Prince of Peace

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.  Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

They were just a group of shepherds watching their sheep that night when suddenly an angel appeared and the glory of the Lord shined all around them. Of course, their first reaction was fear. They had never seen an angel or heard from God before. No one had for four hundred years. God had stopped talking to His people and had sent no word through angels or prophets. They had not heard from God, their Dads had not heard from God, or their Granddads. Then suddenly in the quiet of the night with their thoughts consumed with the job they were doing or the taxes that were being paid to their Roman oppressors an angel appears. It broke the silence like a trumpet as he told them the good news. A Savior was born!

Isn’t that how God comes to us? We don’t get advance warning. He just appears in the chaos of our lives and speaks. It is no wonder that we are warned to be careful lest we entertain angels unaware.

Upon the announcement of Christ’s birth Luke records that a multitude of angels appeared saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

This wasn’t a song it was a proclamation. The birth of Christ was for the glory of God and designed to show his good will toward men. The enmity between God and man was shattered by the gift of God. There had been four hundred years of separation because of sin. Man had not been able to live righteous by following his conscious or by following the law. The sinful nature of man blinded him to the heart of God and kept him from fellowship with a holy God. Then bursting forth in triumphant glory the cry of God is heard in a manger. The Savior which is Christ the Lord is born, breaking down the wall of enmity between God and man.

The peace announced by the Angel Host was not a product of man’s wisdom or strength but was conceived in the heart of God and carried by the Holy Spirit. Throughout the ages of man the hand of God ordered history and called forth every element of the plan. Satan tried to defeat it. Man tried to ignore it. And when the time had fully come God’s Chosen people rejected it. The plan to redeem man was not with armies or swords. Heavens Host had not come to defeat the Roman captors but instead The King had sent His Son. Born not in a palace with fine linens but in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes the Prince of Peace came not just to show us the way. Not just to teach us the way. The Young Prince would become The Way to God.

His name would be called Emmanuel meaning God with us. There is no ladder to climb to heaven. Jesus came down to sinful man and offered Himself so that we might have fellowship with the Father. Christ has finished the work!

Born that day in a manger was the Prince of Peace. He has become the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Some might question why there is still war and strife on this earth if Jesus brought peace. His Kingdom lives today in the hearts of men and women who believe! I have witnessed the peace that Jesus brings to those that will receive His gift thru faith. In the midst of the greatest trials of our lives Jesus still calms the storm and brings peace.

The Cost of Peace

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

      Filled with peace of God and able to stand and be honest about the things around them the Peacemaker is truly beautiful. They are able to be honest about the state of affairs whether in their personal life or the world around them and sensitive to those with whom they are dealing. However, they refuse to settle for cheap peace and will not cry out “peace, peace” when there is none. They are willing to risk being attacked, misunderstood, and hurt for the sake of peace. A Peacemaker knows that sometimes you have to stand your ground and fight for peace.

      Jesus is the supreme example of being a Peacemaker. Paul tells us,

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:19-20

      Did you see that?

“Having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

     When Jesus saw the depravity of man and the seriousness of the situation, He didn’t pretend everything was alright and go on His way. It would take a bold move, a costly sacrifice to bring sinful man back to right standing with the Father and Jesus was moved to action. He is our peace, he has broken down the wall of separation between God and man.

      In our world there are many “walls of separation” that hinder peace. By their very definition those walls keep the two parties from doing what is necessary to heal the wounds and come together. The pride of men rises up and casts a shadow over the battlefield as each new offence is revisited time and time again until those wounds harden our hearts and consume any hope of reconciliation.

      The only hope is for someone that will leave their comfort zone, humble themselves, and become the healing salve that bridges the gap between the warring parties. We see the need all around us. Husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, families, neighbors, gangs, religions, races, the list could go on and on. This world is filled with prideful men and women that have fallen deep into the pit of pride and conflict. We are destroying ourselves for lack of a Peacemaker.

      On that early morning when the shepherds heard the Heavenly choir singing,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

     It was to herald the dawn of a new day. The day when the Prince of Peace would boldly step into the conflict and fight for peace. He would endure the insults, the attacks, the lies, and even the cross so that we might once again have a way into the Throne Room of God. He became that living way by dying to self and embracing the purpose of reconciliation.

      If we are to follow Jesus, we must embrace that same purpose. It is the way! It is Truth! It is life!