Advent - A Season of Peace

November 29, 2022

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 

You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 

For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. 

The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. 

The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! (Isaiah 9:1-7)

For many followers of Jesus, this time of the year is known as Advent. It is a time of expectation and excitement as we celebrate the “coming,” the “arrival,” of Messiah - Jesus of Nazareth…the Son of God. Each week we remember this time of the year by lighting a candle. Four candles in all. With the Christ candle the last one lit as we celebrate his birth.

The first advent candle, from last week, also known as “The Prophet’s Candle” is purple and represents hope. The second advent candle, this week's candle, known as “The Bethlehem Candle” is also purple and represents peace - the peace of Christ which “surpasses all understanding.”

Peace is a central theme of the holy scriptures, and it is the main focus of the second week of Advent. One of the many prophecies about Jesus calls him “the Prince of Peace” as we see in our verses above.

At his birth, when the angels appeared to the shepherds, they concluded their proclamation by saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased,” (Luke 2:14). And some time after that, when Simeon saw baby Jesus in the temple, he thanked God that he could now die in peace for he had seen the Messiah (Luke 2:29-33). Eventually, the “prince of peace” himself would share during his first public message that, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God,” (Matthew 5:9).

Peace. It’s what the world longs for but cannot give.

Most of you know that my (Steve) Dad recently passed away. He was a person of peace. He desired peace in his heart, his home, his family, his church, his nation. And whether he ever realized it or not, he passed that desire on to me.

The last time I was home and was saying goodbye to him, he gave me a pair of his Skecher’s Shoes. (Sidenote - I love Skecher’s because you don’t have to bend over and tie your shoes…)

The shoes fit me perfectly.

But, they are also really big shoes to fill.

And, mostly, I don’t feel worthy to wear them.

It sort of reminds me of how I “feel” about following in the footsteps of the Master. For the most part I feel unworthy to be called his servant, much less his friend. And I certainly do not feel worthy to "wear his shoes" which made those footsteps.

There was a tremendous book (made into a movie starring Anthony Quinn, Oskar Werner and Sir Laurence Olivier), written by Morris West called, “The Shoes of the Fisherman.” In it, West tells the story of Kiril Lakota, a former Gulag prisoner who is elected Pope and must rise above the Iron Curtain of the former USSR to lead the Catholic Church in dealing with the issues facing their world including an atomic war.

The title, "Shoes of the Fisherman" refers to the papal legacy dating all the way back to the fisherman Peter. In the book, Lakota feels unworthy to “wear” these shoes and stand in the long line of great men of faith, sacrifice and peace.

But walk, he must. Walk in peace.

As we must as well.

Let’s take time this week to recall that the Prince of Peace has come. Jesus is the Author of Peace. He brings a peace the world cannot understand, cannot afford, and absolutely cannot create.

Receive him. Receive his peace. Be at peace. Go forth in peace. Walk in peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers - they truly are God’s children. Are you?