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(Isaiah 9:6)

INTRODUCTION: Our Advent Series is called Name Above All Names, and we have been looking at the four names of Jesus as revealed by the prophet Isaiah. This is the fourth Sunday of Advent, and so today we come to the fourth name, which is “Prince of Peace.” (Read Isaiah 9:6 and pray)

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Shalom! Shalom, my friends, Shalom! I think “shalom” is one of the most beautiful words in the Hebrew language or any language for that matter. I was first introduced to the word as a child at school through the Israeli folk song “Shalom Chaverim.” You may remember it as well. (Sing: “Shalom chaverim, shalom chaverim, shalom, shalom. We’ll meet again, we’ll meet again, shalom, shalom.”) I didn’t know the meaning of what we were singing, but even then, I felt a certain power and beauty in the words.

Shalom is the Hebrew word for “peace,” but it means so much more than that. Shalom means not merely an absence of conflict, but personal well-being, wholeness and rest. The person who has “shalom” is at perfect peace in every aspect of his or her being. So, when you greet someone with the word “shalom,” you are expressing the very deepest wishes for God’s blessing upon their life.

Isaiah gave his prophecy at a time when the people of Judah were far from peace. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had joined forces with Syria and was marching on Jerusalem. The Assyrian Empire was on the rise, and the people of Judah were surrounded by conflict and war on every side.

And in the midst of all this conflict Isaiah prophesies the birth of a child who will be called “Sar-Shalom,” the Prince of Peace. We hear the word “prince” today and we immediately think of a junior king or someone who will someday grow up to be king, but in the Hebrew the word simply means a “ruler.” And so, Isaiah is saying that this baby who will be born will be a ruler who brings peace and shalom wherever he reigns.

So, in what way did Jesus show himself to be the Prince of Peace when he was born into our world? This morning we will look at four ways from the Scriptures that Jesus brings peace: 1) Jesus brings spiritual peace between you and God. 2) Jesus brings you personal peace through relationship with God. 3) Jesus brings relational peace between you and others. 4) Jesus brings world peace when he comes to rule forever. So, let’s look at each of these in turn.

I. Jesus brings spiritual peace between you and God

First of all, Jesus brings spiritual peace between you and God. Some people struggle with this first one because they believe they are already at peace with God. They think, “I’m a good person. God is already on my side. Why do I need someone to bring peace between me and God?”

I think of Henry David Thoreau, the writer. When Thoreau was on his deathbed, his aunt asked him, “Henry, have you made your peace with God?” Thoreau responded, “Why auntie, I wasn’t aware that we had ever quarreled.” It’s a clever response, which is why it is remembered, but it lacks the scriptural understanding of how sin in our lives affects our relationship with God.

   A. We are separated from God because of our sin (Isaiah 59:2)

The Bible tells us that we are separated from God because of our sin. We read in Isaiah 59:2: “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2) It would be nice if we were all at peace with God, but sadly it is just not true. God is a holy God who must judge and punish sin. We are sinful people who have broken God’s laws. So yes, unfortunately we do have a quarrel with God. We are not at peace with God, because we are separated from God because of our sin.

   B. We are reconciled to God through Jesus’ death (Romans 5:1)

So then, how does Jesus bring spiritual peace between you and God? The Bible tells us we are reconciled to God through Jesus’ death on the cross when we put our faith in him. Romans 5:1 says: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Jesus died on the cross to pay the punishment for our sins. And when we put our trust in him, Jesus takes care of our sin problem for us. We are justified – that means we are counted righteous in God’s sight – by faith. So, that’s the first way Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He brings spiritual peace between you and God.

II. Jesus brings you personal peace through relationship with God

Secondly, Jesus brings you personal peace through relationship with God. Most people today do not enjoy personal peace on a daily basis. Sadly, even many Christians do not live in peace. It’s so easy to get distracted by the various tensions and stresses of life. But Jesus offers a remarkable peace to each one of us through our relationship with God.

