Embracing the Peace of Christ This Christmas

 

Summary

In this Christmas season, we are reminded of the profound significance of Jesus as the Prince of Peace. As we gather to celebrate, we reflect on the titles and roles that Jesus fulfills: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. These are not just names but promises of what Jesus brings into our lives. The prophecy of the Messiah, as foretold by Isaiah, is a testament to God's plan to dwell among us, to be Emmanuel, God with us. This is a season to remember that Jesus came to remove the menace of sin and evil, offering us salvation and a relationship with God.

The miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus are central to our faith, demonstrating God's power to do the impossible. This miraculous event signifies that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, the incarnation of God in human form. It is a reminder that God chose to come to us, to be with us, and to make a way for us to know Him intimately. This Christmas, we are called to not only celebrate the birth of Jesus but to live in the reality of His presence and reign in our lives.

As we reflect on the signs of the prophesied Messiah, we are encouraged to embrace the peace that Jesus offers. This peace, or shalom, is about being made whole, about God putting the broken pieces of our lives back together. It is a call to live in harmony with God and with one another, to seek reconciliation and unity within the body of Christ. This Christmas, let us not miss the richness of the season and the deep meaning of the Messiah's coming. Let us exalt Christ in our lives and share His peace with those around us.

Key Takeaways:

- Emmanuel, God with Us: The prophecy of Emmanuel signifies God's desire to be present with us. This presence is not just a historical event but a current reality that transforms our lives. We are never alone, for God is with us, guiding and comforting us through every circumstance. [01:11:24]

- Miraculous Conception and Virgin Birth: The virgin birth of Jesus is a testament to God's power to accomplish the impossible. It reminds us that God's ways are beyond human understanding and that He can bring about His purposes in miraculous ways. This event calls us to trust in God's sovereignty and His ability to work in our lives. [01:17:04]

- The Incarnation: Jesus, as the God-man, bridges the gap between humanity and divinity. The incarnation is a profound mystery that reveals God's love and commitment to us. It challenges us to live in the reality of God's presence and to reflect His character in our daily lives. [01:20:23]

- The Messianic Kingdom: Jesus' reign is characterized by justice, righteousness, and peace. As members of His kingdom, we are called to live differently, embodying the values of His eternal kingdom. This involves seeking justice, promoting peace, and living in righteousness. [01:21:49]

- The Prince of Peace: Jesus offers a peace that surpasses understanding, a wholeness that restores and reconciles. This peace is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of God's completeness in our lives. We are called to be peacemakers, extending this shalom to others and living in unity with one another. [01:30:14]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [22:06] - Announcements and Events
- [26:10] - Greeting and Missionary Moment
- [28:27] - The Great Pursuit
- [37:19] - Introduction to the Sermon Series
- [01:05:32] - Offering and Scripture Reading
- [01:11:24] - Emmanuel: God with Us
- [01:17:04] - Miraculous Conception and Virgin Birth
- [01:20:23] - The Incarnation
- [01:21:49] - The Messianic Kingdom
- [01:23:25] - Birth and Character of the King
- [01:30:14] - The Prince of Peace
- [01:35:43] - Living in Shalom
- [01:36:42] - Invitation and Prayer
- [01:43:53] - Closing and Blessing

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Isaiah 7:14 - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
2. Matthew 1:23 - "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").
3. Isaiah 9:6-7 - "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."

Observation Questions:
1. What are the titles given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6, and what do they signify about His role? [01:23:25]
2. How does the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 find its fulfillment in the New Testament, specifically in Matthew 1:23? [01:11:24]
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the term "Emmanuel" and how does it relate to the Christmas season? [01:11:24]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the nature of Jesus' kingdom as described in Isaiah 9:7? [01:21:49]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of "God with us" (Emmanuel) challenge or comfort believers in their daily lives? [01:12:41]
2. In what ways does the virgin birth demonstrate God's power and sovereignty, and why is this important for our faith? [01:17:04]
3. How does the sermon describe the difference between earthly kings and Jesus as the eternal King? What implications does this have for how believers view authority and leadership? [01:23:25]
4. What does it mean for Jesus to be the "Prince of Peace," and how does this peace differ from worldly peace? [01:30:14]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the title "Wonderful Counselor." In what areas of your life do you need God's guidance, and how can you seek His counsel this week? [01:25:04]
2. The sermon emphasizes the miraculous nature of Jesus' birth. How can you cultivate a sense of wonder and trust in God's ability to work in your life in unexpected ways? [01:17:04]
3. Consider the idea of Jesus as "Mighty God." When have you felt weak or overwhelmed, and how can you rely on God's strength in those moments? [01:25:59]
4. The sermon calls believers to live in the reality of Jesus' presence. What practical steps can you take to be more aware of God's presence in your daily routine? [01:12:41]
5. How can you actively promote peace and reconciliation in your relationships, reflecting Jesus as the "Prince of Peace"? [01:30:14]
6. The sermon mentions the importance of living in harmony with others. Identify a relationship in your life that needs healing. What steps can you take to pursue reconciliation? [01:34:31]
7. Reflect on the concept of "shalom" as wholeness. What areas of your life feel broken, and how can you invite God to bring restoration and peace? [01:30:14]

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Presence Transforms Our Lives
In the prophecy of Emmanuel, we find the profound truth that God desires to be with us. This is not merely a historical event but a present reality that has the power to transform our lives. The presence of God is a constant source of guidance and comfort, assuring us that we are never alone. As we navigate the complexities of life, we can find solace in knowing that God is with us, walking alongside us through every circumstance. This truth invites us to live with a heightened awareness of His presence, allowing it to shape our thoughts, actions, and relationships. [01:11:24]

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in your daily life, especially in moments of uncertainty or fear?


