Christmas brings to mind the theme of peace, but ironically it’s one of the most stressful times of year!
- We’re supposed to have peace at Christmas time… but then we have to hang out with the in-laws?!
In today’s lesson we’ll explore the concept of peace (“Shalom” in Hebrew) and where it comes from in the Bible.
- We ended last time with Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT) For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- the first of Isaiah’s 25 references to peace!
Context for Judah in Isaiah’s day
- O.T. Peace was always about war ceasing and enemies being defeated.
- Enemies attacking from North
- King Ahaz wanted to form an alliance with pagan nations; God said to trust him, he would give a sign
- Original meaning of Shalom – is much bigger than absence of conflict, wars ceasing.
- It means to make things whole, complete. To restore, heal what’s broken.
- Life is complex and stressful; shalom is God’s antidote to that.
Peace is not just the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of wholeness.
Peace with God
Peace with God is the starting point for wholeness in every other area of our lives. This kind of “shalom” happens in the spiritual realm: God makes peace with us through the person and work of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
- Our natural state is NOT shalom
- We are enemies with God
- We are children of wrath
- We are broken, incomplete
- Isaiah 9:7 (NLT) His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
- (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) This will all be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord Almighty. The coming of the millennial kingdom depends on God, not Israel. The Messiah will rule because God promised it and will zealously see that the kingdom comes. Without His sovereign intervention there would be no kingdom for Israel.
- (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) Apparently Isaiah assumed that the messianic Child, Jesus Christ, would establish His reign in one Advent, that when the Child grew up He would rule in triumph. Like the other prophets, Isaiah was not aware of the great time gap between Messiah’s two Advents (cf. 1 Peter 1:10-12; and see comments on Isa. 61:1-2).
- The prophets knew God was up to something, but they didn’t know the details.
- Isaiah 53:2 (NLT) My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
- Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
- 1 Peter 1:10-11 (NLT) This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
- THAT is shalom.
- Gospel in terms of reconciliation
Peace inside YOU
When God forgives you, you’d be foolish not to forgive yourself.
It starts with what Christ already did
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
- Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
But what’s our part now?
Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
- In Hebrew, “perfect peace” = shalom shalom (wholeness)
- We’re all more familiar with imperfect peace
- (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) The prophet wrote a song that will be sung by the redeemed when the Messiah will establish the millennial kingdom. Isaiah was picturing himself standing in the redeemed land with the remnant listening to the people express their thanks to and confidence in God.
- What are your thoughts fixed on?
- For me: mind running, ruminating all the time, hard time sleeping, quieting mind
- Inner peace comes from fixing your thoughts on what God says instead of what guilt says.
- Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
When God forgives you, you’d be foolish not to forgive yourself.
Peace with others
Life is complex and stressful; “shalom” is the antidote that God offers through his people.
- Why is it that Christians today are often seen as troublemakers?
- Proverbs 16:7 (NLT) When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NLT) For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
God’s people should be the best peace-makers in the world.
Ephesians 2:15-16 NLT “He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.”
