Christmas Carol Service - The Peace Prince
Prince of peace.. interesting to see in Phillipines after their storms and floods, how the people are holding onto faith when their world is falling apart…
Do you watch the news these days and wish there could be peace, Ulster Syria, Israel, peace in Jerusalem. We need a peace prince.
So as we celebrate Christmas this year let’s make sure our Christmas is a celebration of Jesus the Christ who cries and laughs with us.
Read Isaiah 9 v 2-7. It is hard to believe the reading from Isaiah 9 was written 750 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 9v6 “He shall be called, wonderful counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince of peace.”
Jesus talked a lot about peace, Blessed are the peace makers. Peace I leave with you. Spoke to the storms and said Peace! Be Still! Spoke about a peace that is beyond our understanding. Do you think his followers got the message? Even before that, the Angels sang “Glory to God in the Highest, on earth, peace & good will towards all.” Can we get the message… close to God’s heart is this subject of peace.
At the centre of Jesus Christ coming to the earth is something about peace….He is our Prince of Peace. It’s not a casual passive hippy peace! Not a fragile peace that’s dependant on North & South Korea tolerating eachother, or Israel and the Lebanon or Palestine declaring a ceasefire….. Jesus is commissioning us to a sturdy peace – Blessed are the peacemakers… commissioning his followers to do everything in our power to work for peace… in our world… in marriages… in families… in the workplace. How serious am I about being a peacemaker?
Bringing it closer to home….1/3 of our daily lives is spent at work 8/24 and of each day the best 8 hours of our day is at work – here in this hospital.
How we are as peacemakers will give a joy or create a misery that will affect the rest of the day, the evening and through night. Every encounter will bless or burden in some way. You can be a peacemaker. Whether you are a patient here at SMH or a member of staff or a volunteer you can be a peacemaker (even if people around you don’t want to play).. each of us can make a decision…. I will be a peace maker…. I will be a blessing person not a burden person. I can assure you you will go home more at peace yourself.
Perhaps that’s not where you’re at right now because you’re not even at peace within yourself, struggling with health or some turmoil….lost your peace.
You need a peace prince yourself, one who can bring peace into your life and transform your turmoil.
I would be letting myself down tonight if I didn’t tell you that I think you will struggle as a peacemaker and you’ll struggle if you have no peace yourself if you do not open your heart to the prince of peace.
I would be letting myself down tonight if, after singing all these carols
I didnt to introduce you to this Prince of Peace.
Yes we celebrate his birth at Christmas, his death at Good Friday & how he defeated death on Easter Sunday. You see the opening words also said this baby boy is also to be known as Mighty God, not mighty person (like Mandaela)…not mighty prophet(as some faiths would call him) …. But mighty God…this baby Jesus, peace-prince is….mighty God and if you pray him into your life (Like Choir just sang Away in a Manger) if you invite him into your life it will transform your peacemaking, it will transform you.
“Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay close by me forever and love me I pray”
Away in a Manger
Footnote: Sermon preached at St Mary’s Hospital Carol Service I.o.Wight 2016
