1 00:00:00,310 --> 00:00:03,760 We were continuing our series on the name above all names. 2 00:00:03,770 --> 00:00:05,840 We're looking at the names of Jesus, particularly as they 3 00:00:05,850 --> 00:00:09,700 relate to the Christmas narrative, and the text has 4 00:00:09,710 --> 00:00:11,660 already been read to us, but we're gonna put it on the 5 00:00:11,670 --> 00:00:14,240 screen. It's not in Luke, so just make 6 00:00:14,250 --> 00:00:18,860 sure you keep a finger in Luke. But it's from Isaiah Chapter 9 7 00:00:19,330 --> 00:00:22,820 into and I'll just say just before we read this again, just 8 00:00:22,830 --> 00:00:27,080 to thank Adriana for putting those family adventure advent 9 00:00:27,090 --> 00:00:29,580 adventure packs together. Who's doing that as a family? 10 00:00:29,630 --> 00:00:32,950 It's been it's been awesome. If you haven't started it yet, 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,380 you can pick one up and it girl, and I've been doing it just 12 00:00:36,390 --> 00:00:39,700 looking at the the different names of Jesus that are used 13 00:00:39,810 --> 00:00:42,150 throughout scripture. It's a it's been super 14 00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:44,000 encouraging. Anyway, commend that to you. 15 00:00:44,470 --> 00:00:52,270 But Isaiah Chapter 9, uh, verse 6 says this for to us a child is 16 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,230 born to us a son is given and the government will be on his 17 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,990 shoulders and he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, 18 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,370 everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 19 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,730 There are four names of four titles that are given for that 20 00:01:07,740 --> 00:01:10,370 child who we know to be Jesus. And we're going to look at the 21 00:01:10,380 --> 00:01:17,230 last one this morning. The Prince of Peace, Jesus 22 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:22,190 Christ came as the Prince of Peace to us. 23 00:01:22,810 --> 00:01:26,040 So my question is, who doesn't want more peace in their lives 24 00:01:26,390 --> 00:01:28,680 and who doesn't want more peace? You guys want some more peace? 25 00:01:29,340 --> 00:01:31,460 I think we could all use a little bit more peace. 26 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:35,210 Twitter. Who had a hectic week this week? 27 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:36,260 Anybody. Hectic week? 28 00:01:36,270 --> 00:01:38,330 How about a hectic morning? Just this morning was a very 29 00:01:38,340 --> 00:01:39,990 hectic. I had a very hectic morning this 30 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,710 morning. It's like John preached this to 31 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:43,170 yourself today. Preach it. 32 00:01:43,180 --> 00:01:46,780 You need to hear it. The world, it's full of chaos, 33 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:54,730 strife, confusion, anxiety, all of these, all of these things. 34 00:01:54,740 --> 00:01:56,710 There, there's, there's an incredible amount of pressure, 35 00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,470 tension. Life is what I would call very 36 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,230 messy. It's pretty messy and we need 37 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,690 peace in the midst of all of that. 38 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,570 Where do we go? Where do we go for peace? 39 00:02:11,860 --> 00:02:16,590 I read a bra A blog this week talking about a survey that was 40 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,550 asked What's your favorite room in the house? 41 00:02:20,620 --> 00:02:22,550 Just think about that. What is your favorite room in 42 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:26,010 your house? Many people said yeah, love the 43 00:02:26,020 --> 00:02:28,870 living room. Many said love the kitchen. 44 00:02:28,940 --> 00:02:32,050 Kitchen is a great spot and where, you know, everybody 45 00:02:32,060 --> 00:02:34,370 gathers with the bedrooms. A nice, nice place. 46 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:39,150 Well, this young mother of children was sharing what her 47 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,630 favorite room in the house was. Can you guess what that was? 48 00:02:42,390 --> 00:02:45,610 It's the bathroom, right? It's the only place in the house 49 00:02:45,620 --> 00:02:48,510 you can go and lock the door and just have peace and quiet for a 50 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,170 minute. I'm sure that that's not just 51 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,090 women. I think that many of us will go, 52 00:02:54,100 --> 00:02:55,950 go to that place. Where do we go? 53 00:02:56,740 --> 00:03:02,140 Where do we go? There can be peace in the midst 54 00:03:02,190 --> 00:03:05,140 of whatever mess that we're in the middle of. 55 00:03:05,210 --> 00:03:08,800 That's really the the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 56 00:03:09,070 --> 00:03:12,500 Just think about this picture, this imagery, Prince of Peace. 57 00:03:13,180 --> 00:03:17,090 A Prince is one who has the capacity and the when. 58 00:03:17,100 --> 00:03:21,210 A good Prince has the willingness to distribute gifts, 59 00:03:21,220 --> 00:03:25,240 distribute what is needed to those who are his subjects. 60 00:03:25,890 --> 00:03:30,460 And Jesus has spoken of as the one who distributes peace to his 61 00:03:30,470 --> 00:03:32,320 people. This is this is this is 62 00:03:32,330 --> 00:03:35,440 something that he does. Now that title, Prince of Peace, 63 00:03:35,510 --> 00:03:39,380 we don't find it anywhere in the New Testament as such, but it's 64 00:03:39,390 --> 00:03:43,270 all over the pages and it plays out so beautifully in the 65 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,680 Christmas narrative. And I want to focus on one 66 00:03:45,690 --> 00:03:49,800 aspect of that today. So we have Luke's gospel open 67 00:03:49,810 --> 00:03:55,040 before us and just the opening chapter we have in this first 68 00:03:55,050 --> 00:03:59,250 chapter, we have the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, or or 69 00:03:59,260 --> 00:04:03,180 at least it's foretold. So Elizabeth in her old age, her 70 00:04:03,190 --> 00:04:06,700 and Zachariah, they're unable to have children and miraculously 71 00:04:06,710 --> 00:04:09,980 the Lord opens up her womb and she's able to have a child who 72 00:04:09,990 --> 00:04:12,560 is going to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ. 