“The Prince of Peace”
Introduction
You’re going to think this is blasphemy but today we’re going to talk about the failure of Jesus to bring peace to the world. What does it mean that Jesus has come to bring peace? What does it mean that we call him the prince of peace? We read it over and over how Jesus is the peace of the world and how the peace that passes understanding shall rule our hearts but how often are our lives, even as followers of Jesus, ruled by that which is not peace. How often have we heard about the peace of Christ but yet how often have we continued to live in distress and not at all at peace? Where peace has been something just out of our reach or maybe not even within sight, never mind just out of our reach. How many of us are living in circumstances that siphon away our peace and cause us to be in conflict with either ourselves, someone else, or the world around us? If Jesus Christ really is the Prince of Peace, then where is all that peace? If it’s really there, how do I find it?
In Jerusalem, a female CNN journalist heard about a very old rabbi who had been going to the Wailing Wall to pray, twice a day, everyday, for a long, long time. So she went to check it out. She went to the Wailing Wall and there he was!
She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he turned to leave, she approached him for an interview.
"I'm Rebecca Smith from CNN. Sir, how long have you been coming to the Wall and praying?"
"For about 60 years."
"60 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?"
"I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims. I pray for all the hatred to stop and I pray for all our children to grow up in safety and friendship."
"How do you feel after doing this for 60 years?", the reporter asked.
The rabbi sighed, dropped his shoulders a little bit, "Like I'm talking to a wall.”
The Message
The reality is, that peace is really not the hardest thing to achieve in the world. There is, in fact something much more difficult.
A woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a lamp. Ah she thought, this will look good in the hallway next to the china closet. She picked it up and rubbed some of the grime off of it and lo-and-behold a Genie appeared. The amazed woman asked if she was going to receive the usual three wishes.
The Genie said, "Nope ... due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third-world countries, and fierce global competition, I can only grant you one wish. So ... what'll it be?"
The woman didn't hesitate. She said, "I want peace in the Middle East. See this map? She just happened to have a world map with her. I want these countries to stop fighting with each other."
The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed, "Gadzooks, lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I'm good, but not THAT good! I don't think it can be done. Make another wish."
The woman thought for a minute and said, "Well, I've never been able to find the right man. You know, one that's considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, gets along with my family, doesn't watch sports all the time, and is faithful. That's what I wish for ... a good mate."
The Genie let out a long sigh and said, "Let me see that map!"
The truth really is that Peace is an elusive goal and just when we’ve think that we have landed it, something comes along to challenge us for it and that something usually wins. You don’t believe me? Ask the people you know who have loved ones dealing with an addiction and what that does to their peace and serenity. Ask the people who are dealing with addictions themselves how much peace they have. Ask the people who are struggling financially how much peace they have. Or Find someone who grew up in a difficult home, someone who carries a lot of bad memories. Ask them about peace. Or what about the people struggling with their marriage or a lost loved one. . .ask them about peace.
And what about those resentments we carry? And You know what I’m talking about. Those people, places, and things that we just can’t stop having hard feelings about. Resentments. Resentments and grudges that rob us of peace and serenity.
If Jesus really is our Prince of Peace, where is all that Peace? If the coming of the Christ Child was to herald an age of peace, then where is it? Didn’t the angel who announced Jesus’s birth say, “Peace on earth, good will toward men”? Didn’t Jesus himself say, “My peace I give to you. . . “ And yet, there is so little personal peace. Even churches split. People get angry. Hurt feelings build up. Even to the point that apologies have no effect. The body of Christ himself does not even seem to be able to be at peace with itself.
Jesus was born into an incredibly violent world. The Roman empire brought some amazing advances to the Mediterranean world but it also brought an incredible amount of bloodshed. Power changed hands frequently in the Roman world and when it did, it was always accompanied by hundreds if not thousands of deaths. Peace, if you can call it that, was enforced with the sword and advertised with thousands of executions.
I love the Christmas Creche. I really do. It’s so peaceful. Why anyone would object to the creche as a symbol of Christmas, is beyond me. The crèche is the ultimate picture and symbol of peace. Sometime, this Christmas season if you can, find a full size crèche somewhere and meditate on it. Remember, this scene really happened. There is no reason to believe that it didn’t. The Christ Child is literally that. . .a child, an infant. God came to earth through a human mother and was born in the same way that every other baby is born. The picture of that baby in that stable with his mother and father and the shepherds is a picture of incredible peace. It always is. It fills us with feelings of warmth and good will. Therein lies the problem and also the objection to the crèche: peace is not on most people’s agendas. Most people do not seek peace as a way of life. They are busy pursuing other things and so peace ends up way down the list almost as a by product of their lives but certainly not a pursuable agenda item. I wonder if people even think of it as something to pursue. If it happens, that’s great but if not, well, it’s no big deal. I would say that most of the things Jesus says are important are like that. Loving everyone, forgiving everyone, being radically generous, praying for your enemy, these things are not generally pursued as life agenda items. Most people do not work for peace, but they think it should be theirs anyway.
It is the season of peace. Jesus began a process in us, His followers, that he wants us to continue. Ephesians 2:14 tells us that Jesus himself is our peace. Through His death on the cross, he has broken down the wall of hostility that existed between God and the human race thus making peace between us and God. Our disobedience to God’s will built up that wall, one brick at a time
There are many things we can do to add to that wall but there is nothing we can do to bring peace except to choose to follow the Prince of Peace. Peace has been granted. Peace has come to earth with the Prince of Peace. If there is war and hostility and there is no peace in our lives, it is because we are still fighting. We are still striving for that which is simply given. It means that the Prince of Peace has come and we have yet to accept Him as our King. It means that though we choose to follow Jesus, we forget or maybe have trouble believing and accepting that He is the Prince of Peace.
Writer James Cisneros says that peace is a choice you can make in every situation. That Peace is your inheritance. Perhaps peace is like that Christmas gift we have left under the tree unopened. It lies in its beautiful box with a Christmas bow making it even more attractive. It is a gift that has already been given. We can unwrap it and enjoy it in the way the Prince of Peace intended or we can leave it under the tree, continually admiring it from a distance, all wrapped up, Reading our name tag on it, Oh, this is for me, but never opening it up.
Here at this table, you are given the gift of peace. It has your name on it. 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.
