Christmas Eve
“PRINCE OF PEACE”
Text: Isaiah 9
Tuesday December 24th, 2024 – Christmas Eve
Trinity – Creston/Mount Ayr
Grace, mercy, and peace is yours from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Our text for this evening is from the assigned readings proclaimed earlier.Let Us Pray: Dearest Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to remind us that you come not to bring us peace in this life but ultimately peace with God. Having peace with you, we go through the roller coaster of life knowing the best is yet to come. Amen.
Dear Fellow Redeemed in Christ:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . . and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
So far we’ve learned about the first three titles in Isaiah 9:6—“Wonderful Counselor,” “Mighty God,” and “Everlasting Father.” Tonight [Today] we will focus on the fourth title given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6—“Prince of Peace.”
We live in a world where war is far too common. Around the world, various nations are at war with other nations or sometimes even at war within themselves. Many of our soldiers are stationed in foreign lands when they would rather be at home celebrating Christmas with their loved ones.
However, nations are not the only ones who are at war. Many people in this world have feelings of hatred and even perform acts of violence toward others for various reasons. Some people hate and hurt others because their skin is a different color or because they belong to a different religion or to a different political party.
Some people hate and hurt others simply because they covet what others have. No wonder society seems to be at war with itself!On top of that, we can even find war among people who should love one another. Many husbands and wives are at war with each other, and the result is that marriage vows are often broken.
Many parents and children are at war with each other, and the result is that we have dysfunctional homes filled with tension, strife, and violence. Even fellow Christians who ought to love one another are often filled with hatred for one another—and the result is that we have some congregations filled with disharmony and conflict.
Now, I could talk all night [day] about the various ways that people of this world are at war with one another. Sadly, we don’t have peace on earth—and this is discouraging because we all want peace.
During the Christmas season many hope for some sort of peace in their lives. Instead, we can’t seem to avoid war, these things I just spoke of. Why is this the case? What we need to understand is that things have been this way ever since Adam and Eve declared war against God!
My friends, we are the sinful descendants of Adam and Eve. God’s Word teaches that we are conceived with their sinful nature. Therefore, it is natural for us to be at war with God. In fact, the reason there is so much war among people is that we are at war with God! Until we have peace with God, there will be no peace on earth.
In fact, if peace were up to us, we’d be doomed to an eternity without peace. Scripture teaches that we are by nature enemies of God. The problem is not that God doesn’t love us. No! The problem is that we don’t love God nor do we trust Him.
The proof is that we constantly sin against God by our desires, thoughts, words, and deeds—by the evil we do and the good we fail to do.
Scripture clearly teaches that we deserve God’s eternal wrath because of our sin, and there’s nothing we can do to change the situation. Not only can we do nothing to get rid of our guilt and avoid the punishment we deserve but the real problem is that we can’t change our own hearts. We can’t give ourselves the peace we so desperately need.
Therefore, since we are not at peace with God, we can never be at peace with others. Left to ourselves, there would never be peace on earth but only war and strife at all the various levels of human relationships.
But that’s why we need to pay very close attention to the true message of Christmas. You see, I have good news for us war-torn sinners who long for some sort of peace. Tonight [today] we get to hear about the Prince of Peace.
Simply put, Jesus, God’s Son, came into this world to give you peace. But the peace He gives you must start with Him bringing you into a loving relationship with God. We need to be at peace with God if we are going to be at peace with others.
In our Old Testament Reading from Isaiah, we’re told that the child who is born for us and the son who is given for us is called “Prince of Peace.” He is called “Prince” because He rules over us, and the “Peace” describes the nature of His rule. As Isaiah writes, “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end” (9:7).
Isaiah is here speaking about Jesus who is God in human flesh. Just think about it! The baby who lived in Mary’s womb is the Creator of all things. The infant Jesus had more power in His little finger than all the armies of all the nations that have ever existed. Yet Jesus chose to live a life of humility and service. Jesus even allowed Himself to be beaten and nailed to a cross.
Now, why would Jesus allow people to do this to Him? In Isaiah 53:5, we read the answer: “But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” Did you hear that? Just as Isaiah speaks of Jesus’ birth in chapter 9, in chapter 53, he speaks of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.
Please understand something! Jesus did not have to endure this shame and suffering. He could have made war against us and wiped us out. But He instead allowed us to wipe Him out with our sins so that we might be saved from our war against God and be rescued from the punishment we deserve. The apostle Paul writes about this wonderful Good News in Romans chapter 5. Listen:
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. (vv. 6–10)
Isn’t that awesome?! Jesus was born to die for us! Jesus died for us to give us peace with God. Earlier in Romans chapter 5, Paul says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1).
My friends, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection you are at peace with God. The war God could have justly waged against us He instead waged against His Son, whom He punished in our place, so that through faith in Him we might be “justified,” that is, “declared righteous” before God. The Prince of Peace has reconciled you to God. Your sins are forgiven. You are no longer God’s enemy. You can live at peace with God.
Remember what the angels said to the shepherds? “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (Luke 2:14). Do you want God’s peace? Then let His favor rest on you. In other words, repent of your sin and trust in the Prince of Peace who died for your sin and reconciled you to God.
Sadly, God’s favor does not rest on some people in this world—not because God doesn’t want His favor to rest on them but because some refuse to repent of their sin and trust in the Prince of Peace.
Maybe you know someone who is running from God and trying to find peace in his or her life of sin. Maybe you’ve been guilty of this foolishness. Well, God doesn’t want you to be at war with Him and other people. God wants His favor to rest on you so that you can receive peace from the Prince of Peace.
Tonight, we worship our Savior, the Prince of Peace who came to give us peace with God. Tonight, God’s favor rests on you as He calls you to repent of your sin and receive peace through faith in your Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
I have some more good news. The same Prince of Peace who has reconciled you to God can also heal the broken relationships you have with others. As the love and mercy of God fills your heart, you will be moved to show love and mercy to others—even forgiving those who have hurt you.
Because of Jesus, we can begin to have peace on earth. Because of the Prince of Peace, husbands and wives can begin to forgive, love, and serve each other. Because of the Prince of Peace, parents and children can begin to forgive, love, and serve one another. Because of the Prince of Peace, all humans who trust in Him can begin to forgive, love, and serve one another. There can be peace on earth when people are at peace with God.
However, as wonderful as that news is, we must remember that we will never have complete peace on earth until Jesus returns again in glory. As I mentioned earlier, many people refuse to rest in God’s favor, and so they do not have the peace of Christ. Even we Christians who do trust in Jesus continue to be at war with the desires of our sinful natures.
Nevertheless, even though we will never have perfect peace on earth until Jesus returns, we believers can still live in peace and have certain hope for the future! We can live in peace now because we know that our sins are forgiven and that we are reconciled to God through Jesus.
We can also live with certain hope for the future because one day Jesus will return, as He promised, and then He will put an end to all war and all evil.
That’s right! One day Jesus will establish the new creation which He will give us on the day He returns in power and glory. On that day we believers who rest in God’s favor will be ushered into the new creation where we will live forever in perfect peace.
This hope is possible because the Prince of Peace was born of the virgin Mary—born to save His people from their sins so that you could have peace with God. Amen!
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.