1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,500 Well, good morning. If you haven't met, my name is 2 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:06,100 Austin and I'm going to be continuing our Advent Series 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,500 today with the theme of peace. And you may have noticed if 4 00:00:09,500 --> 00:00:13,300 you've been here for the last few weeks that are our sermon 5 00:00:13,300 --> 00:00:16,700 themes of parallel, the difference candle lighting, and 6 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:19,800 that's been on purpose and this week's going to be no different 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,700 as we set, aside, this time, these four weeks of the Advent 8 00:00:23,700 --> 00:00:27,100 season leading up to Christmas day, to add these kind of unique 9 00:00:27,100 --> 00:00:30,500 elements to our gathering. Like the candles and That's kind 10 00:00:30,500 --> 00:00:32,600 of like Christmas songs. We've been singing after the 11 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:37,000 candles to draw the attention to the the themes of joy and peace 12 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,900 and hope and love. And it's not that these these 13 00:00:39,900 --> 00:00:41,100 things are less important, right? 14 00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:44,300 The other 11 months of the year, but we kind of take this special 15 00:00:44,300 --> 00:00:49,200 time to to let them immerse ourselves in them and to be 16 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,600 formed by them, especially as we remember the birth of Christ and 17 00:00:52,608 --> 00:00:54,600 look forward to his coming again. 18 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:59,200 And so as we get into the idea of peace and Isaiah 9 as Nicole 19 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:00,400 just read this. Morning. 20 00:01:00,700 --> 00:01:04,900 We see this image of a prince of peace and I was kind of 21 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:06,200 wondering like, wonder what is it? 22 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,100 That maybe comes to your mind when you imagine a moment of 23 00:01:10,100 --> 00:01:12,700 Peace. Like what for you is a peaceful 24 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:17,100 moment or what does a peaceful day look and feel like when you 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,700 think about it in your mind what does a world at peace? 26 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:24,100 Look like that could be something that's so impossible 27 00:01:24,100 --> 00:01:27,000 to even imagine what a world at peace would look like or what 28 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:32,600 would a person who embodies peace if you like, we over all 29 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:36,200 have our own images of what peace could or should be like 30 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:39,000 whether in our lives and our world and our relationships. 31 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:42,700 And these, you know, they can be so complex and multifaceted and 32 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:45,600 there's it's really hard to even agree over where to start. 33 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,900 If you're trying to like, do a work of Peace, like where do you 34 00:01:48,900 --> 00:01:51,900 even begin by pursuing peace. The song. 35 00:01:51,900 --> 00:01:54,000 We just sang O. Come O come Emmanuel. 36 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,700 It says in that last verse we sung. 37 00:01:56,900 --> 00:02:00,700 Oh Come desire of Nations bind in won the hearts of all 38 00:02:00,700 --> 00:02:04,100 mankind. B are sad division cease and be 39 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:07,800 our king of peace. And so this song, it kind of 40 00:02:07,808 --> 00:02:12,200 portrays this idea of unity. Kind of the piece as unity in 41 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,000 the end of Divisions. The end of conflict, replaced by 42 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,400 a shared love for this king of peace and while piece, right? 43 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,300 It does in fact in count this, what would kind of be the idea 44 00:02:23,300 --> 00:02:24,500 of the absence of War or conflict? 45 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:29,800 The Bible also points to the presence of something different 46 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,400 something. Far better in its Ace, it's not 47 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,300 just the absence of conflict. We're going to get into what 48 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:39,100 that the presence of that other thing is today, um, before we 49 00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:42,600 get into that kind of what the big picture of peace is in the 50 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,400 scriptures, I want to spend a few moments look, make some 51 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,800 observations from our our text and Isaiah 9:2 kind of set the 52 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,300 foundation for that. So I'm going to read it again. 53 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:56,100 Force verses 6 and 7 from Isaiah 9, they say for to us a child. 54 00:02:56,100 --> 00:02:59,400 Is born to us. A son is given and the 55 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,400 government will be on his shoulders. 