Second Sunday of Advent - Peace Through Faith

This is the manuscript for sermon for the Second Sunday of Advent 2025 at Christ Church Los Angeles. "Peace Through Faith”

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation.’ (Luke 3:4-6 NIV)

John the Baptist, reminds us that true peace begins with inner preparation. True peace requires us to clear away the obstacles in our hearts and align our lives with God's will. It is a call to repentance and readiness. As we reflect on the Prince of Peace, let us actively pursue the transforming peace that comes through obedience.

The valleys are the low places of our lives—the pits of doubt, despair, and depression. These are the places where we feel abandoned, where hopelessness settles in, and where we question God's promises.

The mountains are the arrogant, high places of the heart: pride, self-will, and stubborn independence. The difficult areas are the spiritual detours and obstacles in our character: dishonesty, hidden sin, compromise, and deceit. We might believe we can take a shortcut by bending the truth or living a double life hidden from others.

The rough ways are the jagged edges and stumbling blocks in our personal life, especially our unresolved conflict

What is the power source that makes this enormous task of filling the valleys, making the mountains low, straightening out the crooked roads, and smoothing out the rough spots possible? It is not willpower alone. The energy required to level a mountain of pride or fill a valley of grief is found in unwavering faith.

Isaiah 9:1-7 NIV [1] Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— [2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. [3] You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. [4] For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. [5] Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. [6] 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. [7] 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.

Introduction

We are now in the second week of Advent, which, as we said last week, is a time of preparation and expectation waiting for the arrival of Jesus Christ.

Advent first prepares us to celebrate the historical birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem—the core event of Christmas. But equally important, Advent is a spiritual reminder to prepare for Christ's promised return and finally, it calls us to prepare our hearts for Christ to come and dwell more fully within us today.

• Last Sunday On the First Sunday of Advent: We focused on Hope.

• On the Second Sunday, which is this Sunday: We focus on Peace, preparing our hearts through repentance.

• On the Third Sunday, next week, We focus on Joy, pausing to rejoice that the time of fulfillment is drawing near.

• On the Fourth Sunday, the Sunday before Christmas, when we have our cande. lighting service, we will focus on Love, celebrating God's love through the Incarnation.

If you remember last week, when the focus was Hope, we said that  Advent calls us to wake up from spiritual complacency, to watch, and to remember that our hope is not rooted in temporary circumstances, but in the certain promises of God—promises fulfilled in Christ’s first coming and eagerly awaited in His second coming.

Because we are called to be people of hope, sustained by an active faith, Okay, this is okay, yeah, okay, okay, okay, great, okay, okay, Daniel, okay? Good good, good. Good, all right, I'll intentionally renew our commitment to:

• Watch with spiritual alertness, trusting the certainty of His promise.

• Wait with patience, confident that He who promised is faithful.

• Work with divine love, letting our lives reflect His perfect will.

Today, our focus shifts to Peace.

In the scripture that James read at Isaiah 9:6 NIV it says 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.

Now let's consider Matthew 3:1-3 NIV [1] In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea [2] and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” [3] This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 

The powerful message of John the Baptist, reminds us, as we will see, that true peace begins with inner preparation. True peace requires us to clear away the obstacles in our hearts.  It is a call to repentance and readiness. 

So our text is 

Luke 3:4-6 NIV [4] As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. [5] Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. [6] And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”

The Call for Preparation

John the Baptist’s message was a jarring, uncomfortable one: His message was and is to Prepare! He wasn't calling people to simply do better; he was calling them to radical internal transformation.

Let’s read verses 4 &5 of our our text again 

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth

The valleys are the low places of our lives—the pits of doubt, despair, and depression. These are the places where we feel abandoned, where hopelessness settles in, and where we question God's promises. To fill a valley means to lift up what is sunken and heavy. We fill these valleys with the stones of remembrance and the solid soil of God's Word. We lift our eyes from the pit of "what-if" to the certainty of "He has done it."

