Are We There Yet? Peace

December 7, 2025 homily on Isaiah 11:1-10 and Romans 15:4-13 by Pastor Galen for the Second Sunday of Advent

“They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13).

Advent Journey

This year we are envisioning the season of Advent (the season of preparation leading up to the celebration of Christmas) as a sort of road trip or journey, one in which we might ask ourselves that familiar question, “Are we there yet?” Like a child sitting in the back of the vehicle wondering when the long car ride is finally going to end, we often find ourselves wondering when Christ will return and fulfill all the promises of Scripture.

During Christmas, we remember that Christ was born and heralded as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace. And yet, as we look around us, we recognize that there is still pain and sorrow and suffering and injustice in the world. And so we look forward to that day when we will finally reach our destination, when Christ will return to make all things new, to bring an end to all wars and conflicts, and to reign forever as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Fighting in the Back of the Car

Now, if you’ve ever gone on a long car ride with little ones, you know that the longer the drive goes on, and the more tired and cranky everyone becomes, the more prone we are to conflict. And I’m not just talking about the kids in the back seat who start hitting each other; I’m also talking about the adults, who can grow tired and weary and may begin lashing out as well, hopefully not with their fists, but often with words spoken in short tempers. Anytime we’re cramped together in a tight space and feel hungry or tired, we’re more prone to snapping at one another.

And this is true on a larger scale as well. Conflicts arise when we feel a lack of resources or when we’ve exhausted every opportunity and, in desperation, don’t know where else to turn. Conflicts arise when we grow impatient, when we’re waiting for something and have no idea when it’s finally going to happen. Conflicts arise when we feel frustrated in our efforts to accomplish a goal, and we begin to blame one another. At a national level, conflicts often arise when resources are limited—or, more accurately, when resources are not shared or distributed fairly.

Because the reality is that when we look around at the world, we can see that there truly are enough resources to go around. We look at the wealthiest billionaires in the world and think to ourselves, “If they gave me just the tiniest fraction of their wealth, I’d never have to worry about money or resources ever again!”

When we feel frustrated, when things seem unfair, or when resources are withheld from us or from those in need, we get worn down. We get frustrated when we feel like we are trying so hard and still barely getting by.

Peace is More than the Absence of Conflict

This is why, I believe, the biblical concept of peace (especially in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament) is best expressed by the original Hebrew word shalom, which conveys not just the absence of conflict but the presence of abundance, wholeness, and enough for everyone. Shalom is about completeness and well-being. It means that everyone has what they need, that everyone’s needs are met.

In Genesis 1, when God created the earth and the birds of the air and the animals of the field, and when God created human beings and placed them in a garden, God looked at all that had been made and called it good. There was enough for everyone. There was abundance. There was no need for war or conflict or violence, because every creature had what it needed, and even the animals lived in harmony.

But what changed when sin entered the world? It wasn’t that there suddenly wasn’t enough to go around. It was that we became prone to hoarding things for ourselves. Greed found its way into systems and policies that became tilted toward certain groups over others. Those with more money and resources often gained even more, while those with very little remained the most vulnerable to the storms and disasters of life.

When we look around today, we see a world that is often painfully unfair.

The Peaceable Kingdom

And yet Scripture presents us with a hopeful vision of a peaceful future, one where everyone has enough. One where, as in our Scripture lesson from Isaiah last week, the nations come to God asking God to settle their disputes. They put down their weapons because they no longer need them, and instead they turn them into farming tools—implements that cultivate life and productivity.

In today’s Scripture readings, we again see this peaceful future described, where even the animals will live in harmony. 

Isaiah 11 begins with this image of a shoot growing out of the stump of Jesse (see Isaiah 11:1), a branch rising from what appears to be nothing but dead roots. This is the picture of a tree cut down, yet new life still emerges. Even when all hope seems lost, there is life that cannot be extinguished. And that tiny shoot grows into a flourishing tree.

As Christians, we interpret this Scripture as a prophecy that was pointing forward toward the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Writing 700 years before Christ’s birth, Isaiah foretold, 

The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD…with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth…Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins (Isaiah 11:2 ,4a, 5).