   A. He gives you his own peace through the Holy Spirit (John 14:27)

First of all, he gives you his own peace through the Holy Spirit. In John 14 Jesus talks about sending us the Holy Spirit. And in verse 27 in connection with the Spirit Jesus says this: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

This is a promise from Jesus that you can claim during the hard times. Jesus doesn’t give you a second-hand peace; he gives you his own peace, a peace which is unlike anything the world has to offer. And he gives you this peace through the Holy Spirit who lives within you.

   B. He gives you the peace of God which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7)

Secondly, Jesus gives you the peace of God that passes all understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

That’s the greatest trade in the world! Through prayer Jesus takes your worries and instead gives you his peace. Notice that Jesus not only gives you peace with God – that is, your justification, spiritual peace between you and God. He not only gives you peace with God; he also gives you the peace of God – a supernatural peace that passes all understanding when you simply bring your requests to God in prayer.

   C. He will keep you in perfect peace as you keep trusting in him (Isaiah 26:3)

Jesus gives you his own peace through the Holy Spirit. He gives you the peace of God that passes all understanding. And then thirdly, he will keep you in perfect peace as you keep trusting in him. Isaiah 26:3 says: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3) God is in control, and when you trust him completely with all the details of your life, he will keep you in perfect peace at all times.

III. Jesus brings relational peace between you and others

As Prince of Peace Jesus brings spiritual peace between you and God. Secondly, he brings you personal peace through relationship with God. And thirdly, Jesus brings relational peace between you and others.

Human beings have experienced relational conflict ever since we first fell into sin. Adam blamed Eve in the garden for giving him the fruit from the tree. Cain was jealous of his brother Abel and murdered him in the field. And on and on it goes.

So many of the sorrows we experience in life are the result of the conflicts we experience with each other. But Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and when you submit to his rule as the Prince of Peace, he brings relational peace between you and others.

   A. He breaks down all human barriers (Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 4:3)

You might wonder how he does that. First of all, he breaks down all human barriers. Galatians 3:28 says: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) We human beings are experts at building walls between various groups. So much damage has been done through racism, class warfare, sexism and whatever other barriers we throw up between different groups of human beings. Jesus comes and smashes those barriers to pieces because in him we are all one.

Ephesians 4:3 says: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3) There are no barriers between true believers because we are all one in Christ, and we all share of the same Holy Spirit. Jesus brings relational peace first of all by breaking down all human barriers.

   B. He tells you to forgive as you have been forgiven (Matthew 18:21-22)

Secondly, he tells you to forgive as you have been forgiven. When Peter asked Jesus in Matthew 18: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22)
Then Jesus told him a parable about a servant who was unable to repay a large debt he owed to the king. At first the king was going to have the servant, his family and all his possessions sold to repay the debt, but then instead the king had mercy on him. He cancelled the debt and let him go. Can you imagine the freedom in having your debt cancelled just like that? But then the servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him a much smaller debt. When that man couldn’t pay, the first servant had his fellow servant thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the king heard what the unmerciful servant had done, he had him thrown into prison until he paid back all that he owed.

The point of the parable is clear. If God has forgiven you all your sins – that’s a huge, impossible debt for you to pay – if God has forgiven you all your sins, how can you possibly hold someone else’s sin against them? The answer is: “You can’t.” And so, Jesus tells you to forgive others as you have been forgiven yourself.

   C. He calls you to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:18; Matthew 5:23-24)

And then thirdly, Jesus calls you to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 says: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18) If there is any block between you and someone else, make sure it is not due to anything on your part.

Living at peace with others even takes priority in our worship. Jesus says in Matthew 5:23-24: “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)

So, stop and take stock of your life for a moment. Is there someone with whom you are not at peace today? Perhaps a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor? Are you doing and have you done all that you can to mend the relationship? In other words, have you apologized where you needed to apologize? Have you forgiven where you needed to forgive? Have you made things right where you needed to make things right?

