WEBVTT 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:04.440 Good afternoon, everyone. I repeat the welcome that Fraser gave you earlier on. 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:07.719 Delighted to have you with us as we celebrate Christmas together. 00:00:08.620 --> 00:00:11.220 Over the last few weeks for our Christmas series this year, 00:00:11.300 --> 00:00:17.100 we've been looking at a prophecy made by Isaiah about 700 years before the birth of Jesus 00:00:17.100 --> 00:00:19.379 about a child that was going to be born. 00:00:19.460 --> 00:00:22.960 We're looking at the titles that Isaiah gives to Jesus. 00:00:23.179 --> 00:00:25.320 And the one we're looking at today, as it says on the screen, 00:00:25.660 --> 00:00:29.420 is that Jesus is our Prince of Peace. 00:00:29.420 --> 00:00:32.179 So let's just read a few verses from the prophecy together, 00:00:32.179 --> 00:00:34.760 and then we'll think about what it means for us. 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:38.939 So it's Isaiah chapter 9, and I'm starting to read at verse 5. 00:00:40.400 --> 00:00:40.939 And it says, 00:00:40.939 --> 00:00:45.680 Every warrior's boot used in battle, and every garment rolled in blood, 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:49.680 will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:54.340 For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:56.859 and the government will be on his shoulders, 00:00:56.859 --> 00:01:03.399 and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, 00:01:04.180 --> 00:01:05.700 Prince of Peace. 00:01:06.379 --> 00:01:12.140 Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:15.340 He will reign over David's three and David's throne, 00:01:15.420 --> 00:01:19.439 and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness, 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:21.939 from that time on and forever. 00:01:22.939 --> 00:01:27.280 The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:30.340 God will bless his word as we think about it together. 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:34.219 So Jesus is the Prince of Peace. 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:36.739 I wonder what does peace look like? 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:37.879 That might say a strange question. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:41.420 Peace isn't a thing that you can look at and can touch. 00:01:41.420 --> 00:01:45.519 But it's a question that's asked every year to lots of children around the world. 00:01:45.579 --> 00:01:51.159 There's a competition every year for children to design a poster that describes peace. 00:01:52.019 --> 00:01:54.460 I put up one of the pictures from that here, 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:57.840 one of the posters from a girl who was originally from Mexico, 00:01:58.140 --> 00:02:00.640 called Karen Mendoza, now lives in the United States. 00:02:01.020 --> 00:02:04.180 And here are the things that she thought speak about peace. 00:02:04.260 --> 00:02:06.400 I'm going to ask for some help from the young people this morning. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:11.640 Can you see anything up there that you think represents peace, 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:13.140 that reminds you about peace? 00:02:13.700 --> 00:02:15.860 Any of the pictures there about peace? 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:19.680 The music. 00:02:19.780 --> 00:02:22.060 Yeah, music can be very peaceful and calming for us. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:22.520 That's right. 00:02:24.040 --> 00:02:24.780 The dove. 00:02:25.020 --> 00:02:26.240 Yes, dove's a very good one. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:27.900 Dove is a great symbol of peace. 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:31.259 And when we see a white, pure dove, then we think of peace. 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:33.000 Quite often when there are big sporting events, 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:36.159 they release doves up into the air to say peace. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:36.680 Yes. 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:39.640 The stars. 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:40.760 Yes, looking up at the stars. 00:02:40.819 --> 00:02:43.180 The stars can be very peaceful as well in a night, can't it? 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:46.080 Nature. 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:47.960 So there's a tree there, for example, 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:53.340 reminding us of the peace of nature and the stability, I suppose, that a tree has. 00:02:54.040 --> 00:02:54.480 One more, Sam. 00:02:56.020 --> 00:02:56.640 The world. 00:02:56.819 --> 00:02:57.159 The world, yes. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:01.219 So there's a picture of the world down in the bottom right-hand corner. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:05.659 And there's also a kind of map of the world with some olive leaves around it up at the top. 00:03:05.659 --> 00:03:08.539 Does anyone know what that symbol at the top is? 00:03:08.579 --> 00:03:09.579 It's a big organization. 00:03:11.620 --> 00:03:16.719 It's actually, I think, the United Nations, but UNICEF is part of the United Nations, so good answer. 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:21.939 United Nations, which works to have peace around the world. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:23.199 There's some other things that are there. