Christmas Peace

Collossians 3:12,15

Matthew 10: 34-36

Number 1. A sword? Jesus certainly doesn’t mean a physical sword. Look at what he said to Peter when Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest: “Put your sword away, Peter! Those who use the sword will die by the sword!”

Number 2.  Jesus means a “sword of division” as people make their response to Him. They either welcome Him, or they push Him away. Like the Christmas verse John 1:11 “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” It is a sword of division as people make their choice as to how they will respond to Jesus. “Yes, I choose to live for You, Jesus,” or “No, I choose to turn my back on You.”

Number 3. This Scripture is pretty amazing because it is about our freedom to choose. Revelations 3:20. God has made us like this- people who have choice. We are not puppets whom God is controlling. God wants us to choose to love Him freely.

Number 4. What is the peace that Jesus did come to bring? We have to balance out this verse in Matthew with the many, many amazing verses which talk about the peace that is real and beautiful. Isaiah 9:6, a beautiful Christmas verse, and one that has been put to music many times, like in Handel’s “Messiah,” tells us that He is “the Prince of Peace.”

This peace has a three-fold aspect:

Number 1. Peace with God. The barrier between us and God has been taken away because of what Jesus has done for us on the Cross.

Number 2. Peace with each other. Ephesians 2:14: “He is our peace.” Paul is talking about peace between Jew and Gentile, and it also applies to all of our relationships. Our relationships in the home- between husbands and wives, parents and children, between siblings… He is our peace. Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” Immediately preceding this, Paul (in v12) is giving us practical advice as to how that peace is achieved: kindness, gentleness, patience. We especially need the fruit of the Spirit of patience as we approach Christmas!

Finally, the third aspect of that peace which Jesus has come to bring: our own inner peace. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you.” (John 14). We can find that in knowing that Jesus is Lord of our lives, and that His Holy Spirit dwells within us. The peace that Jesus gives us is not an absence of trouble, but it does help prevent us from being overwhelmed by fear and doubt. The peace of His forgiveness, the peace of His friendship, the peace that He will meet all of our needs according to the riches of His glory, as Philippians 4:19 tells us. The peace that He has gone to prepare a place for us, so that one day we will be with Him in glory.

This Christmas Jesus gives us a choice. Either we acknowledge Him and follow His ways, or we choose to go our own way. Moses said to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy (30: 19 and 20) “Choose life, that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.” Jesus tells us that He has come so that we may have “life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10). And part of that fullness is His wonderful peace that He promises to us- a peace that the world cannot give.