Peace - Hark the Herald Angels Sing

THE STORY OF THE SONG:  MYSTERY AND IRONY

* Our Images and Icons of Peace

LOST IN TRANSLATION:  LANGUAGE OF Shalom

* “Peace on Earth…” (Really?)

Matt. 10: 34, Luke 12:51, John 14:27

* שָׁלֹֽום ("my peace") vs. "the world's peace"

CHAOTIC CALM: ABSENCE OF shalom (2:1-8)

* Messy Rooms

DISTURBANCE OF THE PEACE:  INBREAKING OF shalom (2:9-12)

* Doing Violence to Our Peace Treaties

Peace comes from earth alone 

Peace comes when earth rises to or pulls down heaven

Peace comes by keeping heaven and earth separate

Shalom comes by heaven descending to earth

* “God and Sinners Reconciled…Jesus, Our Immanuel...”

THE CONTINUING CHORUS:  HERALDS OF (2:13-14)

* “Hark…”

 Blessed are the...Troublemakers (Matt. 5:9)

Community Meditation Questions 

Growing in Knowledge

* Read John 14:27 and discuss the two ways that Jesus talks about peace.  What are some of the ways in which there are similarities and differences between the world’s peace and what Jesus calls “my peace” ( שָׁלֹֽום, "shalom")?

* Read Rev. 21:1-4’s depiction of the new heavens and new earth.  What does peace look like here?  How does the mission of Jacob’s Well relate to “peace on earth” between Jesus’ 1st Coming and 2nd Coming?  

 Feeling Life Deeply

* Review the “peace treaties” in your Missional Communities and discuss how these manifest themselves in your lives. 

 Living  With Courage

* Pursue people so that they might encounter Christ’s  שָׁלֹֽום ("shalom").  Name some folks that you will pray for during the holidays.  Then, listen to them, learn from them and love them by proclaiming the peace that comes from God through the Gospel.