Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end. On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

The Prince of Peace came to restore what sin shattered in Eden—and to offer us both peace with God and the peace of God.

The Season of Advent and the Coming Prince of Peace

Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. For me, with a four-year-old, a two-year-old, and one on the way, it's even more enjoyable. My kids love seeing the lights, and I get to relive Christmas while sharing with them the real story of Christmas.

We've been in a series on Advent—the four weeks leading up to Christmas, a time of preparation and waiting for the Lord Jesus to come. In reality, we know the Prince of Peace came 2,000 years ago, the baby in the manger. We celebrate that this Christmas, his birthday. And we also prepare to celebrate that he's coming again—he came once as the baby, but he's coming again to restore peace on earth.

The book of Isaiah is in the Old Testament. Isaiah lived about 700 years before Jesus, and this prophecy was written about 600 years before him, foretelling the coming King, the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Last week Pastor Nick spoke about hope—that the coming of Jesus brought hope for all humanity, hope that we could have a life of peace, joy, and love restored to us in Christ. Today we get to talk about peace, the coming Prince of Peace.

The Christmas Puzzle

Some of us treat Christmas each year like a puzzle. Every year we put a couple of pieces together, but we never quite get the full story, and then we put it back in the box to start over again next year. My genuine hope for each one of you is that wherever you're starting in your understanding of the true Christmas story—God sending his one and only Son into the world—you'd be able to add some more pieces, and perhaps finish the puzzle more completely. And if you've read this story a million times, perhaps having the full picture will help you understand it on a deeper level.

What Is Peace, and Why Do We Lack It?

As I prepared, I had a song stuck in my head: "I've got peace like a river... in my soul." We'll come back to why songwriters compare peace to a river. But what kind of peace do we actually have? If we look honestly within and without, we'd find that universally we are lacking peace in multiple areas of our lives.

First, we lack peace within. There's turmoil and chaos in our own hearts, where our mind and our heart are in constant disagreement. The Apostle Paul said the same thing: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do." We desire to be holy and follow God, and then we do the very things we hate. That's exactly what the Christian life—and human life—is like.

I have the privilege of teaching junior high and high school students. Sadly, theirs is the generation with the highest rates of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal thoughts. Yet every week I get to share with them the greatest story ever told: that God sent his Son, the Prince of Peace, to dwell with us. Immanuel means "God with us." That's why I'll never tire of sharing it—it brings hope that we can live a life full of peace, joy, and love.

We also lack peace with creation. This whole year has been a wild succession of hurricanes, flooding, and natural disasters. Almost every day I hear of a new food or pet allergy among my youth. And we lack peace with each other, relationally. At Christmastime we have an innate desire for peace, so we put on a face and pretend to get along with relatives we struggle with—because we long for harmony. But as soon as January comes, we're glad they're gone.

The Angels' Announcement of Peace

That longing for "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" is why it was so significant that 2,000 years ago the angels lit up the night sky over shepherds and declared, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased." Those shepherds probably wondered exactly what you wonder: what kind of peace are these angels talking about?

Isaiah had prophesied the Prince of Peace 700 years earlier, and 700 years had passed. On top of that, the last 400 years were the intertestamental period—400 years of silence, when God had not spoken through his prophets. Generation after generation must have wondered if God had forgotten his promise. They were occupied by Roman oppressors, certainly not living at peace. When the angels appeared singing of peace, it was a sign unlike anything seen in 400 years, and the shepherds had to go investigate for themselves. Perhaps you can investigate the story yourself this morning. Where did we lose peace? Was there ever perfect peace on earth? Yes—and for that we go back to the garden of Eden.

Point One: The Prince of Peace Came to Restore What Was Lost in Eden

We cannot understand Christmas without this. In the garden of Eden there was perfect harmony. God created everything and it was good—everything lived in harmony with one another.

Adam and Eve had perfect inner peace. They had no concept of fear, pain, tears, anxiety, or depression. They had perfect peace with each other—no marital conflict, no bickering. God didn't have to tell Adam to speak nicely to his wife. They had perfect peace with creation. They were given authority over the entire garden and could eat any fruit without allergic reactions. No animals tried to kill them, no mosquitoes bit them.

I hate mosquitoes—I genuinely think they're part of the curse. But they make a great picture of sin. A mosquito bite starts to itch, and the more you scratch it, the worse it gets, until you have an open, festering wound. Sin is just like that: temptation comes in like a bite, we scratch it, and it leads to death.

There were no storms, no hurricanes—perfect peace. And it was all because Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect peace with God. They walked with him in the garden. They had one rule: do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That was it. And they broke it.

Peace Shattered

Instantly, that peace was lost. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they felt something they had never felt before: guilt, fear, and shame. They heard God walking in the garden and hid in the trees, thinking they could hide from God. Sin makes us guilty before a holy God and makes us want to hide—but you cannot hide your sin from God.

