Reenchanted by Christ: The Prince of Peace

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus is the Prince of true, lasting peace.

When the prophet calls Jesus the Prince of Peace, the original Hebrew is driving at more than quietness of circumstance — czar shalom pictures a military captain of wholeness who brings contentment, completeness, and deep soul-satisfaction; when you surrender to Jesus as Captain of Peace, you stop treating peace like a missing object and begin receiving the shalom that makes you whole and without want. [33:18]

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Reflection: Name one area where you constantly chase peace (money, approval, performance, relationship). Pray right now, handing that one thing to Jesus and ask Him to be your "Czar Shalom" over it; then write one concrete action you will refuse to take this week that keeps you chasing (for example, skip an impulse purchase or stop checking that social feed).

Day 2: Ultimate fulfillment comes from fearing and obeying God.

After every glittering success and every pursuit that promises satisfaction, the wise conclusion is simple and profound: fulfillment is not a sum of achievements but a posture toward God — fear God and keep his commandments; this is the heartbeat of lasting joy, not another golden piece to add to a jigsaw of self-sufficiency. [43:34]

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 (ESV)
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Reflection: Identify the one "golden piece" you believe will finally satisfy you. For the next seven days, refuse to let it be your main aim: each morning read Ecclesiastes 12:13 aloud and take one practical step away from that pursuit (no extra hours, no extra scrolling, or no extra spending) and record how that shift changes one decision that day.

Day 3: Jesus is the perfect high priest and bridge.

Jesus functions as the pontificus—the bridge—taking hold with an earthly hand and a divine hand to span the canyon of sin; his priesthood is not a shadow of rituals but the true, superior ministry that mediates a better covenant, so salvation and peace are received through his finished work, not through human striving. [53:27]

Hebrews 8:1–6 (ESV)
Now the point is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; so it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, for when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was warned, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Reflection: What is one area where you try to earn God’s favor by performance? Today, stop striving in that area and pray a short aloud prayer of reliance: thank Jesus for bridging the gap and explicitly ask him to mediate for you; then tell one trusted Christian friend what you prayed so they can pray with you.

Day 4: Personal new birth, not achievement, brings life.

Nicodemus shows the danger of achievement without new life — success, influence, or a good attitude cannot substitute for being born again; true eternal life and peace come from a personal encounter with Jesus and a surrender that goes beyond religious routine into a relationship that changes everything. [48:03]

John 3:1–21 (ESV)
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you people do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Reflection: Are you depending on achievement, reputation, or effort for peace instead of new life in Christ? Tonight, in a quiet place, ask Jesus to show you whether you have been born again; if you sense new life, write the date and one way you will live that reality this week; if you sense you have not, pray a simple prayer asking Jesus for new life and tell one mature believer what you prayed.

Day 5: Come to Jesus for rest and peace.

The real invitation is to stop running and to come home — not a call to better self-effort but to surrender, learn his rhythms of grace, and accept the rest he freely offers; partial surrender won’t hold, but full reliance on Christ opens the door to the rest and peace the world cannot give. [57:35]

Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Reflection: Today, set aside 15 minutes to literally stop—sit quietly, bring one burden to Jesus in prayer, and say, “I surrender this to you.” Then write one practical rhythm (a daily five-minute pause, a weekly Sabbath practice, or a bedtime prayer) you will begin tomorrow to receive Jesus’ rest.

Sermon Summary

I invited us into Advent with a simple question: what stage are you with God—unenchanted, enchanted, disenchanted, or re-enchanted? C.S. Lewis’ picture of a bicycle helped us name the seasons of the heart. Some of us are bored with God, some of us are alive to Him, and some of us are tired and numb. My prayer is that this season would re-enchant our hearts with Christ.