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:29.679 There's, in several places, there's something that looks like an arrow pointing up with a line going up through it. 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:35.599 That's the international symbol for peace, sometimes used by people who don't want nuclear weapons, but it's wider than that. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:38.319 It's about peace in the world. 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:46.000 The flags of the countries and the balloons are supposed to talk about countries working together and not all being different and divided. 00:03:47.060 --> 00:03:50.060 And down in the bottom left-hand corner, there's a picture of a man. 00:03:50.739 --> 00:03:51.079 Sorry, there. 00:03:52.079 --> 00:03:52.599 It's Gandhi. 00:03:52.699 --> 00:03:55.639 Well, that took me ages to work that out because he usually has a moustache. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.000 But you're absolutely right. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:03:57.579 It's Gandhi. 00:03:57.580 --> 00:04:03.240 Gandhi, and the clue in that is that it's like the colors of the flag of India that are around him. 00:04:03.320 --> 00:04:10.439 Gandhi, of course, was a man who wanted India to be independent from Britain, and he tried to do that peacefully. 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:13.020 He's not saying to people, we've got to go and fight or be terrorists. 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:14.740 We've got to have a peaceful protest. 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:18.259 And then India became independent from Britain. 00:04:18.780 --> 00:04:22.660 So lots of different things that talk to us about peace. 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:25.980 Sometimes people, sometimes things, sometimes symbols. 00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:32.540 And a lot of them talk about the kind of peace we should have with one another, that we should be kind to other people, we shouldn't fight. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:38.920 Some of them talk about the peace that we should have inside, being peaceful and at peace with things. 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:41.120 There was another competition. 00:04:41.280 --> 00:04:48.180 There's a story about another competition a long, long time ago where a king asked people to do something similar to what these children were asked to do 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:51.500 to produce a painting that described peace. 00:04:52.280 --> 00:04:54.100 They got lots of different entries to it. 00:04:54.100 --> 00:04:59.320 People drew lovely scenes from nature, of meadows and of lovely lakes and things. 00:04:59.780 --> 00:05:04.800 But the one he chose as the winner looked a bit like the one that's about to come up on the screen now. 00:05:04.960 --> 00:05:05.680 Now, it wasn't that picture. 00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:06.660 That's a modern picture. 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:09.420 But it's a picture that has the same idea to it. 00:05:10.020 --> 00:05:13.480 And you might look at that picture and say, what's peaceful about that? 00:05:14.060 --> 00:05:15.060 It's a thunderstorm. 00:05:15.660 --> 00:05:16.520 There's a waterfall. 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:18.400 If you've ever been near a waterfall, it can be really noisy. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:21.819 It doesn't look a peaceful picture at all. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:25.659 But if you look down near the bottom of the picture, and I'll just blow it up a little bit, 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:29.379 in the middle of the waterfall, there's a bird's nest. 00:05:30.060 --> 00:05:36.899 And the bird, in all the trouble and the noise and the frightening thing that the lightning could be, 00:05:37.239 --> 00:05:41.019 it's just sitting there in this nest and it's really peaceful. 00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:46.219 And that picture was trying to say, even if you've got a really difficult situation, 00:05:46.299 --> 00:05:49.120 even if everything around seems not peaceful at all, 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:54.279 you can be peaceful if you're in the right place, in the right situation. 00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:58.060 And we're going to think a bit about that as we go through this morning. 00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:02.500 I think it was very much what was in the video that we watched just before I started speaking. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:07.719 But even when things are difficult, and we might be, I think, a bit frazzled and a bit worried about things, 00:06:08.019 --> 00:06:09.000 then we can be at peace. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:11.360 It was also in the prayer that Paul brought us earlier, 00:06:11.459 --> 00:06:14.279 thinking about the peace we can have in difficult circumstances. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:16.860 We'll come back to that in a few minutes. 00:06:17.939 --> 00:06:21.620 But when I was thinking of peace, there were three things, and Jesus is the Prince of Peace, 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:28.540 there were three things, I thought, in particular, that Jesus can bring to us in peace. 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:32.100 And the first one is peace on earth. 