Do you remember the game you used to play as a kid, where you imagine what you would say if a genie appeared to you and granted you three wishes? Maybe you wanted a certain toy or to go somewhere far away. But do you remember one of the common wishes? Maybe we meant it or we felt like we had to say it - but most of us, at some point wished for world peace.
In our asking for world peace, what we mean is that we wish for our version of peace on earth. A world where there is no fighting, hate, sadness, or even death. All be right in our eyes if those things would actually come true. But when we come to our second week of advent, a season of peace, we learn that the peace that Jesus brings is not the same kind of peace that we often expect.
When we read in Luke chapter 2: verse 13-14 "Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to people he favors!" Despite what we read in our verses today Jesus' birth and work on earth did not bring the peace in the way we might have imagined. Jesus' birth brought peace between God and people and through that reconciliation, he made a way for for peace between people. But as long as there is sin in our would and there will be until Jesus returns, we won't see the peace (the kind we imagine) over all the earth. We will continue to witness devastating things.
Though Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it's important we don't forget all that He came to earth to do after that moment. Jesus had a job to do, He came to be our Savior. He came as a baby, He lived a perfect life, died for our sins, rose from the dead and went back to heaven. And in His death He did just what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2: 13-16 (He became our peace tearing down the dividing wall of hostility between man and God; so that he might create in himself a new man from the two resulting in peace.)
This Prince of peace didn't come to live a life of luxury or ease on earth. He wasn't waiting in line , hoping He'd one day get to take His place on the throne. He knew His job and He knew how it would end. He came with a mission- a battle in mind, and he accomplished it. Through His death and resurrection, he Waged war against sin and he was victorious. That is our Prince of Peace.
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