PRINCE OF PEACE

The Comfort of Christ in Grief and Death

What an appropriate song. I know that our hearts are heavy this week. I know that the Kirksey family they're here and they have Experienced the worst that this world has to offer this week where they have they have lost their son Christopher Hadden whom they were going to call Hadden after Charles Hadden Spurgeon Christopher Hadden was Delivered this week and is Not with us.

Christopher is in a better place. Christopher is in the arms of the Savior. We Live by faith. Little Hadden did not have to live by faith. He lived by lives by sight This morning and we mourn with that family we grieve with them because of the great loss and Death is not a good thing.

It's not a natural thing. It is not the circle of life. It is the enemy as we've sung this morning Christ came to defeat that enemy and bring peace. So, please continue to keep the Kirksey family in your prayers.

Many of you are out there volunteering ready to serve them and Mourn with them and care for them during this time and we will continue to pray For peace and Comfort as they await that day where they will be as as David said I will be able to go to him he can't come to me, but I can go to him and they will one day be reunited and Their their son will get to introduce them to their Savior.

I Have no doubt. So, please continue your prayers. What an appropriate song when peace like a river attendeth my way. The God of peace will give us peace. That's what we're here to declare today. So if you wouldn't mind, we're gonna do something a little different this morning.

Please stand with me for the reading of God's Holy Word. This is such a common Christmas quintessential Christmas passage from Isaiah chapter 9 that I thought we would read it together Before we begin the sermon.

So please read with me there on the screen for to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and His name shall be called wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting father Prince of Peace and of the increase of his government and of peace.

There will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this the zeal of the Lord of hosts. Will do this and he did didn't he and we are seeing it come into fruition as the days Draw near more and more for his return that we wait for this is the reading of God's Holy inspired word.

Please pray with me father. You know that our hearts are heavy and that you weep with those that weep. Father, you know that It is hard for us to lose Lose sight of the reality of this present time and Lord that is why you give us your words.

So that our minds may be renewed in this present time. And that we may be we may have hope and peace during this so that we await That day when you make all things new Lord this promise that was given long before the Messiah arrived Was was a guarantee and you fulfilled that promise and you continue to fulfill the promise that that Has begun more we thank you for it Lord.

I pray that your words would penetrate into our hearts and minds Lord I pray that you would Mold us through your words conform us more and more into the image of your son and Help us to push push into and press into the peace that is ours to have in Christ Jesus.

We pray all of this in Christ's name and all God's people said you may be seated. Well, the desire for peace is of course deep within the DNA of all of humanity.

The World’s Counterfeits for Peace

Right.

Everyone is longing for inner peace. We want peace within ourselves. There's this conflict that goes on in our minds and in our soul at times. And and we just we long for some type of peace with ourselves.

We long for peace within our homes. Nobody wants to go to a home. That's that's in conflict when the spouse when your spouse is in conflict with you your children in conflict. No one wants that we long for peace within our homes.

We long for peace in our workplace with our co-workers. We long for peace in our communities and our nation and our world and that's right. We should long for peace. And and here's the thing. There's no shortage of philosophies as to how we are to obtain this peace.

That we long so dearly for naturally as a matter of fact I shared these quotes a couple of years ago during Advent season and I thought they were appropriate to help us Categorize in our own minds how the world Longs for peace and how the world perceives their ability to Obtain that peace.

I wanted to share these quotes with you again. If you have no peace It is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. Sounds. Sounds pious doesn't it? Sounds great. If we if we have no peace if there's no peace in the world if there's conflict and difficulty.

It's simply just because we've forgotten that we belong to each other and that if we were to remember that we belong to each other. Then we could obtain peace. This is mother Teresa. It seems wise but it completely misses the mark.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without Says the great Buddha, right? Peace comes from within. I don't know about you, but every time I've looked in here. I'm left with darkness and despair. But the world keeps saying no, no, no, we got to find an inner peace.

You got to find it within yourselves. And we can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves as the Dalai Lama says.

And.

Then we have the great 20th century poet John Lennon. You remember him saying imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I Hope someday you'll join me and the world will be as one.

