Embracing the Transformative Joy and Peace of Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Joy Beyond Sight

Believers experience an inexpressible and glorious joy through their faith in Jesus, even without having seen Him. This joy is a profound testament to the transformative power of Jesus' presence in our lives. It offers a glimpse of His glory and the fulfillment of His promises. The joy that comes from faith is not dependent on physical sight but is rooted in the deep love and trust we have in Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. This joy is a reflection of the hope and assurance that believers have in the promises of God, which are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. [14:26]

1 Peter 1:8-9 (ESV): "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Reflection: Think of a moment when you felt joy despite challenging circumstances. How can you cultivate a deeper faith that allows you to experience this joy more consistently?

Day 2: Light in the Darkness

The prophecy of Isaiah, written 800 years before Jesus' birth, foretold the coming of a Messiah who would bring light to regions steeped in darkness. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, who ministered in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, demonstrating the precision and faithfulness of God's promises. The regions mentioned were known for their idolatry and spiritual darkness, yet they were chosen to witness the great light of Jesus' ministry. This fulfillment of prophecy underscores the reliability of God's word and His commitment to bringing hope and redemption to the world. [01:02:35]

Isaiah 9:1-2 (ESV): "But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel darkness or uncertainty. How can you invite Jesus to be the light in that situation today?

Day 3: Wholeness Through Sacrificial Love

The Hebrew concept of "shalom" encompasses wholeness and restoration, which Jesus, the Prince of Peace, brings by consuming the authority that binds us to chaos. This peace is not achieved through human efforts but through the sacrificial love of Jesus, who paid the ultimate price on the cross. Jesus' peace transcends the temporary and often fragile peace that the world offers, providing a deep and lasting sense of wholeness and restoration. It is a peace that reconciles us to God and brings order to the chaos in our lives. [01:19:40]

Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Reflection: Identify a chaotic area in your life. What steps can you take to surrender this chaos to Jesus and embrace His peace?

Day 4: Embracing the Kingdom

The true spirit of Christmas is the coming of God's kingdom through Jesus, bringing peace, hope, joy, and light to a world in need. This kingdom is a fulfillment of God's plan to restore what was lost through sin, offering a new way of life through faith in Jesus. As believers, we are called to look beyond cultural traditions and embrace the transformative power of God's kingdom in our lives. This involves living in the reality of His government and peace, allowing His presence to transform us and extend His kingdom wherever we go. [01:15:47]

Luke 17:20-21 (ESV): "Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'"

Reflection: How can you actively participate in bringing God's kingdom to your community this Christmas season?

Day 5: Faith as the Path to Peace

Peace is a gift conditioned upon our faith in Jesus, allowing His presence to transform our lives and extend His kingdom. As we embrace this peace, we are called to live in the reality of His government and peace, bringing light to the darkness around us. This peace is not passive but requires an active faith that trusts in Jesus' authority over chaos and His ability to bring restoration and order. By placing our faith in Him, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His peace in every aspect of our lives. [01:23:45]

John 14:27 (ESV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust Jesus fully? How can you take a step of faith today to invite His peace into that area?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound significance of Jesus' coming and the transformative power of His presence in our lives. We began by reflecting on the joy and glory that Jesus brings, as described in 1 Peter, where believers are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy despite not having seen Him. This joy is a testament to the deep love and faith we have in Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. We then delved into the prophecy of Isaiah, which foretold the coming of a Messiah who would bring peace, hope, joy, and light to a world shrouded in darkness. This prophecy, written 800 years before Jesus' birth, highlighted the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, which were steeped in idolatry and darkness but would eventually see a great light through Jesus' ministry.