The mountains are the arrogant, high places of the heart: pride, self-will, and stubborn independence. To make the mountains low is an act of humiliation and surrender. It means breaking down the fortress of self and laying our achievements, our credentials, and our agendas flat at the Prince of Peace’s feet.

The hills are the spiritual detours and obstacles in our character: dishonesty, hidden sin, compromise, and deceit. We might believe we can take a shortcut by bending the truth or living a double life hidden from others. However, the Prince of Peace requires a straight road—a life lived with integrity and transparency. 

Making the crooked straight means confessing our hidden wrongs and committing to walk uprightly, aligning our outward actions with our inward convictions.

The rough ways are the jagged edges and stumbling blocks in our personal lives, especially our unresolved conflicts, unforgiveness, and hardness of heart. These rough spots cause friction, pain, and division. When the Prince of Peace comes, the road cannot be paved with the stones of bitterness and grudges. Making the rough smooth is the difficult work of reconciliation, forgiveness, and softening our hearts toward those who have hurt us. We must choose peace, not penalty.

What is the source that makes this enormous task of filling the valleys, making the mountains low, straightening out the crooked roads, and smoothing out the rough spots possible? It is not willpower alone, it is unwavering faith.

The Message in the Carol

This challenge to prepare and to choose peace has been echoed not just by prophets, but even in the hymns we sing. 

Think about the beloved carol, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear."

Here’s the first verse

It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, From heaven's all-gracious King." The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.

The angels’ song of peace is still echoing, but the world is still too distracted to listen. 

This is the very essence of John's message for peace. We are called to stop the noise—the internal conflicts, the external distractions—and make a quiet space in our hearts to receive the Prince of Peace.

The Foundation of Peace: Unwavering Faith

This preparation John talks about is ultimately an act of faith. It is the absolute conviction that the one we are preparing for—Jesus Christ—is powerful enough and trustworthy enough to make the preparation worthwhile.

The end result of all this preparation is in verse 6 of our text 

Luke 3:6 NIV And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”

We participate in the preparation, but we rely on God for the outcome which is the Peace and Salvation He alone can provide.

What does Philippians 4:6-7 NIV say? [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

True peace, the Shalom of God, is not found in having perfect circumstances, but in having a perfect alignment with God’s will.

The Hebrew word Shalom expresses the idea of well-being, restoration, reconciliation with God.  Reconciliation with God happens at salvation and that only happens through the right relationship with the Prince of Peace, Jesus.   

Romans 5:1-2 NIV [1] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 

The peace that comes from being in a right relationship with Jesus is not a peace that depends on everything going well.  If that’s the case, when things go bad, that peace quickly goes away.   

Look at how faith makes the preparation for the Shalom of God possible:

• Faith Levels the Mountains of Pride: It takes faith to say, "My way is not the right way. God's wisdom is greater than my own." When we humble ourselves, trusting in God's righteousness instead of our own performance, the mountains of self-reliance come down.

• Faith Fills the Valleys of Fear: The experience of fear and anxiety creates a sense of emptiness and lack of foundation. This void can only be made whole by the unwavering trust (faith) that God is diligently working all things together for our benefit. 

Romans 8:28 NIV [28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

This commitment from God  to work for the good of those who love Him is the basis for the divine promise found in Isaiah 26:3 NIV which says You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

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Conclusion

We can have Peace today, not because we have achieved total stillness in our lives, but because we are placing our faith in the Prince of Peace.

The Advent season is our time to demonstrate that living faith. Let us embrace the work of preparing our hearts, not with frantic effort, but with quiet, absolute trust in the Prince of Peace.

Our faith is the spiritual bulldozer that levels the rough ground, making a smooth, straight path for Christ to come and rule in our lives with perfect peace.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father we thank you for the voice of the prophets who prepared the way for your Son and our Savior,  Jesus  Christ. 

