He Is Our Peace: A Sermon For The Second Sunday Of Advent

He is Our Peace: A Sermon for the Second Sunday in Advent.

Ephesians 2:14

We now come to the Second Sunday in Advent. The Christian theme for this Sunday is peace. It is a time in which we reflect on what peace is and how it relates to the Christian life. So let us examine what peace is in the light of Christ.

the word “peace is common in the Bible. It translates the Hebrew “shalom” over two hundred times in the Old Testament and nearly one hundred times in the New. The Hebrew idea of “peace” is an overall feeling of well-being, often in relationship between God and his people. The Greek “eirene” from which we get the word “irenic” has a similar meaning in the New Testament. So when we talk about “peace” in the biblical context, this is what we mean.

When we look at the verse we just quotes in Ephesians, we are told that He (Jesus Christ) is our peace. the Greek text is very emphatic in that it adds an extra pronoun at the beginning of the clause. when the Greeks wanted to emphasize something, they could emphasize the word by putting it first in the sentence as well as by using the extra pronoun. Both are used here. So what Paul is telling us is “HE and HE alone is our peace.” This statement implies that there was a time we were not at peace with Him. when we read the litany at the lighting of the Advent candle this morning, we read in Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” We were once at enmity with God. But God has reconciled us to God through the blood of the cross. Christ died for us. We believe this; therefore we are reconciled. So when we talk about “peace,” this is what we mean.

The promise of reconciliation occurs throughout the Old Testament. We have a small hint when Melchizedek comes to Abraham after Abraham had defeated the confederation of kings who had captured Sodom and had taken his nephew, Lot, prisoner. (Genesis 14:17-20) Hebrews reminds us that Melchizedek’s name means “King (or prince) of righteousness. It also says He was King (prince) of Salem (Jerusalem). (Hebrews 7:1-2) This Melchizedek is properly the “Prince of Peace.” He came to Abraham bringing bread and wine which we recognize as the tokens of our reconciliation to God that we celebrate at Communion. We celebrate that Christ’s body was broken and His blood was shed for us. Hebrews goes on to remind us from Psalm 110:4 “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.””

We could quote a number of other Old Testament texts, but time would not permit this morning. But I would like to quote one other Old Testament text, Isaiah 9:6-7:

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Isaiah 9:6–7 NKJV

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 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.

Here again, we see Jesus as being the Prince of Peace. We reflect at Christmas time that the Prince of Peace came to earth as a newborn child in a manger in Bethlehem. The Word had become flesh (John 1:14) The promise of peace came during the night in the most inconspicuous of ways. How could this helpless child born under the meanest of circumstances bring peace to anyone. A few shepherds were summoned to come and see. They heard the heavenly hosts proclaim “Peace on Earth.” When we realize that the word “host” does not mean one who invites guests to a party, although the shepherds were summoned to a party of sorts. The word “hosts” in this context means “armies.” The Army of the Lord was proclaiming “peace” and not “war.” This Jesus who suffered so much in His earthly life is the one whom God approved to bring peace.

More than two thousand years have passed. As Longfellow says in “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” that there was no peace on earth. As far as the world is concerned, this is true. They have no peace because they do not have the peace of Christ. But let us look at Romans 5:1 again. We who have been justified by faith have peace. It does not say “We will have peace.” We will come to the fullness of peace at the Advent (When He returns). We have the promise from Isaiah 9:7 which we read earlier: “The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this.” As we have learned in this Advent season, this is a season in which we prepare ourselves for His return. So we don't just look for a day when peace finally comes to earth. In the meanwhile, we need to wage peace. our lives need to be a demonstration of the Lord’s peace. By this we witness to the world.