Jesus- Prince of Christmas-Prince of Peace
Luke 2:1-14
In Isaiah the Bible calls Jesus our Prince of Peace.
And most assuredly ....He is just that
Isaiah 9:6 says
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The days and events just surrounding the birth of Jesus seemed to be anything but peaceful.
Consider with me the
I. COUNTING THAT LACKED PEACE.
The fact is that a census
( A Counting of the people)....was being taken.
It would have required Joseph to travel back to the town of his ancestors and there ...to record his name, his property, his occupation, and his family.
Now not only did this census require Joseph to make a journey but many others had to follow this order.
The trip for most would have been less than peaceful.
If you are a parent of two or more children you have likely experienced trips that were less than peaceful.
Hearing things from the back seat of your vehicle like:
“are we there yet”
“He’s touching me”
“She’s looking at me”
“He is on my side of the seat.”
Honestly some trips just are not very peaceful.
The event of the census .....certainly brought more challenge and difficulty to many people than it ever could have brought them peace.
The census was not an optional thing.... it was a must go situation.
How many of us can account for instances in our lives that were not surrounded with peace and yet they were MUST GO situations.
Many here today can remember “The Draft” -during the days of Vietnam our friends, our family members and the average age of the combat soldier was 19.
It certainly was unpeaceful from the courthouse where some burned their drafts cards...to the Hochimin trail and Vietnam beyond where many gave their lives .
It was a time where peace was greatly needed and many without option had to go.
Right now many loved ones and family members have been called up and made ready to go to Iraq -
A place where we hope things are beginning to change for the better but still a place where the situation is still very much in need of peace.
The Romans could have cared less about the difficulty and challenge this brought to peoples lives. The Romans did not care about bringing peace to the lives of those "others" around them.
The challenge to us this Christmas and everyday...is this:
have we taken the Roman approach to Christmas or the God approach to Christmas.
In the wake of all that is going on this holiday season...are our actions dispensing peace to the lives of others or are our actions dispensing that which takes away from peace in the lives of others.
Jesus is the prince of peace and we as his loyal people of the Kingdom of God...I pray this Christmas....that we might be people of Christ placing into the lives of those around us peace rather than unrest.
II. Consider with me the COMMUNITY THAT LACKED PEACE
Bethlehem that first Christmas would not have been a peaceful place.... no doubt many would have been gathered there amongst the hustle and bustle of that place that would become a most special city.
Sometimes we ourselves ....are the reason that we miss out on the real meaning of the season of Christmas.
Oh how we need to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Christmas.
The streets of Alton and Jerseyville and the Galleria at St. Louis are all filled with noise crowds and clamoring.....
Much like Bethlehem when Joseph and Mary arrived that first Christmas.
For you and For Your Family let Christ be the Prince of Peace in your Christmas.
The family needs!...YOU NEED!...... to partake of real peace.
Sit down and read the Christmas story all alone just yourself out of the Bible.
If you have children at home sit down with all the family if they are young children read it out of a children’s version that tells the true meaning of Christmas if you need to.
Find a peaceful time ...to spend time together just as a family walking or driving around looking at Christmas lights for a little peace.
And as you do remind one another as you look at those lights.... remind one another that Christ is the light of the world....who brings peace into the world.
Jesus as the light of the world came to lead mankind out of the darkness of sin. To bring peace where sin had brought problem. TO bring hope where sin had brought hopelessness and to bring light into the darkness of mankind.
III. Consider with me THE CHILDBEARING THAT LACKED PEACE.
Mary Physically sure was not experiencing a lot of peace. The King James Bible described her condition as being “Great with child” I can recall times where my wife was so pregnant that I know she was thinking “Lord get this child of me.”
My wife might say that next to salvation and the virgin birth that somewhere farther down the line she desires with all respect for God and holiness to acknowledge that epidurals are a medical miracle of God.
She had our first 3 children and every time she would be in labor...she would be squeezing my hand...about to break my fingers and she would say “ooooo”
“John the next time I tell you I want another child remind me of this moment.”
And then when she would be in labor with the next child there she would be again breaking my fingers and saying the same thing.
With Ethan our youngest .....she finally had an Epidural...She said
"this is a walk in the park"...
"this is a cake walk"...
"wow why didn’t I do this with the first three."
I was in the corner looking at my arthritic knuckles going ya why didnt ya.
The ponit I am trying to make here is that for Mary there was no easing medicine or pain reliever....there was no epidural.
Physically her situation was much less than peaceful and I think anyone who has ever experienced childbirth would agree it is not a "peaceful situation”
Agreed...Agreed we understand pastor but where is the Christmas application for our life.
99.9% of us..... 99.9% of the time are going to choose peace over pain.
Yet how true the saying no pain no gain.
I want to sort of reshape that today by saying many times...no pain ...no peace.
In order to find the peace we seek sometimes we travel first through the pain.
Childbirth can be a grueling experience. It is one of those things where I just look to heaven and say “Thank you Jesus.... you made me a man.”
Childbirth can be a grueling experience and yet when that mother holds that baby in her arms ...I have never heard , not one woman ever say....
“Well that wasn’t worth it.”
Not a single mother have I ever heard say...
”If I knew it was going to hurt that bad I just never would have had the child.”
When they place that precious child in the mothers arms that mother realizes that it was MORE than worth it.
At the moment of pain in our lives most of us can’t perceive the peace that lies somewhere ahead.
Yet it does and through Christ though this life is sometimes cruel, unfair and even brutally painful.
The peace that awaits us on the other side as we trust Christ as we walk with Him live for Him and then...... one day see Him face to face.... Oh the peace that awaits us....and it is well worth the pain of this life.
How peaceful are you when you are in a strange place? I always say one of the best things about coming come from a trip is sleeping in your own bed.
There is something very peaceful about lying your head down under the roof of that place you call home and listening to the snoring of your spouse as you doze off to sleep.
Seriously when I am sleeping in a strange place. It does not matter if I have a nice fluffy pillow. If I have the right temp in the room, the right size bed, with the right mattress support.
All of that is great but it still does not change the fact that it is hard to be at peace in an unfamiliar place.
As I walk this earth I can say the words of that hymn it is well with my soul...but I cannot say it is perfect with my soul.
You see as I sleep and walk and eat and live life on this earth my soul realizes that it is not home...but I want you to know my soul is homeward bound.
I can have peace because I know I have accepted Christ as Savior and because I know that if I die today I will go to that peaceful place of heaven to be with the author of peace who is Jesus Christ.
And yet...my soul will not find perfect peace until it rests on heavens shore. My soul is not home yet but I assure you with Christ as my Savior it is homeward bound.
Let me ask you a question this morning.
"Where is your life bound for?"
"Where is your soul headed?"
I can tell you that it is one of two places.
Your life is either headed for peace or it is headed for pain. Your journey is not to Bethlehem but to the eternal destination of your soul.
If you don’t know the prince of peace. Then your soul and your life will become a novel of pain and destruction.
But if you will trust Christ as your savior. Come today and confess your need for a peace that only He can bring.
Then your life will find peace and delight instead of pain and destruction.
The prince stands in all his royalty and holiness waiting to greet you into the Kingdom of God.
The choice of your life this Christmas is simple...Please choose Jesus ...Choose Peace...Because HE is the Prince of Peace.
