{"id":8485,"date":"2003-12-17T23:13:57","date_gmt":"2003-12-18T04:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=8485"},"modified":"2011-07-06T08:28:10","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T13:28:10","slug":"3407","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2003\/12\/17\/3407\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent Devotion: Why Only ‘Prince of Peace?’"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (December 17, 2003)\u00a0 – Covenant Communications has posted a\u00a0 number of Advent devotionals in recent days. This one is from pastor\u00a0 Gary Downing of Rochester Covenant Church in Minnesota.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here’s a pop quiz for you: Why is Jesus referred to in the biblical\u00a0 birth narratives as only the “Prince of Peace” and not the “King of Peace?”<\/p>\n
I was studying to try and figure out if there were some deep, ancient\u00a0 theological reasons for this title. When I asked my staff they replied,\u00a0 “Oh that’s easy. It’s because his dad was the King and Jesus was only a\u00a0 baby then . . .” What do you think is the answer?<\/p>\n
Sometimes I try to read too much into a question and miss the obvious. I\u00a0 think their (the staff’s) straightforward responses were correct. The\u00a0 ancients didn’t have the problem of understanding a relationship of\u00a0 essence between a father and a son, or a king and his prince, like I do.\u00a0 For them, “I and my father are one” equaled full participation and the\u00a0 same nature between the two, not defined and divided by what I would\u00a0 consider different roles. This is part of the paradox of the Incarnation\u00a0\u00a0 (the “enfleshing” of God in Jesus of Nazareth) . . . Father and Son,\u00a0 King and Prince. Advent can help bring that into focus.<\/p>\n
What does this tell us about peace? A prince born is the fulfillment of\u00a0 hope. Jesus as the “Prince of Peace” demonstrated that a long foretold\u00a0 promise had come true. The heir to the throne carried the same authority\u00a0 as the one who sat on the throne. God’s peace had begun, even if it was\u00a0 not fully experienced, through the birth of Christ – the Messiah.<\/p>\n
The Hebrew scriptural promise (Micah 5:5), “He will be their peace,” was\u00a0 realized in Jesus. Therefore, we can claim (via Ephesians 2:14) that “He\u00a0 Himself is our peace.” What does that mean? Peace is not to be found\u00a0 merely in the absence of war, or in exciting events, plenty of things or\u00a0 positive circumstances. It is to be found in a relationship with a\u00a0 person – Jesus – the baby born in Bethlehem. Peace is an interior sense\u00a0 of being content, satisfied, at rest and whole. We find true peace by\u00a0 being connected to our Lord Jesus. This is a truth our world has yet to\u00a0 understand.<\/p>\n
We live in the middle of a war in Iraq, a war on terror, wars on drugs,\u00a0 on poverty, on racism, on sexism, on ageism, on sexuality . . . and the\u00a0 list goes on. We live in a fragmented world divided by faith. The battle\u00a0 lines are drawn and redrawn and the wars go on. Where can such a world\u00a0 find peace?<\/p>\n
That is part of the crucial message we have to bring at Christmas. Jesus\u00a0 is our peace! We can find our rest and serenity, our real peace in Him.\u00a0 As we experience this preparation time of Advent, remember that most of\u00a0 the world does not know Jesus – and it does not know the peace that only\u00a0 He can give. Does your family? Your friends? Your work or school\u00a0 associates? The people whose paths you cross every week?<\/p>\n
Christmas is a good time to say a good word for peace – to be\u00a0 peacemakers – by introducing the Prince of Peace to people whose lives\u00a0 are distracted, discontent and despairing that they could ever\u00a0 experience true peace. That makes us evangelists – folks who can\u00a0 announce GOOD NEWS to a war-torn and fragmented world.<\/p>\n
As the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good tidings to great\u00a0 joy, which shall be to all people . . .” May you experience the peace of\u00a0 Christmas, even in the middle of the sometimes frantic schedules and\u00a0 unavoidable holiday obligations.<\/p>\n
To read devotionals posted earlier, visit the following:<\/p>\n