Advent Week 2
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulders.
And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, [and forevermore.]
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will [accomplish] this.
This morning I want to discuss the concept of PEACE.
SHALOM
Christmas is all about Jesus.
Jesus is named the “Prince of Peace”
Jesus came to bring PEACE ON EARTH.
Are you experiencing Peace?
Do you think that people would say that your life is characterized by PEACE?
John 16:33 CSB
33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
Jesus wants us to have PEACE.
But, He says we will have suffering.
It is possible to be experiencing suffering and have PEACE, in Christ.
Matthew 1:18-24 CSB
The Nativity of the Messiah
18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged[g] to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.
This is scandalous!
20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 See, the virgin will become pregnant
and give birth to a son,
and they will name him Immanuel, [Isaiah 7:14]
which is translated “God is with us.”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her 25 but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to [her firstborn son]. And he named him Jesus.
Joseph abstains out of obedience.
I imagine that it was difficult to wait.
Matthew 2:1-23 CSB
Wise Men Visit the King
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”[a]
3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.
5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:
6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah:
Because out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.” [Micah 5:2]
7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”[c]
Herod does NOT intend to worship Jesus.
He is planning to murder this newborn baby boy.
Does that sound peaceful?
9 After hearing the king, [the wise men] went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.[d] Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
The Flight into Egypt
13 After [the wise men] were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So [Joseph] got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son. [Hosea 11:1]
Does this seem peaceful?
The Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.
This is demonically inspired genocide.
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who intended to kill the child are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and entered the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. 23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Now, the trip from Egypt back to Bethlehem.
Nope. They can’t go back to Bethlehem.
They have to travel an additional nearly 90 miles back to Nazareth.
Luke 1:26-38 CSB
Gabriel Predicts Jesus’s Birth
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged[c] to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”[d] 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Mary is deeply troubled.
She is afraid.
Who can relate to this?
What is God calling you to?
What are your current circumstances?
What is He asking you to endure?
31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” [e]
35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Nothing. Is impossible. For God.
Luke 2:1-7 CSB
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire[a] should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while[b] Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him[c] and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger,[d] because there was no guest room available for them.
Trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem
Almost 90 miles
Did she ride a donkey?
Did she have to walk?
4 – 7 day journey…depending on the pace
Does this seem peaceful?
Luke 2:8-14 CSB
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.[e] 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:[f] 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host[g] with the angel, praising God and saying:
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people he favors![h][i]
John 16:33 CSB
33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
The Prince of Peace entered our world to bring us PEACE.
PEACE with God.
PEACE with one another.
And He experienced anything but peace from this world.
He experienced great suffering.
He knew what sickness was.
He was a Man Of Sorrows…well-acquainted with grief.
But He endured. And He conquered.
Some of us are experiencing some real suffering this Christmas season.
But how does Jesus tell us to respond?
“Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
Philippians 4:4, 6-7 CSB
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!...6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Worship!
Make a List of everything you have to be thankful for.