Former NFL quarterback Joe Namath is known for many things. One of them is the statement, “When you WIN nothing hurts.” The pleasure of winning is so great that it overpowers the pain of aching muscles and bruised bodies.
This week, I’ve been struck by the pain of life in a fallen world everywhere. A wife whose husband rejected her for another woman is left with a shattered heart and four boys to care for. This week, the father upon whom she leaned for strength, died of a heart attack. A broken-hearted church elder told me that two of his daughters had just “come out”—one declaring that she is bi-sexual, the other introducing her female lover to the rest of the family. Another brother’s hope that his adult daughter might be moving back towards Christ has been crushed. Every day, more precious teen girls are deceived by woke ideologues into thinking their problems of puberty are caused by being a boy in a girl’s body, then having their breasts carved off by doctors in the name of “affirming care.” And no one seems to care about putting a stop to this abusive practice of our children. Some bear the physical pain of aging, frequently aching and no longer able to even get a good night’s sleep. The suffering brought about by sin in this fallen world is everywhere.
If you are disheartened, battered, discouraged or weary—your heart aching or soul bruised from fighting the good fight—my hope is that this episode will give you such a clear picture of the colossal triumph of Messiah Jesus, and our part in that victory, that in some small way the pain is lessened, because we GRASP the ENORMITY of our WIN.
Today, we come to the final episode in our series, Loving Jesus More Because I Know Him Better, by examining Jesus’ title, the Prince of Peace. Let’s read Isaiah 9:6-7:
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. 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. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The coming of Messiah Jesus into the world is not just to give sinners the password to heaven; he came to establish a kingdom to take over the rule of earth. “Of the increase of his government…there will be no end.” The Prince of Peace will overthrow the Prince of the Power of the Air (Eph 2:2) and rule instead. Notice this word INCRESASE. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. This statement perfectly corresponds to Jesus’ description of his follower’s mission to spread Christ’s kingdom of righteousness over earth.
- Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matt 6:33).
- Pray then like this…May your kingdom (of righteousness) come—i.e. may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (where there is perfect righteousness) (Matt 6:10).
- All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go THEREFORE and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:18-20).
- The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches (Matt 9:31-32).
The good news—is that Jesus, the second Adam is now doing what the first Adam was supposed to do—exercising dominion over the earth FOR God. As you’ve heard me say often, the gospel of the New Testament is the gospel of the kingdom—not of just personal, private, salvation. The gospel of the kingdom has four chapters: creation, fall, redemption, restoration, not just two, fall and redemption. The title, PRINCE OF PEACE points unequivocally to this four-chapter narrative. Scripture begins with the creation of all things and ends with the renewal of all things. Because this podcast is about our mission as Christ-followers, I want my hearers to understand that our generation has inherited a Christianity that has often reduced the gospel to just two chapters, which has damaged our understanding of our mission. Let’s look at the words of several scholars who point out this failure in the Bible-believing church. The first is Hugh Whelchel, founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics. He writes,
“In the United States during the first half of the nineteenth century came the great religious revival called the Second Awakening. It was led by individual preachers such as Charles Finney, Lyman Beecher, and Peter Cartwright. The revivalist preachers’ view of the gospel focused on personal sin and individual salvation. ‘Come forward and be saved.’ ‘Pray to receive Christ,’ ‘Walk with Jesus,’ and ‘Share your faith with other people’ became the common language of the Christian faith. While the movement had substantial positive effects, it led to a truncated gospel. It’s view of Scripture can be called the Two-Chapter Gospel.”
“In the Two-Chapter Gospel, Chapter One presents our problem: separation from God because of our sin. Chapter Two presents the solution: Jesus Christ has come into the world to bring salvation and reunite us with God through his work on the cross. While sin and salvation are undeniable realities, they are not the complete gospel. In this abridged version of the gospel, Christianity becomes all about us. The Two-Chapter Gospel ignores creation and final restoration. It leaves out God’s reason for our creation—the cultural mandate—and the Christian’s final destination. We must understand the Bible teaches salvation as not an end in itself; it is a means to fulfill God’s ultimate plan for man on this earth” (How then Should We Work?).
Dr. Tim Keller, former NYC pastor and professor at Westminster Seminary describes the same historic loss of the four-chapter gospel:
Some conservative Christians think of the story of salvation as the fall, redemption, heaven. In this narrative, the purpose of redemption is escape from this word; only saved people have anything of value, while unbelieving people in the world are seen as blind and bad. If, however, the story of salvation is creation, fall, redemption, restoration, then things look different. In this narrative, non-Christians are seen as created in the image of God and given much wisdom and greatness within them (cf. Ps. 8), even though the image is defaced and fallen. Moreover, the purpose of redemption is not to escape the world but to renew it…it is about the coming of God’s kingdom to renew all things (“Our New Global Culture: Ministry in Urban Centers” article).
