Can We Have Some Peace, Please? Series

CAN WE HAVE SOME PEACE, PLEASE?

Luke 2:14 (8-16)

S: Peace

Th: We have reason to rejoice!

Pr: WE REJOICE IN A GOD WHO BRINGS PEACE.

?: Why?

KW: Reasons

TS: We will find in Luke 2:14 three reasons why we rejoice in a God who brings peace.

The ____ reason is the…

I. REACTION

II. REACH

III. RECEPTION

Version: ESV

RMBC 15 Dec 02 AM

INTRODUCTION:

At times, I find Christmas stressful.

How about you?

And…

In this time of goodwill, isn’t it amazing that we still find time to fight?

I don’t know if this has been true in your house, but when our kids were younger, they would get so antsy and excited, they couldn’t stay still.

So as the anticipation rose, the emotions became more fragile.

It could get so bad that fights would take place over dessert.

But in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, I want to give you a gift – a solution if you will, that will solve any problems you might have regarding desserts.

The solution is a dessert that no one will fight over: fruitcake.

So now let me include, in my annual spirit of making fun of fruitcake, let me offer the top ten uses of fruitcake:

ILL Notebook: Christmas (top 10 uses)

10. Use slices to balance that wobbly kitchen table.

9. Use instead of sandbags during times of flooding.

8. One word: pincushion

7. Use as railroad ties.

6. Use as speed bumps to foil the neighborhood drag racers.

5. Collect ten and use them as bowling pins (Warning: they might dent your bowling ball).

4. Use instead of cement shoes.

3. Save for next summer’s garage sale.

2. Use slices in next skeet-shooting competition.

1. Send to U.S. Air Force, and let our troops drop them as our new secret weapon.

Well, we may chuckle at the last one, but we do know that war is looming on the horizon.

I am sure that this saddens most of us.

We would rather not be in this position of being poised for war.

In fact, this is the time of the year that we would rather be thinking of peace.

This reminds me of the newspaper headline that excelled in stating the obvious.

It read:

War Dims Hope for Peace

Well…yeah…this would be true.

TRANSITION:

Nevertheless, I do want to reassure you today that…

1. WE REJOICE IN A GOD WHO BRINGS PEACE.

But when we look at the world today, that seems distant doesn’t it?

In many ways, we are still reeling over the crumbling of the twin towers.

The search for Osama bin Laden has come up empty-handed.

And conflict around the world still fills the headlines.

This week, conflict was reported in…

…Israel

…Afghanistan

…Iraq

…Indonesia

…Bangladesh

…Sudan

…Zimbabwe

…North Korea

…Venezuela

…Colombia

So…

2. Is there peace anywhere in this world?

Uncertainty really seems to characterize our times.

I don’t know about you, but I wonder if the time isn’t so far away that the acts of terrorism will become more frequent on our own shores.

But you know, wouldn’t it be great if we really could lay down the weapons of war?

And all those billions of dollars that we spend on military uses, could be used to feed the hungry, to furnish housing for the homeless and to put clothes on the poor.

We are not the only ones to live in such uncertainty.

Two thousand years ago, the little country of Israel longed for freedom from their oppressor, Rome.

And…

3. As we look back into Israel’s history, we know they longed for a peacemaker (Isaiah 9:6).

They were looking for their Messiah-King that the prophet Isaiah spoke of…

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

They longed for the Prince of Peace to come and rule them.

But though they longed for it, the peace seemed far away.

It seemed God had forgotten.

Yet a surprise was coming!

4. One night, the world changed and the dream of peace became a reality (Luke 2:8-16).

Here is how the story reads:

[8] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,