The Peace of God

What does it mean to have peace? When you think about this question this morning, what does it mean to have peace in other words? What is peace? According to the world versus peace according to God. In An article titled God's peace is different from the world's peace.

This question is posed. The writer points out a few things that I think are helpful for us to consider. Pondering what it means to have peace. The world's peace is fleeting and changes with circumstances.

During times of prosperity nations experience temporary peace. But when economies struggle countries find themselves on the brink of civil war as well as war with their neighbors. The the peace of the world is a precarious thing.

Conflict erupts when people are hungry. Peace disappears when circumstances turn ugly. The world's peace is built on the weak foundation of compromise. In The Old Testament God warned the Israelites that if they intermarried for political reasons They would face the temptation to compromise their love for the one true God and end up serving false idols.

This compromise though. It would create a temporary absence of conflict would ultimately lead to destruction. The world's peace ignores the root of the problem. When asked what's wrong with the world today many will point to volatile stock markets corrupt governments disappearing rainforests poor diets lack of health care broken families.

Overcrowded schools and many many more. The world tries to fix these problems by doing good feeding children building wells. Regulating markets conserving wildlife funding charter schools thereby achieving a type of peace.

The world's peace tries to fix the symptoms of sin. But fails to see how the root of the problem is the sin disease itself. Something that can only be healed by Christ not by money regulation or reform.

Dealing with the symptoms of sin, but failing to diagnose the sin itself is nothing new in the Old Testament. The false prophets treated sin lightly and proclaimed the problem solved when it wasn't. In contrast to the world's promise of peace.

God's peace is permanent and firmly grounded in his word. He doesn't ignore our sin. He heals it. Making his peace a different kind of peace from what we find in the world. God's peace is permanent and secure when circumstances are free of conflict.

We enjoy momentary peace. But when we face difficult relationships health problems Financial crisis the momentary quiet is disrupted and chaos rules the day. Our God offers peace in the midst of the chaos of the world.

His peace doesn't change with the circumstances. It is secure in spite of the circumstances. What does it mean to have peace? I? Would argue peace isn't an abstract concept for us to search out. Peace is a person.

What does it mean to have peace. The peace of God the living Word of God the person Jesus of Nazareth the Christ. The gospel of Luke was written by Luke the historian to give a Chronological and precise account for the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So that the reader would know the exact truth about the events and the teaching of the gospel message as it existed from the Apostle Paul's testimony and the historical facts of Christ's ministry. In Today's passage the Lord shows us two impactful observations from Luke's gospel so that you can know for certain Jesus is the Christ and have meaningful and everlasting peace with God.

The Annunciation, Mary’s Song, and John’s Birth

So we start in chapter 1 of Luke at verse 26. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the Virgin's name was Mary.

And Coming in he said to her Greetings favored one the Lord is with you. But she was very perplexed at this statement and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. And The angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall name him Jesus and he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and there will be no end of his kingdom.

But Mary said to the angel, how will this be since I am a virgin. The angel answered and said to her The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you and for that reason the Holy Child shall be called the Son of God and behold your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.

For nothing will be impossible with God and Mary said Behold the slave of the Lord may it be done to me according to your word and the angel departed from her. Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country to a city of Judah and Entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth and it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she cried out with a loud voice and said blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And How has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold when the sound of your greeting reached my ears the baby leaped in my womb for joy and Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.

And Mary said My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For he has looked upon the humble state of his slave. For behold from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

For the mighty one has done great things for me and holy is his name and his mercy is upon Generation after generation toward those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm. He has scattered those who were proud and the thoughts of their heart.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel his servant in remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and his seed forever.

And Mary stayed with her about three months and then returned to her home. Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth and she gave birth to a son and her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his great mercy toward her and they were rejoicing with her and It happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child and they were going to call him Zechariah after the name of his father.

