This is a sermon that continues in our Devotional: Becoming a People of Overflow, ADVENT! Romans 15:13, You can watch more here.
Introduction
If we look at recent world events, we have the Russian invasion of Ukraine,
the conflicts in the Middle East, the civil war in Sudan, and for my family in particular, the
recurring threat of China attacking Taiwan. It is no wonder that we yearn for peace.
This is especially true during the Christmas season. At the birth of Christ, angels proclaimed to
the shepherds outside Bethlehem, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men
with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:14). Ever since, peace has been a central theme of Christmas.
We see the word Peace written on Christmas many cards. We see doves, a symbol of peace, on
Christmas decorations. And we hear of World Peace as a common Christmas wish.
Bing Crosby and David Bowie (BOW ee) sang a famous duet, where they combined “Little
Drummer Boy” with “Peace on Earth.” The lyrics of which go like this:
Peace on Earth can it be?
Years from now, perhaps we'll see?
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again.
Peace on Earth. Can it be?
Likewise, Amy Grant sings in “A Grown-up Christmas List”
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list
We pine for peace on earth, especially during Christmas time.
The funny thing is, it’s somewhat ironic that we yearn for world peace. Because we are actually
living in one of the most peaceful times in world history, ever. The time period from WW2 to the
present day, is referred to by historians as the “Long Peace.” It is unprecedented in human
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history, for the extended period where there has been no major war among world powers. The
only comparable periods of extended peace in world history are Pax Romana, when Roman
authority was unchallenged, and Pax Britannica, when Great Britain wielded superior naval
power. We are actually living in the most peaceful of times. This is pretty much the best that man
can do, when it comes to world peace.
So why does it seem so unsatisfying? Why do we continue to yearn for peace on earth? Because
peace is a lot more than the absence of war. True peace is greater than the superficial truces
achievable among nations.
God promises a far greater peace on earth, which today’s passage talks about. But before we look
into God’s word, let’s start with a word of prayer.
Light Shines Into Darkness
Today, we are going to look at Isaiah 9:6-7a. But first, I want to consider the context for our
passage. The previous chapter, Isaiah chapter 8, depicts the horrendous state of affairs in Israel.
The mighty Assyrian Empire is conquering their land. The people are worshiping evil spiritual
forces and blaming God for their suffering. The end of chapter 8 says of the Israelites,
Read Isaiah 8:21–22 21 They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will
turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as
they face upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the
gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.
Things appeared hopeless. In the face of this gloom and darkness, Isaiah prophesied about a
dramatic turn that will come in the future.
Read Isaiah 9:1 1 But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times
He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall
make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
Zebulun and Naphtali, the northern tribes of Israel, were the first ones to fall into Assyrian
hands. Galilee is a part of Israel overran with gentile people and influence. In earlier times, as
described in chapter 8, this region was in gloom and anguish. But later on, in future times, God
will make it glorious. How will this happen?
Read Isaiah 9:2–3
2 The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
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3 You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
This land will be made glorious because people walking in darkness will see a great light. Their
gladness will multiple, as the gladness after a bountiful harvest or a victorious battle.
Isaiah is reminding the Jewish people, regardless of how dark things looked, regardless of how
dire circumstances appeared, God had not forgotten them. They might be in the darkness of
despair, but a time is coming, when God will shine a great light into the darkness, when God will
turn the gloom into gladness.
And isn’t that God’s message to us as well? Regardless of how messed up our world appears
today, regardless of how dysfunctional our nation seems to be, regardless of how difficult and
depressing our life circumstances, despite our career frustrations, our financial difficulties, our
relationship troubles, our personal addictions, whatever it is. God has not forgotten us. God can
shine a great light into the darkest times of our lives.
This reminder is especially appropriate during the Christmas season. Because Isaiah’s prophecy
pointed directly to Christ. Jesus began his ministry in this very region Isaiah was talking about.
Read Matthew 4:12–16 12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He
withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by
the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through
Isaiah the prophet:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,
And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”
Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Jesus is the very light that will shine into the
darkness in the land of Galilee. He is the hope given to people living in hopelessness.
That prophecy replies directly to us as well. Jesus is the great light that shines into our darkest
circumstances. He is the savior who delivers us from our deepest despair. There is light and hope
for the people of ancient Israel, as well as for us in 2025, because of God’s gift to all of us at
Christmas.
