"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.
7 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." (Isaiah 9:6-8)
For the people of Judah in 734 BC, they were facing chaos and confusion. The context of Isaiah 9 takes place during the reign of King Ahaz. Judah was at war with five nations (see 2 Chronicles 28). The mighty Assyrian army was threatening to conquer Judah along with the rest of the world. Judah was in trouble and needed help. God’s prophet Isaiah was given a message of hope, a Child would come that would deliver God’s people and bring them peace. The Prince of Peace is “śar šālôm.” Shalom is the greeting used in Jewish and Arabic which means Peace or Wholeness. It means more than just the absence of conflicts. It points toward a lasting peace. Jewish greeting is: 'Shalom alekhem' ('Peace to you') to which the reply is: 'Alekhem Shalom', 'To you be peace'. Shalom encompasses a sense of completeness, wholeness, well-being, and harmony.
The world today is very similar to the time of the prophet Isaiah. We need to greet peace more than ever before in our life time. We just passed through the pandemic, and now we are in the middle of several wars, two of them are major - Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Palestine“Peace often seems to be the most sought for and, at the same time, the most elusive treasure. The great cry of the world is for peace. The diligent and devoted effort of so many world leaders and diplomats is on behalf of peace. Yet history seems to mock their effort and confirm the futility of man’s search for peace." [Henry Gariepy, 100 Portraits of Christ, (Victor Books, 1987), 121-2]. A study says that the world has seen 13 years of war for every year of peace. Then where and how can we find lasting peace? Where cane we find wholeness or Shalome?
Everlasting Peace is a gift from God
God's peace is given to us through His Son Jesus Christ. He is our peace. We need to learn to receive it, just like any other blessing. We as humans are are always restless we yearn for what is not.
St. Augustine said, “All hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” Blaise Pascal, French philosopher and mathematician (1623) said, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself”
The Bible says Jesus is our peace
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations." (Ephesians 2:14-17).
The birth of Jesus Christ marked the fulfillment of God's promise to bring salvation and everlasting peace. The angelic proclamation to the shepherds in Luke 2:14 encapsulates the essence of Christmas: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" In Jesus, God's favor rests upon us, and the pathway to everlasting peace is opened. This is a gift God provides to humanity. The Son of God became the Son of Man in order that the sons of men might become the sons of God.
As the songwriter sings, “O what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear,..all because we do not carry everything to God." Embracing the Gift during during this Christmas season, let us open our hearts to the gift of everlasting peace. As we unwrap the presence of Christ, may we be reminded that His peace is not just a distant concept but a tangible reality that can transform our lives. Jesus invites us to lay down our burdens, fears, and anxieties at His feet and to embrace the peace that He freely offers. "Everlasting peace transcends the fleeting moments of calm. You have heard the phrase “calm before the storm.” Often what peace we experience in the world is transient and fleeting. In the beginning, God created a world of beauty and perfection, but sin entered the picture, bringing brokenness and separation. Throughout history, humanity has yearned for lasting peace – a peace that transcends the fleeting moments of joy and serenity. It is a peace that is anchored on God, who is the source of all peace. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” I was watching a bird on a power line outside our window. It was very calm and serene outside. In a matter or moments, the sky grew dark, a fierce wind and storm came through. I was curiosity watching what this bird would do. In the midst of a storm, a little bird was clinging to a power-line outside our home, seemingly calm and unafraid. As the wind tore at the limbs of the trees, the bird continued to look the storm in the face, as if to say, "Shake me off; I still have wings." The peace that is rooted in faith in an Almighty God is the peace that remains when comfortable circumstances turn uncomfortable. It is the peace that testifies that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. This is the peace that comes from knowing Jesus, our Savior, is Lord of all. “If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.” ~Thomas Watson The world, burdened by conflict, injustice, and pain, desperately needed a Savior. The peace Jesus brings is not a temporary ceasefire or a momentary respite from life's challenges. It is an everlasting peace that surpasses human comprehension. It is a peace that flows from the reconciliation between God and humanity through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. This peace is not dependent on circumstances but is anchored in the unchanging character of our God. Jesus says, “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 NIV). Jesus is “Immanuel, God with Us”, God’s abiding presence is with us. Everlasting peace does not depend on circumstances The scene in Luke’s Gospel of the birth of Jesus is a hectic situation. It’s not just hectic because of the multitude of characters involved. It is also hectic because it involves the collision of multiple and diverse scenes into this singular moment in time: the census that caused a young couple to travel a great distance across deserts and mountains on the week of their child’s birth; the “no vacancy” sign at the only inn in town; the shepherds terrified by the angel of the Lord appearing and speaking out of the night sky; the heavenly host praising God; and the child being born in a stable and laid to recover from the birth experience on a bed of hay in a manger, surrounded by his parents, animals, and curious and overwhelmed shepherds. It was probably more hectic and stressful than we can imagine. The peace the world gives is based on circumstances. A circumstance is a situation or condition. Furthermore, circumstance is defined as one’s state of financial or material welfare. This worldly peace is the one you will find most people working and praying for. It is the one God is often praised for though this peace is not from Him. This peace is ushered in with familiarity, predictability, and independence. It is the peace of a settler, one who establishes one’s own life. In Genesis chapter 11 we find an example of people searching for this kind of peace. They built the tower of Babel that only brought chaos and confusion and not unity or peace
“Psalm 121: 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” “Grandpa, we’ve got a problem!” That’s my grandson Cesare’s favorite phrase. At this point I remind him that we have an opportunity for God to find a solution. Problems do indeed arise, seemingly every day. But the choice of how we handle them is ours. We can either allow fear to well up on the inside, or we can take our problems to the Lord. The sooner we turn them over to God, the sooner we’ll feel God’s peace. In John 14, Jesus said that he came to give us peace. He knew the imperfections in our world, and he knew that we could never handle them on our own. He also knew that every day each one of us will face something that will require his help. That’s why Jesus said that the peace he gives us is not like what the world tries to give. The world’s peace is superficial. Although it may suppress our problems for the moment, it’s not lasting. So today the choice is ours. What will we do the next time a problem arises? Will we dwell on the problem? Or will we make a conscious choice to turn it over to God?
