Most of us hate turmoil in our lives. We frequently hear the lament of, “Just give me a little peace and quiet”. This time of year that lament seems to be more frequent and louder even as we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Prince of peace into the world. If we stop to think about it, it makes no sense at all that we should loose the peace in our life we seek by preparing to celebrate the coming of the only one who can truly give us peace, Jesus Christ.
Last week we named our Advent Candle “Hope” and this week we name our candle “Peace”. Both hope and peace are hallmarks of life in Christ and are fruits of the Spirit. You and I can not expect to find peace from a non-peaceful source. In this turbulent world we will not find true peace until we have restored our relationship to the fountainhead of Peace, God, the author of Grace and Peace. To receive God’s Peace we must be in harmony with God and this we can not do for ourselves. We can only do it through Jesus Christ, asking Him to forgive our sin and be the Lord of our life. Then Jesus can bring us to God as sons and daughters and we can receive God’s Peace.
Since I came to live in Madison I feel a lot closer to under-standing God’s Peace than when I lived in Northern Virginia. Surely those of you who have lived here much longer can relate to that. Late at night or very early in the morning there is a quiet and stillness coupled with a canopy of blazing, twinkling stars or the soft dawning of first light that gives the feeling of peace. It reminds me of the hush of expectation in Heaven and in the shepherds’ fields that awaited the first birth cry of the baby in the stable in Bethlehem. God’s Peace is the assurance that we are in His love and care, the absence of fear in all things and the knowledge that we are in harmony with the creator of the universe.
Which of us would not jump at the opportunity to have this peace in our life.
But how do we know for sure that this wonderful peace can be ours. First, when God’s angels announced the birth of His Son in the second chapter of Luke, they also announced that peace had come to the earth. Emmanuel, God With Us, came as the Prince of Peace. Second Jesus Himself promised us God’s Peace in John 14:27 just before ascending to sit at God’s right hand. His peace is indeed not the peace the world gives. When Jesus said “Peace”, He said “Shalom”, the Hebrew word for peace. When our bulletin reminds us to wish each other “Shalom” or when we end worship by singing “Shalom to you” we are wishing one another the Peace of God in the language Jesus spoke. The life of every Christian can be marked by the Peace of God just as it can be marked by the Hope we have in Jesus Christ.
How can we make sure God will bless us with His Peace? Let me suggest some scripture for your consideration.
1. Psalm 34:14- Turn from sin to God, do good and live in peace with others
2. Philippians 4:7- Praise God in all things and pray about everything
3. Psalm 37:11- Humble yourself before the Lord
4. Psalm 119:165- Love God’s Word
5. Galatians 5:22- With the help of the Holy Spirit seek the fruit of the Spirit.
6. Isaiah 26:3- Trust that God is with you in all things and keep your thoughts fixed on Him
7. Romans 2:7-10- Obey God and do good
Notice two things. First, we must work at it to gain God’s
Peace. It does not just fall on us. We have to do our part. Second, to have God’s Peace part of what we are to do is to learn to live in peace with each other. Romans 2:7-10 speaks strongly to this and Ephesians 4:3 reminds us to seek unity through the Holy Spirit. Matthew 6:15 warns that if we do not forgive one another, God will not forgive us. We can not live in peace with one another if there is no forgiveness of one another.
Finally, notice that the good things God wants for us are not just things we will come to after we die. God’s blessings are also for the here and now. Through Jesus Christ our life right now can be graced and marked by Hope and by Peace. May the Peace of God fill your living as you prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace. Shalom to you my friends. AMEN!