Sounds lofty, right? Sounds good. They are longing for peace. You can hear that internal Passion and desire for some type of peace both inwardly and outwardly in this world. And why do they long for it?

So. Because they were created for it. We were created for peace. Who was our first ancestors Adam and Eve, right? Adam and Eve and what did God say before he made Adam? What was what was the the statement that was made amongst the triune God God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Before he made Adam. He said let us make man in our image after our likeness. Why were Adam and Eve created in? His very image because unlike the rest of creation He created them to be in relationship with him.

God would even come in and walk with Adam and Eve. He communed with them they were at peace with each other. They were at peace with all of creation. They were at peace with him. We all know what happened, right?

You notice I go back to this Account many times in my sermons. I want that to resonate because everything stems back from that creation account because it all shows us why We've come to where we've come and why Christ had to come but will they eat the fruit and they cast out of the garden.

What is the significance of being cast out of the garden? They're cast out of relationship with him. He no longer walks with them in the cool of the day. Not only that. But they are left to live a life that they were never created to live a life of slavery to sin and death a life at enmity at war.

Not only with the rest of creation. Right, they're left at enmity at war with each other. They're left at enmity at war with themselves internally they're left at enmity at war with the ground that they're trying to grow their fruit from.

Because of the thorns and the weeds and the thistles and all that comes with it. They will they will eat bread by the sweat of their brow. They will be at odds with all of creation, but ultimately. Ultimately.

That is just a byproduct of the fact that they are at war With God they are at enmity with God and we know at that moment all of mankind being born into this slavery every single child by default that war with God and war is the antithesis it is the opposite of.

Peace.

However.

As.

We've seen and those quotes that I shared a moment ago man simply suppresses the truth in his own unrighteousness grasping for hope. Grasping for peace that can never be obtained. Here's the thing. It doesn't it doesn't stop them from blindly Seeking after it.

I've used the analogy before you know that in the world People are who are outside of Christ, they're blind. They're dead in their trespasses and sins. They are simply walking around in this present darkness with zero light.

Completely unable to see where they're going and they're grasping for whatever hope whatever peace whatever comfort whatever that they feel Internally that they absolutely have to have because they're bearing the very image of God though It is marred it is still there and they're longing in there.

They're trying desperately to find it as you can hear in those quotes and they Say things like if we meditate if we could just meditate we will make peace within ourselves if we medicate. Then I can find some type of internal peace after all my peace Must be just a chemical imbalance or whatever it might be.

We we try all of these things we simply act peaceably maybe peace will manifest itself into our lives. Karma, right? That's how we we long for it in the world and though those things sometimes give us a short-term Relief in a moment.

It's just that it is short-lived and still wantingly inadequate. Yet, here's the thing. This shows the utter foolishness of man's blind grasping for peace that he longs for. There's another example an extreme Perspective of obtaining peace and one that shows the the utter foolishness and futility of mankind's efforts of ever achieving any type of peace on their own and is those That believe it or not, and you know, I'm right.

There are those that believe we can achieve peace through means of war. It's the foolishness of man. You've got one side that that is peace and love and and and passive and they think we can find peace within ourselves.

And you've got others that stand there and go well.

No.

Peace can't be found within ourselves. We the strong must overtake the weak and then we will legislate peace and then we can have peace. What do all of these worldviews have in common?

It's.

The idea that peace is somehow attainable through means within ourselves. But you see the problem is that man has tried this for 6 ,000 years roughly. Have we succeeded? We've tried these these means have been tried different ways backwards and forwards up and down time and time again.

And.

Yes, we have maybe seen momentary glimpses of Peaceful times as as King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, right a time for for love a time for hate a time for War and a time for peace. There are moments that we experience yet.

Even then these peaceful times are very fragile and extremely short-lived. I point this out to us today because we are in the Christmas season right the holiday season. Our culture loves this time. We love to hear about peace.

We'll hear about it more and more in the month of December than you hear about it the rest of the year combined, right? The world keeps pointing to peace. They celebrities usually come together I guess back in the 80s and they would sing songs about it and try and obtain love and peace and hope and all that comes with this particular season.