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A Child is Given
Isaiah’s explains:
Read Isaiah 9:6
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
The word “For” marks a grounds clause, which explains the reason or the cause for something.
The light of hope shines into the darkness, for both the ancient Israelites and for us, because a
child was born to us, a son was given to us.
It is appropriate that we have the custom of gift-giving at Christmas. It reminds us that the birth
of Christ is an act of God, an incredible gift from God. God is the one who took the initiative and
stepped into human history and gave us the gift of this special child.
The Christ child is no ordinary child. The government will rest on his shoulders. The word there
does not refer to the institutions of government, but rather conveys the idea of sovereignty and
dominion, meaning he is the one who will rule.
And this Child is given four names. For the ancients, one’s name conveyed the essence and
character of a person.
Wonderful Counselor. Wonderful is a word I tend to overuse. I might say to someone, I hope you
have a wonderful trip. I wish you a wonderful time with the family. I use the word to mean
special or terrific. But the Bible has a more particular meaning for the word. The Hebrew word
translated wonderful appears 13 times in the OT. 12 of those occurrences refers specifically to
the work of God, the miraculous wonders he brings about. The name Wonderful Counselor
highlights the divine wisdom of Jesus. He is the one who guides and leads us with wonderful
counsel.
The name Mighty God, highlights Jesus’s power and might. At the same time, it also emphasizes
his deity. It links our passage to an earlier prophecy of Isaiah.
Read Isaiah 7:14 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with
child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Matthew quoted Isaiah prophecy in describing Jesus’s birth:
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Read Matthew 1:23 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall
call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
According to Isaiah and to Matthew, the Son born to us is God with us. He is fully human, but he
is also Mighty God. And because he is both man and God, Jesus is able to relate to our human
frailties and pay for sins in our place. At the same time he is able to conquer death, rise from the
grave, and rule the universe.
The third name is Eternal Father. We usually say God the Father, we don’t usually refer to Jesus
as Father. But the term Father is a title that conveys care and protection. It reflects the
relationship between a benevolent ruler and his subjects. As king, Jesus indeed loves us and
protects us as a caring father. And his love is not an occasional or temporary shield from harm.
He is an Eternal Father who is always and forever watching over us.
Finally, the names culminate in Prince of Peace. The word prince emphasizes not so much
royalty but authority. It can also be translated the Commander of Peace. Though these names,
Isaiah is presenting a King figure. A king that is sent by God, who is God himself, who will rule
with divine wisdom and power and love, and who will bring peace to his entire domain.
I mentioned earlier, when we think of peace, we tend to think of the absence of war. However,
the Hebrew word in our passage is Shalom. Shalom has a much deeper and broader meaning
than our English word peace. Shalom has the idea of wholeness and completeness. The meaning
includes the idea of peace and harmony, but it also conveys the sense of flourishing and well-
being. Shalom has the inner person dimension of contentment and tranquility, the relationship
component of harmony and goodwill, the spiritual component of reconciliation and fellowship,
and the global dimension of cooperation and order. There is shalom when all things are whole
and complete.
In many parts of the world today, there might be no wars, but plenty of poverty and suffering. In
many families, there might be no arguments but plenty of coldness and scorn. In the hearts of
many people, there might be no hate or contention, but plenty gloom and despair. There might be
superficial peace, but there is no shalom.
How about your life and my life? How prevalent is Shalom? How deep is the peace in our lives?
A Stanford psychology professor, Laura Carstensen, has been conducting studies on the
emotional state of people during different stages of life. She says that young people are often told
that they are in the best years of their life, when it’s actually the exactly the opposite. The late
teens and the twenties are usually the worst time of one’s life emotionally, when there is the
highest level of anxiety and depression.
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When I look back at my own life, I can relate to this assessment. Because during my young adult
years, there was such anxiety about social acceptance, such compulsion to prove myself. such
striving for achievement and success. The problem is, though it might be worst during our
twenties, many of us never manage to get off this endless treadmill of striving and discontent.
We never experience peace as we constantly labor for higher social position, more material
possessions, greater levels of success.