Day 2: Trusting in God’s Sovereignty
The miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus are powerful reminders of God's ability to accomplish the impossible. These events demonstrate that God's ways are beyond human understanding and that He can bring about His purposes in miraculous ways. This calls us to trust in His sovereignty, even when we cannot see the full picture. As we reflect on the virgin birth, we are encouraged to place our faith in God's power and His ability to work in our lives in ways that defy human logic. [01:17:04]

"For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God more fully, believing that He can accomplish the impossible?


Day 3: Living in the Reality of the Incarnation
The incarnation of Jesus, as both fully God and fully man, bridges the gap between humanity and divinity. This profound mystery reveals God's immense love and commitment to us. It challenges us to live in the reality of God's presence and to reflect His character in our daily lives. The incarnation is a call to embody the values of Christ, allowing His love, grace, and truth to shine through us. As we embrace this truth, we are invited to live in a way that honors God and impacts those around us. [01:20:23]

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, ESV)

Reflection: How can you reflect the character of Christ in your interactions with others today?


Day 4: Embodying the Values of the Messianic Kingdom
Jesus' reign is characterized by justice, righteousness, and peace. As members of His kingdom, we are called to live differently, embodying the values of His eternal kingdom. This involves seeking justice, promoting peace, and living in righteousness. We are invited to be agents of change in a world that often lacks these qualities, demonstrating the transformative power of Christ's reign in our lives. As we align ourselves with the values of the Messianic Kingdom, we become a reflection of God's heart for the world. [01:21:49]

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively seek justice and promote peace in your community this week?


Day 5: Extending the Peace of Christ
Jesus offers a peace that surpasses understanding, a wholeness that restores and reconciles. This peace, or shalom, is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of God's completeness in our lives. We are called to be peacemakers, extending this shalom to others and living in unity with one another. As we embrace the peace of Christ, we are empowered to bring healing and reconciliation to our relationships and communities. This Christmas season, let us be intentional in sharing the peace of Christ with those around us. [01:30:14]

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the peace of Christ, and how can you be a peacemaker in that relationship today?

Quotes


This Christmas season, we thank you for this reminder. So we've opened up in this song of praise, reminding us of the greatness of who you are. May this carry on throughout this entire service. May you be honored and exalted and blessed. Lord, may you increase as we decrease. [00:20:19]

And Lord, may you be amongst your people now. May you be the great Emmanuel, God with us. We pray this in Jesus' name and all God's people said, amen. [00:20:30]

So the first sign is the sign of Emmanuel. Now we know Emmanuel means God with us. If you haven't heard that, you should now. Emmanuel means God with us. It is a Christmas word that's used, just like in a moment, I'm going to use the word incarnation. These are big words. We don't usually go around just saying, hey, Emmanuel, hey, incarnation. [01:11:21]

The Messiah would be actually, a sign would be that God would send Jesus of his own essence. The word in the Greek is homoousius, of the same substance, and that he would come. And dwell among us. So look right here in Isaiah 7, 14, therefore the Lord himself will give you and me a sign, and that sign will be, see, there will be a virgin who will conceive and will give birth to his son, and his name will be Emmanuel. [01:12:10]

When we look at that text, it should stir in us a story that we learn in the gospel of Matthew that I'll read here in a moment from Matthew 1, 23, where we see the fulfillment of this text. In fact, let's go ahead and go there and read that now. In Matthew 1, 23, see the virgin will become pregnant, will give birth to a son, and they will name him Emmanuel, which is translated God with us. [01:13:31]

So everyone in here, when we let Emmanuel come, we know God is with us. We know God is with us. We know God is with us. When we let Emmanuel come into our life, that means God's with you forever. There's no changing that. That is what Emmanuel means. God has said that. He changed all of humanity when he did this, and so when we look at this scripture, it's a masculine name both in Hebrew and Greek, meaning God with us. [01:15:32]

The prophecy was the sign would be, there would be a virgin that would be with child, that would be impossible. It had to be supernatural. That's the miraculous conception, right? And then the actual birth of Jesus would be through a birth of a virgin, which is impossible. [01:17:11]

And so this is where we're getting into this miraculous and this virgin birth. So immaculate conception, just so we understand, is a miraculous conception. And so this is where we're getting the dogma of that or the teaching of that is that actually Mary had no original sin. She's the one that's immaculate. And therefore, because the belief is that Jesus, because he had to be sinless, he could not be born through a woman who had sin in her. [01:18:45]

So Emmanuel is one sign. The incarnation is the second sign. That Jesus would be conceived in a virgin's womb, a miraculous conception, and then would be born through a virgin birth. When you see this sign, that's Emmanuel. [01:19:07]

Jesus will reign on earth differently than any earthly King. Jesus will, uh, will bring peace differently than any other King would bring peace. He will bring stability to your life. He will give us guidance is different than earthly guidance. He will do all of these things for us in our life that are uniquely distinct to his kingdom alone. [01:21:19]

We are weak. He is strong, the New Testament tells us. So God is saying, listen, I'm this almighty God. There is nothing I cannot do. If you will just trust in me. And then again, you have to have an eternal perspective here. Because if we only have the earthly perspective, do things always go well? No. Does the good always win? No, it doesn't. Right? But then we can say, but God, you're almighty. There's a bigger picture. [01:27:00]

See, when it says the peace of God, and he is the Prince of Peace, shalom is the word here. And shalom means, I hope everything is well with Jonathan. I want God's blessing upon him. I want what is best for him. I want all the greatness of God to be upon his life. That doesn't mean everything's going to go well for Jonathan. [01:30:14]

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Transcript
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