Anticipating Peace: The Gift of Shalom in Christ
Summary
Advent is a season of anticipation, a time when we reflect on the waiting of Israel for their Messiah and our own waiting for Jesus' return. This period of waiting is enriched by understanding what we are waiting for, which is the peace, joy, and love that Jesus brings. The Bible, a collection of diverse writings, tells a unified story summarized in four words: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. This week, we focus on peace, exploring its biblical meaning and significance.
Peace, or "shalom" in Hebrew, is more than the absence of conflict; it signifies wholeness, welfare, and completeness. It is the state where everything is as it should be, without anything missing or broken. This peace was present at creation, where God rested on the seventh day, signifying a world in perfect harmony. However, the fall disrupted this peace, introducing conflict and division. Humanity's pursuit of peace through worldly means often leads to further strife, as we mistakenly believe that material or relational achievements can restore the peace we lost.
Yet, God, in His love, sent Jesus to redeem us and restore peace. Jesus, being both God and man, reconciles us to God and to each other. Through His sacrifice, He breaks down the barriers of hostility and offers us peace that surpasses understanding. This peace is exclusive, requiring us to turn away from false sources of peace and to seek it through faith and repentance in Jesus.
The peace Jesus offers is not just for the future restoration of all things but is available to us now. We are called to live in this peace, trusting in God's provision and care. As believers, we are to be peacemakers, reflecting the peace of God in our relationships and circumstances. Our baptism symbolizes our commitment to this peace, dying to the world's false promises and rising to new life in Christ.
As we await Jesus' return, we are invited to participate in His story of redemption and restoration. We are called to be agents of peace, living out the hope and wholeness that Jesus has brought into our lives. This is our calling and our privilege as we look forward to the day when all things will be made new.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding Shalom: Biblical peace, or "shalom," is not merely the absence of conflict but a state of wholeness and completeness. It is the harmony that existed at creation, where everything was as it should be. This peace is disrupted by sin but is restored through Jesus, who reconciles us to God and each other. [21:42]
- The Fall and Its Consequences: The fall introduced division and conflict, disrupting the peace between God and humanity, among people, and within creation. Our attempts to find peace through worldly means often lead to further strife, as we chase after things that cannot fulfill our deepest needs. [24:23]
- Jesus as Our Peace: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross reconciles us to God, breaking down barriers of hostility and offering us true peace. This peace requires us to turn away from false sources and seek it through faith and repentance in Jesus. It is a peace that surpasses understanding and endures in all circumstances. [28:08]
- Living in Peace Today: As believers, we are called to live in the peace that Jesus provides, trusting in God's provision and care. We are to be peacemakers, reflecting God's peace in our relationships and circumstances, and living out the hope and wholeness that Jesus has brought into our lives. [37:40]
- Participating in God's Story: We are invited to be part of God's story of redemption and restoration. Through faith in Jesus, we join His people and become agents of peace, looking forward to the day when all things will be made new. Our baptism symbolizes this commitment, dying to the world's false promises and rising to new life in Christ. [50:37]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [20:03] - The Big Story: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration
- [21:42] - Understanding Shalom: Biblical Peace
- [22:35] - Shalom at the Family Table
- [24:23] - The Fall and Disruption of Peace
- [25:19] - The World's False Promises of Peace
- [26:57] - The Fallen World in a Nutshell
- [28:08] - Jesus as Our Peace
- [29:41] - Exclusive Peace Through Faith and Repentance
- [30:39] - Isaiah's Prophecy of the Messiah
- [31:27] - Jesus' Sacrifice and Our Peace
- [32:18] - Resurrection and Restoration
- [34:19] - The Culmination of Shalom
- [35:55] - Joining God's Story
- [37:40] - Living in Peace Today
- [40:12] - The Peace of God in Our Lives
- [41:42] - Becoming Peacemakers
- [42:48] - The Call to Transformation
- [43:53] - Prayer and Repentance
- [47:50] - Baptism: A Symbol of Peace
- [49:06] - The Journey of Faith
- [50:37] - Testimony and Baptism Celebration
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Advent and the Peace of Shalom
Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 2:14-18
2. Isaiah 53:4-6
3. Romans 5:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the Hebrew word "shalom" encompass beyond the absence of conflict? How is this concept illustrated in the sermon? [21:42]
2. According to the sermon, how did the fall disrupt the peace that existed at creation? What examples from the Bible illustrate this disruption? [24:23]
3. How does Ephesians 2 describe Jesus' role in bringing peace between God and humanity? What specific actions did Jesus take to achieve this peace? [28:08]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the nature of the peace Jesus offers compared to the peace the world offers? [29:41]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of "shalom" challenge our modern understanding of peace? In what ways might this biblical peace differ from what people typically seek in their lives? [21:42]
2. The sermon mentions that humanity often seeks peace through worldly means. What are some examples of these false sources of peace, and why do they ultimately fail to satisfy? [25:19]
3. In what ways does the peace that Jesus offers require a change in our perspective or actions, according to the sermon? How does this relate to the idea of repentance? [29:41]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of believers as peacemakers in the world today? What practical steps can individuals take to fulfill this calling? [41:42]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current understanding of peace. How does it align or differ from the biblical concept of "shalom"? What steps can you take to pursue this deeper peace in your life? [21:42]
2. Consider a situation in your life where you have sought peace through material or relational achievements. How did that experience align with the sermon’s message about false sources of peace? [25:19]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of repentance in experiencing Jesus' peace. Is there an area in your life where you need to turn away from false sources of peace and seek Jesus instead? [29:41]
4. As a believer, how can you actively participate in being a peacemaker in your community or relationships? Identify one specific action you can take this week to reflect God's peace. [41:42]
5. The sermon discusses the role of baptism as a symbol of peace and new life in Christ. How does your baptism (or the concept of baptism) influence your daily walk with Jesus? [47:50]
6. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's provision and care, as mentioned in the sermon? What practical steps can you take to rely more on God's peace in your daily life? [38:55]
7. Think about a relationship in your life that lacks peace. What is one step you can take to bring reconciliation and reflect the peace of God in that relationship? [38:55]
Devotional
Day 1: The Wholeness of Shalom
Understanding biblical peace, or "shalom," involves recognizing it as more than just the absence of conflict. Shalom signifies a state of wholeness, welfare, and completeness, where everything is as it should be, without anything missing or broken. This peace was present at creation, where God rested on the seventh day, signifying a world in perfect harmony. However, the fall disrupted this peace, introducing conflict and division. Humanity's pursuit of peace through worldly means often leads to further strife, as we mistakenly believe that material or relational achievements can restore the peace we lost. [21:42]
Isaiah 32:17-18 (ESV): "And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking peace through worldly means? How can you begin to seek the wholeness of shalom through God's righteousness today?