We looked at Isaiah’s name for Jesus—Prince of Peace—and dug into the Hebrew: Tsar Shalom. Jesus isn’t offering a vibe; He is the Captain of Wholeness. Peace isn’t just the absence of anxiety; it’s the presence of a Person who brings our fractured souls into order, who makes us whole. That’s why our endless search for the “golden piece” never works. The world says success will satisfy, but Solomon, the wealthiest man who ever lived, called it smoke—big on promise, thin on substance. It dissolves like cotton candy.

The world also says, “Just think more positively.” Attitude matters, but it can’t heal the core ache. Nicodemus was accomplished, respected, and optimistic, yet he knew something was missing when he heard Jesus. What he needed wasn’t a pep talk; it was new birth and a Person. Peace doesn’t come through religion either—lists and ladders only add weight. The gospel is not a rulebook; it’s a love story. Jesus, our High Priest, is the Pontificus—the bridge. With one hand He takes hold of us; with the other He takes hold of the Father, and by His cross He brings us together.

So we can stop the chase. Jesus is not a way among many; He is the way. He is the bread that ends the hunger and the living water that ends the thirst. When our peace is anchored in the finished work of Christ, everything else is free to be enjoyed in its proper place—no longer tasked with doing a job only God can do. If you’re tired, restless, or disenchanted, the invitation stands: come to Me, and I will give you rest. Come home. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is the Tsar Shalom True peace isn’t a feeling you chase but a Person you submit to. As Captain of Wholeness, Jesus orders the disordered and makes the fractured whole. Wholeness isn’t achieved by control; it’s received through surrender. Peace deepens as His authority increases in us. [36:52]
2. Success cannot satisfy your soul More titles, money, or milestones can’t stitch a soul together. Solomon’s empire taught him that even the largest life can feel empty—grand but weightless. Like cotton candy, success dissolves when you bite down for substance. Enjoy achievement, but don’t ask it to do God’s job. [43:54]
3. Positivity isn’t peace; new birth is A better attitude helps, but it can’t heal the deep ache of separation from God. Nicodemus had status and optimism, yet knew he lacked the life Jesus described. Peace comes when we’re made new and joined to Christ, not when we simply reframe our thoughts. [49:18]
4. Jesus bridges the canyon of sin The gospel is a romance, not a regimen—God crossing the gap we could never span. Jesus is our High Priest, the bridge who holds heaven and earth together in Himself. He is not one option among many; He is the way back to the Father. [53:27]
5. Rest in Christ, not the chase The promise of the “next thing” keeps moving the goalposts and depleting our lives. Christ invites us to lay down striving and learn His rhythms of grace. Rest doesn’t make you passive; it makes you properly anchored, so effort flows from peace, not for it. [57:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:10] - Campus shout-outs and invites
[24:40] - Christmas services announced
[25:53] - Advent begins with prayer
[28:52] - C.S. Lewis’ four stages
[31:13] - What stage are you with God?
[32:37] - Advent hope; Isaiah 9
[35:28] - Tsar Shalom: Captain of Peace
[38:26] - Myth #1: Success can’t satisfy
[42:51] - Solomon’s verdict: “It’s smoke”
[45:24] - Myth #2: Positivity isn’t peace
[47:29] - Nicodemus and new birth
[53:27] - Jesus the bridge—Pontificus
[56:13] - Bread of life; living water
[57:24] - Come to Me: find rest

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

- Isaiah 9:6 — For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - John 3:3, 5–7 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

Observation Questions

Read Isaiah 9:6. What names are given to the coming child, and how did the pastor explain the phrase “Prince of Peace” as “Czar Shalom” — Captain/General of wholeness rather than just a calming vibe? [36:52]
Read John 3:3, 5–7. What specific problem about the human condition is Jesus addressing with “born again” language? How does that go beyond simply having a better attitude? [49:18]
The pastor used Solomon’s life and the word “smoke” to describe success as an answer to the soul’s longings. What concrete examples from the sermon showed how achievement fails to deliver lasting peace? [42:51]
What is the invitation Jesus offers to the weary in Matthew 11 (as the pastor quoted it)? How does that invitation contrast with chasing the “next thing”? [57:24]