73 00:04:13,030 --> 00:04:16,380 He's going to proclaim that the Messiah has come. 74 00:04:16,730 --> 00:04:21,339 And then we move into the birth of Jesus being foretold where 75 00:04:21,350 --> 00:04:24,460 Mary, and of course, this is a miraculous birth where there is 76 00:04:24,470 --> 00:04:28,080 no father on earth. There is a a miraculous 77 00:04:28,090 --> 00:04:32,840 conception where the Son of God now is going to be given birth 78 00:04:32,910 --> 00:04:35,360 through a woman by the name of Mary. 79 00:04:37,450 --> 00:04:42,220 And this is fulfillment, direct fulfillment of Isaiah Chapter 9 80 00:04:42,230 --> 00:04:44,990 that we spoke of. To us a child is born, to us a 81 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,350 son is given. Government will be on his 82 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,470 shoulders. You will be named, and one of 83 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,280 those names is the Prince of Peace. 84 00:04:55,100 --> 00:04:59,990 I want to focus in on chapter 1 starting in verse 26. 85 00:05:01,530 --> 00:05:06,620 The that that that moment where the Angel comes to Mary because 86 00:05:06,630 --> 00:05:10,180 this is what I've considered one of the most messy situations in 87 00:05:10,190 --> 00:05:13,040 all of scripture. I want to talk about it now. 88 00:05:13,210 --> 00:05:17,090 Look at it now. So we're going to read from Luke 89 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:22,070 chapter one, verse 26, 238. And Lord, as we do so, as we 90 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,890 open up your word this morning, we wanna thank you for the gift 91 00:05:25,940 --> 00:05:29,410 that it is to us and the way that you speak to us very 92 00:05:29,420 --> 00:05:32,390 personally. And we ask, by your Holy Spirit 93 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,970 and in the name of Jesus, you would speak personally to each 94 00:05:34,980 --> 00:05:38,260 one of us this morning. We need you. 95 00:05:38,690 --> 00:05:44,480 Amen. Luke chapter one, verse 26. 96 00:05:44,490 --> 00:05:48,860 In the six month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the Angel 97 00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:52,970 Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to 98 00:05:52,980 --> 00:05:56,660 be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. 99 00:05:56,670 --> 00:05:59,420 We looked at the son of David last week. 100 00:05:59,750 --> 00:06:04,060 The virgin's name was Mary. The Angel went to her and said 101 00:06:04,130 --> 00:06:09,270 Greetings, you who are highly favored, the Lord is with you. 102 00:06:10,870 --> 00:06:14,620 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of 103 00:06:14,630 --> 00:06:18,330 aggrieving this might be. But the Angel said to her, Do 104 00:06:18,340 --> 00:06:22,210 not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. 105 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:26,710 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call 106 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,070 him Jesus. He will be great and will be 107 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,730 called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the 108 00:06:34,740 --> 00:06:37,390 throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's 109 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,630 descendants forever. His Kingdom will never end. 110 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,430 How will this be? Mary asked the Angel. 111 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:50,050 Since I am a virgin, Well, just pause there for a second. 112 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:51,350 How? Well, this is an interesting 113 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:55,280 question. Obviously, she would be. 114 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,890 She is not thinking, OK, I'm going to be getting married to 115 00:06:57,900 --> 00:07:00,390 Joseph soon, so I'm going to have this baby. 116 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:02,930 That would be how it would normally be. 117 00:07:02,980 --> 00:07:04,760 That's not what she's asking, she said. 118 00:07:04,770 --> 00:07:06,330 How is this going to be? I'm only a virgin. 119 00:07:06,340 --> 00:07:08,790 In other words, she knew that this was an immediate taking 120 00:07:08,860 --> 00:07:13,590 immediate effect. So it's happening. 121 00:07:14,060 --> 00:07:17,430 And the Angel answered Mary the question. 122 00:07:17,500 --> 00:07:20,990 The Angel said the Holy Spirit will come on you and the power 123 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,990 of the Most High will shadow you. 124 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,930 So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 125 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,310 Even Elizabeth, your relative is going to have a child in her old 126 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:35,140 age and she who is said to be unable to conceive is in her 6th 127 00:07:35,150 --> 00:07:37,420 month. For no word from God will ever 128 00:07:37,430 --> 00:07:41,830 fail. I am the Lord's servant, Mary 129 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,690 answered. May your word to me be 130 00:07:44,700 --> 00:07:48,030 fulfilled. Then the Angel left her. 131 00:07:50,450 --> 00:07:57,700 I call this little section Marye's Mary mess marries Mary 132 00:07:57,710 --> 00:08:00,260 mess. Why is it a mess? 133 00:08:01,550 --> 00:08:06,120 It would be enough that she is now going to be carrying the Son 134 00:08:06,130 --> 00:08:08,900 of God in her womb. Think about the responsibility 135 00:08:08,910 --> 00:08:11,060 and the pressure of that, that that would be enough. 136 00:08:11,070 --> 00:08:14,900 However, she's pledged to be married. 137 00:08:15,630 --> 00:08:17,540 She's not. She's not married yet. 138 00:08:17,790 --> 00:08:20,890 In other words, this would have been incredibly scandalous to be 139 00:08:20,900 --> 00:08:26,180 having a child out of wedlock. Let's add on to the mess. 140 00:08:26,660 --> 00:08:30,400 Joseph is not the father of this child, right? 141 00:08:30,460 --> 00:08:36,530 So she would be labeled an adulterous, she would be exposed 142 00:08:36,539 --> 00:08:38,299 to public shame. In fact, in the Old Testament, 143 00:08:38,309 --> 00:08:40,980 there were laws that any woman who commits adultery, any man or 144 00:08:40,990 --> 00:08:43,150 woman who commits adultery, they should be stoned. 145 00:08:43,990 --> 00:08:49,120 And and so by Jesus time, so in the 1st century, they were kind 146 00:08:49,130 --> 00:08:52,300 of laying off of that kind of harsh punishment. 