But his mother answered and said no, but he shall be called John and they said to her there is no one among your relatives who's called by his name and They were making signs to his father as to what he wanted him called and he asked for a tablet and wrote as Follows his name is John and they all marveled and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed and he Began to speak blessing God and fear came on all those living around them and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea and all who heard these things put them in their hearts saying What then will this child be?

For the hand of the Lord was indeed with him and His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied saying blessed be the Lord God of Israel. For he visited and accomplished redemption for his people and Raised up a horn of salvation.

For us in the house of David his servant as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from old Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us to show mercy toward our fathers and to remember his Holy Covenant the oath which he swore to Abraham our father to grant us that we being rescued from the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And You child will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go on before the Lord and make ready his ways To give to his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

Because of the tender mercy of our God with which the sunrise from on high will visit us to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to direct our feet into the way of.

Peace and.

The child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit and he lived in the desolate regions Until the day of his public appearance to Israel. Now it happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus For a census to be taken of all the inhabited earth.

That was the first census taken while Cornelius was governor of Syria and everyone was going to be registered for the census each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem.

Because he was of the house and family of David in order to register along with Mary who was betrothed to him and was with child now it happened that while they were there the days were fulfilled for her to give birth and She gave birth to her firstborn son and she wrapped him in clothes Cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the guest room.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night and An angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy Which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior Who is Christ the Lord and he will be the sign for you.

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with an angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.

And It happened that when the angels had gone away from them into heaven the shepherds began saying to one another Let us go to Bethlehem then and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.

So they went in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph and The baby lying there in the manger. And when they had seen this they made known the statement Which had been told them about this child and all who heard it Marveled at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary was treasuring all these things pondering them in her heart and the shepherds went back Glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen just as was told to them. What an amazing passage of Scripture.

And.

Historical.

Eyewitness account of the birth of Jesus Christ and we think about the peace of God. We think about the Lord coming into the earth to fulfill his earthly ministry. I think we need to think about this from the context of the Old Testament.

The Messiah in the Old Testament and the Davidic Covenant

What does it mean to have peace with God? Well, what does the Old Testament say about the Messiah and we can ask some questions of the Old Testament in its correct context. One question we may ask is what does the Old Testament say about the Messiah?

Well a good proof passage here would be Malachi chapter 3. Behold, I am going to send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me and the Lord whom you seek Will suddenly come to his temple and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight behold.

He is coming says Yahweh of hosts. Another question we may ask is what does the Davidic Covenant have to do with the Messiah? We see this language about the son of David. David is brought up in this narrative.

Well this question we may answer with Psalm 89. I Also shall make him my firstborn the highest of the kings of the earth. My loving kindness I will keep for him forever and my covenant shall be confirmed to him so I will set up his seed to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven.

If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments if they profane my Statutes and do not keep my commandments then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with striking.

But I will not break off my loving kindness from him nor deal falsely in my faithfulness. My covenant I will not profane nor will I alter what comes forth from my lips. Once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David his seed shall endure forever and his throne as the Sun.

Before me it shall be established forever like the moon and the witness in the sky is faithful. So there's some promises made about the throne of David and about David's covenant. Another question we may ask is do any of the Old Testament prophecies fit Jesus?

Well, we can look no further than the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 7. Then Yahweh spoke to Ahaz saying ask a sign for yourself from Yahweh your God. Make it deep as Sheol or as high as heaven. But a has said I will not ask and I will not test Yahweh.

Then he said listen now Oh house of David. Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men that you will try the patience of my God as well. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Behold, the Virgin will be with child and bear a son and she will call his name Immanuel God with us or how about Isaiah chapter 9 for a child will be born to us a Son will be given to us and the government will rest on his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful counselor mighty God eternal father prince of peace.

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 to uphold it with justice and Righteousness from then on and forevermore the zeal of Yahweh of hosts will accomplish this.

Now in the Old Testament context, it seems pretty clear Jesus is the Messiah. The virgin birth was promised as a sign. There's only one person in all of human history that God says this is going to happen and when that happens.