Interpretation Questions

How does understanding Jesus as “Czar Shalom” (a ruling Captain of wholeness) change the group’s view of what peace actually does in a person’s life, compared with the common idea that peace is merely “less anxiety”? [36:52]
The pastor said Nicodemus had status, success, and a positive outlook yet still needed new birth. What does this imply about the limits of achievement and positive thinking for resolving the deepest spiritual needs? [49:18]
The sermon called Jesus the pontificus — the bridge or high priest who spans the gulf between God and humans. What does that image imply about attempts to earn peace by rules, performance, or “religion”? [53:27]
Jesus’ offer of rest (“Come to me, and I will give you rest”) was presented as the antidote to relentless striving. How should that promise reshape a believer’s motives for work, ambition, or ministry? [57:24]

Application Questions

C.S. Lewis’ bicycle stages were used to ask, “What stage are you with God?” Which stage best describes you right now — unenchanted, enchanted, disenchanted, or re-enchanted — and what specific habits or actions in your week show that stage? [31:13]
Name one concrete “golden piece” (a job title, relationship, amount of money, lifestyle, or achievement) you’ve believed would finally bring peace. This week, what is one specific, practical step you will take to stop investing your hope there? (Example: delete a comparison app, limit time on a career-hustle project, talk with a spouse about priorities.) [42:51]
If you’ve tended to rely on positive thinking or self-improvement to feel whole, identify one area where you need “new birth” — a spiritual turn toward Christ rather than an attitude change. What will you do this week to practically begin that turn (read John 3; ask a mature Christian to pray with you; attend an Alpha or evangelism conversation)? [49:18]
The pastor warned there’s “no power in the partially surrendered life.” Pick one daily practice you will do for the next seven days to practice surrender (for example: 10 minutes of Scripture + prayer each morning, a nightly confession/prayer of surrender, or a weekly honest check-in with an accountability partner). How will you measure whether you’re actually surrendering? [50:00]
Jesus invites the weary to rest. Name one specific way you will re-order your schedule or habits this week to practice resting in Christ (for example: set a hard stop on work one evening, take a Sabbath meal without screens, memorize Matthew 11:28–30 and say it when you feel driven). [57:24]
The sermon began by encouraging invitations for Christmas. Who is one person you will invite to an Advent or Christmas service or a faith conversation this month? Write their name, a date you will invite them, and the exact words you will use to invite them. [25:13]

Sermon Clips

So when the prophet says that Jesus is the Prince of Peace or the Czar Shalom, what he's really saying is that Jesus is the Captain of Peace. He's the Captain of Wholeness. He's the General of Joy. He's the General of Contentment. It means that when we are surrendered to Jesus, it is then and only then do we experience the contentment, the wholeness, the completeness that we all long for in our lives. Because the peace we're seeking is not just tied to less anxiety. It's not. The peace that we're actually longing for is not just tied to less stress. [00:36:42] (35 seconds) #CompleteInChrist

Here's the truth. True peace is only found through a personal, personal, personal relationship with the Prince of Peace himself, not your mother's relationship or your father's relationship or just because you're in the building every Sunday. It's gotta be real. It's gotta be genuine. It's gotta be sincere. It's gotta be the end of yourself, the beginning of his. It's gotta be a full surrender. I'm gonna say this to you until I'm done as your pastor or I'm dead. There is no power in the partially surrendered life. [00:49:24] (35 seconds) #TotalSurrender