00:06:32.139 --> 00:06:34.740 Now, peace on earth, of course, is what the angels sang, isn't it? 00:06:34.740 --> 00:06:38.120 As they appeared to the shepherds, they sang, 00:06:38.259 --> 00:06:42.040 Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, or on earth peace, 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:45.540 to those on whom God's favour rests. 00:06:46.540 --> 00:06:50.800 And Jesus, therefore, was the one who came to bring peace on earth. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:52.900 The passage we read in Isaiah, the verses we read, 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.340 they were really about that, weren't they? 00:06:55.339 --> 00:06:58.639 Because they talked about all wars stopping, 00:06:58.799 --> 00:07:03.539 they talked about the warriors' boots being burned, 00:07:03.859 --> 00:07:05.099 and things like that, 00:07:05.359 --> 00:07:09.519 and Jesus reigning in peace and righteousness. 00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:15.259 And so part of the message of Christmas is that Jesus will be the Prince of Peace, 00:07:15.459 --> 00:07:17.319 who will reign in righteousness. 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:18.860 Now, we look around the world just now, 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:21.599 and we say, well, that's not really very obvious, is it? 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:24.319 There are wars in lots of different places, 00:07:24.740 --> 00:07:27.019 civil wars, wars between countries, 00:07:27.459 --> 00:07:31.040 and within nations, there's a lot of division and tension, 00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:33.199 and even within our families at times, 00:07:33.459 --> 00:07:35.339 it can be very difficult. 00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:38.500 So we don't have, in that sense at the moment, 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:40.019 peace on earth. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:41.180 And Jesus didn't promise that, 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:42.699 because when he was here, he actually said, 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:44.579 I'm not come to bring peace on earth, 00:07:44.579 --> 00:07:46.620 and I will bring division, 00:07:46.819 --> 00:07:49.740 because some people will trust in me, 00:07:49.779 --> 00:07:50.519 and some won't, 00:07:50.620 --> 00:07:52.779 and there will be division between them. 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:54.419 But as we look forward, 00:07:54.939 --> 00:07:56.319 Jesus, as the Prince of Peace, 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:58.300 will come back to reign, 00:07:58.579 --> 00:08:00.659 and to bring peace everywhere. 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:02.599 He is the Prince of Peace, 00:08:02.719 --> 00:08:04.299 who will bring peace on earth, 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:07.459 who will stop all the wars, 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:09.899 and the other things that happen at the moment, 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:12.299 that would destroy peace. 00:08:12.300 --> 00:08:15.360 But we don't need to wait for that, 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:17.480 to have peace around us. 00:08:18.020 --> 00:08:20.980 Because Jesus calls all those who are his followers, 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:22.840 to be peacemakers. 00:08:23.020 --> 00:08:25.720 He said, blessed are the peacemakers. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:27.540 And the book of Hebrews, 00:08:27.660 --> 00:08:29.920 it says we should make every effort, 00:08:30.340 --> 00:08:33.620 to live in peace with everyone. 00:08:34.580 --> 00:08:36.440 If we are following Jesus, 00:08:36.940 --> 00:08:38.480 and following his example, 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:40.840 we can help to bring a bit of peace 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:42.980 in the area where we are. 00:08:43.500 --> 00:08:44.940 To bring peace on earth 00:08:44.940 --> 00:08:46.500 among those we work with, 00:08:46.580 --> 00:08:47.639 among those we live with, 00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:49.259 among those we associate with, 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:52.060 just by the kinds of attitudes that we have, 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:53.800 by trying to be like Jesus, 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:58.019 and to show real love and concern for others. 00:08:58.379 --> 00:08:59.320 And as we do that, 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:00.519 we'll bring a bit of peace 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.000 into other people's lives. 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:07.379 They will experience something of peace on earth. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.159 So that's the first kind of peace 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:10.340 that we want to think about. 00:09:10.379 --> 00:09:13.340 We could talk about it as being peace out the way. 00:09:13.899 --> 00:09:15.960 As we seek to be at peace with others 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:17.100 those around about us, 00:09:17.340 --> 00:09:20.899 and as we look for and work for peace in our world. 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:24.620 The second kind of peace, 00:09:24.779 --> 00:09:27.120 I would call maybe peace up the way. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:31.320 As we think about peace with God. 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:33.340 So it's not peace now we think of 00:09:33.340 --> 00:09:34.580 in a relationship with one another, 00:09:34.680 --> 00:09:35.940 though that is really important. 00:09:36.540 --> 00:09:37.820 It's thinking about the peace 00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:40.740 that we need to have with God. 00:09:41.680 --> 00:09:42.280 Remember we sang, 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:43.680 Hark the Herald Angel Sing, 00:09:43.780 --> 00:09:45.160 Glory to the newborn King, 00:09:45.620 --> 00:09:47.260 Peace on earth and mercy mild. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:48.200 Then what does it say? 00:09:48.580 --> 00:09:51.500 God and sinners reconciled. 00:09:51.980 --> 00:09:53.760 It is about bringing peace 00:09:53.760 --> 00:09:56.840 between us and God. 00:09:57.900 --> 00:09:59.280 And the Bible tells us, 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:00.800 Paul tells us in Colossians, 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:03.759 that at one time we were God's enemies. 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:05.859 All of us were God's enemies 00:10:05.859 --> 00:10:08.099 because of all the wrong things that we've done, 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:11.039 of all the ways that we've grieved God, 00:10:11.139 --> 00:10:14.199 but by disobeying what his commands would be. 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:15.740 But says Paul, 00:10:16.099 --> 00:10:17.479 Christ Jesus died, 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:19.319 and through his death, 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:21.059 through his physical death on the cross, 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:22.819 through the blood that he shed there, 00:10:23.079 --> 00:10:25.139 he is able to reconcile us, 00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:29.159 to bring peace between us and God. 00:10:29.159 --> 00:10:31.219 So naturally, 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:33.399 as we start out in life, 00:10:33.620 --> 00:10:35.079 we're far away from God 00:10:35.079 --> 00:10:36.519 because of all the wrong, 00:10:36.620 --> 00:10:38.839 because of all the sin in our lives. 00:10:39.339 --> 00:10:42.120 But because Jesus has died on the cross for us, 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:43.799 if we trust in him, 00:10:44.139 --> 00:10:46.259 and if we believe that through him, 00:10:46.419 --> 00:10:47.500 we can be forgiven, 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:49.799 we can have peace with God, 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:51.860 we can get a relationship with God, 00:10:51.860 --> 00:10:53.960 and we can know that we've been forgiven 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:55.600 for all the wrong things we've done, 00:10:56.060 --> 00:10:59.460 and that one day we'll go to be with the Lord Jesus, 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:01.279 and to be with him forever, 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.399 because he gives us eternal life, 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:07.100 he gives us peace with God. 00:11:07.620 --> 00:11:09.080 So important this Christmas, 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:12.919 that all of us know that peace with God. 00:11:13.460 --> 00:11:15.899 That we recognize all the failure in our lives, 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:19.899 that we recognize that Jesus is able to forgive us for that, 00:11:19.899 --> 00:11:22.199 because he's taking the punishment for all our failures, 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:24.299 and if we just trust in him, 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:25.939 we can have peace with God, 00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:28.259 we can have a relationship with God as our Father, 00:11:28.699 --> 00:11:32.299 and we can know that our future is secure. 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:36.079 Jesus came as the Prince of Peace, 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:39.459 not just to give peace in the world, 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:43.480 but to give us peace with God as well. 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:46.460 And then finally we've looked outwards, 00:11:46.740 --> 00:11:47.680 we've looked upwards, 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:50.340 and then we need to look inwards, 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:53.560 and the Bible talks about the peace of God, 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.779 the peace that we can have 00:11:55.779 --> 00:11:58.620 in the most difficult of circumstances. 00:11:59.580 --> 00:12:00.620 Now we've thought a little bit already 00:12:00.620 --> 00:12:02.240 that this Christmas, 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:04.560 many of us will have a time of real joy, 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:05.779 but for some people, 00:12:05.899 --> 00:12:09.440 Christmas is a really difficult time to find peace. 00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:12.200 There may be an empty place at the table 00:12:12.200 --> 00:12:15.020 where a loved one would have been in previous years. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:17.420 There's maybe illness, 00:12:17.540 --> 00:12:20.120 either us individually or family members 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:22.220 or others that we're concerned about. 