A third scholar, Michael Metzger, is concerned about the way the two-chapter gospel has lost the dignity of every human as God’s image bearer: He pens,
For two thousand years, the gospel was recited in four chapters titled, creation, fall, redemption, and the final restoration. It reminds us that we are made in the image of God. This gospel started in Genesis One and can be found in the Apostle’s and Nicene Creed. Tragically, two hundred years ago the story was edited to two chapters; the fall and redemption. The opening chapter of creation was largely forgotten. The new starting line was Genesis Three (the story of the fall). It reminds people that they are fallen sinners. We’re both—made in God’s image and sinners….The four-chapter gospel elevates our worth as image-bearers of God. The two-chapter story focuses on our deficiency (Back and Forth).
Another scholar, Al Wolters, summarizes this full, four-chapter gospel this way, “What was formed in creation has been historically deformed by sin and must be reformed in Christ” (Creation Regained.)
If Isaiah 9’s title of Messiah Jesus as the PRINCE of Peace—a ruler of a kingdom of righteousness that will spread over earth establishing a never-ending kingdom—points to the four-chapter gospel, the term PEACE, the Hebrew word being SHALOM, points even more clearly to this same four-chapter narrative, which includes the restoration of creation. Let’s dig into the meaning of this rich Hebrew word. Cornelius Plantinga, in his book Engaging God’s World explains: “The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets called shalom. We call it “peace,” but it means far more than just peace of mind or cease-fire between enemies….In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, all under the arch of God’s love. Shalom, in other words, is the way things are supposed to be” (Engaging God’s World, Cornelius Plantinga).
SHALOM, it could be said, is the OT word for the restoration that the Messiah would bring. Remember how we came to understand poverty, from a biblical perspective—the fracturing of the four relationships of life—with God, ourselves, other people, and the creation, all brought about by mankind’s sin. Messiah Jesus, the PRINCE OF PEACE brings restoration of all four broken relationships. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Col 1:19-20). The entire world, in all its glory and pain, needs the redemption that will bring shalom. “The world isn’t divided into the sacred realm and the secular realm, with redemptive activity confined to the sacred zone. The whole world belongs to God, the whole world has fallen, and so the whole world needs to be redeemed, ‘every square inch’ as Abraham Kuyper said. The whole creation is ‘a theater for the mighty works of God,’ first in creation and then in re-creation (Ibid). Messiah Jesus comes to inaugurate and, eventually, consummate his kingdom of righteousness. In fact, the “coming of the kingdom of God” is just the NT way of spelling SHALOM.
THE IMPACT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT JESUS IS THE PRINCE OF SHALOM
A. It becomes clear that our 9-5 vocation is central to God’s cosmic purposes. If God’s mission for individual Christians is primarily to build a relationship with someone at work so he will accept Jesus’ gift of the password to heaven—our actual 40 hours/week of vocational work are utterly insignificant, except to earn some money to give to missionaries and preachers to proclaim the gospel. Let me say that building a relationship with others to lead them to Christ IS POSSITIVELY A CENTRAL PART OF OUR MISSION. The best way to spread Christ’s righteous kingdom is to lead someone to faith in Christ who then surrenders to Christ’s lordship!! However—and it is a big however—this two-chapter view of the gospel is a horrible distortion. It ignores the original purpose God had for creating us, spelled out in Genesis 1—to exercise dominion for HIM over the earth. The coming of the Messiah does not abrogate this original creation calling. In fact, the exact opposite is the case. Our purpose is to seek first the SPREAD OF HIS KINGDOM OF WHOLENESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, RESTORATION over the earth. What better way to spread righteousness over the earth than for every Christian to perform his vocational calling righteously all day long, five days a week? Cornelius Plantinga gives a picture of what this might look like in today’s world,
“Perhaps a Christian would shape the occupation of quality-control supervisor by encouraging whistle-blowers instead of retaliating against them. Perhaps a Christian would shape the occupation of computer repair technician by doing top notch diagnoses in order to save the customers the expense of further unnecessary repairs. Perhaps the Christian would shape the occupation of CEO of a major airline by telling the customers the truth about flight cancelations and delays. In any case occupational reformers serve the kingdom of God as surely as a Billy Graham Crusade does.” (Ibid).