God called out, "Where are you?" Adam came out scared, and God asked, "Who told you that you were naked?" They had to admit they'd eaten the fruit. Sin shattered the peace God intended for us. It introduced internal fragmentation—instantly they lost inner peace, feeling shame, guilt, and fear.

Then relational peace was lost. When God asked what happened, Adam immediately threw his wife under the bus: "The woman you gave me, God." He blamed Eve and even blamed God for giving her to him. Relational peace between man and woman was instantly broken. Do you think Eve ever let Adam live that down?

Finally, there were consequences, because sin separates us from God and demands justice. For Eve, pain in childbirth. For Adam, toil against a cursed ground. All of creation—the animal kingdom, the oceans, everything—fell under the curse. That's why we have natural disasters, storms, and animals that bite us.

But the good news is that the angels showed up in Bethlehem to tell the shepherds, "We bring you good news of great joy for all people." The Prince of Peace had come into this world. For unto us a child is born—Isaiah 9 is fulfilled.

Point Two: Christmas Is the Greatest Offer of Peace God Could Ever Give

We deserved punishment and separation from God, yet from the very beginning God determined to reconcile us to himself and restore what was lost in Eden. The story of Christmas is that the Father, Son, and Spirit formulated a plan to save us—God initiated peace with us because we could not initiate it with him. We were sinful and separated; we had no right to approach a holy and just God and ask for peace.

Christmas is a profound mystery: the infinite God becoming finite. Jesus came from heaven, from the right hand of the Father, and put on flesh, becoming fully man. That means he understands all our aches and pains—even allergies—because he took on the fullness of humanity. He understands emotions, fears, anxieties, sorrow, and tears. He wept when Lazarus died. The Creator entered creation; the Holy One identified with broken humanity. Born of the virgin Mary, conceived of the Holy Spirit, fully man yet fully God, the Prince of Peace came into our lives.

We believe in a triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all distinct yet all equally God. From the beginning, God created a plan to reconcile himself with his most precious creation: man and woman made in his image. This matters, because our world tells us we are just a random clump of cells. God says no: "I knit you together in your mother's womb. I created you with a purpose. You are not an accident." Our youth desperately need this, because when they face hard times and believe they're just a clump of cells, life slides into nihilism. The Prince of Peace came to give you peace today.

A Peace Purchased by Personal Sacrifice

It was necessary for Jesus to come as a child, born under the same law we are all born under—the law of God that none of us could keep. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all deserve punishment from a holy and just God. We all crave justice, especially when we're cut off in traffic or our car is broken into. God has the same desire for justice, and sin will one day be judged. But when God sent his Son, it was not a judgment of the world—it was an offering of peace.

Christ came under the law so he could fulfill it perfectly. Every expectation, every law of God, Jesus lived up to flawlessly. Then he was sacrificed for our sins, bearing the punishment and wrath of God on our behalf. He said, "I came to do the will of the Father who sent me." Before the cross he prayed, "Father, let this cup pass from me—yet not my will, but yours be done." None of us could have done that. Only the Prince of Peace could have sacrificed himself willingly to reconcile our broken relationship with God.

If we want peace outwardly, we must first have peace vertically—peace with God. And Jesus initiated it. This was no small gesture. God's ultimate offering of peace was the Prince of Peace himself—a peace not negotiated from a distance or imposed by power, but purchased by personal sacrifice. "For unto us a child is born" tells us God would come as a child; "to us a son is given" tells us God willingly gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life. The baby in the manger is God's most definitive statement: "I will come to you and offer you peace. I will restore what was lost. I will bring you back to myself." That is why his name is Immanuel—God with us.

Point Three: Life with God Is Not Immunity from Difficulties, but Peace in Them

You might ask: "The Prince of Peace came 2,000 years ago, but I still lack peace today. What's going on?" I get this question constantly—youth call me asking how a good God can allow pain, suffering, turmoil, and chaos. C.S. Lewis wrote an entire book, The Problem of Pain. It is a real problem.

Here's what I want to encourage you with: life with God is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in them. It pains me to say it, because I hate watching people suffer and I hate suffering myself. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world." Knowing Jesus does not guarantee a life without pain—I wish it did—but it guarantees an eternity without pain, where there will be no more tears, sorrow, death, cancer, or blindness.

The promise is more profound: the Prince of Peace enters your life and restores inner peace in the midst of the storms you face. This is not a temporary emotional high, not the removal of all challenges, not a promise of prosperity or health. It is an inner peace that surpasses all understanding and will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. It is a deep inner calm, an unshakable confidence in God's goodness, a peace that strengthens you to walk through the fire.

Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the fiery furnace. Were they at peace being thrown in? No—but who met them in there? Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Think of Daniel cast unjustly into the lion's den. Was he at peace? Yes, because God was with him. Is God with you? Is Immanuel in your heart today?

Setting Your Mind on Jesus

Isaiah 26 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you." I always tell our youth that God cares about what you think about. Your thought life matters. If you aren't thinking about what you're thinking about, you really should be. When we dwell on the things of this earth, it induces anxiety, stress, and depression. God says, "Look on what is good, lovely, and pure. Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of your faith."

