For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Big Idea: The peace of Christmas is designed to grow in us through a lived connection with Jesus.

The Kingdom of God works from the inside out: starting small, but changing everything.

John 14:27 NIV - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

Our world offers peace as an escape, but Jesus offers peace through connection.

God's passion for us is what makes peace a reality in our lives.

Philippians 4:4-9 NIV - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

How Peace Grows:

• Peace grows as we learn to notice God's nearness.
• Peace grows when we learn to redirect our anxiety.
• Peace grows when we allow God's peace to guard us.
• Peace grows when we choose what we dwell on.

Concluding Thoughts:

• We don't need to have everything figured out for peace to begin to grow in us.
• Peace grows when we practice remembering that the Lord is near.

About Josh Mutter: Josh Mutter has been our lead pastor since 2018 and is passionate about helping people discover what it means to follow Jesus in our daily lives. Josh is married to Michelle and together they have two boys and a dog named Zeke. When not engaged in ministry, Josh can be found puttering around the house (summer time outdoors is his favourite), playing with his kids or out on a run.