Prince of Peace

1. Jesus Prince of Peace  

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Peace: shaòloòm[shaw-lome']

BDB Definition: 1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

1a) Completeness (in number)

1b) Safety, soundness (in body)

1c) Welfare, health, prosperity

1d) Peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment

1e) Peace, friendship

1e1) of human relationships

1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship

1f) Peace (from war)

1g) Peace (as adjective)

                 

Luke 2:14 (NIV)  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 19:30 (NIV)  “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”³²Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”³⁴They replied, “The Lord needs it.”³⁵They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.³⁷When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:³⁸“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)  Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

“I am much struck with the contrast between Christ’s mode of gathering people to himself and the way practiced by Alexander the Great, by Julius Caesar, and by myself. The people have been gathered to us by fear; they were gathered to Christ by love. Alexander, Caesar, and I have been men of war, but Christ was the Prince of Peace. The people have been driven to us; they were drawn to him. In our case there has been forced conscription; in his there was free obedience.”

—Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821)

2. Jesus gives us His peace

Romans 5:1 (NIV)  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 

John 14:27 (NIV)  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33 (NIV)  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 20:19-20 (NIV)  On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

3.  The Prince of Peace breaks down the dividing walls and unites us in peace as one.

Ephesians 2:11-22 (NASB)  Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— ¹²remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, ¹⁵by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, ¹⁶and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. ¹⁷And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; ¹⁸for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

4.  Jesus sends us as peacemakers

John 20:21 (NIV)  Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Matthew 5:9 (NASB)  “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:9 (AMP)  Blessed (enjoying  enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!

Romans 12:18 (NIV)  ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 14:19 (NIV)  Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 

1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.¹¹He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

1 Peter 3:11 (AMP)  Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]