147 00:08:52,530 --> 00:08:54,720 But at the same time, she would have been exposed to public 148 00:08:54,730 --> 00:08:58,280 ridicule. There would have been no husband 149 00:08:58,420 --> 00:09:02,260 after available for her. No one would take her on at that 150 00:09:02,270 --> 00:09:04,120 point. And once her parents died, she'd 151 00:09:04,130 --> 00:09:07,540 have no one to support her. This is what I call a major, 152 00:09:07,550 --> 00:09:11,720 major mess. Now, if she knew that Joseph 153 00:09:11,810 --> 00:09:18,260 loved her enough to marry her, she may have taken some great 154 00:09:18,270 --> 00:09:21,090 comfort in that, but she didn't know that at this time. 155 00:09:21,430 --> 00:09:25,100 Now we know Joseph's story from Matthew's Gospel, but we didn't 156 00:09:25,110 --> 00:09:27,730 know. In fact, she leaves immediately 157 00:09:27,780 --> 00:09:31,660 and goes down to visit her, her cousin Elizabeth, and she's 158 00:09:31,670 --> 00:09:34,050 there for three months. So by the time she had the, 159 00:09:34,060 --> 00:09:36,330 there's no indication that she had any conversation with 160 00:09:36,340 --> 00:09:40,220 Joseph. She comes back and it was that 161 00:09:40,230 --> 00:09:44,700 time that she, you know, it, it was, it was seen that she was 162 00:09:44,710 --> 00:09:46,240 pregnant. It wasn't that she told people 163 00:09:46,250 --> 00:09:48,360 she was pregnant. After three months, people could 164 00:09:48,370 --> 00:09:51,480 see that she was pregnant. So at this moment, this is the 165 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,820 incredible thing. She didn't know whether she had 166 00:09:54,010 --> 00:09:56,840 Joseph's hand in marriage at that point. 167 00:09:56,850 --> 00:10:00,400 In fact, likely she was convinced that that wouldn't 168 00:10:00,410 --> 00:10:04,230 happen. And yet, and yet in the middle 169 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:09,210 of what I would call this Mary mess, she had an incredible 170 00:10:09,220 --> 00:10:12,080 sense of peace. And we see it here. 171 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:19,200 I mean, look at just the way that she receives the, the, the 172 00:10:19,210 --> 00:10:22,470 word from the Angel, verse 38. I am the Lord's servant, Mary 173 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,770 answered. May your word to me be 174 00:10:24,780 --> 00:10:29,990 fulfilled, super confident just receives God's will at that at 175 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,470 that moment. Now she is not receiving God's 176 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,350 will in that moment and when OK, I guess I gotta do this and so 177 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:42,420 she's kind of dragging her feet. Look at down at verse 46 and and 178 00:10:42,430 --> 00:10:46,450 this is in her visit with with Elizabeth and Mary said my soul 179 00:10:46,460 --> 00:10:51,260 glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he 180 00:10:51,270 --> 00:10:54,020 has been mindful of the humble state of a servant. 181 00:10:54,650 --> 00:10:58,000 From now on all generations will call me blessed for the mighty 182 00:10:58,010 --> 00:11:00,800 one has done great things for me. 183 00:11:00,870 --> 00:11:03,780 Holy is his name. This is not someone who is 184 00:11:03,790 --> 00:11:05,580 grudgingly doing the will of God. 185 00:11:05,630 --> 00:11:09,720 She is breaking out into song and worshipping God for what's 186 00:11:09,730 --> 00:11:12,410 going on now. There is a mess around her life, 187 00:11:12,420 --> 00:11:17,400 to be sure, but this woman, this, this is a sign of a woman 188 00:11:17,490 --> 00:11:21,850 who is at peace with herself, peace with her God and peace 189 00:11:21,860 --> 00:11:26,360 with the world. And so my question is, how did 190 00:11:26,370 --> 00:11:31,690 she get that kind of piece? Like where does that come from 191 00:11:31,700 --> 00:11:33,940 exactly? And I, I wanna just take a look 192 00:11:33,950 --> 00:11:40,190 at and just how how God is showing us how that happens in a 193 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,920 narrative like this. And of course, we'll be looking 194 00:11:42,930 --> 00:11:44,790 at other places of Scripture and just looking at it. 195 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,050 So three things we can look at the nature of peace, the enemy 196 00:11:48,060 --> 00:11:50,290 of peace, and the experience of peace. 197 00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:53,810 And we see this here. And so first of all #1 let's 198 00:11:53,820 --> 00:12:00,190 look at the nature of peace. What Mary had possession of in, 199 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,250 in, in this moment and in the coming months. 200 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,590 And the middle of her mess was glorious, was beautiful, was so 201 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:13,000 special. And the, the he, the Hebrews 202 00:12:13,010 --> 00:12:16,560 spoke of it in terms of Shalom. We talk about the Prince of 203 00:12:16,570 --> 00:12:21,040 Peace, Prince of Shalom. And that word is not just, it's, 204 00:12:21,050 --> 00:12:22,900 it's such a full and a rich term. 205 00:12:23,570 --> 00:12:29,570 It essentially means fully satisfied, completely content, 206 00:12:30,990 --> 00:12:33,930 complete. It's touch speaks about our 207 00:12:33,940 --> 00:12:37,350 well-being. Like just I'm in a good place. 208 00:12:37,580 --> 00:12:39,290 No matter what else is going on here. 209 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,350 I'm I'm in a I'm in a good place. 210 00:12:42,870 --> 00:12:47,680 Augustine the great theologian, 4th, 5th century, 4th and 5th 211 00:12:47,690 --> 00:12:50,780 century. He spoke about peace in terms of 212 00:12:50,830 --> 00:12:55,540 the tranquility of order, the tranquility of order, this kind 213 00:12:55,550 --> 00:13:01,880 of sense that that the things are as they should be, things 214 00:13:01,890 --> 00:13:04,330 are as they should be. I want you to think, think about 215 00:13:04,340 --> 00:13:06,210 this. What is the messiest room of 216 00:13:06,220 --> 00:13:09,850 your house? I know there's some real good 217 00:13:09,860 --> 00:13:12,930 clean freaks in our congregation, and perhaps every 218 00:13:12,940 --> 00:13:16,910 room is is looking just dandy, but usually there's one room in 219 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,800 the house. There's a mess. 220 00:13:19,870 --> 00:13:22,840 I want you to close your eyes for a second and pitch yourself 221 00:13:22,850 --> 00:13:25,660 in the middle of that room, wherever that is. 222 00:13:26,780 --> 00:13:30,670 And, and I want you to just visualize everything being put 223 00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:34,320 back in order, OK? And just snap the fingers and 224 00:13:34,330 --> 00:13:35,700 everything's put back into order. 