You see, anytime there is relational conflict between you and another person, it is because either one or both of you are not submitting to Christ’s rule as the Prince of Peace; you are not putting Christ first in your life. Now that doesn’t mean we are always going to agree on everything. We are still individuals, and so we are going to see things differently. But we can disagree about many things and still live in peace with each other as long as we put Christ first.

IV. Jesus brings world peace when he comes to rule forever

As Prince of Peace Jesus brings spiritual peace between you and God. He brings you personal peace through relationship with God. He brings relational peace between you and others. And finally, Jesus brings world peace when he comes to rule forever.

   A. He will eliminate war between the nations (Isaiah 2:2-4)

The Bible tells us when Jesus returns, he will eliminate war between the nations. One of the biggest obstacles to peace in our world is the constant war between nations. It seems as soon as one war stops, another starts someplace else. Many times, we have several wars going on all at the same time. War destroys lives; it stirs up hatred; it rips families apart; it causes untold suffering.

But when Christ returns, the Bible tells us that he will eliminate war between the nations. Isaiah 2 paints a particularly beautiful portrait of this time:

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.

They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (Isaiah 2:2-4)

War is a temporary evil of this present age, but when Christ returns, as the old song says: “We ain’t gonna study war no more.” Jesus, the Prince of Peace, will eliminate war between the nations.

   B. He will rule in righteousness forever (Isaiah 9:7)

And then he will rule in righteousness forever. We have been studying Isaiah 9:6 for the past four weeks. So, let’s jump ahead a verse now and see what verse seven says: “Of the increase 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.” (Isaiah 9:7) The Prince of Peace will reign on David’s throne and rule in righteousness forever and ever. And of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. What glory we look forward to!

We have looked at four ways from Scripture that Jesus fulfills this fourth name, Prince of Peace. But I also want you to see the progression between the various aspects of this name. Spiritual peace comes first, then personal peace, then relational peace, and finally one day when Christ returns, world peace. You can see that more clearly when you trace it backwards. Before we can have world peace between the nations, we must first have relational peace with each other. Before we can have relational peace with each other, we must first know the personal peace that comes from a relationship with God. And before we can know personal peace in our lives through relationship with God, we must first come to spiritual peace with God through faith in Christ who died for our sins.

And so, spiritual peace comes first, then personal peace, then relational peace, and finally one day when Christ returns, world peace. This is the peace of which the angels sang when Christ was born at Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14) Jesus truly is the Prince of Peace.

CONCLUSION: Let me close with a story. It’s a true story. It’s the story of an amazing event took place one Christmas during World War II. The year was 1944. A group of American soldiers had been fighting a fierce battle with the German soldiers for three straight weeks in an area just south of the Battle of the Bulge. They all belonged to the 95th Division which had been assigned to the Third Army under General Patton.

But late afternoon on Christmas Eve of that year, the shooting suddenly ceased. The American soldiers weren’t sure what to make of it at first, but then the German soldiers lit up a giant Christmas tree on a nearby hill and began singing “Silent Night” in German along with some other familiar Christmas carols. The American soldiers quickly rigged up their own Christmas tree and joined in the singing. All that evening and all the next day, the Germans and the Americans observed a brief cease fire in celebration of Christmas.

Let me continue reading to you from the story:

Most of the day, they rested and shared stories of their homes and families. They spent some of their time repairing gloves and socks and other personal equipment necessary for the weather. For part of the day, some of the men celebrated … by reading from their thin, brownish Gideon copy of the Psalms and the four gospels which they carried with them…. At exactly midnight, as Christmas came to a close, the tree lights went off and the guns again began to roar. (Source: https://mattheerema.com/culture-current-events/2012/12/silent-night-peaceful-day-a-christmas-story/

For that one Christmas Day, the German and American soldiers experienced a brief interlude of peace in a long, dreary war as they celebrated the birth of Christ. That peace was temporary – the guns started up again – but it is still a beautiful preview of the permanent and everlasting peace that will be ours when Jesus returns.

So, come Lord Jesus, bring us your shalom, we pray. Oh come, oh come Emmanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father – come and bring us peace, our wonderful Prince of Peace.

© Ray Fowler

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