“MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU”
Isaiah 9:6, John 14:27
1. INTRODUCTION:
We remember a time when everything had capsized for us. Schools, colleges, offices, businesses, transportation had stopped working completely. Roads were empty. Everything had silenced. People were worried, troubled and trembling. Many people were dying and death was lurking around the survivors. We were fighting with a virus. This will remain a unique experience of lifetime for our generation that survived.
But here is something great in front of us. Tomorrow onward many churches will celebrate Advent of Christ. That means, we are happy, as we are closer to the celebration of Christmas. It is giving a sense of Joy to us, a relief and definitely a Peace us.
And on a happy occasion like this the Prince of Peace wants to say, “My peace I give to you.”
During World War II London was attacked by bombs at nights. People of the city stayed in underground protection by night. But a Christian lady stayed at home and slept all the bombing nights. When asked about it she said, “Well, my God neither slumbers nor sleeps, and there is no need for both of us to stay awake!” She had peace in spite of the terrific bombings in the city.
Today, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, wants to say to us, “My peace I give to you.”
May the Lord Speak to us!
2. PEACE THAT JESUS GIVES:
Peace, generally means, absence of conflict, trouble or war. Peace was established in the past between kings to avoid war mostly through marriages.
Roman Empire was trying to establish peace by the use of military force and by use of power. Jews were looking for a ruler who would destroy the enemies and reestablish the golden days of Solomon.
The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to stop wars between countries. The Nobel Prize in Peace, the highest honor was awarded since 1901 to peace makers.
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Root meaning ‘complete’ or ‘whole’ only when there is a true state of ‘wholeness’ meaning that everything is ‘complete’ does true ‘peace’ reign. And the wholeness can only be given by Jesus.
The name “Prince of Peace” is the Hebrew Shar Shalom, which means “the one who removes all peace-disturbing factors and secures the peace.”
The Greek word for Peace means ‘to join’ or ‘bind together’ that which has been separated. The perfect peace is the state of reconciliation with God.
It that is the real meaning of Peace, then it was Jesus who gives Peace. Jesus established peace by the blood of his cross (Col. 1:20). Jesus is the source of all peace, and the one who is Himself peace.
Peace has always got to do with personal relationships, a man's relationship to himself, to his fellow-men, and to God. And it is Jesus who can establish these relationships.
Jim Walton, who was translating NT for the Muinane people in Colombia, had difficulty finding the right word for ‘peace.’ But later after lots of attempt and through an incident he found the right word – “one heart”. Having peace is having ‘one heart’ with Jesus.
The world may be recognizing many people for making peace. The world may be giving Nobel Peace prizes to many. But, it is Jesus Christ who gives us total peace – within us, our family, between God and us.
3. MY PEACE IN YOUR WORLD OF CRISES:
Jesus says, “My peace I give to you,” in your world of crises. Is our world in crises? Does it need peace? To find an answer a few historians from Norway, England, Egypt, Germany and India came 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
On the other side, World Economic Forum reported 820 natural disasters in 2019. A magazine wrote about 389 natural disasters in 2020 and 432 disasters in 2021.
And now human kind is in war with a deadly virus. In this war 64cr infected, 66 lakhs died, 220 country & land affected. Poor people were affected. The Church was affected. Ministry of the Church was affected. Christians worshiped from home and could not go to Church.
It was like the disciples, who were inside the closed door together because of the fear of the Jewish leader (John 20:19). But Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you”
To the terrified shepherds in the nearby field, the heavenly hosts said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14)
Because of the world events many of us are living in fear, many of our faith are shaken; many of us have questioned God for all these.
And at such a time the Prince of Peace Says, “My peace I give to you.”
*A Sister named Delia did not cry or bereaved at the death of her husband (55yr). She said, my husband completed his task on earth and gone to his heavenly home. So why to cry for him? It is peace inspite of storm.
Dear friends, have we that peace in our heart?
Someone made a painting on the theme “Peace.” He painted, dark clouds in the sky, lightening ready with thunder, it is raining, heavy wind blowing, a nearby water fall is roaring, trees are shaking. But in spite all these a bird is sitting with complete peace sitting upon her eggs. Calm and still. Peace that Jesus Christ gives makes us calm in spite of the storm happening around.