225 00:13:35,710 --> 00:13:38,320 Just just stay with, stay with that for a second. 226 00:13:39,690 --> 00:13:41,820 Visualize it. Everything where it should be, 227 00:13:41,830 --> 00:13:44,350 everything put back in order. How's that feel? 228 00:13:45,330 --> 00:13:48,420 Feels pretty good, doesn't it? Yeah, I'd love to do that with 229 00:13:48,430 --> 00:13:53,050 my garage right now. It looks awesome, every time I 230 00:13:53,060 --> 00:13:55,630 clean it, it ends up being a little bit little messier. 231 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,130 Anyway, that's my room of the house, FYI. 232 00:14:01,490 --> 00:14:06,230 That sense of everything and it's in, it's in, it's is in its 233 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,830 right place. Everything is in the right 234 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,770 place. And that is something that is a 235 00:14:11,820 --> 00:14:14,910 that is that is a gift from God. This is exactly what he wants to 236 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:16,510 be doing in our lives and in the world. 237 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,490 He's putting things back into order. 238 00:14:18,540 --> 00:14:20,420 Things that are broken He is fixing. 239 00:14:21,190 --> 00:14:23,400 Things that are chaotic He's bringing order to. 240 00:14:23,410 --> 00:14:26,320 This is what he does. And I think this is the longing 241 00:14:26,390 --> 00:14:28,950 of the human heart as we look at the world. 242 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,650 And if you know the song Grown Up Christmas List, you know that 243 00:14:32,660 --> 00:14:34,830 song. We gotta hear that once a year, 244 00:14:35,140 --> 00:14:37,050 couple times, maybe during the Christmas season. 245 00:14:37,060 --> 00:14:38,330 They'll just read a little bit of it. 246 00:14:38,340 --> 00:14:42,040 So I won't sing a part of it. But no more lives torn apart, 247 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:48,350 that wars would never start and time would heal all hearts and 248 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:53,230 everyone would have a friend and right would always win, and love 249 00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:56,330 would never end. This is my grown up Christmas 250 00:14:56,340 --> 00:14:58,900 list. That's what we want, right? 251 00:14:58,910 --> 00:15:02,300 We long for and it and it and it really does speak of you know it 252 00:15:02,310 --> 00:15:04,700 may you know it. It describes what peace looks 253 00:15:04,710 --> 00:15:06,570 like. That's what it looks like. 254 00:15:07,420 --> 00:15:11,030 Good, good, good picture of it. And you know, when we ask 255 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,370 people, you know, what is the greatest desire that you would 256 00:15:14,380 --> 00:15:17,530 have? Often World Peace would come up 257 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,330 as a great desire because we see, I mean, the stuff we see in 258 00:15:20,340 --> 00:15:23,550 the news we read about, there's so much strife in this world, so 259 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,950 much tension. It would be awesome if that were 260 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,250 a reality, that peace would come. 261 00:15:30,950 --> 00:15:37,090 And it's pretty much an outward kind of piece, the King James 262 00:15:37,100 --> 00:15:40,370 Version of chapter. So we also read out Luke chapter 263 00:15:40,380 --> 00:15:45,370 2, verse 14, when the Angel appeared to the shepherds. 264 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:50,100 But the King James Version puts the words of the of the angels 265 00:15:50,110 --> 00:15:53,570 like this. Glory to God in the highest and 266 00:15:53,580 --> 00:15:57,100 on earth, peace, goodwill toward men. 267 00:15:58,260 --> 00:16:02,390 No, that wording, actually, it's, it's quite accurate, but 268 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,090 the way that we read it in English can be a little bit off. 269 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:09,210 And it's been put into, I know it's quoted in It Came Upon a 270 00:16:09,220 --> 00:16:12,950 Midnight Clear, a very popular Christmas hymn. 271 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:19,050 Beautiful hymn. Peace on earth, Goodwill to men. 272 00:16:20,370 --> 00:16:21,410 Hmm. Yep. 273 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:22,870 Right. OK. 274 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:27,540 And it's this picture that, OK, Christ has come to bring peace 275 00:16:27,550 --> 00:16:32,420 on earth and that there would be goodwill toward men, meaning 276 00:16:32,490 --> 00:16:34,240 like we'll all get along with one another. 277 00:16:34,250 --> 00:16:36,760 And that that's kind of what Christmas has become. 278 00:16:36,830 --> 00:16:39,740 It's kind of what the world has taken from the Christian 279 00:16:39,750 --> 00:16:44,540 Christmas and brought in that, hey, there's hope of peace. 280 00:16:44,910 --> 00:16:48,160 And, and as long as there's good cheer between, you know, at 281 00:16:48,170 --> 00:16:50,790 least for the week of Christmas, between Christmas and New Year, 282 00:16:50,830 --> 00:16:53,380 we can all be happy with one another and get along, etcetera. 283 00:16:53,510 --> 00:16:57,320 And it's very much an outward kind of a piece. 284 00:16:58,870 --> 00:17:01,340 That is not what Jesus came to bring. 285 00:17:02,110 --> 00:17:07,450 OK, ultimately listen to his words here in Luke chapter 12, 286 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,690 he says, do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? 287 00:17:11,180 --> 00:17:17,970 No, I tell you, this is Jesus. No, I tell you, but division 288 00:17:19,339 --> 00:17:24,470 from now on there will be 5 in one family divided against each 289 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,839 other, three against 22 against three. 290 00:17:27,849 --> 00:17:30,470 And he continues on. That's a bit of a shocker. 291 00:17:30,620 --> 00:17:33,350 It's a wake up because we're talking about what is the nature 292 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,730 of peace. Jesus is kind of defining. 