00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:24.600 There may be problems in our family 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:27.580 or among our friends that are an issue for us. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:29.560 We may be worried about the future, 00:12:29.680 --> 00:12:31.580 perhaps about finance or about our job 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:32.620 or things like that. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:35.820 And a lot of people find that Christmas 00:12:35.820 --> 00:12:38.400 is not necessarily a time of rejoicing 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:39.819 and of peace. 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:43.600 It's a time of worry and of sadness. 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:46.199 And Jesus doesn't promise 00:12:46.199 --> 00:12:47.419 that if we're Christians, 00:12:47.539 --> 00:12:48.799 we won't have any of that. 00:12:49.419 --> 00:12:51.559 Indeed, he promises that there will be problems 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:53.480 for all of us in this world, 00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:56.299 but he promises that in the problems, 00:12:56.740 --> 00:12:59.699 if we know him and if we trust him, 00:13:00.139 --> 00:13:02.539 we can have a real peace. 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:04.480 He said to his disciples, 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:05.799 and the night before he died, 00:13:05.860 --> 00:13:07.860 as he was teaching them in the upper room, 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:09.779 peace I leave with you, 00:13:10.459 --> 00:13:11.799 my peace I give you, 00:13:12.419 --> 00:13:14.679 I do not give to you as the world gives, 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:17.480 do not let your hearts be troubled, 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:20.500 and do not be afraid. 00:13:21.699 --> 00:13:24.279 If this Christmas is a difficult time for you 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:25.360 for whatever reason, 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:27.419 then take comfort in this, 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:29.759 that Jesus understands the difficulties 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:30.759 you're going through, 00:13:31.079 --> 00:13:34.059 and he is able to give you a real peace 00:13:34.059 --> 00:13:37.059 in whatever circumstances you're in. 00:13:37.059 --> 00:13:39.559 like that bird that we saw at the beginning, 00:13:40.119 --> 00:13:41.779 in the midst of chaos, 00:13:42.059 --> 00:13:43.359 in the midst of danger, 00:13:43.959 --> 00:13:45.799 yet is sitting safely in the rock, 00:13:45.859 --> 00:13:47.019 inside the waterfall, 00:13:47.339 --> 00:13:49.799 and able to be at peace. 00:13:50.359 --> 00:13:51.599 And as the prince of peace, 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:54.159 Jesus can give us inward peace, 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:56.619 and he can give us what Paul describes 00:13:56.619 --> 00:13:57.759 as the peace of God, 00:13:58.019 --> 00:13:59.119 which transcends, 00:13:59.199 --> 00:14:01.079 which is greater than anything 00:14:01.079 --> 00:14:03.439 that we could understand. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:05.380 Wouldn't it be wonderful 00:14:05.380 --> 00:14:08.060 if we all have that peace this Christmas? 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:11.160 There's a great verse in the Christmas story 00:14:11.160 --> 00:14:13.000 which I think is particularly precious. 00:14:13.160 --> 00:14:14.500 It's right at the end of the story 00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:15.340 in Luke's Gospel, 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.180 and it just says this, 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:20.200 Mary treasured up all these things 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:23.100 and pondered them in her heart. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:25.140 Mary treasured up all these things 00:14:25.140 --> 00:14:27.820 and pondered them in her heart. 00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:30.280 What an amazing few months 00:14:30.280 --> 00:14:31.420 it must have been for Mary 00:14:31.420 --> 00:14:32.780 when the angel came 00:14:32.780 --> 00:14:33.680 when she was pregnant, 00:14:33.780 --> 00:14:35.180 when they got to Bethlehem 00:14:35.180 --> 00:14:37.260 and not having anywhere to stay, 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:40.180 but then there was the joy of the birth. 00:14:40.280 --> 00:14:41.480 There were the shepherds coming 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:42.800 and worshipping 00:14:42.800 --> 00:14:44.340 and having seen the angel, 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:47.040 and Mary treasured up these things 00:14:47.040 --> 00:14:49.740 and pondered them in her heart. 00:14:50.400 --> 00:14:53.020 I wonder if 33 or so years later, 00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:55.080 as Jesus was sitting at the foot 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:57.040 of the cross of the Lord Jesus, 00:14:57.780 --> 00:15:00.100 these things she pondered in her heart 00:15:00.100 --> 00:15:03.020 came back and gave her real peace 00:15:03.020 --> 00:15:04.720 because she knew 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.160 that the one who had come 00:15:06.160 --> 00:15:07.100 was God's Son. 00:15:07.580 --> 00:15:09.440 She knew he had come to be a Savior, 00:15:10.180 --> 00:15:12.420 and perhaps even in her sorrow 00:15:12.420 --> 00:15:15.400 and in the heartache of Jesus' death, 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:17.900 she knew something of the peace of God 00:15:17.900 --> 00:15:20.620 as she reflected in all that had happened to her 00:15:20.620 --> 00:15:23.180 at the birth of Jesus. 