56 00:03:01,900 --> 00:03:05,000 He will be called, wonderful, counselor, Mighty God, 57 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,700 Everlasting father, Prince of Peace, and of the greatness of 58 00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:12,000 his government and peace. There will be no end. 59 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,400 He will reign on David's Throne over his kingdom establishing 60 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,100 and upholding it with Justice and righteousness from that time 61 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:23,600 on and forever. The Zeal of the Lord Almighty 62 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:27,500 will accomplish this Let's just take a moment to pray, so we get 63 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:34,800 started here. We're grateful that you have 64 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,500 revealed yourself to us or that you've made these promises to 65 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:44,400 come on, our behalf to give yourself as our peace and learn 66 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,700 to pray this morning as we explore that more, Lord, that 67 00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:51,900 you and your peace would reign in our hearts more and more will 68 00:03:51,900 --> 00:03:55,000 be formed of more into people of Peace. 69 00:03:55,100 --> 00:03:57,200 People who resemble you to the world. 70 00:03:57,700 --> 00:03:59,000 Praise in Jesus name. Amen. 71 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,000 Verse 6, it opens with a this image of a child or a son. 72 00:04:05,300 --> 00:04:09,700 That is born and given to us. And I feel like the emphasis 73 00:04:09,700 --> 00:04:14,600 with this is kind of the to us. It's the way that the the text 74 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:18,700 is constructed a kind of double emphasizes that this child is 75 00:04:18,700 --> 00:04:22,400 born for us on our behalf that this isn't just going to be a 76 00:04:22,407 --> 00:04:25,300 child that's born for the benefit of one person or one 77 00:04:25,300 --> 00:04:27,600 family, or even just forgot himself. 78 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,800 But that this child is given for all of the people and in this in 79 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,500 Isaiah's audience, raise the people of God. 80 00:04:36,500 --> 00:04:38,800 And then it says that the government will be his burden to 81 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,100 bear. And I think normally the word 82 00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:44,000 government kind of maybe draws up a different image, but the 83 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,500 normal kind of way that this is often stated is the kingdom. 84 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,200 I think of the kingdom of God and it's kind of his government. 85 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,600 We see references to that in verse 7, as well that the rule 86 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,800 of the kingdom is going to be placed upon this child. 87 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:00,800 And the greatness and the increase. 88 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,600 The abundance of his kingdom and his peace will have no end. 89 00:05:05,300 --> 00:05:09,700 And as have no end phrase, it indicates both like time as like 90 00:05:09,700 --> 00:05:12,500 a temporal, no end and the spatial know. 91 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:17,200 And so there's no time or space limits or end to the rain and 92 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:18,900 the abundance of this Kingdom of Peace. 93 00:05:19,500 --> 00:05:20,900 Eugene Peterson says it like this. 94 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:24,800 He says, his ruling Authority will grow, and there will be no 95 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,100 limits to the wholeness that he brings. 96 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:30,600 And over seven continues. It says that this this child 97 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,300 will reign on David's throne and this alludes to God's promise 98 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,900 that the Redeemer of Israel would come through the line of 99 00:05:36,900 --> 00:05:39,900 King David and he'll establish it and uphold it. 100 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,500 He'll sustain it in Justice and righteousness, both with just 101 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:46,400 laws and systems and regulations. 102 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,400 But then also the administration of that Justice in the kingdom 103 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,400 and those judgments. And so from this time forth, 104 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:58,100 it's literally from now until forever, it's much more Or 105 00:05:58,100 --> 00:06:00,300 direct and like this time forth and forevermore sounds kind of 106 00:06:00,308 --> 00:06:03,100 like, what is he saying? It's like now and forever 107 00:06:03,100 --> 00:06:05,300 beginning now and Lasting always. 108 00:06:05,900 --> 00:06:10,700 And then it's the Zeal or the jealous love of God, himself 109 00:06:10,700 --> 00:06:12,900 that will, cause this great work to happen. 110 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:15,800 The giving of the child to his people. 111 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,100 The establishment of a kingdom of peace and Justice. 112 00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:22,100 And righteousness, that is eternal and immovable. 113 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:25,100 It's a pretty like epic statement, right? 114 00:06:25,100 --> 00:06:27,000 Like a pretty ambitious plan that there's going to be a 115 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,800 child. Born to establish a kingdom of 116 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,700 peace, and Justice, and righteousness, that's Eternal 117 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,700 and immovable. As with all that in mind, that 118 00:06:37,700 --> 00:06:41,200 it's not too hard to make the connection and the jump to the 119 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,000 birth of Jesus and the Christmas story. 