SERMON SUMMARY
One of the most prominent themes—if not the dominant theme of Christmas—is the promise of “peace on earth, good will to men” (KJV). It’s written on Christmas cards, and we sing about it in our most cherished Christmas carols. But when we look at our world—when we look at our lives—that peace seems to be missing. And that raises the question: Where is the promised peace of Christmas? We find an answer to that question in the familiar Christmas story of Luke 2 and in the prophecies of Isaiah.
SCRIPTURE: Selected Scriptures
SERMON SCREENSHOTS & KEY POINTS
- Read Luke 2:1-14 — focus on the angelic proclamation of “peace on earth, good will to me” (KJV).
Now, go back 700 years from Bethlehem to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah pieces together a kind of collage of what God’s promise of peace really looks like. Isaiah’s vision of God’s future peace shows up all through his prophecies—chapters 2, 4, 7, 9 .35, 42, 49, 50, 52-53, and 61, just to name a few.
- Read Isaiah 2:2-5 (ESV) —
- Read Isaiah 35:1-10 (preferably in the NLT) —
- Read Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV) —
- Read Isaiah 11:1-10 (NLT) —
- Read Isaiah 53:1-12 (ESV) —
Where is the promised peace of Christmas? The promised peace of Christmas is now and not yet.
Your destiny is your identity. We are to live as “people from the future.”
*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.
- Have six different people in your group read the passages above, then discuss how Isaiah’s vision of “peace on earth” helps us see all that lay behind what the angels proclaimed that first Christmas night ins Bethlehem.
- What words or phrases would you use to describe the peace envisioned in Isaiah’s collage of prophecies?
- How do those words and phrases speak to our future hope?
- What strikes you most about Isaiah’s vision of peace?
- How do they speak to the work of the Prince of Peace in our world today?
- How are we to” strengthen and encourage one another” with these images of peace?
- Discuss how the promised peace of Christmas. Is now and not yet.
- Discuss how our destiny is our identity.
- If your destiny is really your identity, then how do you live out God’s future peace in your life right here, right now?
- What attitudes or actions can you take in the situations and conversations you find yourself in that will help move things toward wholeness and harmony for everyone and everything involved?
- How is Jesus your peace in a concrete, whole-life way, even in the midst of the very real hardships of life?
Bonus question:
- How does Henry W. Longfellow’s story help bring the life-transforming truth that our destiny is our identity?
- What do you think it was about Christmas that brought him through terrible tragedy to renew his faith?
Close by singing “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” —OR— Play the Casting Crown version and have everyone sing along to the recording.
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play;
And mild and sweet, the words repeat,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
The pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead” nor doth He sleep.
The Wrong shall fail; the Right prevail;
With peace on earth, good will to men.
Try adding this verse – (not in the original)
When men repent and turn from sin
The Prince of Peace will enter in,
His grace imparts within their heart;
His peace on earth, good will to men.