One of the titles Christians ascribe to Jesus is Prince of Peace. It is taken from a prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 where that title, along with Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father is used in description of a veryspecial child who would be born into our world.
Isaiah wrote those words over 500 years before Christ and we as Christians believe that the prophecy has been fulfilled. The Prince of Peace arrived. And yet, over 2000 years later, our world still waits for true and lasting peace to arrive as well. Despite the gift of the Christ child, our world continues to be born by strife.
Reflecting on that reality, a Christian writer named Addison Leitch observed, "Our trouble is we want the peace without the Prince." The world persists in its belief that peace somehow can be achieved apart from Christ. And yet, as the apostle Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians, "Christ is our peace" (2:14). Not Christ, will bring peace but Christ IS our peace. He himself is peace.
This Sunday, we will explore more deeply the gospel promise about peace. We will do that by reflecting on a couple of Scriptures: Luke 2:1-14 and Ephesians 2:14-18.
In the Lukan passage, angels proclaim to shepherds outside of Bethlehem: "glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among those with whom God is pleased. Peace is proclaimed as a divine gift in the arrival of Jesus. In Ephesians, Paul explains the peace process God used in more detail. That passage is included below.
To prepare for worship, please read these passages and reflect on these questions: why do we seek peace without the Prince? what makes such a search fruitless? in what ways is it true that Christ is the Prince of Peace even in a world so torn by violence? what is the source of the peace we have in Christ? what do these passages challenge us to do?
Please also be in prayer for our service as we move ever closer to the celebration of Christ's birth.
Ephesians 2:14-18 (New International Version)
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
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