“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jo 14:27).
Among His awesome titles, why is the Messiah also called the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6)? One reason is that in a world ravaged by conflict, fear and war without and within, our greatest need is true peace. In His earthly ministry, Jesus more than corroborated this title.
Apart from our text above, here are three more witnesses from the Gospel of John.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (16:33).
“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (20:19).
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (20:21).
That’s what Christmas means to me–Christ’s unique, joyful, empowering kind of peace. May such peace be unto you at home, work and everywhere this Christmas and beyond!
Pastor Josh