Let’s look at a real example of a man spreading the kingdom of righteous in his workplace. Wayne Alderson was the Vice President of Operations at Pitron Steel during a time of hostility in his company between labor and management. Putting his Christian faith to work, Alderson realized that as the top manager on the floor he needed to be much more intentional about treating the laborers with the dignity that the image-bearers of God deserved. Here are just a few of the things he did.
- In a work environment where it was understood that management never mixes with labor, Alderson determined to learn the names of the individual laborers and began walking through the plant, daily, to chat with men as they worked.
- In his steel plant, just like the old cowboy days when the good guys wore the white hats, it was understood that management wore white work helmets, laborers wore black helmets. Alderson painted his white helmet black.
- Alderson noticed that Sam Piccolo, the labor union president and leader on the floor had no teakwood office like management. In fact, the only office he had was the cab of his crane. Alderson saw that as a slur on Piccolo’s leadership, an insult to his dignity, and got him a real office in which to meet with his men.
- Alderson began standing at the company gate like a pastor standing at the church door greeting the parishioners after the service. Wayne offered his hand and personally thanked each man he could for his day’s work.
Eventually, Alderson’s activities dissolved the labor/management hostility, which led an 84-day strike to end.
Bbilical Values--Spreading Righteousness in Your Workplace
1. Every worker, student, manager, and customer is made in God’s image and therefore to be treated with dignity and respect. James forbids behavior that lacks this respect. Ja 3:8: We use the tongue to bless our Father, God, and we use the same tongue to curse our fellowmen, who are all created in God’s likeness.
2. Vocational success comes from serving others well, an expression of the command to love our neighbor as ourselves. Prov 11:26 describes the result of selfish business approaches. The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
3. Economic efficiency is vital to competing well enough to succeed as an organization; but it must not come through unfair wages. Prov 22:6: Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
4. Success usually requires some unpleasant work (and Christians should be the first to volunteer for it). Prov 14:4: Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5. Financial integrity and honesty are of utmost importance. Prov 11:1: A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.
6. Making moral compromises are never worth it. Prov 15:27: Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.
When we embrace the full, four-chapter gospel, understanding that Messiah Jesus’ mission for us is SHALOM—restoring broken dignity, reconciling broken relationships, revitalizing broken business ethics—as a primary way of spreading righteous behavior across the earth, the passion for our work can be renewed. Every decision you make to treat another with dignity, serve others, treat the less fortunate with compassion, do the job no one else wants to do, to keep your word even when it is costly, to argue for the morally right decision—matters eternally. You are doing what you were created for—exercising dominion for the King.
B. There is a second great benefit to understanding the four-chapter gospel story: The fourth chapter, restoration, which pictures the full reign of the PRINCE of SHALOM can open our eyes to how BIG a WIN, Jesus’ victory really is. Paul describes the future that awaits believers “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him (I Cor 2:9). The OT prophets like Isaiah longed for and foresaw the day when the curse of sin on creation would be fully reversed. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them (Is 11:6). God would shake his people free from their enemies just as he had done in Egypt. In the new age, God’s people will respond with glad obedience, the rich helping the poor, the strong helping the weak. As God’s grace spreads across the land, the lame will begin to dance; the blind will gaze at the world they have never seen before; the deaf will hear the song of a lark. Covenant obligations broken and forgotten will be fulfilled. In a word, the prophets long for SHALOM.
In that day, God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” This text always makes my mind return to a scene from Lord of the Rings.
Just after the climax of the story, Sam Gamgee discovers that his friend Gandalf was not dead (as he thought) but alive. He cries, “I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself! Is everything sad going to come untrue?” The answer of Christianity to that question is—yes. Everything sad inside Christ's kingdom is going to come untrue. But something even greater than ending pain will take place. Not only will all pain be REMOVED—it will be REVERSED. C. S. Lewis wrote: “They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.” May contemplating the greatness of the WIN that is coming lift the cloud of darkness for a moment—and make the heartaches of spiritual battle HURT LESS.
For Further Prayerful Thought
- How does Jesus’ title Prince of Peace reinforce the truth that the gospel has four chapters, creation, fall, redemption, restoration and not just two, fall and redemption?
- What stood out to you about the meaning of the Hebrew word, shalom? Why would it be biblical to say that shalom is the answer to all the levels of poverty in the world?
- Why would you support the argument that one of the highest callings of Christians is to spread the kingdom of righteousness in their vocations?
- What aspects of kingdom righteousness in the workplace stood out to you?
