Peace Advent Candle (revised)
The second Advent candle is frequently called the Peace candle. Reflecting on the peace promised by Christ’s birth and the faithfulness of those who repent and trust in Him. The advent candle lighting is a celebration of the restoration of creation and wonder of God’s peace lived out here on earth.
If you had to choose between world peace or all the money in the world…
What color Ferrari would you buy? Just kidding. Of course you would choose world peace!
In his classic book called, “Peace with God,” written over 50 years ago, Billy Graham hits it on the head: “The greatest warfare going on in the world today is between mankind and God. People may not realize that they are at war with God, but if they don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior…God considers them to be at war with Him.”
Did you realize that the people of the Earth are at War with God. Some people don’t even realize it or know it! They are totally unprepared to meet God!
In a war with God, who do you think will win? Pretty easy to figure that one out, right? God is Almighty and always wins in any fight! It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an almighty God!
So why would people want to fight with God? To be clear, God does not want a fight with people, but people are in a fight with God because of their opposition to God because of their Sin! God wants unity, love, and peace, but our sin makes us, willingly or not, as enemies of God.
So how do you stop a war with God? To stop a war with God, you must take away the sin, and then God has no reason to war with you! Sadly, it’s easier said than done, once a sinner, you cannot take away your own sin. Sin requires the penalty of death! Sins can be forgiven, tho, if you repent of sin and ask Jesus for forgiveness of sin. To grant forgiveness, Jesus had to take your penalty upon Himself by dying in your place.
Romans 1:18-20 God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
The very world around them proves there is a God. Further people know there is good and evil, yet people choose evil, and thereby become an enemy of God.
In the Bible, it says Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord, which may mean he was actually a hunter of God or rebellious against God. He was a bad guy, likely built the tower of Babel, Nineveh, and historically a leader of the Assyrians, enemies of God’s people. How could anyone be proud to be an enemy of God? What do you think he did when he met God?
Isaiah in Chapter 6:5 when he saw God, said,
Isaiah 6:5 Then I said, “Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.”
This sort of sounds like one of those Hell Fire and Brimstone type messages, right?
We are messed up in sin, we are broken, who will fix us?
Well, there’s hope for the hopeless! There is a balm in Gilead! There is a fix! God doesn’t want a war, He wants reconciliation!
Imagine, that God loved us so much that He sacrificed His Son for us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
God wishes that none should perish, and He does not want to just watch us burn or stomp on us! No, instead God’s love was shown by His willingness to send His Son to this Earth to be our sacrifice!
Peace is what the story of Christmas is all about. That God sent His Son to be our reconciliation! God did it by letting Jesus be born as a baby, be our Immanuel (God with us) and even go to the Cross to be our Sacrifice.
The angels heralded this coming peace with God!
Luke 2:8-14 (Angels herald the news of Christ’s birth)
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field*, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid*. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
So what is peace on Earth?
The Heavenly Hosts are the Army of God!! Imagine the Army of God arriving hovering above you. Eek!
When the Heavenly Army of God appeared, they were sorely afraid! SORELY AFRAID! That’s likely an understatement! I would be too!
Instead of wiping everyone out instantly, instead they were saying “peace on Earth, good will to men!”? What is this? Not only are they not wiping out all of the evil sinners, but they are sharing the GIFT of salvation. They are saying Salvation has come from God! God just flipped the script! Whew, what great news! A baby in Bethlehem - a Savior!
Romans 5:10 Reconciled by Jesus’ death
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
John 3:36 Believe in Son or Wrath
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Jesus’ birth was more than just a pretty setting, it was the promise of peace from God - The war is over if you’ll just repent and trust in Him!
Sadly, some people don’t want peace, they’d rather have war with God. It’s a fight they won’t win.
Romans 5:1,2 We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:6-11 Demonstrated love while we were yet his enemies (sinners)
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
You can have the peace that passes understanding and have life, even an abundant life, and He has even promised heaven. God is offering His peace on Earth and good will to men. Take Him up on His good will offer and drop the war with God and go for sweet peace!
However, there are some people who know that Jesus is mankind’s only hope and are looking forward to Jesus’ coming (first and second) and look forward to salvation!
Luke 2:28-32 Simeon
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
It was such an amazing selfless act that God did by making such an epic plan to save us. The plan was to send Jesus as a baby, grow, and then to die in our place. How selfless is that! Words can not describe how wonderful God is to us. Without Jesus, we would have no hope and would be doomed to a devil’s hell. But with Jesus we can be saved, have a relationship with God as His child, live an abundant life, and even have the gift of eternal life and going to heaven! God loves us that much even while we were yet his enemies.
Don’t remain God’s enemy. Accept His free gift of salvation! His free gift of a relationship and an abundant life, and the gift of eternal life and heaven! The best Christmas gifts ever!
If you have accepted the peace of God by accepting Jesus, let God’s peace rule in your hearts and life that sweet righteous life that He calls us to!
Colossians 3:14-16 Let peace rule in your hearts!
14 In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
All we are saying… Is give peace a chance! ;-)