The Prince of Peace wants to speak to us today that, in spite of anything may happen around the world, but “My peace I give to you.” And he gives such a peace, “which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ” (Phil 4:7). “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” John 4:27 (v1 also).
4. MY PEACE IN YOUR SINKING LIFE:
A man went to a psychiatrist and said, “Every night when I get into bed, I think someone is under my bed. I then get up and look but there's never anyone there. When I crawl under the bed and lie down, I get the idea that there is someone on top of the bed. This goes on all night, up and down, up and down. It's driving me crazy. Do you think you can help?”
The doctor said, “I think I can. All you have to do is visit me twice a week for the next two years, and I think I can cure you. It will cost you $75 per visit or around $7,500.00.” The man said, “That's pretty steep for a working man like me. I'll talk it over with my wife and let you know.” The next week the man called the psychiatrist and said, “Thanks, doc, but I won't be coming back. My wife didn’t like your price per visit, so she just solved the problem.” The doctor asked, “How did she do that?” The man said, “She cut the legs off the bed.”
Today we are surrounded by big or small problems. This year many lost their jobs, many closed down their businesses, many lost dear ones, many lost huge amount on treatment, many remained inside their houses for months just like house arrest, many people in health sectors had to see every day how patient suffered and died, many went through psychosocial struggles.
Apart from that there may be some of us, who are struggling with chronic diseases and doctor saying it does not have a permanent cure, some are struggling with family problems where parents are devastated by children’s behavior and children are seeing parents as outdated and useless, some of us are going through financial scarcity and no solution in spite of many attempts.
We must have prayed like the disciples that were surrounded by storm and wind and said, (Luke 8:22-25) “Master, master, we are going to drown!”
Jews at the time of Roman Empire suffered a lot, because Roman Empire was trying to establish peace in its kingdom by force. It used military force to suppress people and establish peace. Jews knew that this was not the peace. They were looking for another, higher peace. And they hoped that the Messiah will come and restore peace.
And as prophesied by Isaiah in 9:6, a child was born, a son was given, the government was kept upon his shoulder, and he was called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and he was the Prince of peace.
The way he was an answer to the Jews, to the disciples, he is the prince of peace for you and me too. He is saying today, “My peace I give to you.” You may be at any situation of life. Your life boat may be almost sinking, but, “My peace I give to you.”
During French War, an engineer had to drive a train carrying dispatches to the head quarter. He had to reach the 100 kilometers in an hour. The train ran very fast. People sitting on it held their breath, cried out with terror. But, the child of the engineer was in the train but not afraid at all. On being asked, she replied, I was not at all afraid, because my father was in control of the engine. She was happy and peaceful as when at home.
Dear friend, are we facing any kind of difficulties or challenges around us, in our family, with our life, in job, in our health, relationship, faith? Today, our Lord Jesus Christ says, “My peace I give to you.” Dear friends, lets believe that he is in control of our situation. He is in control of our family boat, health boat. It may look to be sinking. But let us know and believe that he is in control. The government is upon His shoulder, He is the mighty God and Everlasting Father. And above all He is the Prince of Peace who says, “My peace I give to you.”
5. APPLICATION:
Dear friends, lets come to the throne of Grace. Let us come to the Prince of Peace. Let us open ourselves so that we experience His peace in our lives.
Let us strengthen our heart, because he is in control.
Let us be fearless at every situation of our lives, because he is the peace on earth.
Let us be strong in our faith, he has the answer to all our problems.
Let us have one heart with Jesus, so that through him we are reconciled to God.
Let us receive his peace that we receive strength.
Let us have the peace so that we may face any tribulation that comes our way.
Let us have the peace so that we may come back to Jesus in spite of any where we may be.
Lastly, A great preacher named C Spurgeon states, The Christian’s heart is like Noah’s dove. It flies over the wide waste, and cannot rest the sole of its foot until it comes back to Christ. He is the true Noah, who puts out his hand and takes in the weary, fluttering dove, and gives it rest. There is no peace the whole world over but with Christ.