293 00:17:35,740 --> 00:17:38,740 He's showing us, hey, it's not just a general World Peace that 294 00:17:38,750 --> 00:17:41,530 I'm after. In fact, when I come, families 295 00:17:41,540 --> 00:17:43,950 are going to be divided. Why would he say that? 296 00:17:45,410 --> 00:17:50,460 Because the reason he has come was to make a division between 297 00:17:50,470 --> 00:17:53,700 the Kingdom of light and the Kingdom of darkness, between 298 00:17:53,710 --> 00:17:57,720 belief and unbelief, between the sons of God and the sound of the 299 00:17:57,730 --> 00:18:00,080 sons of the evil one. That there there is a, there is 300 00:18:00,090 --> 00:18:03,040 a sense that when light comes into the world, we all have a 301 00:18:03,050 --> 00:18:05,950 responsibility to respond to that light and we're going to 302 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:10,680 respond to it differently, each one of us, depending on how 303 00:18:10,690 --> 00:18:13,770 we're going to receive Jesus Christ or reject Jesus Christ. 304 00:18:13,780 --> 00:18:19,870 That's going to determine a lot. And so the peace that he came to 305 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,310 bring is something that's very, very specific. 306 00:18:23,380 --> 00:18:28,490 And if we look at Luke chapter 2, verse 14 in the noon in the 307 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:30,950 New International Version, which I think is a little bit more 308 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,170 accurate in terms of of clarity, says this is the Angel says 309 00:18:35,180 --> 00:18:39,850 glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace to 310 00:18:39,860 --> 00:18:45,600 those on whom his favor rests. It's not a general peace for the 311 00:18:45,610 --> 00:18:49,130 world. It's peace on those, peace to 312 00:18:49,140 --> 00:18:55,260 those on whom his favor rests. It's all about his favor, his 313 00:18:55,270 --> 00:18:59,350 favor. It's an experience of his favour 314 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:05,560 and Mary had this. We give us 28 of of of Luke 1. 315 00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:10,900 The Angel went to her and said Greetings, you who are highly 316 00:19:10,910 --> 00:19:18,770 favoured, the Lord is with you. And then again in verse 30, uh, 317 00:19:19,540 --> 00:19:22,710 verse 30, the Angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, you have 318 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:28,120 found favor with God. This is what was giving it. 319 00:19:28,130 --> 00:19:31,940 Like, we don't know exactly what was going on in Maria's mind and 320 00:19:31,950 --> 00:19:34,030 heart. It doesn't say this, but from 321 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,140 the indications of the text, there was a sense, and it's 322 00:19:37,150 --> 00:19:41,460 being repeated, that she knew that she was being favored by 323 00:19:41,470 --> 00:19:45,260 God, that she was like being treated as one of God's 324 00:19:45,270 --> 00:19:51,030 favorites, full of grace, full of grace in that moment. 325 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:57,400 And that is why all hell can be breaking loose in her life, and 326 00:19:57,410 --> 00:20:01,010 she can still be a peace. And that's why all hell can be 327 00:20:01,020 --> 00:20:04,860 breaking loose in our lives. And we can have peace. 328 00:20:05,730 --> 00:20:11,960 As well is knowing that we're one of God's favorites, that we 329 00:20:11,970 --> 00:20:17,290 were receiving this undeserved care and love from God. 330 00:20:17,300 --> 00:20:20,180 So my question is, do you see yourself as one of God's 331 00:20:20,190 --> 00:20:23,730 favorites? Are you highly favored? 332 00:20:23,940 --> 00:20:26,810 You think, OK, no, well, Mary maybe because she was a very 333 00:20:26,820 --> 00:20:28,670 holy person. But me, I'm not. 334 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:32,630 I'm not so sure about that. You know, the Catholic tradition 335 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,590 has kind of moved even further and say and saying that there 336 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:40,030 was an Immaculate Conception, that Mary was sinless when she 337 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,010 had Jesus had to have been. But that's really not what the 338 00:20:43,020 --> 00:20:47,070 Scripture is teaching. There's only one sinless one the 339 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:51,970 Scripture speaks of, right? Mary, lovely person and very 340 00:20:51,980 --> 00:20:55,440 holy person. She's still, I mean she even 341 00:20:55,450 --> 00:21:02,710 proclaims it in her song in Where Are We Here? 342 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:12,290 Verse 46 says my soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices 343 00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:15,840 in God my Savior. She needed to save her as well. 344 00:21:16,050 --> 00:21:19,560 She needed a rescue. In fact, the only other place in 345 00:21:19,570 --> 00:21:22,180 the New Testament where it's where where the language is, 346 00:21:22,650 --> 00:21:25,660 where that same word is being used about being highly favored 347 00:21:25,710 --> 00:21:31,380 is in Ephesians chapter one, verse 6, when it speaks of His 348 00:21:31,650 --> 00:21:36,940 glorious grace which He has freely given us in the one He 349 00:21:36,950 --> 00:21:40,230 loves. In other words, this is a free 350 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,310 gift that high. So in other words, highly 351 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:45,670 favored means that God's grace is on us. 352 00:21:45,780 --> 00:21:48,130 And it's not grace if it's something that we have earned 353 00:21:48,140 --> 00:21:51,140 for being good. It's something that God bestows 354 00:21:51,150 --> 00:21:55,170 on us freely and it's given to all those who put their trust in 355 00:21:55,180 --> 00:21:57,710 Jesus Christ. This is what Mary was 356 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:02,890 experiencing and because she knew this, she knew peace. 357 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,450 I was there was a woman, remember she, she was she was 358 00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:13,370 explaining her discomfort with her job, her current job and 359 00:22:13,380 --> 00:22:17,730 just she was explaining that she kind of felt like people were 360 00:22:17,740 --> 00:22:23,570 talking behind her back. And but she was really put into 361 00:22:23,580 --> 00:22:25,670 practice to preaching the gospel to herself. 362 00:22:26,410 --> 00:22:30,320 And in that moment when that insecurity was kind of rising 363 00:22:30,330 --> 00:22:35,070 up, she she said to said to herself, So what if people are 364 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:39,170 talking about me? I'm accepted by God and I'm 365 00:22:39,180 --> 00:22:42,470 going with that. That's a direct application. 