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.