One my favorite books in the Bible is Ecclesiastes, because it serves as a poignant reminder. In
Ecclesiastes, Solomon relates his continual search for greater fame, greater pleasures, greater
wealth, greater accomplishments. After acquiring everything he can wish for, he concludes that it
is vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Chasing after the wind. There is no satisfaction, no
contentment, no purpose, no meaning, no peace in chasing after the good things the world offers.
True wholeness and contentment lie only in the peace that Jesus gives. That’s why Jesus says that
my yoke is easy and my burden is light, and we will find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28-30). We
find completeness and peace only when we trust and rest in Jesus.
The flip side of the endless striving is the ceaseless worrying that we are all so addicted to.
Worries about our health, worries about our jobs, worries about our families, worries about our
finances. Worries that we don’t have enough, worries that we are not doing enough, worries that
we are not good enough. Who needs war and chaos in the world? There’s plenty of war and
chaos in our individual lives. There is such a contrast when we allow Jesus to rule over our lives.
We experience true peace when we fully trust that he, who is all wise and all powerful, is guiding
us, protecting us, working through us. Jesus promises us, “ Peace I leave with you; My peace I
give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it
be fearful.” (John 14:27) When Jesus says this, he means much more than the absence of strife.
He is referring to the transformation of who we are and how we live.
Jesus is the Prince of Shalom. He came not only to end wars and arguments. He came to bring
harmony among nations, love among humans, restored fellowship between God and mankind,
and peace and well-being into each of our lives. Peace that comes with following him, obeying
him, resting in him, being loved by him. That is the shalom the angels announced to the
shepherds. That is the Christmas peace brought by Christ as king of our world and of our
individual lives.
Let’s read our final verse for today.
Reign of Peace
Read Isaiah 9:7
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
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From then on and forevermore.
The peace of Christ is not a pacifist peace, where you avoid war at all costs. It is not an
appeasement peace, where you allow aggressors to get away with taking what is not rightfully
theirs. Rather, it is a peace founded on power and dominion. It is a peace where the mighty king
governs with divine wisdom and benevolence, It is a peace established and upheld by Christ,
where justice and righteousness reign.
This will not a shallow peace, which benefits only the rich and privileged. There will be no
bullying and oppression by the powerful, no suffering and deprivation for the disadvantaged.
This will not be a superficial peace. Righteousness will extend not only to the form of
government, but will characterize all God’s people. There will be genuine wholeness and
completeness in society and in individual lives. We are talking about true and comprehensive
world peace and wellbeing.
This sounds a lot like utopia, but it is not an aspirational Christmas wish. It is a future certainty.
Christ will be sitting on the throne of David, ruling over all creation. This is the sure hope of
Christians, promised by God. And it will be a reign and a peace which grow broader and deeper
throughout creation, forevermore.
Isn’t that the most wonderful Christmas gift ever? This is the gift God has promised to the
ancient Israelites and to us through his prophet Isaiah.
You might ask, but the Christ child was already born to us. The Son of God was already given to
us. The first Christmas has already occurred. So where is this wonderous world peace?
Some months ago, I spoke on Daniel chapter 7. I used the analogy of viewing mountains to
describe a common feature of biblical prophecy.
When we look at a series of mountains, there is a lack of depth perception. We see a series of
mountain peaks, but it is not until we cross the peak before us, that we realize how near or far the
next peak truly is. This can be an analogy for the vision of biblical prophets. Prophets accurately
describe future events, but God does not give them a sense of temporal depth perception. We
often see prophecy that is fulfilled within a few hundred years, intermixed with prophecy that
will not be fulfilled until much later. It is not until we get closer historically, that we can
distinguish between what is near and what is far off. And seeing the fulfillment of prophecy that
is near, builds our confidence in the future fulfillment of prophecy that is far off.
Throughout his book, Isaiah prophesied about how the Son is born, how he suffers and is
rejected, how he saves his people from their sins, how he reigns and brings peace to the world.
He describes these prophetic visions without distinguishing the timing and sequence of events.
From our present point of view, we can that there are actually two stages to the coming of Christ.