Day 2: The Disruption of Peace
The fall introduced division and conflict, disrupting the peace between God and humanity, among people, and within creation. Our attempts to find peace through worldly means often lead to further strife, as we chase after things that cannot fulfill our deepest needs. This disruption is a reminder of the brokenness that sin brings into the world, affecting our relationships and our inner selves. Recognizing this brokenness is the first step towards understanding our need for divine intervention and the peace that only God can provide. [24:23]
Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV): "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace."
Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where you have been trying to "heal lightly" by seeking peace through temporary solutions. What steps can you take to address this with God's help?
Day 3: Jesus, Our Source of True Peace
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross reconciles us to God, breaking down barriers of hostility and offering us true peace. This peace requires us to turn away from false sources and seek it through faith and repentance in Jesus. It is a peace that surpasses understanding and endures in all circumstances. By embracing this peace, we are invited into a relationship with God that transforms our lives and restores the harmony that was lost at the fall. This peace is not just for the future but is available to us now, as we live in the light of Jesus' redemptive work. [28:08]
Ephesians 2:14-16 (ESV): "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."
Reflection: What false sources of peace do you need to turn away from today? How can you actively seek the peace that Jesus offers through faith and repentance?
Day 4: Living as Peacemakers
As believers, we are called to live in the peace that Jesus provides, trusting in God's provision and care. We are to be peacemakers, reflecting God's peace in our relationships and circumstances, and living out the hope and wholeness that Jesus has brought into our lives. This calling challenges us to embody the peace of Christ in our daily interactions, becoming agents of reconciliation and love in a world that desperately needs it. Our baptism symbolizes our commitment to this peace, dying to the world's false promises and rising to new life in Christ. [37:40]
Matthew 5:9 (ESV): "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the peace of God through you today? What practical steps can you take to be a peacemaker in your community?
Day 5: Participating in God's Story of Redemption
We are invited to be part of God's story of redemption and restoration. Through faith in Jesus, we join His people and become agents of peace, looking forward to the day when all things will be made new. Our baptism symbolizes this commitment, dying to the world's false promises and rising to new life in Christ. As we await Jesus' return, we are called to participate actively in His mission, bringing hope and healing to a broken world. This is our calling and our privilege as we look forward to the day when all things will be made new. [50:37]
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's story of redemption this week? What specific actions can you take to share the message of reconciliation with those around you?
Quotes
"Advent is a season of waiting where we remember how Israel waited for the coming of their Messiah and how their waiting was fulfilled in Jesus. And we today are waiting for Jesus as well. Not that he would be revealed, but waiting for him to return. And it's a lot easier to wait if you know what it is that you are waiting for, right?" [00:18:56] (27 seconds)
"Peace. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. And yes, it means no war, but it also means wholeness. It means welfare. It means completeness. It means rest. So think about it. Everything is the way that it should be. Nothing is missing. Nothing is lacking. Nothing is fractured or broken." [00:22:07] (24 seconds)
"So the way of the world is that of moving away from the shalom peace of God through a false belief that if I just have this, or if I can just have that, then when I get that, I will be at peace." [00:25:30] (14 seconds)
"And so we are part of a world that is running away from God, knowing that the deepest part of our being, that we need the peace that only he can give us. And so we're trying to run and to find it in other things." [00:25:45] (17 seconds)
"In Jesus, God has sent his son to rescue us, to redeem us. He is God and he is man. And through him, there is peace between God and man." [00:27:39] (11 seconds)
"Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that Jesus himself is our peace, who has made us both one and broken down in his flesh, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself." [00:27:50] (18 seconds)
"We are made right with God and we find peace through Jesus, through faith in him, through faith in God. Believing that he is who he said he is. And that trusting that he has come to give us peace." [00:29:41] (15 seconds)
"Isaiah is writing of the Messiah. Who would come and he says, Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace." [00:30:44] (23 seconds)
"The peace of God, the wholeness, the rightness of God would not allow Jesus to remain dead. He was an innocent man crucified for the guilty. And the Lord God looked at him and said, I must bring peace. I must bring wholeness. I must set this wrong thing right again." [00:32:43] (22 seconds)
"That peace is ours through faith, because we have, through Jesus, peace with God. In Romans 5 .10, Paul says that if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, how much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life?" [00:37:40] (26 seconds)
"We can have peace in every circumstance of life if we believe that the God of all creation cares for us. And the beauty of the first advent of Jesus is that his care, his love, his concern for you is Jesus. Is his son broken on the cross so that you can be whole?" [00:40:12] (29 seconds)
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