120 00:06:43,300 --> 00:06:47,400 There's a literal child born now, just for Mary and Joseph, 121 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,000 not just for God. But for all the people, the 122 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,600 angels, and the Shepherds that you maybe think of in the, in 123 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,800 the manger nativity scene, the Angels, say to the shepherd's, 124 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,400 they say, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for 125 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,600 all the people today in the town of David. 126 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,800 A savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Christ, 127 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,600 the lord And and so this child whose birth, we celebrate some 128 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,100 2,000 years later at Christmas time. 129 00:07:12,100 --> 00:07:15,900 Here is the same child that Isaiah is talking about seven to 130 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:18,200 eight hundred years before his birth. 131 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,700 It's this gift from God freely given to us. 132 00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:25,000 For each of us that we would know true, peace and True 133 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,500 Justice and true righteousness that we might live under the 134 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:33,200 rule and the Dominion of his government, his kingdom above 135 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,200 all other powers and kingdoms and governments that are loyal 136 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,000 to He would be to him first and then we will become with him 137 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,000 Heirs of this eternal Kingdom. That can't be moved or shaken. 138 00:07:44,100 --> 00:07:47,500 As opposed to this child who we now know about even Twenty Eight 139 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:51,700 centuries later after Isaiah's words that we know to be Jesus, 140 00:07:51,700 --> 00:07:54,800 that this kind of collection of titles is given to the wonderful 141 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,200 counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting, father, and Prince 142 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:03,000 of Peace as with any good, you know, robust meaningful name. 143 00:08:03,100 --> 00:08:05,700 I feel like nowadays, like most of our names, maybe have some 144 00:08:05,700 --> 00:08:08,300 meaning in them, maybe like, your parents had some sort of, 145 00:08:08,300 --> 00:08:11,100 like, thought around I named you Kayla. 146 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:13,500 Because I was a big fan of Caleb from the Old Testament. 147 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,000 Mentor or maybe not though maybe I mean it's sometimes like my 148 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,300 name is Austin and my mom will definitely listen to this. 149 00:08:20,300 --> 00:08:23,200 And I'm not I don't know that there's any I'm not sure there's 150 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,500 any particular connection. She's not she's not a big fan of 151 00:08:25,500 --> 00:08:28,700 Texas or something but you know sometimes you just have a name 152 00:08:28,700 --> 00:08:31,300 and it doesn't actually mean anything but you know some. 153 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:35,000 But anyway these names these names have a lot of meaning and 154 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:38,299 we don't always like think about what they are, right. 155 00:08:38,299 --> 00:08:40,000 We just kind of like gloss over. It's a list. 156 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,400 It can be easy to just be like oh yeah. 157 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,299 Wonderful counselor. Mighty God got it, got it. 158 00:08:43,900 --> 00:08:45,600 Even the name Isaiah, write the name. 159 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:50,600 Isaiah means Yahweh has saved. We just like breeze, right over 160 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,700 that and that's like a huge theme of the book. 161 00:08:52,700 --> 00:08:53,900 That's a lot of what he's talking about. 162 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:57,200 Yeah. So we're going to kind of take a 163 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,600 deeper dive onto these four names here because if you've 164 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,600 been around Adventure Christmas for a while, you just kind of 165 00:09:02,608 --> 00:09:04,600 like oh yeah I like these. I'm used to these. 166 00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:06,600 So we're going to look at each of them. 167 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,500 In first is is wonderful counselor? 168 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,800 And I thought this one was most notable for us because The theme 169 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,600 of our series is is wonder wonder upon, wonder is kind of 170 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,400 the thing we've been looking at and this one literally includes 171 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,200 the word wonder. And another way to put wonderful 172 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:27,700 counselor is to say Wonder planner like one who literally 173 00:09:27,700 --> 00:09:32,000 like plans and advises and councils works of Wonder, 174 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:35,700 Isaiah, he reiterates the steam multiple times throughout the 175 00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:41,000 book and ideas that God is is one who effectively designs and 176 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:46,700 implements plans with a purpose. He does marvelous wondrous works 177 00:09:46,700 --> 00:09:50,400 in the earth and not the least of which Right is coming up with 178 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,700 an X executing. This idea of humanities 179 00:09:53,700 --> 00:09:58,200 Redemption through a manual through God With Us through the 180 00:09:58,208 --> 00:10:02,400 Incarnation of God as Flesh and Blood like us. 181 00:10:03,100 --> 00:10:06,100 So this aspect of who God is the wonderful counselor, the Wonder 182 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,500 planner is one that the child of Isaiah 9 is going to reveal to 183 00:10:10,500 --> 00:10:14,500 us about who God is. And we'll look at A little bit 184 00:10:14,500 --> 00:10:18,000 later, the idea of this, this Wonder plan that God in Acts 185 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,000 through the lens of peace. And the next its Mighty God and 186 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:23,700 this one in Italy is a little bit more straightforward. 