We examined the concept of peace, or "shalom," in Hebrew, which goes beyond mere absence of conflict to encompass wholeness and restoration. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to consume the authority that binds us to chaos, offering a peace that the world cannot give. This peace is not achieved through human efforts of negotiation or conquest but through the sacrificial love of Jesus, who paid the ultimate price on the cross to break the chains of sin and chaos. We were reminded that peace is a gift conditioned upon our faith in Jesus, and it is through His government and peace that we find true restoration and order in our lives.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we are called to look beyond cultural traditions and embrace the true spirit of Christmas, which is the coming of God's kingdom through Jesus. This kingdom brings peace, hope, joy, and light to a world in need. We are invited to receive this peace by putting our faith in Jesus, allowing His presence to transform our lives and extend His kingdom wherever we go.

Key Takeaways

1. Inexpressible Joy in Faith: Despite not having seen Jesus, believers are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy through their faith and love for Him. This joy is a testament to the transformative power of Jesus' presence in our lives, offering a glimpse of His glory and the fulfillment of His promises. [14:26]
2. Prophetic Fulfillment in Jesus: The prophecy of Isaiah, written 800 years before Jesus' birth, foretold the coming of a Messiah who would bring light to regions steeped in darkness. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, who ministered in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, demonstrating the precision and faithfulness of God's promises. [62:35]
3. True Peace Through Jesus: The Hebrew concept of "shalom" encompasses wholeness and restoration, which Jesus, the Prince of Peace, brings by consuming the authority that binds us to chaos. This peace is not achieved through human efforts but through the sacrificial love of Jesus, who paid the ultimate price on the cross. [79:40]
4. The Kingdom of God: The true spirit of Christmas is the coming of God's kingdom through Jesus, bringing peace, hope, joy, and light to a world in need. This kingdom is a fulfillment of God's plan to restore what was lost through sin, offering a new way of life through faith in Jesus. [75:47]
5. Faith and Transformation: Peace is a gift conditioned upon our faith in Jesus, allowing His presence to transform our lives and extend His kingdom. As we embrace this peace, we are called to live in the reality of His government and peace, bringing light to the darkness around us. [01:23:45]
** [83:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[14:26] - Joy in His Presence
[17:28] - The Glory of Jesus
[22:44] - Jesus' Exaltation
[25:06] - Crying Out for Mercy
[56:50] - History of Christmas Traditions
[60:40] - Idolatry in Ancient Israel
[62:35] - Prophecy of Isaiah
[64:05] - Assyrian Conquest
[66:47] - Prince of Peace
[68:22] - Human Efforts for Peace
[71:03] - Negotiated Peace Challenges
[72:35] - Conquered Peace Consequences
[74:58] - Jesus' Peace vs. Worldly Peace
[75:47] - Fulfillment of Prophecy
[79:40] - Understanding Shalom
[81:06] - Jesus' Authority Over Chaos
[82:32] - The Cost of Peace
[83:45] - Faith and Receiving Peace
[85:10] - Continuous Need for His Peace
[86:50] - Communion and Prayer
[90:44] - Invitation to Faith
[91:07] - Declaration of Belief
[95:29] - Closing Worship and Prayer

Sermon Clips

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And the word became flesh. And dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory." [00:17:07] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." [01:02:35] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"There will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom. To establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore." [01:03:15] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"John 14, 27, Jesus' words, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives. Would you say that with me? Not as the world gives." [01:14:58] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"God brings peace on the earth through a person. Bethlehem, 4 BC, or thereabouts, we can quibble about the dates. According to the scriptures, there was born in Bethlehem the fulfillment of the prophecy that we read in Isaiah chapter 9." [01:15:47] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"The idea of shalom is not magic pixie dust that comes upon a person or a place or a region. It's actually recognizing that there are forces of chaos, spiritual forces of darkness, things within ourselves and things externally that are chaotic, that are dark." [01:19:40] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. How did baby Jesus bring peace on the earth? He did it when he grew up." [01:22:32] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"It's conditioned upon our faith. To believe. It's not conditioned upon how great you are or if you start coming to church more to get your life cleaned up and stop swearing so much and put something in the tithe bucket." [01:23:45] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"There will be no end. Will you say that with me? There will be no end to what? The increase of his government and of his peace." [01:25:10] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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