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Theologians describe this as “the already and the not yet.” Some components of the messianic
prophecies of Isaiah have already occurred, but other components “not yet”. Jesus has already
been born, the Son has already been given, but the unveiling of the full glory and blessings of
Christ is “not yet”. The kingdom of heaven is already on earth, but the full manifestation of the
kingdom is “not yet”. Christ is already reigning in the hearts and lives of his people, you and me,
but the reign of Christ over all creation is “not yet”.
You know that there are always early adopters of new technology? The early adopters of my
generation are the ones who stood in line overnight to buy iPhones when they first came out
years ago. The early adopters of our kids’ generation are the ones using AI to do all their
homework presently. I am not even on social media, so I am not an early adopter of technology
by any stretch of the imagination.
But do you know what I am? Though I am not an early adopter, I am an early adopted. In God’s
kingdom, you and I are the early adopted. We are the early ones adopted into the family of God.
And because of that, a lot of Isaiah prophesized are already accessible to us, has already been
realized in our lives. Jesus is already our Wonderful Counselor, our Might God, our Eternal
Father, our Prince of Peace. He can already be on the throne of our lives.
At the same time, this truth applies on an even greater scale. Because we are not the totality of
God’s people on earth, by any stretch of the imagination. We are just the first fruits, the early
ones brought into God’s family. This family is going to get way, way bigger. There is coming a
day, when all of Jesus’s enemies will be destroyed and all knees shall bow and all tongues shall
confess that Jesus is Lord. That is the time when what is already happening in Christians now,
will spread broader to encompass all of God’s people and spread deeper to fully fill every heart.
That is when Isaiah’s prophecy will fulfilled on a complete and universal scale, when Jesus will
rule over all humanity and all creation with justice and righteousness, when there will be true
world peace and universal well-being. That’s the Christmas promise God has given to all of us
through his Son.
Conclusion
I mentioned in the beginning of this message that peace has always been a central theme of
Christmas. That’s because the angels proclaimed to the shepherds outside Bethlehem,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke
2:14 NASB)
I don’t know if you noticed, but those are not usually the words we see on Christmas cards. The
more common phrase is, “Peace on earth. Goodwill toward men.” If you think about it, that
works well on a mass market Christmas card. It’s Christmas, we should have peace and people
should all be nice to each other. Everybody can agree to that message. The problem is, that is not
what the angels actually proclaimed.
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The phrase “Peace on earth. Goodwill toward men,” comes from the early English translations of
the Bible, completed more than centuries ago. The King James Bible, for example, says:
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2:14 KJV)
Since then, scholars have found more reliable manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. They
now realize that the older translation to English is not accurate. The actual meaning of the verse
is, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace in men of his goodwill, meaning peace in
men with whom God is pleased.
All the present-day translations, including the NASB, the ESV, and the NIV, translate Luke 2:14
the correct way now.
The funny thing is even though “Peace on earth, Goodwill toward men” is the results of a
translation mistake, it is actually not far off from the Christmas hope. God promises through
Isaiah that the day is coming, when Christ will return to establish and uphold his kingdom with
justice and righteousness, that his peace and his dominion will increase with no end, forever
more. Christ’s rule will be global and eternal. There will indeed be peace on earth. There will
indeed be sincere and universal goodwill towards men. That is the future rule of Christ, which is
“not yet,” but promised by God.
At the same time, let’s not forget the correct translation, what the angels actually proclaimed.
With the birth of Christ, there is peace among people with whom God is pleased. Peace for
people who honor and worship God. That peace was already brought by Christ at his birth. It’s
like we can have our Christmas cake and eat it too. We can look forward to the universal peace
of Christ in the future while we enjoy the peace of Christ within ourselves in the present. That
shalom peace of wholeness and completeness and wellbeing is among us now. It is accessible
and available to us now. “Already,” not “Not Yet.”
That is because to us, followers of Christ, the son has already been given. He has already saved
us from our sins and brought reconciliation and peace between us and God. He has already given
us the Holy Spirit to provide us with comfort and peace in our hearts. He has already made us a
family to share love and peace among each other.
So, this Christmas season, let us not be harried and agitated by circumstances and demands
around us. Let us allow God to use us as channels of peace and reconciliation. Let us allow the
Spirit to bring peace and tranquility to our hearts. Let us allow the Prince of Peace to rule our
lives. Let us experience fully and spread widely the peace of Christ at Christmas.
Let us pray.
North Village Church
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