187 00:10:23,700 --> 00:10:27,800 Like Mighty God means Mighty God, right strong God. 188 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,400 God who is full of Mighty? He's mighty warrior and it's 189 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,500 notable here though. That the the child is going to 190 00:10:33,508 --> 00:10:36,700 be called Mighty God. It's this kind of seed of an 191 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:39,600 idea of the Incarnation here that there's going to be a 192 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,200 child. A literal person who will be 193 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:47,200 God, that God is perhaps going to become a person. 194 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,200 It's the seed of, of this, this wonderful plan that he has. 195 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,900 Then it moves on to Everlasting father and I think we're really 196 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:57,400 familiar with with the idea of God as father because Jesus 197 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,700 talks about God, is the father. And so it's like pretty familiar 198 00:11:00,700 --> 00:11:03,300 to us now. But at the time like kind of in 199 00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:06,800 Old Testament, Jewish spirituality father was not like 200 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:12,200 a way that like the people connected with God, they're 201 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,500 definitely something that's been the latched onto since Jesus, 202 00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:17,800 and for good reason, but the concept writes that it's not 203 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,100 foreign to the Old Testament, but it's not this real Central 204 00:11:20,100 --> 00:11:24,900 image of who God is we see here again this seed form of what the 205 00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:27,900 child is going to reveal about God that he is a father to his 206 00:11:27,900 --> 00:11:32,500 people and not just the father, but an eternal father forever. 207 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:35,700 Father, a father, who will never abandon or leave his children. 208 00:11:36,900 --> 00:11:40,100 And then finally get to the prince of peace and that first 209 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:43,200 word prints, right? It could be Chief Captain 210 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:47,300 Commander leader and it connects to that idea of a mighty mighty 211 00:11:47,300 --> 00:11:52,000 God that and idea of the Lord of hosts that unlike the princes 212 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,600 and the commanders and the rulers of the world. 213 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,900 There is this Commander who will bring peace and wholeness and 214 00:11:58,900 --> 00:12:01,100 Isaiah. And his time in like the eighth 215 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:04,000 Century, BC is writing during the time of the Assyrian 216 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,600 conquest of Israel there. Man, trying to conquer the 217 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,400 Northern Kingdom of Israel. And in that context, there's 218 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,000 this sharp contrast right between the princes of the 219 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,500 Assyrians, who are making War across the entire region. 220 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,500 And in this Prince of Peace, who's going to come and bring 221 00:12:19,700 --> 00:12:24,700 wholeness, And so this brings us to the place where we can go 222 00:12:24,700 --> 00:12:27,300 into like a deeper dive into the theme of peace. 223 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:30,400 And I feel like this is something that I get more 224 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,200 excited about then like most things. 225 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,100 I'm like peace is one of like the things I feel really excited 226 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:37,100 about Watson. My two-year-old his middle name 227 00:12:37,100 --> 00:12:41,300 is Shalom, which is the Hebrew word for peace that will be 228 00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:45,900 talking about. So this I'm into this that might 229 00:12:45,900 --> 00:12:48,300 not come through. I'm not always like the most, 230 00:12:48,900 --> 00:12:50,600 you might not feel that but true, it is true. 231 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,600 So keep that in your head if you can Feel it anyway. 232 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,800 So throughout the word Old Testament, the word for peace is 233 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:01,600 Shalom and the most basic meaning of Shalom is wholeness 234 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,200 or completeness. So when we hear the word peace, 235 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,200 any time it pops up in the Old Testament and in the new as 236 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,200 well. This idea of completion and 237 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,900 wholeness and it can refer to something kind of this image of 238 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:17,100 a stone or a brick that has a perfect shape without any cracks 239 00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:19,600 or fissures in it or on a bigger scale, right? 