Jesus’ disciples experienced tribulation, rejection, and even death as they strived to spread the gospel. Dr. Stanley explains how we can have peace in a world full of rebellion, dishonesty, crime and greed. Look to Christ and follow God's Word so your heart can remain calm—even when troubles surround you.
Sermon Outline
JESUS—THE PRINCE OF PEACE
KEY PASSAGE: Isaiah 9:6-7
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Psalm 103:19 | Psalm 119:165 | Isaiah 57:20-21 | Isaiah 59:8 | Matthew 6:25 | Matthew 6:32-34 | Matthew 26:53 | John 14:1 | John 14:6 | John 14:18 | Matthew 14:25-27 | Matthew 15:1-4 | Matthew 16:33 | Romans 5:1 | Romans 8:28 | Ephesians 2:15 | Ephesians 3:16 | Philippians 4:6-7 | 2 Thessalonians 3:16 | Hebrews 13:5
SUMMARY
In an Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah is called the Prince of Peace.
Jesus’ disciples lived in a world filled with war, slavery, and poverty. Uncertainty was all around them, but Jesus said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). However, He also told them He was going to die and that they were going to experience tribulation, rejection, and death. This hardly seems like a recipe for tranquility, so Christ’s words didn’t make any sense to them at the time.
But what does this mean for our lives today? If He’s the Prince of Peace, why is our world characterized by violence? Why are people’s hearts filled with turmoil? How can we have peace when crime, rebellion, dishonesty, and greed are all around us?
SERMON POINTS
What kind of peace can transcend the chaos and difficulties of life?
To understand genuine peace, we must realize it originates with Jesus Christ:
He secured our peace through His substitutionary death. Before we can have the peace of Christ, we must have peace with God. Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to achieve reconciliation between the Father and sinful mankind by paying our sin debt in full through His death on the cross. Now, when we trust Him as our personal Savior, we have peace with God, and the battle is over. We’ve confessed our sins, asked for His forgiveness, and stopped insisting on having our own way. Instead of enemies, we are now His children.
He is the source of our daily peace. We gain it through our relationship with Him. Once we’ve been reconciled with God through Christ, we can have His promised peace, which is never dependent upon our circumstances (v. 14:27). There is no way to avoid the hardships of this world, but we can experience inner calm and security through them all. This is possible because Jesus has come to live in us through the presence of His Holy Spirit. In fact, in the New Testament, the word translated as peace means “to bind or weave together.” When we’re one with Jesus, He gives us the capacity to walk calmly through difficult times. Tumultuous circumstances may rage, but deep within us, there is peace. It’s like the calm that lies beneath roaring waves.
Whenever we face any kind of trial, two scriptural truths can guard our hearts and minds. First, “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Second, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Ps. 103:19). Once we truly believe these verses, they’ll become a reality in our lives. When trouble comes, instead of asking, “Where’s God?” we’ll remember He’s ruling over the situation and has promised to use it to achieve His good purpose. Then Christ’s indwelling presence will comfort, encourage, and assure us as He takes us through every trial.
Genuine peace is the result of an intimate relationship with Jesus. He listens to our prayers, speaks to our hearts, calms our fears, gives us direction, and helps us in every situation. That’s why there’s no reason to be anxious for tomorrow; our heavenly Father knows exactly what we need (Matt. 6:25, 32). Our problem is not that He’s unable to give us peace, but that we’re unwilling to trust Him.
His peace is not like the world’s. What the world calls peace is really just a shallow and unsatisfying substitute. It’s usually tied to what we have—things like money, status, relationships, or possessions. However, these are easily lost, and none of them can truly satisfy. We may smile and pretend nothing’s wrong, but without Christ’s peace, there will always be dissatisfaction and conflict in us. Everything we truly desire can be found in a relationship with Jesus. He gives us a sense of acceptance, purpose, and direction.
He is the Sustainer of our peace through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s peace is constant and doesn’t depend on our circumstances. That’s because it comes from the One who indwells us rather than from our environment. Jesus told His disciples, “In Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Our victory in troubling times is sure because He will lead us through every situation.
There is no limit to Christ’s peace, but we must seek it in Him. In practical terms, this means our love for the Lord is demonstrated by our willingness to read and obey His Word. Whenever we face challenges, our first response should be to seek His thoughts, discover His desires and purposes, follow His instructions, and trust in His promises. As we respond in faith to God’s Word, His peace enters our hearts and replaces our anxiety.
How can we lose our peace?
Despite the availability of Christ’s peace, there are conditions that may cause believers to lose it, such as:
Sin. Rebellion creates strife and distance between our heavenly Father and us. As a result, we feel the conviction of sin, and our peace evaporates.
Unbelief. When we doubt God’s promises, uncertainty and fear replace our confidence that He will supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19).
Worry. Projecting tomorrow’s cares upon today results in worry and anxiety, but Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).
Mistreatment. Although criticism from others may threaten our peace, no one can take it unless we allow them to do so. Instead of believing people’s unkind or false words, we can choose to hold on to God’s peace.
RESPONSE
If you have a personal relationship with Christ, He is your peace and has promised never to leave nor forsake you. If you bring everything to Him in prayer with thanksgiving, His peace will surround and protect you through every situation (Phil. 4:6-7). All other sources will fail, but Jesus dwells in you forever. If you’ll look to Him, read His Word, and watch Him work in your life, your heart will be calm—in every circumstance.
