Today’s message was written by Vicar Andy Westra. He’s serving as vicar, or Seminary student intern, at Victory of the Lamb Lutheran through August 2018.
Do you ever feel like the world is broken? Nations are constantly at war with one another. The Middle East is still a mess. North Korea seems to be one comment away from shooting a nuclear missile at someone. Even in our own government there is nothing but bickering and accusations between the two parties. When I think about the world political scene, peace is the last thing I think about. Instead, I think about unrest and uncertainty.
The prophet Isaiah also lived during a time of political instability around 700 B.C. The nation of Aram was threatening to attack Jerusalem. The king of Judah was wicked and leading his people away from God and his Word. Isaiah was one of the few people who still followed the true God. The people of Judah must have felt a lot of unrest and uncertainty during that time.
That is when Isaiah wrote down this famous prophecy about Jesus. “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. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
The world will always be full of unrest and uncertainty, but Jesus came into the world that we might have true rest, certainty, and peace. We can find peace in our Wonderful Counselor who knows our very thoughts and guides us through his Word. We can find peace in our Mighty God who is control over all things on this earth. We can find peace in our Everlasting Father who loves us as his dear children. We can find peace in our Prince of Peace who brings a peace that this world could never offer.
The peace we have in Jesus comes from the knowledge that he has wiped away our sins forever. Now we can be certain that we will live forever with Jesus. He will reign forever in heaven, and we will spend all of eternity praising him along with the angels.
Prayer: Lord, when I look out at all the unrest in the world, remind me that you have overcome the world. You came into the world to conquer sin, death, and the devil, so that I might find peace in you. Thank you for saving me when I was broken, and for giving me heaven as a free and perfect gift. Amen.
If you have no church home of your own, please join us for worship this Sunday, December 24. We have a Christmas Lessons and Carols service at 9:30am, and a Christmas Candlelight Service at 7:00pm.
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