‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.’
John 14:27
- What does the word ‘peace’ convey to you?
- Is this time of year a peaceful one for you? Why or why not?!
The Promise of Peace
Read Ezekiel 34:1-4 and v22-31.
- Considering v1-4, what’s the context of what God is saying through Ezekiel?
- In v22-25: What does God promise to do as a solution to this?
- In v25 God says his new covenant with his people will be one of peace. How would you define a ‘covenant’?
- The word for peace here is shalom. In v25-31, what images does God use to describe the extent of what it means?
- How far from this shalom has the world fallen?
- From what Ezekiel writes here, summarise what the true Shepherd of God’s people, the prince in the line of David, will bring to God’s people.
- Look at Isaiah 9:6. Isaiah was writing several hundred years before Ezekiel. How does the promise in Isaiah of the king to be born fit with what Ezekiel writes?
The Announcement of Peace
- Look at Luke 2:8-14. Given what we read in Ezekiel, what’s the significance of the announcement of Jesus’s birth being made to shepherds and not the religious leaders in Jerusalem?
- How does v11 suggest Jesus fulfils the promises of Ezekiel 34:23-24; and v14 the promise of 34:25?
The Fulfilment of Peace
- Read John 10:10-11 and John 14:25-28.
- Who does Jesus say he is?
- What has he come to do?
- How will he do it?
- And what has this got to do with Ezekiel’s words in Ezek 34?
- How does Jesus bring about the new covenant of peace and give us peace?
- What is the Spirit’s role in this? (consider also Galatians 5:22-23)
- In John 14:27 Jesus says the disciples (and we) should not let our hearts be troubled or afraid. What things tend to trouble your heart? Are there areas of your life where you don’t currently enjoy peace, but wish you did?
- How is understanding who Jesus is and what he has done (and will do) for us the answer to troubled hearts?
- Look at Colossians 3:12-15. There is a communal aspect to the peace of God. What does this tell us about what it means to let the peace of God rule in our hearts?
- How does conflict with others rob us of peace, and how is the gospel the answer to this?
The Future of Peace
The truth is, we do not experience the fullness of God’s peace – the fullest manifestation of his shalom as described in Ezekiel 34 – in this life.
- Look at Revelation 21:1-5. How does this describe the ultimate fulfilment of God’s promise of peace?
- How can we be people of peace now (and in this Christmas season) as we wait for this future peace?
Download the complete study: Advent Bible studies (PDF), also available in French (PDF)