366 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,370 I know that I'm favored by God and so that outward stuff, the 367 00:22:46,380 --> 00:22:51,010 outward mess, that doesn't have to interrupt my life at all. 368 00:22:53,140 --> 00:22:59,760 Um, so the nature of peace, how does it come? 369 00:23:00,820 --> 00:23:03,850 It's acknowledge, it's no, it's being aware of the fact that 370 00:23:03,860 --> 00:23:06,050 we're favored by God. That's what, that's what brings 371 00:23:06,060 --> 00:23:11,070 peace to our hearts. Give me a piece. 372 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,870 When we think about the enemy of peace, our natural inclination 373 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:16,810 to say the enemy of peace in my life is the stuff that's out 374 00:23:16,820 --> 00:23:20,650 there. It's the mess around, stressful 375 00:23:20,660 --> 00:23:24,690 circumstances that difficult people in my lives, my life. 376 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:27,880 And I mean ultimately maybe some power hungry, whatever 377 00:23:27,890 --> 00:23:32,590 oppressive regimes or whatever, that's the enemy of peace in my 378 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:37,340 life. But Mary had that peace, even 379 00:23:37,350 --> 00:23:40,190 though the mess was around her. All that stuff was around her at 380 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,460 that time. In other words, it's an inward 381 00:23:43,470 --> 00:23:47,360 condition. The enemy of our peace is an 382 00:23:47,370 --> 00:23:49,650 inward condition. It's not something that's 383 00:23:49,660 --> 00:23:51,610 external to us. It's all inside. 384 00:23:51,620 --> 00:23:56,690 And this is kind of reflected in in James chapter 4 where it says 385 00:23:58,590 --> 00:24:00,750 what causes fights and quarrels among you? 386 00:24:02,830 --> 00:24:05,920 What's what's the cause of all of the conflict in your life? 387 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,190 Don't so that this fights and quarrels. 388 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,620 Don't they come from your desires, That battle within you? 389 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:19,550 It's it's a, it's a war that's going on in the inside of us 390 00:24:20,580 --> 00:24:24,950 that's the enemy of peace. It's when our desires, what we 391 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,810 want conflict with what we're actually getting or what is 392 00:24:28,820 --> 00:24:31,730 actually happening around us. It's actually attention. 393 00:24:31,780 --> 00:24:35,590 It's actually a hostility that we have, not with ourselves, but 394 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:42,700 it's actually with our Maker. When His will is being done and 395 00:24:42,710 --> 00:24:45,820 we're having trouble with that, our desires are not getting met. 396 00:24:45,890 --> 00:24:49,180 There's a conflict that happens and we need to recognize that 397 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:56,500 the enemy of peace in our lives is us wanting stuff that God 398 00:24:56,510 --> 00:25:01,550 does not want for us. Everyone, our desires are out of 399 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:07,810 whack interest in the context of of Isaiah chapter Chapter 9. 400 00:25:08,060 --> 00:25:11,830 When Isaiah spoke that prophecy, you know, to us, a child was 401 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,530 born. It was Ahaz, king Ahaz and a has 402 00:25:15,540 --> 00:25:19,230 was the king of Judah. So at that time Israel was or 403 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:24,800 the people of God was split up between the Judah, which was in 404 00:25:24,810 --> 00:25:27,910 the southern Kingdom, and in Israel, which is in the northern 405 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,720 Kingdom. And Israel had made a pact with 406 00:25:31,730 --> 00:25:34,660 Syria and they were going to invade Judah. 407 00:25:35,110 --> 00:25:40,700 And King, King Ahaz, he was considering trying to make a 408 00:25:40,710 --> 00:25:45,160 treaty with a Syria, which was the bigger country, the meaner 409 00:25:45,170 --> 00:25:48,100 country, the more, even more ungodly country. 410 00:25:48,790 --> 00:25:50,430 And Isaiah was saying don't do that. 411 00:25:51,740 --> 00:25:54,410 Put your trust in God. Don't put your trust in a, in a, 412 00:25:54,420 --> 00:25:57,130 in a, in a, in a in a superpower like a Syria. 413 00:25:59,390 --> 00:26:03,740 Of course A has wouldn't listen to Isaiah and he was going to. 414 00:26:03,810 --> 00:26:07,460 He was going ahead to do that and disaster came about to be 415 00:26:07,470 --> 00:26:10,710 sure, but he has wanted to do it his way. 416 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:15,230 He was trying to make peace for himself and for his country by 417 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,970 manufacturing himself. And he refused the gift that God 418 00:26:19,980 --> 00:26:22,150 was going to give to him and, and settling in and putting, 419 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:23,770 putting, putting, putting the trust. 420 00:26:23,780 --> 00:26:26,880 And so Isaiah speaks this word to him. 421 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,700 Now, it's no solution to them right in that moment, but the 422 00:26:30,710 --> 00:26:36,130 day will come like God is going to respond to that, that, um, 423 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:42,250 willful disobedience in your heart to try to fix everything 424 00:26:42,300 --> 00:26:46,440 on your own apart from Him. And the solution is going to be 425 00:26:46,450 --> 00:26:49,570 the Prince of Peace is going to come to fix everything, to put 426 00:26:49,580 --> 00:26:52,390 everything together as it should be. 427 00:26:54,540 --> 00:26:59,230 What a contrast with Mary. Hey, that surrender of verse 28 428 00:27:00,210 --> 00:27:03,660 or first 38, I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered. 429 00:27:03,730 --> 00:27:05,950 May your word to me be fulfilled. 430 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,210 May your word to me be fulfilled. 431 00:27:13,420 --> 00:27:16,620 So if we look at that in our own lives, think about what, what 432 00:27:16,630 --> 00:27:21,850 the enemy to our peace is, we're it's when we're trying to fix 433 00:27:21,860 --> 00:27:23,840 things, when we're trying to adjust things. 434 00:27:23,850 --> 00:27:26,910 I'm gonna adjust my schedule, I'm gonna change my habits. 435 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,700 I'm going to, you know, improve my communication. 