240 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,300 A wall of bricks that has no Cracks, there's no missing 241 00:13:23,300 --> 00:13:26,300 Stones. It's a perfectly full wall, no 242 00:13:26,300 --> 00:13:29,300 gaps. I started to get something more 243 00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:31,600 relevant to today than a brick wall, which none of us have 244 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,700 probably ever built. The pumpkin pie, you made a 245 00:13:34,708 --> 00:13:37,800 Thanksgiving when it's complete. You've made it. 246 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,400 You've baked that you've put in all the ingredients and nobody's 247 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,400 cut into it yet. It's in a state of wholeness in 248 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,600 a state of shalom. Sweet potato pie, if that's the 249 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,700 yeah, if that's if that's your, if that's your jam. 250 00:13:51,300 --> 00:13:53,600 So Shalom is something that is complex, right? 251 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:57,000 It can see, it contains a multiplicity of Parts like a 252 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,600 pumpkin pie, right? You've got a lot of ingredients 253 00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:02,000 or simplify and, but at the same time it's in a state of 254 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,900 completeness and and finished wholeness And so that's why 255 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:10,200 defining piece just as simply the absence of conflict is 256 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,600 insufficient because it also insinuates this presence of 257 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,300 wholeness this presence of fullness. 258 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,700 So in the beginning, when God created the first human beings 259 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:22,600 and he puts them in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care 260 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,100 for his creation, we know then that the entire creation was in 261 00:14:26,100 --> 00:14:29,100 this state of Shalom. The it was whole, it was 262 00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,900 complete things were the way that they were intended and 263 00:14:31,900 --> 00:14:35,800 meant to be. it was indescribably complex, right, 264 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:40,300 full of moving parts and atoms and molecules and relationships 265 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:44,100 and situations and creatures to be named work to be done and at 266 00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:47,600 the same time, it was flourishing and whole the way it 267 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:52,300 was meant to be But then when Adam and Eve sinned there was a 268 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,700 like a catastrophic rupturing of the Shalom. 269 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,700 That was present. It was no the creation is no 270 00:14:58,700 --> 00:15:01,700 longer whole or completes the way it was meant to be the 271 00:15:01,700 --> 00:15:05,100 Shalom breaks down and these deep cracks and fissures run 272 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:07,700 rampant throughout the totality of creation. 273 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,700 And we experienced today, still the effects of the Wasps of that 274 00:15:11,700 --> 00:15:14,800 shalom, in the garden. And every moment of our lives, 275 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:18,500 in every area of our world were surrounded by the loss of that 276 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:21,600 piece. And so that original piece that 277 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,800 creation was made for has been broken. 278 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,500 And as an absence of it, it shapes our experience in the 279 00:15:26,508 --> 00:15:31,600 world but graciously guy didn't abandon his creation. 280 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,400 He didn't leave us to the unmitigated effects of the loss 281 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,000 of this Shalom. He promised from the very 282 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,100 beginning that he would launch this plan. 283 00:15:40,700 --> 00:15:44,200 This Wonder plan perhaps to restore Shalom to his creation 284 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:47,400 as his character as this wonderful counselor, the Wonder 285 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,700 planner it kicks into gear and Although life is we experience 286 00:15:51,700 --> 00:15:54,500 that no longer is whole or complete we learned from the 287 00:15:54,508 --> 00:15:58,000 scriptures that God is and has constantly been working to 288 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,500 restore this wholeness to his creation, into our world into 289 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:03,800 our lives. And so their scripture, after 290 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:07,900 scripture starting in Genesis 3, when that Shalom has broken and 291 00:16:07,900 --> 00:16:11,100 all the way to Revelation, 20 to that speaks to God's desire to 292 00:16:11,100 --> 00:16:15,100 see, Holmes returned and renewed in his creation and in his 293 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:18,700 people and in the world. And so from Isaiah's image of 294 00:16:18,700 --> 00:16:22,000 this coming Prince of