So in Isaiah’s vision, the Messiah would be filled with the Holy Spirit and would rule with righteousness, which can also be translated “justice.”

In Isaiah’s vision even the wild animals get along with each other, and will not hurt even a little child. Isaiah says,

The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the [goat]; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. (Isaiah 11:6,7) 

Isaiah says that a little child could even put his hand in a cobra’s den without fear of getting hurt. And then Isaiah goes on to say,

They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious (Isaiah 11:9-10)

This is the bright and hopeful destination toward which we are heading. This is our peaceful future—one marked by everlasting peace, love, and joy.

No wonder we ask ourselves the question, “Are we there yet? How much longer until we get there?”

How Long, Oh Lord?

Honestly, when we look at the wars and conflicts around us, and even the arguments within our own families and communities, we find ourselves crying out, “O Lord, how long? How long until we get there?”

These are good and fair questions to ask. And yet it is unproductive to spend all our time trying to determine exactly when Jesus will return. Many have tried and failed to predict the precise day and time of Christ’s coming. And still there are those who devote their days to charting biblical prophecies and calculating dates.

A better use of our time, however, is praying and working for God’s kingdom to come here and now, working for peace, equity, and justice in our world today as signposts and glimpses of the kingdom that is to come.

Of course, there can be a temptation to pour all our energy into working for peace and justice in this world while neglecting to tell others about Jesus. But surely there is a balance, a faithful middle way, where we pursue peace and justice in this life while keeping one ear tuned for the sound of that trumpet, ready for Jesus to return to make all things right.

Pointing others to the Prince of Peace

What if we worked for peace and justice in this world, and also told others that the reason we do this is because we know the Prince of Peace? What if we lived as godly examples of generosity and justice, so that when people said, “I sense a peaceful presence about you,” we could say, “Let me tell you about the One who gives me that peace”?

What if the words we speak and the lives we live become witnesses and testimonies of the peaceable kingdom that is on its way and the One who leads us there?

Because even as we ask, “Are we there yet?” Scripture reminds us that God is not distant from our journey. Christ walks with us in the tension between the already and the not-yet. His peace meets us on the road, steadies us when we grow weary, and invites us to embody that peace in a world that is still aching for it.

The Apostle Paul provides a practical example of how we can embody that peace in Romans 15:7, instructing us to “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). Paul points out that Jesus took on the role of a servant so that the nations would glorify God for his mercy (see Romans 15:8-9). If Christ was willing to get down and wash the feet of his disciples, then we too can serve one another in love. And we are not called just to love those who look like us, or act like us. Nor are we simply called to “put aside” our differences and pretend like everything is OK. Rather, we are called to lean into the hard work of embracing our differences, loving one another and welcoming one another across lines of nationality and ethnicity and age and gender and socioeconomic status. Working for justice and equality, creating the type of world where resources are distributed in such a way so that everyone has enough. A world of justice and peace. This, I believe, points us toward what it means to love and welcome one another, even as Christ loved and welcomed us.

So while we wait for that promised day when wolves and lambs will rest together, when nations will learn war no more, and when justice will roll down like waters, we do not wait with resignation. Rather, we wait with purpose. We wait with hope. We wait with the deep conviction that the Prince of Peace is already at work, even now, shaping us into people who reflect Christ’s coming kingdom.

And so, may we continue the journey with hearts open, hands ready, and eyes lifted toward God’s promised future. And as we go on this journey, may the peace of Christ guide our steps until the day we finally arrive at that glorious destination, where all things will be made new, and God’s peace will reign forever. 

Amen!

Questions for Personal Reflection in Response to Today’s Sermon:

1. Where do I most feel the tension between the world as it is and the world God promises?
2. How might I embody Christ’s peace in my relationships this week?
3. What practices help me wait with hope rather than impatience?
4. Who in my life needs to experience the welcoming, justice-shaped love that Christ offers?
5. How can I become a “signpost” of God’s peaceable kingdom in my community?