You know, that's my anointed one. He's here, but a question we need to deal with and this is in an area of a perceived contradiction. There's no contradictions in the Bible. The Bible is perfect. It's inerrant.

But when we see things in the scripture, we have to address them. So I thought this would be helpful for us this morning. I just want to solidify your faith in Christ. Now when we're dealing with a perceived contradiction one We need to address is in the realm of the Davidic Covenant and the Davidic Covenant candidate.

There is a curse that God made on the line of the kings of Judah. So David comes and then Solomon and then we have these these kings. Well, God curses one of them a guy named Jecon. Ayah. So does Jack and I as curse actually rule Jesus out as the Davidic Covenant candidate now I read Psalm 89 but I want to show you the Davidic Covenant in 2nd. Samuel.

It says this in 2nd. Samuel 7 in The context of the Davidic Covenant when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers I will raise up one of your seed after you and you will come forth and Who will come forth from your own body and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me when he commits iniquity I will reprove him with the rod of men and the strikes from the sons of men.

But my loving kindness shall not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul Whom I removed from before you and your house and your kingdom shall endure before me forever. Your throne shall be established forever.

So keep in mind this language of forever in the establishment of the throne of David as we think about Psalm 89 in 2nd. Samuel. Dr. Gregory Harris is helpful here in his book the Bible expositors handbook.

He touches on the theological relevance of the Davidic Covenant. He points out that among other things Yahweh established three important promises. Number one the permanency of David's throne. Number two that God would enter into a father-son relationship With each of David's descendants who would sit on his throne and number three that Yahweh's covenant keeping loving-kindness Would not depart from this person.

Dr. Harris's key truth observation states this. Genesis 49 8 through 12 speaks of the Lion of the tribe of Judah and his Worldwide rule that will eventually come from 2nd. Samuel 7 onward. This lineage will be narrowed down from the tribe of Judah to the household of David.

Whoever the Messiah would be must prove that his lineage went back to David. Also whenever someone in the Gospels cried out to Jesus have mercy on me son of David. He or she recognized him as the rightful heir to the Davidic Covenant promises of Yahweh.

Now let's think about this a little bit now if if God is cursing a descendant of David and In the line of the kings of Judah. We need to think about well does is there a contradiction? There's a perceived contradiction that Exists and I say perceived.

The the reason is this in the Prophet Jeremiah's writing in Jeremiah chapter 22. This is what it says about Jeconiah. It says as I live declares Yahweh. Even though konaya the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on my right hand.

Yet I would pull you off and I will give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life. Indeed into the hand of those whom you dread even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans.

I will hurl you and your mother who bore you into another land. There you were not born and there you will die. But as for the land to which their souls desires to return they will not return to it. Is this man konaya a despised shattered jar or is he an undesirable vessel?

Why have he and his seed been hurled out and cast into a land that they had not known. Oh land land land. Hear the word of Yahweh. Thus says Yahweh. Write this man down childless a man who will not succeed in his days.

For no man of his seed will succeed sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah. So here's the perceived contradiction. Jeremiah will actually return to this topic and later in his prophecy in Jeremiah 36.

Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah. He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David and his dead body Shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night.

So when we're asking these questions of the Old Testament, we can see something that needs to be handled here. There is an interpretive challenge and I want to point out a few observations from Luke's gospel.

So that you can know for certain that Jesus is the Christ. Two impactful observations from Luke's gospel so that you can know for certain that Jesus is the Christ and you can have meaningful and everlasting peace with God.

Jesus Is the Son of David

Number one Jesus is The Son of David and number two Jesus is birth brought peace with God for all people. So handling this in order Jesus is the Son of David. We I want to highlight two verses for you in chapter 1 Jesus is the Son of David.

Let's look at verse 32 and verse 69. So chapter 1 verse 32 in the middle of this.

Birth.

Prophecy we see this statement He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father.

David.

Jesus is the Greek form of the name Joshua meaning Savior. Joshua led God's people into the promised land. Jesus is leading people into everlasting life. The symbolism and meaning of his name would not have been lost on the people of Israel.

