Advent Message Series – All I Want For Christmas – Part 2 – PEACE

Message Aim: Second Sunday of Advent

 Sermon Series:  All I Want for Christmas – Part 2

 Sermon Title:    “PEACE”

 Scripture:   Psalm 85:7-9 (NIV)

^{7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation. 8 I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.}

Message Synopsis:

 I will begin with a Christmas Quiz this morning.  (Several questions will be asked for response)

It’s not easy keeping all the facts straight about Christmas …and it’s also not easy to get our faith and our feelings lined up about Christmas either.  Does Christmas really bring hope and peace and joy and forgiveness?

Last week we focused on the Hope that only comes from trusting in Jesus. Our hope is not in what we hope Jesus will do. Our hope needs to be in Jesus Himself. We trust Him to do what is best, and that may not be what we expect or desire. Trusting in Jesus is our Hope!

This morning our attention is on PEACE.  Let me ask you a personal question, “Are you at Peace? The word PEACE in the New Testament means to “join together; to set at one again.” It has the idea of gluing something back together, to fix something broken.

700 years before Jesus was born the prophet Isaiah wrote these words about Jesus: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…” (Isa. 61:1)  Jesus applies these words to Himself in Luke 4.  Jesus came to bind up the brokenhearted.

You know what? That is the problem we face this morning. We’re all broken in some way. Some of us just hide it more than others. Maybe you’re hurting but you’re hiding it. Friends, Jesus came to bind up the brokenhearted; to fix that which is broken. Jesus wants us to have peace in four ways in our lives:

1. Peace with God (that’s the vertical dimension). Did you know that there is a war going on between God and mankind? People may not realize that they are at war with God, but if they don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior…God considers them to be at war with Him.   What about you? Are you at war with God …or at Peace?

 Romans 5:1 gives the good news: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

2. Peace of God (this takes place internally). In order to have the peace of God internally, we must first experience peace with God vertically. The upward dimension must be taken care of before inward peace can permeate our lives. 

John 14:27: “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.” 

3. Peace with others (that’s peace horizontally). When we’re at peace with God, and we have internal peace, we can then be at peace with others. The followers of Jesus find that Jesus is their peace. 

Jesus said in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.” I find it interesting that Jesus didn’t tell us to be “peacekeepers,” but instead “peacemakers.” 

4. Peace for others (that’s the proclamation of peace in the gospel). The only way for people to have peace with God, to have peace inside, and to be at peace with others, is for people like us, people who know Jesus, to tell them about the gospel of peace.

Peter declares in Acts 10:36: “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” We need to share peace with others.