436 00:27:29,710 --> 00:27:32,710 I'm gonna do all of these kinds of things in order to sort of 437 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,960 improve my life and bring a sense of peace to me. 438 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:38,130 When God is on the sidelines, when the Prince of Peace has 439 00:27:38,140 --> 00:27:41,930 sort of been left out in the middle of that, We're not. 440 00:27:42,110 --> 00:27:44,650 We're not getting closer to peace in that way. 441 00:27:45,470 --> 00:27:47,630 We're actually moving further away from it because we're 442 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:51,820 distancing ourselves from the Prince a piece. 443 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,350 So there's there's kind of two ways that we can look at it. 444 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:02,350 I remember listening to Alistair Begg and he, he's got this real 445 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:05,830 great knack of using lines from secular songs and kind of 446 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:08,710 bringing them into bringing them into his teaching. 447 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:12,360 But he was talking about some Beatles lyrics and he said 448 00:28:12,370 --> 00:28:15,150 there's a contrast between two ways to approach things. 449 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:19,160 And he said, on the one hand, we could say we can work it out. 450 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:25,230 On the other hand, we so we can work it out means, hey, we can 451 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,510 do this. We can do this essentially 452 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,010 without God. But then the on the other hand 453 00:28:31,180 --> 00:28:35,830 should be saying help. I need somebody, not just 454 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:41,140 anybody, right? And that somebody is the Prince 455 00:28:41,150 --> 00:28:45,380 of Peace, right? And when we recognize I can't 456 00:28:45,390 --> 00:28:50,440 get this piece without him, like I need help from the outside, 457 00:28:50,450 --> 00:28:52,600 that's when things begin to change. 458 00:28:52,690 --> 00:28:56,210 That's when peace begins to come. 459 00:28:56,630 --> 00:29:04,980 Ephesians chapter 2, verse 14, Speaking of Jesus, Paul says for 460 00:29:04,990 --> 00:29:09,960 he himself is our peace who has destroyed the barrier, the 461 00:29:09,970 --> 00:29:14,070 dividing wall of hostility. And in the context of that, he's 462 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,200 talking about the hostility between Jews and Greeks coming 463 00:29:17,210 --> 00:29:20,710 together as the body of Christ. But it all is beginning with the 464 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,360 hostility that He's fixing between US and God. 465 00:29:25,140 --> 00:29:28,390 Once the hostility between US and God has dealt with now, then 466 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,590 we can deal with the hostility between us and one and one 467 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,280 another also. Colossians chapter 1 says For 468 00:29:36,290 --> 00:29:40,400 God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, that is 469 00:29:40,410 --> 00:29:45,020 in Jesus, and through him to reconcile to himself all things 470 00:29:45,030 --> 00:29:46,610 by making peace through his blood. 471 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:51,770 Shit on the cross. That's how peace comes to us. 472 00:29:53,230 --> 00:29:56,620 Jesus has provided through the death of his own blood on the 473 00:29:56,630 --> 00:30:01,930 cross and just kind of kind of looks back on Isaiah 53. 474 00:30:01,940 --> 00:30:06,820 The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his 475 00:30:06,830 --> 00:30:13,720 wounds we are healed. The Lord has has has provided 476 00:30:14,070 --> 00:30:18,840 has provided for us, making his enemies his friends. 477 00:30:19,350 --> 00:30:23,700 And so the enemy of our peace is those wayward desires, the 478 00:30:23,710 --> 00:30:26,820 sinful desires that we have to do life without God. 479 00:30:27,090 --> 00:30:29,980 And God is calling us back, calling us back and actually 480 00:30:29,990 --> 00:30:35,500 doing everything on on our behalf, taking up the weight of 481 00:30:35,510 --> 00:30:37,680 our sins upon himself on that cross. 482 00:30:38,030 --> 00:30:43,630 And by his wounds were made whole were given that Shalom of 483 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:47,730 God. Third thing and that is how do 484 00:30:47,740 --> 00:30:50,450 we experience that peace? How do we experience the peace 485 00:30:50,620 --> 00:30:53,590 that Christ brings? Technically we can't. 486 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:57,610 We can't find it if we're looking for peace, we can't find 487 00:30:57,620 --> 00:30:59,790 it. It it can only come to us. 488 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:06,000 It's a gift that God gives. God has made peace with us. 489 00:31:06,830 --> 00:31:08,830 We actually can't make peace with Him. 490 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,710 God is the one who makes peace with us and our job is simply to 491 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:20,210 receive it, to receive what He has done, something that He has 492 00:31:20,220 --> 00:31:24,930 achieved as the Prince of Peace. Romans chapter 5 verse one says. 493 00:31:24,940 --> 00:31:28,440 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have 494 00:31:28,450 --> 00:31:30,680 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 495 00:31:30,740 --> 00:31:34,150 It's simply through our faith in what He has done for us, in 496 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:39,680 making peace Through His blood, the peace begins to take root in 497 00:31:39,690 --> 00:31:43,570 our heart simply to receive it. And you know what? 498 00:31:43,980 --> 00:31:47,730 Jesus gives it so freely. He gives it so freely. 499 00:31:47,770 --> 00:31:50,880 I love it. John chapter 20, last scripture 500 00:31:50,890 --> 00:31:56,340 we'll look at this is after the resurrection and all the 501 00:31:56,350 --> 00:31:59,030 disciples were gathered in one place and they're freaking out 502 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:01,510 because Jesus has just been crucified. 503 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:05,360 They didn't know Jesus had arisen and they thought were 504 00:32:05,370 --> 00:32:07,980 next. The the the feds are coming 505 00:32:07,990 --> 00:32:10,880 after us now, right? So it says on the evening of 506 00:32:10,890 --> 00:32:13,700 that first day of the week. So that was the Sunday 507 00:32:13,750 --> 00:32:15,610 resurrection. Sunday when the disciples were 508 00:32:15,620 --> 00:32:19,200 together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, 509 00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:24,170 Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. 