Throughout history, even in times perceived to be relatively peaceful, people and places often experience unease and fear. Where we stand in our world today is one of those moments. While armed conflicts exist in various parts of the world, our current era stands out for its relative peace. However, constant media bombardment often portrays a different reality. With every news report highlighting extreme statements and exaggerated rhetoric about opposing viewpoints, it seems that divisions within our nation grow wider. This behavior perpetuates division rather than offering comfort and security to the most vulnerable among us, who are in dire need of relief and safety. In contrast, one of the central themes of Advent is the role of God’s servants in bringing peace to the world. By following Christ’s example, his followers echo the Messiah’s mission of resolving conflicts and promoting peace through righteous actions, not through force. As we prepare for the already but not yet coming of Christ, we are reminded of Isaiah’s prophecy and declare that now is a time for peace.
11 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Isaiah 11:1-11.
During Advent, we eagerly await the arrival of Christ, the prophesied Messiah from Isaiah, who promises justice and genuine peace for humanity. He will rule with integrity and righteousness, fostering peace through just leadership. His path to achieving justice and peace will be guided not by flowery language or deceit, but by an unwavering commitment to righteousness in thought and action. Our own actions must exemplify the truth of the Gospel, and we must lead lives characterized by righteousness. As we celebrate Advent, we strive to bring about God’s peace by actively seeking justice for all, anticipating the coming of Christ, who will ultimately establish true justice and peace in our world.
The Messiah’s promise of PEACE extends beyond humanity. It envisions a restoration of harmony and communion within all of creation. Through his artistic talent, Isaiah paints a picture of a transformed world where former natural adversaries coexist peacefully. The once-ferocious predator and the vulnerable prey interact harmoniously, symbolizing the all-encompassing peace ushered in by the Messiah’s arrival. This imagery serves as a reminder that Christ’s coming ultimately leads to the reconciliation of all creation. In this transformed world, the powerful will no longer prey upon the vulnerable, but rather they will thrive together. The call to prepare for the Messiah’s coming involves caring for one another, particularly the vulnerable and poor among us, and advocating for justice in all aspects of life. This call to justice stems from the understanding that justice leads to PEACE. Our hearts must be moved toward justice to realize the PEACE promised by the Messiah.
PEACE embodies God’s very nature, and the advent of the Messiah deepens our understanding of His boundless GRACE. Ushering in a world “full of the knowledge of the Lord,” the Messiah brings not only wisdom but also a profound knowledge rooted in relationship with God. This connection to the divine leads to comprehensive peace, encompassing understanding, harmony, and obedience to God’s will. Through sacrificial love, Christ reconciles us, emphasizing that God’s truth and knowledge are inextricably intertwined with self-sacrificing love, culminating at the cross. This transformative knowledge, imbued with grace-filled relationship, invites us during Advent to open our hearts and contribute to the peace it brings. By sharing God’s love with our community, we illuminate His character and ultimately experience PEACE through grace.
In a time of great chaos, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that peace is possible. However, to fully experience God’s intentions for creation, we must embrace sacrificial love for our community, even those who may not deserve it. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross unifies us with God, transforming an act of violence meant to divide and scatter into a paramount act of grace that reunites creation with its Creator. During Advent, we are tasked with bringing God’s peace to our communities by sharing the Gospel and the knowledge of God’s truth. This is not a passive endeavor but requires a transformation of our lives. We must pursue justice and empower the weak and powerless, demonstrating the actions of Christ in the world. By doing so, we create a genuine space and time for peace. In essence, the path to peace lies in embracing sacrificial love, living out the message of peace through our actions, and empowering the marginalized to experience the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice. Through this collective effort, we can create a world that reflects the peace that God desires for all creation.
Horizon Community Church 