Lesson for Dec. 19, 2010: A Child Is Born (Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:1-8; Matthew 1:21-23)

The Prince of Peace and His Unending Reign

This International Sunday School Lesson reflects on Isaiah’s promise of the Messiah as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Jeff Stone explains that lasting peace cannot be purchased, achieved, or secured by human power, but comes through Jesus Christ, whose reign brings justice, righteousness, and salvation.

• True peace is rooted in a right relationship with God through the Prince of Peace.
• Isaiah’s prophecy points to a Messiah whose reign is marked by righteousness and justice.
• Jesus came not merely to give a holiday, but to bring hope, forgiveness, and eternal life.

This week’s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for December 29) is written by Jeff Stone who serves as senior minister with Bright Christian Church in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

“For to us a child is born. . . . And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6, 7).

Unending Reign

You might be surprised to learn that the word peace appears more than 400 times in the Bible, more than any word except God. It was the most common greeting, being translated from the Hebrew word shalom. It didn’t refer to the cessation of war or political peace. It meant wholeness, the desire that everything may be right and well with you. Real peace comes from being in a right relationship with God, through his Son, the Prince of peace.

The prophets had predicted a Messiah who would deliver the Jewish people from oppression. Seven hundred years before Christ, Isaiah predicted the Messiah’s coming. The Jews waited for a powerful military leader, for a king of Davidic impact, to take them from last place in the standings and turn them into contenders for the championship. They sought the peace brought by a strong military leader.

Sometimes we search for peace in the security of our money or material things. A little boy was lost during the Christmas shopping rush. He was standing in the aisle of a crowded mall saying, “I want my mommy.” People kept passing by giving him dollar bills to comfort the little fellow.

Finally, a store worker came over to him and said, “I know where your mommy is, Son.”

The little boy looked up, put his finger to his lips, and whispered, “So do I . . . just keep quiet!”

One cannot purchase peace, and yet we often try to do so. “If I just had one of those.” “If I just lived in that neighborhood, then I’d know I had arrived.” “If I could just afford that item, I’d be happy.” Lasting inner peace doesn’t come through acquiring things.

Others look for peace through achievement and career success. National Football League referee Jim Tunney was officiating at Super Bowl XI. That year—1977—John Madden was coaching the Oakland Raiders, who were playing the Minnesota Vikings. Before the coin toss, Madden told Tunney, “Jim, glad to have you here. I want you to know we think you’re the second-best official in the league.”

Tunney thanked him and walked away. Shortly before kickoff, Tunney’s curiosity got the best of him, so he returned to Madden and asked who was number one. Madden answered, “It’s a tie between the other 89 referees!”

Unbending Justice

Isaiah was describing a different type of leader—a leader with fairness and impartiality. “He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth” (Isaiah 11:3, 4).

This child will bring a radical departure from the corruptive influences of favoritism, greed, and prejudice. Jesus is no “respecter of persons.” Unlike flawed, opportunistic individuals who pervert justice for selfish gain, he will judge “with righteousness” and “with justice he will give decisions” (v. 4).

The descriptions of tranquility found in Isaiah 11:6-8—the wolf and lamb coexisting with the leopard and goat, the calf and the lion together, the cow feeding with the bear and the lion eating straw like the ox—clearly have a messianic focus and an eschatological time frame. That kind of ethereal, eternal harmony—that type of lasting peace—is available only through the Prince of peace.

Uncommon Purpose

“‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:21-23).

The baby in the Judean manger received a common Jewish name . . . Jesus. There were many other little Jewish boys with that name, but only this child was uniquely qualified to fulfill the promise of the name. He alone was the embodiment of the name that means “Savior.”

It was a name rippling with relevance. Never before had anyone personified the name Savior as this boy did. Born to a virgin. The fulfillment to seven centuries of messianic prophecies.

There are still people today who find it difficult to accept the idea of the virgin birth. For some reason, they believe the God who created the process of procreation is limited to that single process.

Without the virgin birth we have an immoral Mary, a human Jesus, and a fallible Bible. With the virgin birth we have Immanuel, “God with us,”

Jesus didn’t come to earth to give us a holiday, but to give us hope. He didn’t come to destroy, but to deliver. He didn’t come just to rebuke, but to rescue. A child is born!

Jesus set the ultimate example of selflessness when he gave himself, dying that we might be forgiven and live eternally. God’s son became a man so that all of us can become “children of God” (Galatians 3:26).

Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, unless otherwise indicated.

Author: Jeff Stone