Peace. There's the prophet, Micah is 295 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,000 image of a Shepherd who's going to stand and Shepherd the people 296 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,300 of his flock in peace. As they has another vision of 297 00:16:28,300 --> 00:16:30,700 all, the peoples of the earth beating their swords in their 298 00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:35,500 weapons of war into plowshares into tools of cultivation and 299 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:37,800 gardening. And then there's the Psalms 300 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,200 talking about the longing for the coming of righteousness and 301 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:44,000 Justice and peace to meet together like a kiss. 302 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,300 The story of the Old Testament arcs towards and Longs for the 303 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:52,600 coming of peace and shalom. Umm, from God himself, the 304 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,700 things might, once again be whole and complete as they're 305 00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:57,600 supposed to be, we can all probably agree, right? 306 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,300 That if it would be quite a wondrous work to see the world 307 00:17:02,300 --> 00:17:03,700 at true. Peace and wholeness. 308 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:08,200 As we come to the Christmas story again and we come to the 309 00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:11,599 birth of Jesus. We see from the gospels at the 310 00:17:11,599 --> 00:17:15,000 birth of this promised. Child is a continuation in a 311 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,800 fulfillment of the promise of God to restore peace. 312 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:21,400 The song of Mary in Luke 1 is this testimony to the 313 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,200 restoration of Shalom that guy's going to bring through her 314 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,700 promise, child the song of Zechariah. 315 00:17:26,700 --> 00:17:29,500 Also in Luke 1, it's a declaration that the salvation 316 00:17:29,500 --> 00:17:34,100 that God brings will restore peace to the Earth and guide our 317 00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:37,100 feet. feet into passive peace and then when the Angels 318 00:17:37,100 --> 00:17:40,000 appeared to the Shepherds like we already said they announced 319 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,700 that there's this good news of great joy for all the people and 320 00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:46,800 then they say glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace 321 00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:52,100 to those on whom his favor rests The birth of this promised child 322 00:17:52,100 --> 00:17:55,600 is directly and like inextricably linked with the 323 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,800 arrival of Peace. The restoration of Shalom, the 324 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,700 Revival of wholeness, and flourishing in his creation. 325 00:18:03,100 --> 00:18:05,900 And so then in our records of Jesus life and his ministry, 326 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:07,400 right? He talks about the giving of his 327 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,400 piece to his followers as a gift. 328 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:11,900 He greets his disciples after the resurrection. 329 00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:14,400 He says, peace be with you on multiple occasions. 330 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:17,100 And in a surprisingly, right? The authors of the New 331 00:18:17,100 --> 00:18:18,800 Testament, pick up on this thread. 332 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:22,100 And their writings acts 10 talks about the good news of peace 333 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:24,700 through. Jesus Christ, Romans 5. 334 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:27,800 It declares emphatically that we have peace with God through our 335 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,900 Lord Jesus Christ. And I we can like gloss over 336 00:18:30,900 --> 00:18:31,900 that. Like oh peace with God. 337 00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:33,800 Like that sounds good. But like it's this, it's a 338 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,400 wondrous thing to have peace with God because it means a 339 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,900 restoration of that, Shalom, the Adam and Eve lost, and he's a 340 00:18:41,908 --> 00:18:44,100 restoration, has occurred between God and man. 341 00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:48,600 And the Apostle Paul says that Jesus actually is that PC is 342 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,700 that Shalom between God and Humanity. 343 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,800 He's the restoration of that. So there's this renewed 344 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,400 wholeness that we can have relationship with God because of 345 00:18:57,408 --> 00:18:59,400 the death and resurrection of Christ. 346 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,700 And then not only is Shalom restore between like Jesus and 347 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:07,300 Humanity between us and God. But God is also restored, it 348 00:19:07,300 --> 00:19:11,100 within Humanity itself, both like the horizontal plane and 349 00:19:11,100 --> 00:19:13,100 the vertical plane in Ephesians 2. 