But we must Christians be discerning. We must be careful to guard ourselves in our minds and the minds of our family and our children and those around us. Because most of what we hear about of peace is actually as I said a moment ago the opposite of peace.

It is.

Completely.

Void of true peace in any way. And because of that people get themselves worked up throughout the the month of December we we have all the Christmas Decorations out they get hopeful building up to Christmas.

And then what happens we get let down. Come January. Once you got to take the tree down you pull the lights down Downtown doesn't look so fancy anymore. You never know how bland your house looks until you pull the Christmas decorations down.

Do you? You dread pulling those things down because the promise of of this peace and fulfillment. It simply failed once again. It was just a facade. No one had peace. No one had hope. I can't think of any better example of this than Christmas Eve of 1914.

I've shared this story before. It's such an extreme perspective and understanding of Humanity's drive and striving for peace here in the Christmas season. War war one is being fought and if you're a history buff and or if you study the wars, you know, what a brutal Massacre World War one was somewhere between 15 to 22 million people.

I believe estimated dead during this war. They they used Means of war that even the whole world came together afterwards and said we will not do that. We can't do that again. That was inhumane. That was brutal.

It's a brutal war. But here's the thing on Christmas Eve 1914 you've got German French and Scottish soldiers out on the battlefield all of them in their foxholes. Every once in a while popping up lobbing bombs shooting bullets throwing chemicals over there.

They are just Brutally massacring each other and you've got this this muddy bloody Disgusting war being fought right here on a battlefield but on that night All of those soldiers decided to do a ceasefire they came out of their foxholes and They began to celebrate together.

They exchanged chocolates. They had champagne. They played cards.

They they.

Were exchanging pictures of their wives and kids like showing and showing off their families. They were celebrating together on Christmas Eve of 1914 right in the midst of this terrible battle. Well, it sounds promising and peaceful, doesn't it?

You say well see pastor. There's the light of humanity. Right there you see it there. They're able to come out of the war and actually celebrate during the time of Christmas. There's some type of hope there yet.

Do you know what happened once Christmas was over that war? Continued that didn't bring peace. That war continued that horrific war. Continued on as if it didn't skip a beat is. If there was ever a false sense of community and peace amongst mankind it was here.

This is one of the clearest pictures of the world's concept of peace. Let's just get along. At least until I'm not getting what I want. James actually summed that up didn't he in James chapter 4. What did he say?

He said what causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? What's the problem guys? Why are you not able to get along? Is it not this? That your passions are at war within you. Not that that war is out there.

Not that that war is is. Something that is External and outside of you that you could find your internal peace and shine your peaceful light into it as an unbeliever. But that it is within you you desire and do not have so what do you do you murder?

You covet and cannot obtain so you fight and quarrel. You see this is precisely why we can have no peace because our natural default sin our natural default. Sin and because of this default of sin the spirit of this world and the evil one.

Seem to be widening this gap between humanity and lasting peace. The more we strive for it in our own power and our own means the further it gets from us. It truly seems as though the evil one is winning when you look out and then on the news, right?

You look at the world. After all they have all the nations. They have the armies they have the media they have the celebrities. They have all the powers that be if you think about it. It's really no different than during the time of Isaiah and this prophecy that we read together a moment ago this this wonderful Christmas passage.

The Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9

Is given in the midst of this darkness and brokenness. Lack of hope lack of peace lack of joy lack of love and.

This.

This prophecy is given as an announcement when you read it. You see it's an announcement. We are looking back at it. We're like, oh, yeah. Well, that's that's already happened. But you got to understand when this is presented.

This is this is God Declaring a wonderful amazing truth to the people.

God.

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah Responding to the state of the powers of this world all of the nations outside that are trying to obtain peace within the means of war or any other means that they're trying to conquer each other and overcome and the wickedness and the brokenness all around.

He gives he responds to the state of it. And how does he do it? How does God respond to the darkness of this world that is striving for peace, but cannot obtain it? Does he does he do it through an army?

