Our Lord of Peace

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 14th of December, 2025, the third Sunday in Advent.  A recording of our service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

The Apostle Luke tells us that when Jesus was born, a multitude of angels proclaimed, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men!”.  Peace on earth…  When has this poor earth ever known peace?

You might have heard or read stories of how hostilities ceased on Christmas Day during World War II, and how in some places the German and Allied troops came together to sing carols.  Whether all that is true or purely anecdotal, I don’t know.  But I do know that the very next day, they went back to killing each other.

That’s the kind of peace the world offers: short-lived and quickly broken.  On the other hand, we’re very good at wars and conflicts, and it takes so little to start one.  Even during this most joyous time of year.  I just read of a huge street brawl during a Christmas event on the island of Nantucket.  And around the globe, Christmas markets and displays, especially Nativity scenes, are being vandalized and destroyed.  Peace on earth and goodwill toward men seems like nothing more than a wish, a dream.

The great prophet Isaiah lived approximately 700 years before Jesus’ birth, yet he foretold of that birth and of the life of Jesus quite accurately.  Some folks think that the prophets of old predicted the future, but that’s not the case.  Our biblical prophets simply spoke for God, giving Him a physical voice, relaying what He said would happen.  This is how Isaiah “knew” all about the birth and life of Jesus, because God told him about it.

And this is especially true for one of Isaiah’s best known passages in his great book of prophecy, one that is often quoted at Christmas-time.  Please listen and follow along as the prophet repeats what God told him, from verses 6 and 7 of the 9th chapter of Isaiah’s book, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

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, thank You for choosing the right people to speak for You.  And thank You for inspiring them and giving them the courage to do just that – to give voice to Your words.  Through them, You warned Your people, and You still warn us of our fate if we disobey You.  And sometimes they bring us great and wonderful news, such as when Isaiah told of Your Son coming to us to redeem us and offer us salvation.  This shows Your love for us.  We sometimes forget, or maybe just take for granted, how much You do love us, how much You have blessed us.  And so we struggle to show that love to others.  Father, we know we disobey You at times, and we know it displeases You.  We need You to help us live more righteously.  Please forgive us those times we disappoint You and help us be more obedient to Your will, more loving, more caring, more compassionate, showing Your love to others so that they too might find salvation through Jesus.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

19th century poet and activist Caroline Norton penned this succinct verse:

“For death and life, in ceaseless strife,

Beat wild on the world's shore,

And all our calm is in that balm -

Not lost but gone before.”

I don't know if Ms. Norton was speaking of Jesus here, but it would certainly fit.  Jesus is that balm, the Balm in Gilead that makes the wounded whole and heals the sin-sick soul.  Even as the world goes wild, He will bring calm to our soul.

Isaiah called Jesus the Prince of Peace, who brings a peace that will have no end.  Our responsive reading this morning encourages us to take that peace.  In the whirlwinds of doubt, in the apex of the storm, when we just need a place to rest… take the peace Jesus offers.  There’s no need to struggle or fight a battle that’s already been won, so just claim His peace.  But let’s be careful how we consider that word “peace”.

Jesus had been teaching the multitudes using parables, including the parable of the sower, where He gave the example of seed falling on unsuitable ground compared to good soil to describe how the word of God can have different effects depending on the spiritual state of the one who hears it.  After this, He and His disciples prepared to go to the country of the Gadarenes, across the Sea of Galilee.  The Apostle Mark tells what happened next, in the 4th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 35 through 41…

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” 

--Mark 4:35-41 (NKJV)

You’d think that the disciples would have figured out by now that Jesus was not just another normal man.  No man can simply tell a storm to go away and have it happen immediately.  Only God has that authority.

But in this case, the peace Jesus commanded was peace as the world considers it, with a cessation of turmoil and strife.  Unfortunately, the peace that the world offers is too often very temporary and easily broken.  This is not the everlasting peace Isaiah spoke of.

A little later in His ministry, Jesus is trying to prepare His followers for the rapidly approaching time when He will no longer be with them.  He tells them of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the indwelling of the Father and the Son.  And He promises a new gift.  The Apostle John saved the last of this for us, in verse 27 of the 14th chapter of his Gospel account, when Jesus said…

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 doesn't promise to calm the storm raging around us, as He did on the Sea of Galilee.  But if we have faith in Him, He will calm the storms raging within us, no matter what may be going on all around us.

Sometimes the Lord calms the storm, but sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.  Jesus offers a peace that is everlasting, not like the peace the world offers that is short and easily destroyed.  When the world gives peace, we are filled with worry over when it will end and how bad will things be after it ends.  With the peace Jesus offers, there is no worry about it ending, nor what might come next.  Jesus calms us from within.  Blessed be the name of Jesus.  In that beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Redeemer.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to redeem us and bring Your kind of peace into our lives.  This world doesn’t even know true peace, let alone provide it.  And that’s because the world doesn’t know You.  The world is Satan’s playground and he doesn’t want real, lasting peace among men.  Please forgive us, Father, when we can’t let go of the world’s way and look to it and our fellow man for peace.  Forgive us when we worry more about the storm than about serving You.  Please help us show the world what true peace looks like.  Help us calmly face our trials so that others may see Your hand at work in our life.  And Father, please help us reach out and share the Gospel message with everyone we come into contact with. 

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your word, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, long before You came to this earth, You were foretold as being the Prince of Peace.  And at Your birth, God’s heavenly host proclaimed peace on earth.  For that moment, there was true peace.  But then, mankind being what we are, that peace was shattered.  Peace on earth has always been fragile, but Lord, You offer a peace that is unbreakable, a peace that lasts forever and ever, a peace that the world can never give.  Thank You, Lord, for coming to us even while we wallowed in our sin.  Thank You for giving us Your peace, whether it is by calming the storm around us, or by calming the storm within us.  Please forgive us when we struggle to do what we know is right, to not do what we know is wrong.  And please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.

Holy Spirit, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.