510 00:32:25,740 --> 00:32:27,830 Like I'm giving you my peace right now. 511 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,410 Now you would think, wouldn't he berate them for being so 512 00:32:31,420 --> 00:32:33,410 fearful? Wouldn't he berate them for, you 513 00:32:33,420 --> 00:32:36,590 know, get on them for why did you abandon me when I was 514 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,330 arrested? You know, why did you deny me 515 00:32:39,380 --> 00:32:41,790 all of this stuff? He doesn't do that very first 516 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:45,310 words He speaks. Peace be with you. 517 00:32:47,210 --> 00:32:50,640 That's grace. That's what it means to be 518 00:32:50,650 --> 00:32:53,300 highly favored. I haven't done a thing to 519 00:32:53,310 --> 00:32:56,060 deserve this, and yet you treat me like this. 520 00:32:56,390 --> 00:33:02,110 Thank you, God. Thank you God, that is the gift. 521 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:10,610 So peace does not come by seeking it, peace comes by 522 00:33:10,620 --> 00:33:14,680 receiving it, receiving the gift that Jesus has provided for us 523 00:33:14,690 --> 00:33:16,880 for. So my question to us is as we 524 00:33:16,890 --> 00:33:21,260 kind of bring this message to its logical conclusion and that 525 00:33:21,270 --> 00:33:26,100 is, are you experiencing the peace right now like that inward 526 00:33:26,110 --> 00:33:28,650 piece your life like don't don't look at the outside of your life 527 00:33:28,660 --> 00:33:32,820 right now could be an absolute mess and this world is chaos and 528 00:33:32,830 --> 00:33:34,570 they're different season. We go through their harder than 529 00:33:34,580 --> 00:33:36,410 others. But on the inside, are you 530 00:33:36,420 --> 00:33:39,870 experiencing peace? That sense that all is as it 531 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:42,070 should be like between me and him. 532 00:33:42,140 --> 00:33:45,650 That's the primary thing all as it should be between me and him. 533 00:33:45,900 --> 00:33:50,080 He has done everything to provide for that sense of peace 534 00:33:50,090 --> 00:33:53,620 for you. Every hostility, every, every 535 00:33:53,690 --> 00:33:56,740 desire that you have that would contradict His will. 536 00:33:56,830 --> 00:34:00,580 He's actually born on the cross for your sake. 537 00:34:02,910 --> 00:34:08,120 He is made you, who once was an enemy into a friend, all because 538 00:34:08,130 --> 00:34:09,690 of what he's done. He's just saying just receive 539 00:34:09,699 --> 00:34:13,130 it. Receive it John, you are highly 540 00:34:13,139 --> 00:34:15,010 favored. I'm treating you like my 541 00:34:15,020 --> 00:34:17,989 favorite right now. Now, for any of you who've never 542 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,389 felt like there are a favorite of anybody, now's a day to 543 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:24,810 celebrate because you are a favorite of the living God 544 00:34:24,820 --> 00:34:27,600 simply by opening up your life to Jesus Christ. 545 00:34:28,630 --> 00:34:31,800 And so my question is, have you done that? 546 00:34:32,230 --> 00:34:35,449 Like are you experiencing that? For those of us who have been 547 00:34:35,460 --> 00:34:38,639 walking with Jesus for some time and we can kind of get into 548 00:34:38,650 --> 00:34:42,500 religious mode, we can forget the fact I am highly favored by 549 00:34:42,510 --> 00:34:53,960 God and it's all gift. Everything is good between me 550 00:34:53,969 --> 00:34:56,130 and him because of what he has done. 551 00:34:57,110 --> 00:35:00,950 That's why we can be so free to confess our sins knowing that He 552 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,940 is so willing to forgive, right? That's why we do that. 553 00:35:05,350 --> 00:35:11,590 And I can be at rest because if I'm good, if we're good Lord and 554 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:16,380 you've got this, I can walk into the mess and be all right. 555 00:35:17,470 --> 00:35:21,480 And it's not just for my sake, but it's so that I could be an 556 00:35:21,490 --> 00:35:27,720 instrument of that piece to a world that is so lacking of that 557 00:35:27,730 --> 00:35:30,290 piece that can be an instrument of that piece. 558 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:33,530 God wants us, wants to use us in that way. 559 00:35:33,780 --> 00:35:36,250 And so I'm going to just invite you just to, to close your eyes 560 00:35:36,260 --> 00:35:38,130 for a minute. Let's just take, take a moment 561 00:35:38,140 --> 00:35:43,980 with the Lord, just give us an opportunity to receive that 562 00:35:43,990 --> 00:35:46,230 piece and maybe receive it once again. 563 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:49,480 Just be reminded of again, Father in Heaven, thank you for 564 00:35:49,490 --> 00:35:52,610 sending your one and only Son into this world. 565 00:35:55,860 --> 00:36:02,120 We ask in the name of Jesus, that you would give to us that 566 00:36:02,130 --> 00:36:07,710 peace that you promise. We thank you, Lord, for your 567 00:36:07,780 --> 00:36:14,390 favor that is meant to rest on us not just in the Christmas 568 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:19,970 season, but all time, and it would enable us to love others 569 00:36:20,060 --> 00:36:22,850 and bring peace into this world. But Lord, it all begins with 570 00:36:22,860 --> 00:36:30,320 you, and so I receive what You have done. 571 00:36:30,850 --> 00:36:35,660 Forgive me for my sins, Forgive me for my wayward desires, for 572 00:36:35,670 --> 00:36:39,320 those things that I want that really aren't according to your 573 00:36:39,330 --> 00:36:43,560 will, your desire for my life. Thank you for you for your the 574 00:36:43,570 --> 00:36:46,650 payment that you have that you have made on my behalf. 575 00:36:49,670 --> 00:36:55,570 Thank you that by your wounds, by those scars, I've been made 576 00:36:55,580 --> 00:36:59,540 whole. I receive that that's you. 577 00:36:59,550 --> 00:37:02,340 Just say I receive that Jesus may even be for the very first 578 00:37:02,350 --> 00:37:05,100 time. I receive what you have done for 579 00:37:05,110 --> 00:37:10,530 me. Jesus, give me your peace, and 580 00:37:10,540 --> 00:37:14,130 Lord, I ask that your peace that transcends all understanding 581 00:37:14,140 --> 00:37:16,670 will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ. 582 00:37:17,420 --> 00:37:21,320 Thank you for use us as instruments for your glory to 583 00:37:21,330 --> 00:37:27,450 bring that peace to the world. In Jesus name we pray. 584 00:37:27,980 --> 00:37:28,460 Amen.