Prince of Peace

A story is told about a young boy and a young girl who were each building a collection. The boy had a large glass jar filled with marbles. The girl had a similarly sized glass jar filled with sweets (candy). On one particular day they decided to exchange their collection. The boy would give the girl his entire collection of marbles and the girl would give the boy her entire collection of treats. 

The date for the exchange was set; and as the boy was going to school on that day, he took one final look into the collection of marbles that he so greatly treasured. He spied two or three extremely precious marbles to which he had grown quite fond. As he walked he looked around to see if anyone was watching him and he quickly placed his hand into the jar and dislodged those three marbles from their place, deposited them in his pocket, and briskly walked on.

The exchange continued as had been planned. The boy asked if this was her complete set of sweets. “Yes” was the reply. The girl asked the same question and the boy ran his hand over his pocket and firmly replied that all the marbles were present and accounted for.

That night, when they had both returned to their homes, the girl slept soundly, having acquired marbles in the exchange. The boy wrestled all through the night, wondering incessantly if the girl had actually given him all of her candy.

Isn’t it interesting that the boy could not sleep? This was not because someone had perpetrated any ill against him, but because he himself had shortchanged this girl, now had doubts about it, and created his own inner turmoil—he did not have peace.

We have created our own inner turmoil; actually, we were born with it. Our ancient parents walked away from God in favor of their own autonomy and in one powerful claim for “more” they ironically lost a life of peace. They found their hearts at war with God; we are still there today.

Some of us tremble when we think of God because our hearts are conceived with that ancient rebellion. Still others ignore God because we are convinced that he is old fashioned or outdated, so we avert our attention elsewhere. But we are not at peace. What keeps us from having peace and how can Jesus, the Prince of Peace, truly hand over peace to us?

[Jesus said,] “I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me. In this world you are going to have trouble. But be courageous! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, EHV)

In Luke 2 we meet a scraggly crew of shepherds who shouldn’t have any chance of peace if their status and social worth has anything to do with it. But their meager life is abruptly met with the angel’s proclamation of peace. 

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people’.” (Luke 2:8-10, ESV)

Their status in society did not change, but the angels offered them real peace. That peace was wrapped up with the baby in the manger who is the Prince of Peace. How can a baby give peace? What change could the arrival of this tiny life create in them so that they were not only at peace but rejoicing and glad of heart? And how can that peace and gladness rest on us this Christmas?

It is through the child, the one born quietly and humbly as the Prince of Peace. Even the place of his birth tells us God’s plans involved both royal birth and humble beginnings. He was born in the town of David, which was more like a backwater town. The greatest king that Israel had ever known was born here but its place in Jewish society was meek and lowly. 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (Luke 2:4, ESV)

“Once in royal David’s city / Stood a lowly cattle shed” (“Once in Royal David’s City”, Christian Worship: a Lutheran Hymnal, #50). It is in this royal city, or more aptly called a small village, that the greatest king was born. 

This king, unfettered by pomp, would willingly lay his head on straw and grime because he is the Prince of Peace. He does not demand; he gives. He does not cause us to grovel; he stoops to serve instead. He comes to show the world, he comes to show the shepherds, and he comes to show you and me that his royalty is not for the sake of pushing others down but for raising them up to be his kin. This heavenly, royal birth would be purposely arranged in the most humble settings to show that he can understand our poverty and hurt and have the ability to bring us out of it. 

He could have claimed any golden king’s throne but chose a feed trough for a bed and stable animals for medical attendants. He came in humility because by his humility he would set in place the workings of peace. All would be made right through this Prince. Peace would be restored by all who recognized in him the Mighty God serves in order to deliver peace. We could have been mocked and beaten for our insurgency against his royal status. Our ancient grievances against his reign were now several thousand years old. We had created his pain and his unjust position in this world, but he chose to be a prince hidden in poverty. He chose to be regal and appear as a pauper.

He reigns as the Prince of Peace because he had to, Himself, be that bridge that brought real peace between the perpetrators and the holy, righteous God.

Peace can only come through such willingness to back down from assaulting those who have offended you. God was offended; his love for humanity was ignored and doubted by the first man and woman. And in every generation since Adam and Eve, men and women raised their fists in disgust toward God and anger against him. Yet we all inwardly wanted our freedom from the One who could really set us free from ourselves. 

Despite our disgust he endured our loathing and even stepped into this tyranny created by the hearts of mankind. He sunk into the sludge and mire of our own broken lives to show us that his heart had not changed since that very first battle we waged against him. He still is the Mighty God of power whose chest contains the Everlasting Father’s heart of love. He promises that he will accomplish peace by offering himself, the Prince of Peace.

Verse two of “Where Shepherds Lately Knelt” states: “In that unlikely place I find him as they said/ Sweet newborn Babe, how frail! And in a manger bed/ A still, small voice to cry one day for me/ A still, small voice to cry one day for me.” (“Where Shepherds Lately Knelt,” Vajda, J. Christian Worship: a Lutheran Hymnal, #54)

What is it that keeps me from having peace? I know my own destructive patterns and broken promises. I know where I have turned my back on one person or another or even run away from God himself. I have created my own turmoil but now I see that the Prince of Peace is not here to wage war with me but to cry for me, to fight for me and to die for me. And by his life he already has given me peace.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13-14, ESV)

 Merry Christmas and God’s richest blessings to you all!

 Pastor Al