Sermon #35 Series: Isaiah

Title: His Name Is the Prince of Peace

Text: Isaiah 9:6

Subject: Christ the Prince of Peace

Date: Sunday Evening - February 4, 1990

Tape #

Introduction:

What would you give for peace? I mean real, lasting, substantial peace, peace with God, peace in your heart, peace in the world, peace at home. What would you give for peace? Let me tell you what on man said. Matthew Henry, the great English preacher and commentator said, “Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth.”

Tonight, I want to introduce you, if the Spirit of God will speak by me to your heart, to the Prince of Peace. If you ever come to know Christ, The Prince of Peace, you will find peace.

Proposition: Only Christ, the Prince of Peace, can give peace to troubled souls.

In our text, the Prophet of God is describing the glorious person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Messiah, our Savior. He proclaims our Redeemer’s incarnation, his exaltation, and his mediatorial character.

Here is Isaiah’s description of Christ’s incarnation - “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

Here is the prophet’s declaration of our Savior’s exaltation - “And the government shall be upon his shoulders.”

And this is Isaiah’s proclamation of Christ’s glorious mediatorial character - “And his name shall be called…

· “Wonderful.”

· “Counselor.”

· “The Mighty God.”

· “The Everlasting Father.”

· “The Prince of Peace.”

In all that Christ has done as our Mediator, whether in planning or in executing the work of redemption, he has sought and secured the peace and eternal welfare of God’s elect. It was to purchase our peace that he became incarnate and died upon the cross. It was to bestow peace upon us that he ascended into heaven, assumed the reins of universal dominion, and undertook the management of providence. Peace was the legacy which he left to his church when he departed from this world. And upon his ascension back into heaven, he poured out the Spirit of peace upon his people. And to this very hour the Son of God, our Savior, the Prince of Peace dispenses peace according to his own sovereign will to the sons of men, giving it in great abundance to all the subjects of his kingdom.

Divisions: There are but two points in my message tonight. Here are two things revealed in this name given to and assumed by our Savior. “His name shall be call the Prince of Peace.”

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is a Prince.

2. This great Prince is the Prince of Peace.

I. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS A PRINCE - (Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Dan. 9:25).

The word “prince” simply implies that Christ, at the time of his incarnation and birth, was the rightful, legal heir of the throne upon which he now sits. It might properly be translated “King.” The Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, is “The Lord of Peace” (II Thess. 3:16) and “The King of Peace” (Heb. 7:2). But we will stick to the translation given in our English Bibles. Christ is here called “The Prince.”

A. Christ is a Prince by birth, because He is the King’s Son.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is both the Son of David and the Son of God (Rom. 1:1-4).

1. As the Son of David, Christ is the lawful heir to the throne of David, the Messiah of Israel.

2. As the Son of God, he is the lawful heir to the throne of God, the throne of universal dominion - He is God over all, blessed forever (Dan. 4:35-37; Isa. 46:9-13).

B. Christ is also a Prince by virtue of His office obedience as our mediator (Phil. 2:5-11).

1. As God, Christ has always been the Prince and Governor of the universe.

2. As man, our mediator earned the right to be the Prince and King of all things - (Ps. 2:8; Heb. 1:1-3, 5-9, 2:7-9; 10:11-14).

C. Christ Jesus, our Divine Savior, is a Prince with absolute, universal power and authority - (John 17:2).

God Almighty has put the universe under the absolute dominion of that man who loved us and gave himself for us. He is the Prince of kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5). He is the Sovereign Prince that he might be the great Savior of God’s elect (Acts 5:31). Now hear me well.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Monarch of the universe.

2. God the Father gave his Son the reins of the universe before the world began as our Mediator.

3. The object and sure end of Christ’s mediatorial reign is twofold:

a. The salvation of God’s elect (Rom. 8:28).

b. The glory of God (I Cor. 15:25-28).

Illus: This is Joseph!

Do you understand this first point? Christ is a Prince. Be sure you understand this. If you fail to realize the total sovereignty of Christ as our Mediator, you can never grasp the blessed peace of his rule.

II. Secondly, I want to show you that THIS GREAT PRINCE IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

Everything connected to Christ as a Prince and King shows that he is the Prince of Peace.

· His Kingdom lies in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

· The sceptre of His kingdom is the golden secptre of mercy and grace.

· His Throne is the Throne of Grace.

· His Royal Proclamation is the gospel of peace.

· The Fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, and peace.

· The Subjects of His Kingdom are both peaceable and peacemakers.

He is called the Prince of Peace because it is his sovereign prerogative to speak peace to his people. And there is no peace in the world but that which he bestows.

I know that men delude themselves with the thoughtless peace of insensible, carnal security. And I know that many are deluded by messengers of Satan who cry, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace. But their peace is a blind, fruitless peace that will neither bear reflection or examination. “There is no peace to the wicked.”

Christ alone is the Prince of Peace, and those who trust him enjoy “a peace which passeth all understanding” (Phil 4:7).

A. Christ is the surety for peace in the everlasting counsel of peace (Zech. 6:13).

B. Christ has made peace for sinners with God by the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20; II Cor. 5:18-21).

C. Christ bestows peace upon all who come to God by Him, through the gracious influence of His spirit (Rom. 5:1). “He is our Peace!”

No one will ever apply to Christ for peace until they are in trouble and distress of soul, made to feel the danger, bitterness, and consequences of sin, and made to see the impossibility of helping themselves. But when weary, heavy laden sinners, seek him, he hears their prayers and gives them peace. He steps out upon the bow of the troubled, tempest tossed ship, reveals himself in boundless, almighty grace, and says to their raging souls, “Peace be still.” And immediately there is a great calm.

1. Before he speaks peace to a soul, he will bring that soul down with trouble, spiritual, heart trouble (Ps. 103:1-40).

2. But, if this prince brings trouble to a sinner’s heart, it is that he may speak Peace!

D. Not only does Christ make peace between God and sinners, He makes peace between men who are natural enemies by His saving grace - (Eph. 2:14-20; Col. 3:11).

Where the Prince of Peace reigns there is peace.

· In the church.

· In the home.

E. The Prince of Peace gives peace to all the subjects of His kingdom by graciously inviting and enabling us to cast all our cares upon Him - James 5:6-7; Pro. 3:5-6).

1. He manages and rules everything for our good.

2. Even his afflictions are tokens of his love, and as such yield to us the fruit of peace - “Peace is not real until it has been tested by the storm.”

F. Our gracious Prince of Peace teaches His people how to live in peace, by His Word, His example, and His Spirit.

If you would live in peace follow the example of the Prince of Peace. Learn to be…

1. Submissive to the Will of God.

Someone once said, “The peace of the soul consists in an absolute resignation to the will of God.”

2. Trust your heavenly Father (Matt. 6:19-25).

3. Love and serve one another.

4. Benevolent and generous with what God puts in your hand.

5. Seek not your own good and happiness, but the happiness and good of others.

G. When they draw near to death, the Prince of Peace floods the hearts of His saints with peace.

“Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace” (Ps. 37:37).

H. And when He calls his people home, the Prince of peace brings His own into a kingdom of eternal peace.

“Peace is the smile of God reflected in the soul of the believer.”

W. Hendriksen