A lone bird is perched on the side of a rock in the seas. He is seemingly untouched by the turmoil surrounding . As the bird perched on its nest, the stormy sea raged around the rock. The winds blew fiercely, and the waves rose and fell with thunderous roars. Yet, the small bird remained remarkably calm, its wings tucked in, and its eyes focused on the horizon. Peace is multiplied when shared.
In a world hungering for hope, let us be bearers of the good news – that through Jesus Christ, everyone can experience reconciliation with God and the abiding peace that accompanies it. As ambassadors of Christ, let our lives reflect the transformative power of His peace. When we share, we will have Peace with others and peace with ourselves. Shalom extends to our relationships, urging us to pursue reconciliation and forgiveness (Matthew 5:9). Acts of kindness and empathy contribute to the shalom of our communities. Everlasting peace destroys barriers and walls of hostility and builds bridges Ephesians 2:14-17 "His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." The birth of Jesus brought a lot of different people from many different places and walks of life: shepherds in the field, a couple from out of town, an innkeeper, an angel of the Lord, and a terrifying heavenly host. These characters have no inherent connection to one another. But their lives intersect in a powerful encounter as together they bear witness to the birth of this extraordinary child. Their common experience and witness allow them to find unity, even in the midst of their very different circumstances of life. It allowed them to feel a momentary peace. It helped them see beyond the present and the past to catch a glimpse of a future that could be different from what they have known. They can see in this child’s face, if only for a second, the promise of God’s kingdom, the prince of peace.
"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." Isaiah 58:12 Peace with God is foundational for your mission.
You can’t begin to serve the Lord unless you first are reconciled to Him through the peace that Christ accomplished on the cross. Before you believe in Christ, your sins alienate you from God (Rom. 8:7-8). But when you trust in Christ, you enter into a new relationship of peace with God (Rom. 5:1). Then and only then does God appoint us as ambassadors of His mission of reconciliation with this world that is hostile toward Him (2 Cor. 5:18). Not only does Christ give us peace with God through His blood, but He also gives us the peace of God through His abiding presence with us as we seek to accomplish the gospel mission. As Jesus concluded the Great Commission (in Matt. 28:20), He gave the assurance, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Note, “I am with you always”! As we proclaim the gospel to this hostile world, the Lord’s presence gives us “the peace of God, which surpasses understanding” (Phil. 4:7). Horatio Spafford was a great Christian businessman in Chicago who knew about sorrow. He had lost his only son, 4 years old, to pneumonia. He lost part of his life savings in the Chicago fire. When he started to get his life turned around In November, 1873, someone told him to go to England to hear a preacher in Revival there. So he got tickets to take a ship there with his family, but at the last second, someone told him he needed to stay an extra day and clean up what the fires had destroyed. So he stayed while he sent his family to England. On the way, the ship his family was on collided with another ship and sank in 12 minutes. All three of Spafford’s daughters were among the 226 who drowned. Mrs. Spafford was miraculously saved. But he found true comfort with the Lord. On his way to England to be with his wife, he told the captain to let him know where his daughters had died. After he saw the place, he went to his room. Spafford received sustaining comfort from God that enabled him to write: “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll-Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well with my soul. Tho Satan should buffet, tho trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate and shed His own blood for my soul. And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll: The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, "Even so" it is well with my soul.”
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, let the message of everlasting peace resonate in our hearts. The presence of Christ is the assurance of God's love, grace, and peace that endures through all seasons of life. May the peace that Jesus brings fill your hearts, homes, and communities, making this Christmas a testimony to the everlasting peace found in the Prince of Peace. As we journey through life, may we seek Shalom—a peace that surpasses understanding, a completeness that comes from God alone. Let us be peacemakers, embracing the transformative power of Shalom in our lives and sharing it with the world around us. May the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Amen.
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