcomed new members into our family.  And in a little while, we’ll come back and enjoy sweet fellowship in food and song.  I don’t want to add to the busyness of the day by keeping you too long, but I do want to share God’s message of peace.  So I’ll let Him do most of the talking, though the words He gave us in our Holy Bible.

The greatest peace came to us when Jesus was born, just as Isaiah foretold.  God sent the birth announcement through His angel, as related by the Apostle Luke in his Gospel account, chapter 2, verses 13 through 14…

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

--Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV)

Fast-forward to the adult Jesus in His ministry, right after His last meal on earth with His disciples, just before His arrest.  The Apostle John recorded for us, in chapter 14 verse 27 of his Gospel account, what He told His followers, including us…

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."

--John 14:27 (NKJV)

Jesus followed that declaration with a promise that John saved for us in chapter 16 verse 33…

33 "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.” 

--John 16:33 (NKJV)

Jesus wants us to have peace, to be at peace, to be free of anxiety and distress.  He knows that this world causes us a great deal of stress and tribulation.  We are constantly bombarded by turmoil.  Our news is all about disasters and accidents and people killing one another.  Wars are everywhere – it’s hard to find a place without conflict of some sort.  The world is the devil’s playground and the last thing he wants is peace on earth.

But in Jesus we have peace, internal peace, unending peace.  A prince is the son of a king.  Jesus is the Son of God, the greatest King.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  Open your heart to Him and enjoy His peace.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son into this world, an angel announcing His birth.  Peace on earth, You sent us, but unlike man’s peace or any peace we had ever known.  You offer us freedom from anxiety, from fear, from distress, if we would only open our hearts to Your Son, accepting Him as our Lord and Master, knowing Him as our Savior.  Thank You, Father.  Please help us realize and enjoy Your peace, especially during this busy season.  Because it is now that we celebrate Your Son’s birth, the bringer of peace, the Prince of Peace.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You came to us as one of us.  And the Gospel writers tell us that on that night, the earth knew peace.  Your Father’s messenger announced Your birth, blessing us with peace.  You are the Prince of Peace, the Son of God.  You bring peace to those who are Yours.  Not a peace like the world can give, that is fleeting and quickly broken, but a peace that has no end, a peace of tranquility, freedom from distress, anxiety, and fear.  Help us, please Jesus, to slow down enough in the busyness of the season to open our hearts to You and enjoy Your sweet, refreshing peace.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus our Lord, our peace and our Savior.  Amen.