Monday, December 22, 2025
The Only Place To Find True and Lasting Peace
This Christmas season Pastor Jim is leading us through a series titled Peace On Earth, through which we are learning the key truth that peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of wholeness. We have learned that the birth of one tiny baby brought us peace with God, peace for the future, and peace with other people. Through his life here on earth, his death on the cross, and his resurrection, Jesus not only gave us redemption and eternal life, but also an invitation to a new way of life as we live out our days here on earth.
Everyone wants peace. We want emotional, mental, and relational peace, but we look for it in places that often leave us feeling more restless than ever. We look for peace in temporary fixes, believing the lie that the next shiny thing, or new person, will give us what we need. But they don’t. Some work for a moment, but none provide lasting peace.
As believers, we have the Prince of Peace in our hearts. The lasting, true peace we all seek is within our very being, yet we pile idols up in our hearts, stuffing him down and covering him up, trying to create peace on our own. Why do we do this?
As Pastor Jim quoted Gary Thomas yesterday - Peace is relational, not situational. We take our cues for peace from what is happening around us – at home, at work, in the world, or in our relationships. Even if we find peace in the current situation, it could be gone within minutes. Our situations are ever changing, but Jesus, the true source of our peace, never changes. Gary Thomas also said If we have him, we already have enough. The world we live in contradicts this truth. The world says we should be skinnier, have more, go on more vacations, and upgrade our phones, cars, and houses often. This world we live in is not about Jesus being enough and there are constant reminders popping up on our phones and social media.
Who is the baby born in a stable at Christmas and how can he give us peace? In his sermon yesterday Pastor Jim gave us three points about who this baby is.
He is historic – In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. Luke 2:1-3
Luke begins the story of Jesus’ birth telling us that there was a decree that everyone should be registered in the census. This shows us that Jesus is historic, not just a spiritual account. There was a census, in the pages of history, that tell us what was happening in the world at that time. The pages of the history book line up with the stories in the Bible.
He is prophetic - Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah. Micah 5:2 says But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
Because of the census they had to go to their ancestral homes, therefore Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem because Joseph was of the line of David. Because they had to travel to Bethlehem and Mary gave birth there, the prophecy was fulfilled It is not just a spiritual account, it was a historic world event. There was a census, in the pages of history, that took Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem so the prophecy could be fulfilled.
He is Salvific – The Prince of Peace was born in a stable in humility and vulnerability, providing salvation for everyone. The people had been waiting for the Messiah to save them for over 400 years. Many missed it because this was not the Messiah they were expecting or looking for. This tiny Messiah would change mankind forever providing a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
How can he give us peace? He himself is peace. Without a relationship with him we cannot ever know true peace. We will seek out the peace the world offers, which is not peace at all. The peace he offers the world cannot provide. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27 It is a daily invitation from him and the more we fill ourselves up with him the more peaceful we will feel. This doesn’t mean we will never have troubles; it means that his peace will be with us no matter what our situations are.
What about you – do you know this Prince of Peace?
Are you looking for peace in situations instead of in your relationship with Jesus?