And you can be in the building every week and never have this. It's the great danger of casual Christianity because we compare ourselves to other people that are not here. And we say, well, at least I went to church. Yeah, and that don't count for anything if it doesn't do any good in your life. You might as well be at the beach, bro. I'm telling you, this is all that matters. When you allow the Holy Spirit to actually begin to do the work in your life, when you actually open yourself up and submit and surrender to the work of God and allow the Holy Spirit to confront you and challenge you and change you and morph you into the image of Jesus Christ, no perfect people, but there has to be a surrendered submission to him that says, not my will, but your will be done. [00:50:00] (58 seconds) #TransformedByTheSpirit

When Jesus spoke of peace, just, it's all over the Bible. When Jesus spoke of peace, he never spoke of it ever in terms of lists or laws. He spoke always in terms of connection and relationship. Let me say it to you this way. If you were looking for the gospel in a library, it should never be listed in the religious section. It should always be found in the romance section. It's a love story, bro. About a God who was crazy about you. So crazy about you. So in love with you that he was willing to send his only sinless begotten son on a rescue mission to bring you home, to turn the kingdom upside down, to reunite you and restore you and redeem you. [00:51:48] (56 seconds) #GospelLoveStory

There was a canyon of sin that separated us. I want you to hear this. There was a canyon of sin that separated us. So he found a way to span across that gulf of sin and bring us back to be reunited with him. Jesus, the Tsar Shalom, was that way. He was that way. And I want to show it to you as we close. I want to show you a scripture. Hebrews 8. Now Jesus, our high priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God. [00:52:49] (37 seconds) #BetterCovenant

``Jesus was the only and perfect bridge. He is the bridge that navigates the gulf that separated man and God. This is what Christmas is all about. This is why he was born the way he was born. He had to come into this world and be born to an earthly mother but he had a heavenly father so that he could be the perfect blend of both God and man. And through this unique life he was able to bridge the gap. And with his earthly hand he takes a hold of you and I. And with his divine hand he takes a hold of his heavenly father and through his body he brings us together to be reunited once and for all. [00:53:40] (41 seconds) #JesusTheBridge

He is not a way. He's not a truth. You better settle it in your heart. He's the way. He's the truth. He's the life. There is a gulf of sin that separates us from God and Jesus is the pontificus because of his divine hand and his earthly hand. There is but one mediator between God and man. And the man Christ Jesus he was the perfect sacrifice. And God knew it. And only Jesus could stand in the gap and do it. There's not enough works you can do to span that gulf. There's not enough good things you can do to span that gulf. [00:54:22] (39 seconds) #WayTruthLife

Now it's not on me. Now it's not on me. It was and is on Jesus. And he is enough. And he said it about himself like this. He said you don't understand. No, no, no. See? You eat and then you get hungry again. You eat and you get hungry again. You eat and you get hungry again. You will never eat a meal that will be the last meal that will fulfill you forever until me. I am the bread of life. And when you have me you will never hunger again. I am that living water. And when you drink of me you will never thirst again. [00:55:57] (38 seconds) #SatisfiedInChrist

What was he saying? He was saying that that fulfillment and that peace that you long for you'll never find it in anything else but me. But when you have me and you are fully satisfied now you are free to pursue and enjoy the things of the world that I have provided for you in the right context in the right way. But you don't hang all of your peace and your hope on those things. They just are what they are. You hang your eternal peace. Your eternal hope. Your eternal satisfaction. Your eternal fulfillment. On the finished work of Jesus on the cross and the empty tomb. [00:56:34] (32 seconds) #HopeInTheCross

Because he's resurrected it means that everything he promised was true. question are you tired? I mean seriously are you tired of running and running and running? You don't have to be. Stop. Are you restless? Are you unfulfilled? Are you weary of it all? Are you weary of trying and striving for the next thing? I'm not saying we shouldn't do the best we can and fulfill our potential. That's not what I'm trying to say at all. I'm just saying are you tired of believing that the next thing is going to be the right thing the correct thing the best thing the only thing the thing that's finally going to do it just if you're tired here's the invitation come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and Jesus said in Matthew 11 I will give you peace. [00:57:07] (51 seconds) #RestInJesus

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