Does he do it through an earthly government? No, he he gives that announcement through the announcement of a birth. It's just like God to respond to the powers of this world with their armies and their kings and their their pomp and Circumstance and their their struggle and arrogance for power and all that comes with everything out in the world.

God responds with the birth announcement of a child. Isaiah 9 right there in verse 6. For to us a child is born. To us a son is born. Is given. Don't you think about those words for a moment notice this announcement doesn't it doesn't come with a command.

It it doesn't come with with an enlistment. It doesn't come with a set of blueprints in order to achieve Peace and comfort and all that they're lacking but internally desiring. No, it's announced as a fact.

And as a gift the gift to us, oh, this is good news. If you've got your Bibles with you turn over there to Isaiah, but I want you to look at chapter 9 verse 2 and Isaiah chapter 9 verse 2 Says the people who walked in.

Darkness.

Those who walked in darkness have seen a great light. It's kind of like the passage from Ephesians that pastor Keith read from a moment ago, right that we were once in darkness. But these people who walked in darkness.

They have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness on them has light shown. What is that light? What is he speaking of? It's the light of life. The one that is being prophesied to come.

We were in darkness. But that promise light it came and it came as a gift in the form of a child. What does it say about this child and the government? Shall be upon his shoulder. I want you to notice something in that.

It's not governments plural. It's the government. If you ever notice that before I used to read that passage and think oh He's talking about all the all the governments of the world like the whole world.

They'll be on his shoulders. He'll be he'll be the one to bear everything in the whole world, but there's an attachment here. He speaks of a singular government. What is that government his government?

It's the kingdom of God all the other governments that he has conquered in his death and resurrection. That should bow the knee to him as king. All of those will be burned up. They're gone. There is no more America there is no more China.

There is no more any external government. Those should bow the knee to Christ kiss the Sun or they will perish. And when I mean by those I don't mean the government. I mean the people within that government, but there is one government is the kingdom of God as Jesus continued to warn in his earthly ministry.

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is the only source of peace. Israel wanted to find peace through External means through earthly means they wanted to find peace with bringing in another David.

That's what they longed for they want a king and they want a king that will rule and conquer and cut the heads off the enemies. That's what they want. They don't realize that this child that is being prophesied to come would cut the head off of the serpent which is The ruler over those kingdoms and his kingdom shall be upon his shoulder.

How can he carry this government upon his shoulder? Look at the text and his name. Remember, there's there's meaning in names when you see names in Scripture. There's always purpose and meaning behind that name.

When a name is given it carries. Significance of the very character and identity of that Individual that is being named and his name shall be called. And there's a list here wonderful counselor. I Think this is in the midst of peace talk.

That he's he's referring to him as the wonderful counselor. What do so many of us? Try and do when we don't have any peace or hope. We seek counsel, right? And there's a place for counsel, right? There's safety in a multitude of counselors.

But what what is being portrayed here in this wonderful counselor, I believe is if you if you want things made new if if that internal longing that is in you as the image bearer of God. If that is to be fulfilled.

The perfect counselor is the only one. It's his truth. He is the only source of truth. That's why we go to the Word of God. Don't we? Why do you think we're using the Word of God this morning? Why don't I just get up here and give you a nice little Nathan speech?

It'll be of no value to you. You might as well just wad that up and throw it in the trash. That's Nathan's opinion. But we go to God's Word because he is the wonderful counselor. He gives us the the truth that will renew our minds.

The truth that will drive us to peace. The truth that will drive us to understanding What he's here for the mighty God. His power and his might are infinite. How can he bear this government upon his shoulder because he is mighty God the only source of power.

He is the one and only God. He is the second person of the Godhead the mighty God.

Everlasting.

Who has created you? He's created you for that very peace with him everlasting father. There's obviously some Confusion as to why Jesus will be referred to as the father. I think what is being Pointed to here is his union with the father his power is One of one God he is everlasting the only source of eternity.

He what's being said here at the beginning of this prophecy? Showing that the one to come is not going to be a created entity that will carry the power of God but will be one with the one. That is the one true God.