When Jesus ascended, he sent us the great helper, the Holy Spirit. God gives us a heart of flesh in place of a heart of stone and makes all things new. That's why we are called born-again Christians—reborn into a new life with a new heart that becomes a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. Do you know the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart today?

Before the cross, Jesus said in John 14, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." The world's peace is circumstantial—my car runs, my house is fine, my kids are healthy. But that's temporary and never solves the inner turmoil, because eventually all the shiny things fade and we're left wrestling with ourselves. God offers a perfect peace.

Paul and Stephen: Peace That Surpasses Understanding

Paul experienced this peace. On his way to persecute Christians in Damascus, the Prince of Peace knocked him off his donkey in a blinding light and said, "Why are you persecuting me?" He was radically transformed and went on to write nearly two-thirds of our New Testament. Was he exempt from difficulty? No—shipwrecked, beaten, and imprisoned repeatedly, often unjustly. Yet Paul had a peace that surpassed understanding, incomprehensible by the world's standards. The world asks, "How can you be at peace when everything's going crazy?" They can't understand it until they meet the Prince of Peace themselves.

Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Note the words: "in everything," not "for everything." You shouldn't be thankful for awful, painful circumstances—but in every circumstance you can be thankful, because you always have something to be thankful for.

Stephen, the first martyr, gave an incredible sermon, after which the leaders cast him out and stoned him. Yet instead of condemning men he likely had known since childhood, he looked up to heaven, saw the glory of God, and said, "Lord, do not count this sin against them." That is an inner peace that surpasses understanding—a peace that comes from being in right relationship with God.

The Prince of Peace Extends His Hand

In his earthly ministry Jesus brought peace to many. He brought peace to the woman at the well with multiple husbands, to lepers who were social outcasts, to the demon-possessed by casting out demons, and to tax collectors and sinners by eating with them. He told Zacchaeus, "Come down—I'm going to your house tonight." God offers an invitation; he does not force his way in. He extends his hand of peace freely, and Zacchaeus took it.

You're not here by accident—not in this room, not listening on the podcast or video. God desires for you to have your own personal encounter with the Prince of Peace right now.

Charles Spurgeon, in his book Life in Christ, connects the cup of peace with Jesus' first miracle at Cana, where Jesus turned water into the best wine and saved the best for last. Spurgeon wrote: "As much as we may drink from the cup of peace, the good wine is kept until a future time. The peace we drink today is sprinkled with some drops of bitter. The cares of this world will come, the doubts will arise; no matter how we live in this world, we cannot escape anxiety and distress. Thorns in the flesh must come. But there remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God." What good wine that future rest will be—a sun without spot, a sky without a cloud, a world without a tear. Happy are those who pass through this world bathing their weary souls in the seas of heavenly rest. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart—on Christmas the Prince of Peace came and overcame the world.

Point Four: Only Through Jesus Can You Experience Peace with God and the Peace of God

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." There are two distinct things here.

Peace *with* God. Why were we separated from God? Because we sinned and broke his law. We were criminals, rebels, enemies of God. Peace with God is an objective reconciliation—standing before the Judge and hearing, "Your crimes are wiped clean. You are no longer guilty." If you simply turn to God and say, "I'm sorry; I believe in your Son, the Prince of Peace; forgive me," your sins will be blotted out, separated as far as the east is from the west. It is a legal removal of all guilt, a restored relationship in which you are no longer his enemy but his adopted child with an inheritance that lasts forever—heaven itself.

The peace *of* God. You must have peace with God before you can have the peace of God. The peace of God is a subjective, internal experience—an inner tranquility, calm, and harmony, because your hope is no longer in this world but in Jesus Christ. It is a calm that guards your heart and mind, a supernatural protection in life's storms, not from them.

Peace Like a River

So why do songwriters compare peace to a river? "I've got peace like a river in my soul." Why a river and not a lake? I grew up going to the Colorado River to ski and wakeboard. Rivers don't stop—they keep flowing no matter how long you watch, and they don't run out of water. God's peace never runs out for us; it keeps flowing.

And here's the key, church: it's not supposed to stop with you. God's peace is meant to flow through you to the world. You are now the hands and feet of Jesus, extending his offer of peace to friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Do you want to be a peacemaker today?

The Prince of Peace stands before you—not as a distant ruler, but as a loving Savior who understands your pains, anxieties, hopes, and dreams. He offers restoration for what was lost, a peace beyond understanding, strength for your journey, and complete reconciliation with God. Will you receive the peace that came on Christmas morning?

In John 3:17-18 we read: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, we welcome you this morning. I ask that you would come and restore our brokenness. Bring your peace to our fragmented souls, our broken relationships, and our troubled world. We open our hearts to receive you this Christmas. We thank you for sending your Prince of Peace. And now may the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, guard our hearts and our minds as we trust in you. And may that peace flow out of us into our world in need of peace. Amen.