Prince of Peace

One of the reasons I love Christmas is because of the tradition. It’s warm and familiar and somewhat predictable. We listen to the same songs. We watch the same movies. We put up the same decorations.

Of course, there’s a healthy dose of chaos thrown in the mix as well. We scramble to get everything ready – finding the perfect gifts, making plans with family, finishing up the semester. And for many there is probably a fair amount of anxiety or grief or other emotions.

But for Christians, this season is meant to be a relief from the chaos of the world. We are meant to calm down and quiet our hearts and remember the joy of the Incarnation. We are celebrating the coming of the Son of God and Son of Man in the person of Jesus.

This year, we’ve been walking through the four names or titles of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6 –

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The last one – Prince of Peace – is our focus today. In Hebrew, it’s the name “Sar Shalom” and “prince of peace” may not be the best translation. If you do an image search for “prince of peace” you’ll see paintings of Jesus releasing doves or welcoming you into his arms, but “Sar Shalom” is not a soft and passive name.

Everywhere else the word “Sar” is used in the Bible it refers to a military leader, so a more direct translation would be something like “the warlord of peace” or the “commander of peace”. And that sounds strange to us, because war and peace are opposites.

But the second word, “Shalom”, also means something more than the absence of conflict. It means stability and order… the absence of chaos or the opposite of chaos.

In fact, there’s a hint of this even at the birth of Jesus. Look again at Luke 2:13 –

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

These are angels singing and declaring peace on earth. But notice what Luke called them – the heavenly “host”, a word that in Greek means “army”. So, these are not babies with harps. This is an army of angels that showed up to witness the birth of Jesus, the Warlord of Shalom.

I think this brings a bit of depth to how we think of this title “Prince of Peace”. The peace of Jesus is not simply the absence of conflict, but the presence of something far greater. Jesus came to earth to secure a new world order, to restore and bring stability to everything, and to end the chaos of sin and death.

And I think it is important to recognize that the world talks a big game when it comes to peace, with very little actual peace to show for it. It is the way of the world to cry “peace” when there is no peace. Instead, the history of the world is a long and violent one.

On Christmas Eve in 1914, German, French, and Scottish soldiers were fighting in the trenches of the first World War. But that evening, the fighting stopped, and the Germans began singing Silent Night. The Scottish soldiers recognized the song, and they joined in with their bagpipes.

Eventually, the soldiers ventured into the area between the front lines and agreed to a Christmas Truce. The soldiers exchanged gifts, played soccer, and shared stories. They even had a worship service!

But the next morning, the high command on all sides was furious and the soldiers were forced back into battle, which was more intense than it was before. And that’s the world we live in.

But Jesus came to do what we cannot seem to do, no matter how bad we want it and how much world leaders talk about it.

Of course, the peace that Jesus brings is not just about ending wars or resolving conflicts between nations, though that will come in His time. The peace of Jesus—the shalom He promises—is far deeper and more personal. It is peace with God, peace within ourselves, and ultimately peace that will encompass all creation.

The foundation of Jesus’ peace is reconciliation with God. Without this, any other kind of peace is temporary and incomplete. Sin has created a barrier between humanity and God—a barrier that no amount of good works or personal effort can overcome.

But Jesus, our Prince of Peace, came to tear down that wall. Paul writes in Romans 5:1:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This peace is not something we achieve; it’s something we receive. It’s a gift, bought by the blood of Christ. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus bridged the chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity.

The warlord of peace fought the ultimate battle against sin and death and emerged victorious. His victory means that we no longer have to live as enemies of God. Instead, we are brought into His family as beloved sons and daughters.

This reconciliation changes everything. It’s not just a legal status—it’s a relationship. And when we embrace this truth, when we truly understand that we are already at peace with God, it becomes the anchor for every other kind of peace in our lives.

The chaos of this world often finds its way into our hearts and minds, doesn’t it? We live in a culture of anxiety, where stress and fear seem to dominate everything. We worry about our finances, our relationships, our future, and a million other things. The holiday season often intensifies these feelings rather than easing them.

But Jesus provides us with an alternative. He says in John 14:27:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Notice the contrast. Jesus says my peace is not like the peace of the world. The world’s version of peace is fragile and fleeting, based on circumstances. It’s the kind of peace we feel when everything is going well, but it evaporates the moment trouble arises.

The peace of Jesus, on the other hand, is steadfast and unshakable. It’s a peace that doesn’t depend on external conditions because it is rooted in His unchanging presence and promises.

The Apostle Paul communicates this concept of peace in Philippians 4:6-7:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is a kind of peace that defies logic. It’s not that our problems magically disappear, but that in the midst of them, we experience a supernatural calm. It’s the assurance that God is in control, that He is good, and that He is working all things for our ultimate good and His glory.

And when we are at peace with God and have His peace within us, it overflows into our relationships with others. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:14:

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.

In this context, Paul is talking about the division between Jews and Gentiles, but the principle applies to all human relationships. The peace of Jesus breaks down barriers—whether they are cultural, racial, political, or personal. He calls us to be peacemakers, to love our enemies, and to forgive those who have wronged us.

This is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of following Jesus, especially in a world that seems increasingly divided and contentious. But as Christians, we are called to be agents of His peace.

This doesn’t mean avoiding conflict or pretending that everything is fine. True peace often requires hard conversations, repentance, and reconciliation. But with Jesus as our Prince of Peace, we can do the hard things with courage and grace.

Finally, the peace of Jesus points us forward to the ultimate peace that will come when He returns. The world is still full of chaos, violence, and brokenness, but it won’t always be this way.

The Prince of Peace has already secured the victory, and one day He will bring it to completion. Isaiah’s prophecy continues in verse 7:

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

This is the hope of Christmas: that the child born in Bethlehem will one day reign as King over all creation. He will put an end to every war, wipe away every tear, and make all things new.

That is the shalom we long for—a world where everything is as it should be, where there is no more chaos, only perfect peace.

So, what does it mean for us today to live under the rule of the Prince of Peace? It means resting in His finished work, trusting in His promises, and letting the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, as Paul says in Colossians 3.

It also means sharing His peace with others. It means being intentional about reflecting the peace of Jesus in our families, our schools, our workplaces, and our communities. It means being an agent of stability instead of an agent of chaos – for the glory of Jesus.