350 00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:16,500 Paul says that Jesus himself is our peace and he has destroyed 351 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,200 the dividing wall of hostility his creative one, Humanity in 352 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,900 place of to making peace and reconciling us, both to God 353 00:19:23,900 --> 00:19:27,100 through the cross. So Jesus restores, the peace 354 00:19:27,100 --> 00:19:29,700 between God and Humanity. But he also restores the peace 355 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:34,000 between humanity and Self and the effects of this Wonder plan 356 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,500 of God, right of this promised child of Peace there. 357 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:42,000 They're incredibly more vast than we often think, and then it 358 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,100 turned Jesus calls his followers to go out and spread that peace 359 00:19:45,100 --> 00:19:47,600 to spread the Shalom into the world were commissioned to 360 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,300 create peace in the world. The church is to be United in 361 00:19:51,308 --> 00:19:54,100 the bond of Peace. Jesus says, that blessed are the 362 00:19:54,100 --> 00:19:56,900 peacemakers. We sung that in the song this 363 00:19:56,900 --> 00:20:01,000 morning blessed are those who make and create, shh, Shalom, 364 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,100 for they will be called children of God. 365 00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:06,800 So becoming people of peace. That means participating in the 366 00:20:06,808 --> 00:20:10,800 life of Jesus and living with humility and patience bearing 367 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,100 with one another's in love, it's much more than just seeking the 368 00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:16,900 absence of conflict in our relationships and in our world 369 00:20:16,900 --> 00:20:20,600 but it's working towards the presence of true flourishing and 370 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:26,000 wholeness in our world. And so finally the lasting image 371 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,000 of Shalom that the New Testament leaves us with is in the Book of 372 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,900 Revelation. And there's this beautiful 373 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:34,300 glimpse of the picture of the fullness of this plan. 374 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:37,100 Worked out, right? Like we see it in part now, in 375 00:20:37,100 --> 00:20:39,600 Christ, we're still waiting for the fullness of that to come in 376 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,300 a second Advent. And so, there's this picture in 377 00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:44,800 Revelation of what it will look like when it's fully restored. 378 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,800 It's this great multitude. That no one can count from every 379 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,300 nation and tribe and people and language standing before the 380 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:57,000 Throne and before the lamb and saying and worship salvation 381 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,400 Belongs To Our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb. 382 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,800 And there's this Vision at the end of revelation of the coming 383 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,500 kingdom of God, it coming down out of heaven, and God dwelling 384 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:10,700 amongst his people. And it says that his they will 385 00:21:10,700 --> 00:21:13,300 be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. 386 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,600 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and there will 387 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,600 be no more death or Mourning or crying or pain for the old Order 388 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:24,200 of Things has passed away. There's this final vision of the 389 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,700 full and Total Restoration of Shalom. 390 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:30,500 That was lost in Eden restored, in Jesus and will be completed 391 00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:34,700 in his second Advent. So, the story of God, the story 392 00:21:34,700 --> 00:21:38,600 of his Wonder Works in the world, is a story of Peace, the 393 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,600 word of created and piece, created and wholeness that piece 394 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,300 being lost catastrophically. But in wrecked by sin, and this 395 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:49,500 wondrous plan, initiated to restore that piece and 396 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:52,800 ultimately, that kind of plan being accomplished by this 397 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:54,900 promised child, who would be called The Prince of Peace, who 398 00:21:54,900 --> 00:21:58,400 we now know to be Jesus, this piece breaking into the world. 399 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:02,000 Now, through his people living out of his kingdom, and then 400 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,600 this coming, Out of a true and total peace and wholeness, and 401 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,100 flourishing to the fullest extent in the kingdom of God. 402 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,400 I suppose this amazing story that God has written now, and 403 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,700 not only has he written it and is he working it out? 404 00:22:15,700 --> 00:22:18,600 But he invites us to have a part in it. 405 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,200 It's not just like, this is a story of God and he's doing his 406 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,300 thing and we're just, like, roaming around like, oh, that's 407 00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:25,800 nice. One day that will be cool, but 408 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:30,200 he invites us to join our lives and join our stories into his. 409 00:22:30,900 --> 00:22:32,100 He desires for each of Our Lives. 