Prince Of Peace Series

[This sermon is contributed by Hal Seed of New Song Church in Oceanside, California and of www.PastorMentor.com. Hal is the author of numerous books including The God Questions and The Bible Questions. If you are interested in The Bible Questions Church-wide Campaign, please visit and watch Hal’s video at www.PastorMentor.com.]

Good morning everybody!

I learned this week that, to the Piro tribal people of Peru, the word “peace,” means, “the well-arranged soul.” [Peace = “the well-arranged soul”]

To the Zacapoaxtla of Mexico, peace means, “completeness.”

[Peace = “the well-arranged soul”

= “completeness”]

To the Gbeapo people of Liberia, it means, “my heart sits down.”

[Peace = “the well-arranged soul”

= “completeness”

= “my heart sits down”}

And to the Baouli people of Ivory Coast, it means “a song in my body.”

[Peace = “the well-arranged soul”

= “completeness”

= “my heart sits down”

= “a song in the body”]

Those are great pictures, aren’t they?

And for some of us, this year, like no other year, is year in which we need peace.

So, for the past 3 weeks around here, we’ve been traveling through a promise 2700-year-old promise that God gave to people about peace. The promise was God’s Christmas present to us. That unto us a child would be born, a son would be given whose name would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

From the reports I’m getting, and from my own personal experience with this promise, this series is becoming a kind of landmark in many of our lives. And this morning it reaches it’s climax as we talk about the huge promise God made to us, that in our darkness He would send to us a prince of peace.

For 3 solid weeks we’ve been reading the words of Isaiah chapter 9 together, because this is where the promise is contained, and this morning, we’re going to read them together one last time.

So if you would find and open a Bible, [Turn to Isaiah 9, p. 683]. And then stand with me while we read this section.

There are some unusual words in the first verse or two, so I’ll read those for us, and then, when I get to v. 6, I’ll ask you all to read out loud with me.

Isaiah 9:1.

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan – Isaiah 9:1

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;

They rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. – Isaiah 9:2-3

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them,

The bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. – Isaiah 9:4-5

Isn’t that a great promise? What God is promising here is that one day there will be no more need for warriors to wear boots and there will be no more fear of blood getting on people’s clothes, because there will be no more war, no more strife, no more opposition or oppression.

Why? That’s the answer God gives in the next two verses. Read them outloud with me:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

And the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,

Establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness

From that time on and forever. – Isaiah 9:7

Let’s pray.

God, many of us hear have loved ones who have served in war. Some of us have loved ones who even now are serving our country in this way. Thank you for them.

You know you never desired it to be this way. And from these verses we know that you’re working on a plan whereby one day no one will ever need to serve in this way again. Make it so, Lord. Make it so soon.

In the meantime, help us today to understand what this promise means for us now, during this “meantime.”

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a seat. And keep this passage open on your laps.