00:15:23.179 --> 00:15:25.120 So this Christmas, 00:15:25.719 --> 00:15:27.219 let's make sure that we 00:15:27.219 --> 00:15:29.500 take hold of the peace 00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:31.120 that can come to us 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:32.419 through the Lord Jesus, 00:15:33.199 --> 00:15:35.259 peace of God. 00:15:36.839 --> 00:15:38.779 So a child is born to us, 00:15:38.819 --> 00:15:39.679 a son is given, 00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:43.120 he is the Prince of Peace. 00:15:43.859 --> 00:15:46.299 He is the one who gives peace on earth 00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:48.159 and who one day will give, 00:15:48.219 --> 00:15:49.339 in a very physical sense, 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:50.000 peace on earth 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.139 that can, through our lives, 00:15:51.139 --> 00:15:53.419 bring that peace to others now. 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:55.439 He is the one who can bring us 00:15:55.439 --> 00:15:56.419 peace with God 00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:58.139 as we trust in him 00:15:58.139 --> 00:16:00.439 and realize that only through him 00:16:00.439 --> 00:16:01.639 can we be forgiven 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:03.139 and have a relationship 00:16:03.139 --> 00:16:04.639 with God the Father. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.259 And he can give us the peace of God 00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:08.220 in our heart, 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:09.500 whatever our circumstances, 00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:11.539 that we can know his presence 00:16:11.539 --> 00:16:13.659 and his assurance with us 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:15.600 at this Christmas time. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.480 And so as it says there on the screen, 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:18.679 over the next year or so, 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:19.959 indeed throughout the week, 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:23.099 come let us adore him. 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:24.399 Let's pray together. 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:29.799 Our Father, we thank you 00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:31.000 for the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:16:31.419 --> 00:16:33.199 We thank you for the peace 00:16:33.199 --> 00:16:34.479 that he came to bring, 00:16:35.139 --> 00:16:36.659 that he is the Prince of Peace. 00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:37.899 He is the one who can bring 00:16:37.899 --> 00:16:40.079 ultimate peace in our world. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:41.919 We do look forward to the day 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:43.539 when there will be no more wars, 00:16:43.959 --> 00:16:44.779 no more fighting, 00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:45.799 no more strife, 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:47.639 because Jesus will come 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:49.439 and will reign in righteousness 00:16:49.439 --> 00:16:51.019 and in peace. 00:16:51.839 --> 00:16:52.699 And meanwhile, we pray 00:16:52.699 --> 00:16:54.620 that we will be ambassadors for him, 00:16:55.079 --> 00:16:56.079 that where we are, 00:16:56.359 --> 00:16:58.419 we will bring something of his peace. 00:16:59.139 --> 00:17:00.299 We pray too that all of us 00:17:00.299 --> 00:17:01.699 will have the peace 00:17:01.699 --> 00:17:03.979 that he can bring with yourself, 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:06.039 that we may know our sins forgiven 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:08.159 because he died on the cross 00:17:08.159 --> 00:17:10.940 so that we could have peace with God. 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:12.440 And at this Christmas, 00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:14.940 as we remember the birth of Jesus, 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:18.400 as we think about all that he has done for us, 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:20.500 that we may have the peace of God 00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:21.380 in our hearts 00:17:21.380 --> 00:17:23.460 and that we may truly know 00:17:23.460 --> 00:17:25.019 his presence with us 00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:26.500 as the Prince of Peace. 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:28.180 We give you our thanks 00:17:28.180 --> 00:17:29.900 and pray for your blessing on us 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:31.420 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:17:32.320 --> 00:17:32.660 Amen. 00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:32.740 Amen. 00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:32.779 Amen. 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:32.799 Amen.