Names of Jesus in Isaiah:
THE PRINCE OF PEACE
John 16:31-33 - Victory Fellowship
December 19, 2021 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
4th Sunday of Advent
ISAIAH WANTS TO INTRODUCE YOU TO JESUS!
In Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is named: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace. Our focus the last few weeks has been on these names.
First, we started with Wonderful Counselor. The Hebrew word (pele ya`ats) translated "wonderful" in this verse signifies something indescribably great; something so tremendous, so amazing, that it’s literally beyond description. (Miracle)
Then our focus was on The Mighty God. The Hebrew words for “Mighty God” are El Gibbor. And he will be called The Mighty, Mighty God.
Last week I shared that by referring to the Messiah as "Everlasting Father," Isaiah alludes to the fact that he would be God. (Hebrew = Abi Ad) When Isaiah identified the coming Messiah as the "Everlasting Father," He was communicating in the only way they could possibly have understood that the Messiah would be God in the flesh. Emmanuel.
This week we have come to the final name of Christ here in Isaiah 9:6. It is sar shalowm. The Prince of Peace. But this one is difficult for us because we seem to have so many mixed messages when it comes to peace.
On the one side Jesus is called the prince of Peace and the angels proclaim peace on earth goodwill to men.
On the other hand, last Wednesday in bible study we read where Jesus himself says:
Matt. 10:32-39 32 "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. 34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. 37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
We too, have our own observations there is no peace on earth. There is a story of a father whose son had gone off to fight for the union army during the American civil war. After months of camp fever, his son finally saw battle and was seriously wounded. News of his son’s wound came to the father on Christmas Eve, and being a poet he sat down and expressed his anguish in a song. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote these words as he contemplated that bleak Christmas morning:
And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth I said,
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of Peace on earth goodwill to men."
So how do we reconcile this?
We need to begin with the Hebrew definition of shalom-peace. It means Live Long and Prosper. Having a Deep sense of well-being.
Inner peace – God wants us to know his peace in our hearts, and that means freedom from fear, anxiety, and worry. Harmonious relationships with God and others. God wants people reconciled to Him and to one another.
Jesus gets the name Prince of Peace because it defines who He is and what He can do for us. It is not just a title, but a description.
The greatest thing that Jesus ever did to bring peace into our lives is to provide a way for our sins to be forgiven. The Bible states clearly that at one time we were all sinners at odds and enemies with God. There was no way for us to have a relationship with God because of our sin. The price of sin is high, it costs blood to wash away sins; that is why there were sacrifices in the Old Testament.
But God had a plan to offer salvation to all people. God had a plan to offer a clean slate to anyone who would accept.
He did that through Jesus on the Cross. Jesus made peace between us and God with His death. Jesus paid the price. Jesus pardoned our sin. He is our Savior, the Prince of Peace.
What is it that prevents people having a great life, knowing God’s peace, shalom – a deep sense of well-being?
What is it that prevents people knowing inner peace, peace with God and peace with others?
Time and time again it is the greed and selfishness of mankind. It destroys people’s lives, it wrecks families, it robs people of hope, and it breeds fear. It keeps people at each other’s throats and cuts them off from seeking God’s help. It leads people to make the wrong decisions, have wrong priorities, betray and hurt others. The bible calls it sin.
Well the Prince of Peace has come to deal with the power of sin in His death upon the cross - to break its hold and power over us and He calls us to follow Him and to be agents of His peace.
John records Jesus’ words - in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
No God – No Peace
Know God – Know Peace
Jesus will complete peace perfectly when he comes again.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.
AMEN.
PRAYER
SONG: Our Lullaby
John 16:31-33 NKJV
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
