Someone To Calm Me Series

SERIES: ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS…

“SOMEONE TO CALM ME”

(adapted from a sermon by Dave Stone)

ISAIAH 9:6-7

OPEN

Three small boys were in a Christmas play at church. They represented the three wise men and they were to give their gifts to baby Jesus. The first boy stepped forward, held out the gift in his hands and said, “Gold.” The second boy stepped forward, held out his gift and said, “Myrrh.” The third boy stepped forward, held out his gift and said, “Frank sent this.”

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been in the series, “All I Want for Christmas…” It’s based on the prophecy found in Is. 9:6-7 – “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. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

We’ve focused on the meaning of the four titles mentioned in this passage. Several hundred years before Jesus was born, God revealed to His people what the Messiah would be like through the prophet Isaiah. Through the gift of His own Son, God provided for my deepest needs.

As Wonderful Counselor, Jesus is Someone to advise me. As Mighty God, He is Someone to rescue me. As Everlasting Father, He is Someone to provide for me. And as Prince of Peace, He is Someone to calm me.

A recent study revealed that seventy-six percent of Americans have a hard time falling asleep at night between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So for some of you, the only sleep you’ll have had over the last month or so is what you’ll get over the next 20 or so minutes while I’m preaching. We allow the stress to consume us rather than allowing the Prince of Peace to calm us.

The term “Prince of Peace” means that there is someone whose rule will bring wholeness and completeness to individuals as well as to society as a whole. Please understand that when we talk about the Prince of Peace that it doesn’t mean that peace is defined as the absence of conflict. Peace is the presence of God.

For centuries, the Jewish people wanted peace so badly that their greeting to one another when they would pass on the street was, “Shalom.” “Shalom means “peace.” It was their wish; their desire. And still today they greet each other with this term: “Shalom.”

But a little over 2,000 years ago, on a quiet Judean hillside where shepherds were watching their flocks, and Angel shared the news that the Savior had been born and that He is Christ the Lord. Lk. 2:8-14 – “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord

appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to

them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town

of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with

the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom

his favor rests.’” The prophesied Prince of Peace had come.

But the question for us at this Christmas season some 2,000 years later is a very simple one. Moreover, it is a relevant one. The question is: Can Jesus bring peace to my own life?

What I want to do this morning is for us to look together at three different encounters that people had with Jesus Christ. I know we will see some interesting things. My goal is that we understand how Christ brings peace into the midst of strife.

PEACE FOR A GUILTY HEART

Lk. 7:36-50 – “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at

the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet

weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’ ‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said. ‘Two people owed money to