Christmas: Three Types Of Peace That Jesus Brings To Us

Many people yearn for peace in their lives. If you search on Amazon, you will find that more than 10,000 books about peace have been printed. But in reality, many people do not experience or have peace. The skit after the sermon this evening will show several situations where humans do not experience the peace they desire. Society is also increasingly easily provoked emotionally, resulting in "road rage" everywhere. Almost every day we hear news about shootings, such as the shocking shooting of a CEO in New York.

Wars continue to this day even though humans know that the consequences of war are terrible. The International Law Association in London stated that over the past 4,000 years, there have only been 268 years of peace despite good peace agreements. Over the past three centuries, there have been 286 wars on the European continent alone. Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, is still ongoing. It is estimated that by last September, more than 1,000,000 had been killed and injured. As you know, currently in the Middle East there is also a government overthrow and war.

So, what is the relevance of our Christmas theme this year, “Prince of Peace,” to a world full of stress, conflict, and even war? Very relevant! The coming of Jesus into the world two thousand years ago, prophesied by the prophet Isaiah 700 years earlier, gives us hope for the peace that we can get from Him. What does that mean?

Let’s read Isaiah 9:6 – “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In this verse, Jesus has four titles: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Since our time is limited, we will only discuss the fourth title, Jesus as Prince of Peace.

Our Creator knows that we long for peace, and He wants to give it to us. So, it is unsurprising that the word ‘peace’ is mentioned 790 times in the Bible or from Genesis to Revelation. When we study it, we find that the concept of peace in the Bible is broader and deeper than what people understand, namely the absence of conflict, war, or other hostility.

The word “peace” in the OT, in Hebrew, is “shalom.” The word “shalom” has four meanings, namely: (1) Shalom is the wholeness of life or health of the body. (2) Shalom is a right relationship or harmony between two parties or people, and harmony in the relationship with Yahweh. (3) Shalom as prosperity, success, or fulfillment. (4) Shalom as a victory over one’s enemies or the absence of war.

In the NT, the word “shalom” is translated into Greek as “eirene.” In the NT, the Greek word ‘eirene’ is often translated as ‘peace’ in English. Like the meaning of the word “shalom,” “eirene” has a meaning beyond being free from trouble but everything that produces the highest good for a person (Barclay's Daily Study Bible). So, according to the biblical concept, peace is more than the absence of war or a perceived condition in the mind. “Shalom” or “eirene” is a way of living in the right relationship between man and God and man to man.

According to the Bible, there are three types of peace that we must have so that we can experience true peace:

1. Peace with God. Isaiah 53:6 says – "All of us like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Do you realize that we were born in a state of war against sin? That is why sinful traits that our parents never taught us, such as envy, selfishness, lying, and so on, emerge on their own within us. Our sinful traits develop as we grow. We become more daring in sinning and opposing God and His truth. Our sinful condition makes us enemies of the Most Holy God. However, through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead, we who believe in Him will be reconciled to God.

Romans 5:10 says – "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life." Not only that, John 1:12 says – “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

This means that when someone receives Jesus as their LORD and Savior, their relationship with God, which was previously broken, is restored, and their status as God’s enemy is now a child of God. Did you know that when someone has not been reconciled with God, they cannot experience peace? Maybe, because they are rich, young, and healthy, they seem fine. But, deep down, they feel restless and have no peace.