He may be the second person of the Godhead, but he carries the authority of God. He is the everlasting father from from beginning to end. All things were created through him and nothing that nothing was created outside of him.

Was it he is the everlasting God. But here's the phrase that I want us to see today's this name. He's the Prince of Peace. He reigns as the only source of peace Christ Jesus. Our peace. Why was it so important to identify him in these three these four names?

Why did why did God Speak to the people of Israel through Isaiah and point out these four Identifying markers of name for the Messiah to come. Well one this is who he is. But two to support and confirm this next truth.

Look at verse 7. This this mighty God this everlasting father this Prince of Peace. Of his of the increase of his government the kingdom of God, right and of peace. There will be no end. Would you think about that phrase for a moment those fleeting moments of peaceful times.

That in the goodness of God, he allows us to have. They're just a blip on the radar, right. They're a drop in the bucket actually not even the bucket they're a drop in the ocean. They're so short-lived and small.

They.

They elude us more often than not but in his kingdom Peace will never end. Not only that but it says it it will even increase. All right, we're striving for peace. We want peace so desperately and then it eludes us.

More often than not. So not only does it not increase it actually decreases. So whatever small amount of peace that you and I try and obtain in this world for any other means from any other source or for any other purpose it just it Disintegrates.

But his peace his peace just continually expands. It grows it Increases. It continues to increase more and more. If this and this is only possible if he is the wonderful Counselor mighty God everlasting father prince of peace of the increase of his government and of peace There will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom.

Look at what he says to establish it and to uphold it. Only the mighty God can do that, right? To establish this peace. To establish this kingdom and then to uphold this kingdom. And any and it says with justice and.

With.

Righteousness. You see this world cannot offer you peace. You cannot offer you peace. Your internal Meditations cannot offer you peace. Why is that because of injustice and unrighteousness? Injustice and unrighteousness cannot produce peace.

Only his justice and righteousness.

We.

Can't trust anything in this world, including ourselves. So every time it promises peace. We know it won't last it cannot. But look at what it says next in the text of this piece that he upholds justice and righteousness from this time forth and Forevermore the peace that eludes us.

Is not peace at all. His peace is everlasting. To everlasting. It is forever it is eternal. Why. Because he's eternal. Because he is everlasting. This is the peace that Jesus spoke of in John 16 33. When he says in me You may have peace He said he goes on to say in the world.

You will have tribulation. Why. Because of injustice and unrighteousness, right. But take heart I have overcome the world. What did Jesus mean when he said in me you may have peace. Was Jesus saying if you follow my ways it will lead to peace.

Just do as I do and and live as I live and peace will follow. That's why I was born. To be an example to you of how to find peace like some sort of hippie peace guru sent from God, right. That's how many perceive Jesus.

We come into the Christmas season and many will perceive Jesus as well. He was the great example for us. We just got to do as he did. We just got to live as he lived and Then we'll be okay. We can find that peace that's already within us somewhere.

Is that what Jesus means when he says in me you may have peace or the opposite extreme example as many of the people of Israel were hoping for. When this announcement came and even when the birth of Jesus arrived and when he says in me you may have peace meaning I will enforce peace as an earthly King.

Is that what he meant? I don't believe Jesus meant either of those things or any variation of like fashion. The arrival of Jesus was for the purpose of going directly after the root cause of our lack of.

Peace.

And that is as I said a moment ago at the beginning. What is our problem sin? Subsequently. That leading to our enmity with God our lack of an internal peace or lack of of peace with one another when we're trying to live life and in a Community and together.

Our lack of peace our lack of peace with the whole of creation is merely a By-product of our lack of peace with the Creator. We have broken his law. We have rejected him wholeheartedly. And that is why it is unto us a child is born.

To us a son is given as a gift a gift that that will purchase true Peace for us. When Jesus said it in John 16 in me you may have peace. He is speaking of what Paul later wrote as a matter of fact. Look with me at Romans chapter 5 turned into a New Testament book of Romans in chapter 5 in verse 1 as you're turning there I'll kind of lay the groundwork.

