HE WILL BE THEIR PEACE
When will everything be OK? Have you ever asked yourself that question? You’re sitting on the couch, watching the news. You see that the economy has gotten a lot of attention lately. Banks are getting bailed out. Car makers are begging to get bailed out. So many foreclosures, you see. You get tired of watching all of this, and so you change the channel, and now you see stories that show that the moral climate of our country isn’t so good, as government officials fight with each other over what the definition of marriage should be. People seem to be more and more accepting of sinful lifestyles, you notice. You get tired of watching that, and so you change the channel again, and now you see people fighting over how the war against terrorism should be handled. Finally, you turn off the TV. So many problems in the world. When will everything be OK?
And then you think about your own life, and you know that not everything is perfect. Not everything is just right for you at home, or at work, or with your health, your finances. When will everything be OK?
What’s the answer? This is the time of the year when everyone sings about peace on earth. When will there be peace on earth? When will everything finally be perfect?
In Micah 5, there is a little phrase that gives us the answer. Did you hear it? After the prophecy about the Messiah being born in Bethlehem, after the description of the Messiah as a shepherd whose greatness would reach the ends of the earth – there is that key phrase: “And he (Jesus) will be their peace.”
Jesus is our peace. Today we will talk about what that means, and how Jesus brings peace into our lives, even as we live in a world that seems to be the opposite of peace.
Most people never experience real spiritual peace. You see, God has placed inside of every person a desire for peace on earth. Every person in the world wants to feel content. At peace with themselves, and with others, and with the world, and with God. I’m looking for peace in my life – every person has that inside of them – that desire. But for most people, they’re looking for that peace in all the wrong places. Sometimes we can be guilty of doing that as well.
If only I had more money, then I would be at peace. Money is certainly a blessing from God. God never condemns money. He condemns the love of money – greed. Some people are able to acquire an incredible amount of money in their lives. But there’s still something missing – they don’t feel at peace.
If only I had a spouse or a family. To find a spouse, to have a family – those are wonderful blessings from God. And yet, there are many married people out there with children who are still not content with life. There’s still something missing. They don’t feel at peace.
Maybe if I had more power in my life. Or if I was famous. And yet, some of the most powerful people in the world, and some of the most famous people in the world, still don’t feel content. There’s still something missing for them.
You see, every person in the world is born with a hole in his or her heart. And that hole cannot be filled by those earthly things, as good as those things are. No matter how much money I have, no matter how great my family is, no matter how powerful I am or famous I am, I still feel like something is missing. I don’t feel at peace.
What is it, that fills the hole in a person’s heart? That hole is in the shape of a cross, and only Jesus Christ can fill it. He is what’s missing in a person’s life. He’s what can bring peace to the restless heart.
Look at how the Bible describes him…Verse 2 talks about how he would be born in Bethlehem. In our Gospel lesson for this morning, he fulfills that prophecy by being born in the right place. No other religion has that – prophecies that are made, and hundreds of years later exactly fulfilled. But Jesus does that.
His “origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Jesus was alive before he was born to the Virgin Mary. As the Son of God, he was involved with the creation of the world. He’s existed from eternity, because he’s God.
He’s described as someone who shepherds his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of God. If you are looking for a role model in your life, someone to lead you, or to shepherd you, look no further than Jesus Christ. Look at his perfect life. Listen to his perfect words.
And then look at his sacrifice on the cross. There he takes all of your sins and puts them on himself. If you have any guilt in your life, Jesus takes that guilt away. Your sins are forgiven. If you have any uncertainty in your life that God loves you, Jesus takes that uncertainty away, by showing you God’s love as he dies on the cross for you. If you have any worries of what will happen to you after you die, Jesus takes those worries away by giving you the sure hope of eternal life.
And this is what fills that void in our lives. That hole in our hearts. Jesus Christ. At the end of sermons, you will often hear the sentence, “And not the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds, through faith in Christ Jesus.”
The peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Even when the rest of the world is not peaceful, a Christian is. A Christian can have an inner peace. When the economy is good. And when the economy is bad. During times of good health, and times of bad health. Good days and bad days. There is a certain inner peace that a Christian can enjoy, that might look odd to someone watching. It’s a peace that surpasses all understanding. It comes from knowing Jesus Christ, trusting in his love, his sacrifice, his promises. It comes from faith.
A study was once done – during all the years of recorded history, how much peace has there been? A former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India have come up with some startling information: Since 3600 B.C. the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14,351 wars, large and small, in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed would pay for a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Since 650 B.C. there have also been 1656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved.
The point is this – if you are looking for peace, don’t look to this world. Look to Jesus Christ. You see, there is such a thing as peace on earth – it can be found in the heart of every Christian. A simple trust in God, in Jesus Christ – there is where a person will find peace on this side of heaven.
The other name for it is faith. This is what we pray for, as the hymnwriter says, “Oh for a faith that will not shrink, though pressed by many a foe, that will not tremble on the brink of poverty or woe. A faith that shines more bright and clear when tempsts rage without, that when in danger knows no fear in darkness feels no doubt.
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times… And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5 And he will be their peace. Amen.