The Israelites understood the power in a name and Recognized a name as a source of power. The name of Jesus is powerful. People have been healed. Demons have been cast out. The forgiveness of sins are all under the power and the authority of the name Jesus.

Amazing that the term Son of the Most High is nothing less than a crystal clear affirmation of the Messiah. The additional reference to the throne of his father David is Pointing to the divine sonship and the Messiah ship that is in accordance with the Davidic Covenant.

The explanation of Jesus is destiny as Messiah follows the statement of his sonship. We see his sonship is directly related to his divine origin. Without a doubt Luke sees the Messiah job as a function of God's Son.

Luke is not saying sonship is merely an aspect of the Messiah ship. The Messiah is the Son of God. The Messiah is the Son of David and we can look further at verse 69 in chapter 1. During Zechariah's prophecy, he makes this statement and Raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant.

Zechariah praised the Lord with his first words. After months of silence his first words were praised to God. Zechariah gives a Holy Spirit inspired benediction. He prophesied the coming Messiah the Savior who would give redemption to his people.

Zechariah also predicted that his son John would prepare the way for the coming Messiah. Zechariah was praising God because all the Old Testament prophecies were coming true before his very eyes. The Christ would come in his lifetime and God had chosen his son as a forerunner to God's anointed.

The word horn is a common Old Testament metaphor for power. It is an allusion to the great strength of the horned animals in the Middle East. A Horned animal is powerful. The blending of the word with salvation Demonstrates the kind of strength that Zechariah was thinking about.

The messianic theme continues because the power of Salvation resides only in the Savior. The Savior will be Powerful to bring salvation and he will be a descendant of David. Zechariah is talking about the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant because Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant.

And so we can we can finish this first point by just answering the question. How do we deal with perceived contradictions? Now this contradiction is just that it's perceived only and one way we can deal with this is with the genealogies of Christ.

You ever think there's just this long list of names and the genealogies. What's that doing in there? How does that help me to know Christ more. Why this list of gene of genealogies? So I want to point these genealogies out to you.

Keep your finger in math in Luke. But turn over to Matthew chapter 1. So you're probably thinking you're gonna get this really sweet Feel-good Christmas message and I'm gonna preach on the genealogies.

Buckle up a Really great thing here that I want to point out to you. Yeah, Matthew and then Luke and we have right in the middle there. Jecon. Ayah was cursed in Jeremiah 22. So let's just point out a few things as we look at these passages.

Just a few verses. We're not going to read the whole genealogy, but I want to show you Why and how important this is? Praise the Lord that we have these lists. This is the inspired Word of God. What a joy it is so let's think about this Matthew chapter 1 look at verses 6 6 and 7 and Jesse was the father of David the king and David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah and Solomon was the father of Rehoboam and Rehoboam was the father of Abijah and Abijah was the father of Asa.

Now look down at verse 11 and Josiah was the father of Jecon. Ayah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. So Matthew 1 6 and 7 lists David and Solomon. Matthew 1 11 shows Jecon. Ayah now go back to Luke.

And if we just look at Luke chapter 3 is what you'll find this list. Luke chapter 3. Think starting in verse 23, but I want to point something out Luke chapter 3 verses 31 and 32 the son of Malia the son of Mena the son of Matatha the son of Nathan the son of David.

The son of Jesse the son of Obed the son of Boaz the son of Salmon the son of Nash on so Luke 3 31 and 32 lists David and.

Nathan.

Different lineage and so no mention of Jecon. Ayah. One commentator observes the Luke genealogy in the passage from Jeremiah like this. Luke's genealogy moves backwards from Jesus to Adam. Matthew's moves forward from Abraham to Joseph.

Luke's entire section from Joseph to David differs starkly from that given by Matthew. The two genealogies are all are easily reconciled if Luke's is seen as Mary's genealogy and Matthew's version represents Joseph's thus the royal line is passed through Jesus's legal father and His physical descended from David is established by Mary's lineage.