And in chapter 4 Paul had just spoken about the faith of Abraham. That he was fully convinced that God would was able to do what he had promised for him. Even though it seemed physically impossible and that and that is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness.

He had been gifted faith and that faith it was counted to him as righteousness. And so that that also it will be counted to us who believe as Paul says. Believe in who in Christ who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord.

Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our? Justification. Being made right with God once for all and there in chapter 5 verse 1 therefore. Since we have been justified by faith. Not by our works not by our obedience not by baptism not by any other thing.

Paul Specifically says by faith we have peace with God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ our unrighteousness separated us from peace with God and Christ. Righteousness given to us through faith. Faith in the perfect life lived by that child that was given Faith and the death that he underwent in our stead faith in the resurrection defeating death once for all.

That faith in his finished work justified us and brought peace with the Creator. You see if you were in Christ today, you have access to a peace that surpasses all understanding a peace with your holy perfect mighty gracious Creator and ultimately an ever-increasing perfect abounding peace.

Just as just as John wrote right in the the famous text for God. So loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Ongoing continual life.

How do we know this was certainty? Look back at our text in Isaiah 9. How does he close out this this prophecy here? He says the zeal of the Lord of hosts. Will do this. The God who cannot lie and he promised and he did do it.

He prophesied that he would send the the child that would represent us that would purchase that peace for us. His son came in the perfect time was born in obscurity lived the life. We could not died the death we deserved rose from the grave and defeated death and brought us.

Peace with the Father and.

Peace.

With each other. If you are not in Christ this morning, I would be a fool to think that everyone in this room is in Christ that has faith in Christ the true Christ. Not just someone named Jesus. Not just someone that you claim is the Christ that did not finish the work for you Wholeheartedly completely that is not Jesus at all.

The only Jesus that that can bring peace the only Jesus that can represent is the one true Jesus. Rome their version of Jesus is an idol it has he has no power to say because he's not real Orthodox that is not the true Jesus.

He has no power to save. Any group that claims Jesus. But does not have the one true biblical Jesus the one that finished it all for you. The one that you will have faith in his righteousness in his work in his finished work.

If you do not have faith in that Jesus, you are simply following someone with the same name, but Not the same essence. If you're not in Christ this morning, you will never find peace outside of him. You only find death Destruction heartache and pain hatred and bitterness war and chaos and ultimately eternal judgment.

So I plead with you to call out to him while you still can Rest in the peace of the Savior, but for those of us in here who have tasted and seen that he truly is good. Let us rejoice today. This is a day of rejoicing the Lord's Day gathering where God has set aside a day for us to be Reminded of his goodness and his grace and his mercy and his kindness upon us to remind us that I told you I was sending him and I did and He is redeeming you.

Amen. But we get to be the peacemakers. Until he returns and makes all of this new we get to be his Representatives until he comes back. We are his body and Where we fail at maintaining peace his perfect righteousness covers even that doesn't it?

We can find great comfort in that because you and I do not live peaceably perfectly, do we. We don't even have internal peace all the time much less peace with one another because of this wretched flesh that is at war within us that is fighting against us if you think that your Ability for God to love you and for you to be peaceful.

Can buy you anything?

You're gonna be.

Miserable. If you think that your ability to live peaceably this week with everyone around you to live peaceably within yourselves perfectly this week is some sort of some sort of sign that you are in Christ and that you're okay and If you don't do it that it's some sort of sign that you're not in Christ.

You're gonna be left feeling hopeless. Aren't you do you ever feel that I do. I start looking at my own self-righteousness. I start looking at oh man Where's the fruit? Where's the fruit? Where's the fruit?

And then I spiral into this idea that I'm looking to myself and looking to myself and I'm forgetting that a Child was given. The son was given and the government's on his shoulder and There's no end to his peace.

There's no end to his justice and his righteousness and he's given that righteousness to me. And I may not live it out perfectly. But I have faith in what he did and It leads me to want to love him. It leads me to want to be peaceful.

It leads me to want to have internal peace. It leads me to want to have the peace that is in me that is that is in the the image bearer that is Nathan because I was created for it and I'm going to distort it and Distort and destroy it at times in my own life.