410 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:35,500 To play a fundamental and essential part in his eternal 411 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:38,300 story of peace. And for our lives to be 412 00:22:38,300 --> 00:22:42,000 permeated by his peace and to live out and spread that piece. 413 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,200 Now, we're not asked to be the prince or the princess of Peace, 414 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:50,300 but we are called to be peacemakers beacons of Shalom, 415 00:22:50,300 --> 00:22:54,400 people who spread his wholeness and flourishing in our spheres 416 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,500 of influence, our front lines of work and family, and our 417 00:22:57,500 --> 00:23:00,000 neighborhoods. So my question is, like, what 418 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,400 would it look like for you to be a peacemaker? 419 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,400 This Christmas to be a beacon of the Shalom of God. 420 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:09,300 This Advent to bring a little bit of wholeness and flourishing 421 00:23:09,300 --> 00:23:11,100 into the world around you this week. 422 00:23:12,500 --> 00:23:14,700 But the same time, right? We can't spread something that 423 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:18,100 we don't have and where is it? That you need to experience 424 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:21,400 God's peace for yourself. Where do you need his wholeness 425 00:23:21,500 --> 00:23:24,600 to speak into your life? Is there somewhere that you want 426 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,300 to ask God to bring you peace and wholeness? 427 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:32,000 Is there a work of wonder that you would ask God to do in your 428 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,300 life? I want to say like I've got can 429 00:23:34,300 --> 00:23:37,900 plan Wonders on the scale of like the cosmic level here. 430 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,400 He's more than capable of planning the mill, working them 431 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,900 out in our lives. So maybe there's a situation 432 00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:46,800 that you've lost. Hope on maybe there's some fear 433 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,200 anxiety, that just dominates your thoughts, your actions, and 434 00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:53,100 I would encourage you just dare to ask God, to do something, 435 00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:56,200 wonderful there to ask him to do something with it. 436 00:23:56,300 --> 00:23:58,600 He's the Wonder planner, he's the Mighty God, he's the 437 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,200 forever, father, the Prince of Peace, ask for his great and 438 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,500 restorative piece to invade, and permeate your life and your 439 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:09,700 relationships and your thoughts, We also trust that God has 440 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,500 wonderful plans for how he wants to use this community that we 441 00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:16,700 call reality Boston, to bring his peace and Shalom into our 442 00:24:16,700 --> 00:24:19,500 city. We're praying and seeking ways 443 00:24:19,500 --> 00:24:20,800 to be. I mean, if you've been here, 444 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,400 you've been hearing about, it tangible ways, to be tangible 445 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:26,500 blessings to the people and communities that we overlap 446 00:24:26,500 --> 00:24:30,400 with, like, the school. Praying for ways, that God will 447 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,400 open up doors to spread the wonders of his peace, and his 448 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,700 hope, and his love, and his Joy. I want to close just with the 449 00:24:37,700 --> 00:24:43,100 final promise from Isaiah that can anchor us, anchor Us in the 450 00:24:43,100 --> 00:24:46,300 hope and peace of Jesus as we contemplate the gift of his son 451 00:24:47,300 --> 00:24:52,000 Isaiah 54 10 says for though the mountains May depart and the 452 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:56,400 hills be removed, my steadfast love shall not depart from you. 453 00:24:56,700 --> 00:25:00,800 My Covenant of Peace shall not be removed says the Lord who has 454 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:06,300 compassion on you So I fly what this is saying to us is that 455 00:25:06,300 --> 00:25:08,500 though the circumstances of Life, they're going to rise and 456 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:12,800 fall seasons are going to come. And go storms are going to blow 457 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,500 and be still for the steadfast loyal. 458 00:25:15,500 --> 00:25:19,700 Love of God will not depart, he's not going to abandon you. 459 00:25:20,500 --> 00:25:24,300 He's the forever father and his Covenant of Peace ratified by 460 00:25:24,308 --> 00:25:25,800 the death and resurrection of his son. 461 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,800 Jesus is not going to change, just not going to be removed. 462 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:32,400 Revoked or rescinded, for anything, it will remain. 463 00:25:32,500 --> 00:25:37,000 N /, you pronouncing, you clean, and holy and whole God's Own his 464 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:42,000 beloved. This guy whose heart beats with 465 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,900 compassion, for all of us. These for you, if he's for all 466 00:25:45,900 --> 00:25:49,200 that he has made and God has compassion on all that he has 467 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,800 made a men, ran, let's pray.