Luke unlike Matthew includes no women in his genealogy even Mary herself. Joseph was the son of Eli by marriage Eli having no sons of his own and thus is named here in verse 23 as the representative of Mary's generation Jecon.

Ayah did have offspring first Chronicles 3. But he was reckoned childless in the sense that he had no sons who would reign. The curse continued in his descendants down to Joseph the husband of Mary. How could Jesus then be the Messiah when his father was under this curse.

It was because Joseph was not involved in the bloodline of Jesus since he was virgin-born. Jesus is blood right to the throne of David came through Mary from Nathan Solomon's brother not Solomon Jecon.

Ayahs line thus Bypassing the this curse or as another commentator points out with perhaps even more succinct clarity. The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 1 through 17 Established his legal lineage and the right to the throne of David.

It is Joseph's ancestry which constituted this Jewish requirement the genealogy of Jesus. Which is found in Luke 3 23 through 38 is the physical lineage of Jesus the ancestry of Mary. Read Luke 3 23 carefully, which says.

Jesus assumed was assumed to be the son of Joseph. But he was really the son of Eli. Therefore Eli was Mary's father. These two lineages meet in King David the legal descent of Jesus coming through King Solomon David's son while the physical lineage of Christ came through Nathan another son of David.

You see how helpful it is to consider this perceived contradiction. There is no other candidate. It eliminates everyone else. There is no other person in the historical record. Not one other person ever born on the planet earth That is qualified that meets the the legal claim to the throne while bypassing this curse.

It's Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus of Nazareth is the son of David no one else and because of these claims it just eliminate there's nothing else even close and. Because of this perceived contradiction when you look into it, it just pops out.

So we we handle it by looking at the Word of God and these really really helpful Historical accounts of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the son of David. He is the son of David. Two impactful observations from Luke's gospel so that you can know for certain Jesus is the Christ and have meaningful and everlasting peace with God.

Jesus’ Birth Brought Peace for All People

Number one Jesus is the son of David and number two Jesus is birth brought peace with God for all people for all people. Look again at chapter 2. I want to point out two verses here for you chapter 2 verse 10 and chapter 2 verse 14.

So if we look at chapter 2 verse 10.

It says this.

But the angel said to them Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people. The greatest day in the history of the world was here. The Messiah was born.

The Christ was born. For many ages the people of Israel waited for the Messiah to come. But the announcement of the Messiah's birth is not given to the elite or religious authorities of the day. The announcement of the Messiah's birth came to humble shepherds.

The good news of Jesus is that he came for all people. No one is left out. The angelic announcement of good tidings and joy is a bold gospel. Proclamation. The gospel is proclaimed from on high at the very hour of the birth of Jesus.

This is an angelic.

Divine.

Proclamation. Luke's narrative or historical account of Christ's birth. Declares that the time has come for the fulfillment of all the prophetic expectation. Regarding the coming of the Messiah in this child and then look again at verse 14 of chapter 2.

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased. Many of the Jewish people were waiting for a Savior. Some were waiting for a Savior to deliver them from the brutal rule of Rome.

Some had hope that the Messiah would heal their physical ailments. When Jesus arrived he healed their illnesses. He established his spiritual kingdom and he delivered the people from their sin. Jesus paid the ultimate price for sin and he opened a way to peace with God.

Jesus does not merely provide temporary political or even physical changes. Jesus is the Messiah. He offers every person who will ever live a new heart that will last for eternity. There can be no new birth in the Holy Spirit without first the birth of Jesus.

The doxology of glory to God in the highest is the story climax because it relates to heaven and earth. Respectively the peace here is the peace that the Messiah brings. Peace with God is a consequence of turning from sin and humbling the heart.

This is a good consequence. For those whom Jesus forgave on the basis of their faith could go in peace. Those on whom his favor rests. Luke later describes in chapter 10 as being the little children. The little children to whom God reveals truth according to his good pleasure.