We confess that our hearts are often rugged, our paths are crooked, and the valleys of our doubt are deep. We ask for your Spirit to be with us, empowering us to do the spiritual work of preparation.

Strengthen our faith, Lord. Let us not rely on our own efforts or understanding, but on the certainty of your promise. Help us to believe, truly believe, that your grace is sufficient to level the mountains of our pride and fill the empty spaces of our worry.

Grant us the courage to live out this preparation in practical ways: by seeking reconciliation, speaking kindness, and acting justly. Let the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and minds.

We await the coming of the Prince of Peace with hope and with unwavering faith.

Amen.

Faith is in Your Choices

This is the manuscript of the sermon at Christ Church Los Angeles, the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day November 23, 2025.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17 NIV)

Think for a moment about your faith. Is it a feeling you hope to catch on a good Sunday? Is it a box you checked when you were younger? Where do you locate it? Is your faith in your feelings, or is it in your choices?

The reality is, faith is a living, breathing, choice we must make every day. It’s the continuous, day-by-day work of aligning our priorities with God’s will. And I want to tell you something foundational. Every moment you are not actively choosing faith, you are passively defaulting to something else—the flesh, the world, or fear. In your spiritual life, there is no autopilot.

Scripture:

 James 2:14-24 NIV [14] What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. [18] But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. [19] You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. [20] You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? [21] Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? [22] You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. [23] And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. [24] You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Text:

James 2:14-17 (NIV) "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Introduction: The Illusion of Autopilot

Think for a moment about your faith. Is it a feeling you hope to catch on a good Sunday? Is it a box you checked when you were younger? Where do you locate it?

We are here today because we believe in God, but the true, practical question for every one of us is this: Is your faith in your feelings, or is it in your choices?

We are also here today at the beginning of a truly special week. This coming Thursday, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day—a time when we deliberately pause our routines to focus on gratitude and blessing. Yet, this celebratory pause should not be the only time we choose to engage with our faith.

The reality is, faith is a living, breathing, choice we must make every single day. It’s the continuous, day-by-day work of aligning our priorities with God’s will. Every moment you are not actively choosing faith, you are passively defaulting to something else—the flesh, the world, or fear. 

The challenge is as old as the Bible itself.

Joshua 24:15 (NIV): But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

This isn't a choice for just one day; it is the foundation, the anchor for our entire future.

Point I: We all want a rock-solid spiritual foundation, don't we? 

But a foundation is built brick by brick, not by a single wish. We often treat our faith like a magic spell—we want the quick fix, the instant answer, the immediate comfort. But true faith is the constant process of choosing to lean into God's guidance.

This is why Soloman, who was a very wise man, offered this counsel:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV [5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Our choices are the central battleground of our faith!

1. It is The Choice to Trust: When you get a scary diagnosis, the choice is not to immediately eliminate the problem, but to choose to trust the sovereign God who holds your life.

2. It is The Choice to Completely trust God: When your mind spins with worry or self-justification, the choice is to stop leaning on your own limited, anxious understanding, and to trust God completely because His understanding and knowledge has no limits.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV says [8] “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. [9] “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

3. It is The Choice to Submit: This means in all your ways—in your finances, your career decisions, your relationship decisions —you deliberately and constantly submit your will to God's known will for you.

It means choosing prayer over panic, and study over distraction. 

That’s how you build a foundation that won't crumble.  It is a constant thing not a one time thing. 

Point II: If our choices are where faith is found, then our choices are also where our true priorities are revealed.

The Apostle James put it plainly in 

James 2:17 NIV In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Your daily choices are the votes that decide your life. Where are you investing your time, money, and energy?

• When your alarm goes off, do you choose to spend some quiet time in prayer and reading scripture, or do you choose the immediate satisfaction of social media? That is a choice of faith.

• When you are slighted by a loved one, do you choose to retaliate, or do you choose the long, hard work of forgiveness and reconciliation? That is a choice of faith.

• When your calendar is full, do you choose convenience and isolation, or do you choose service to the community and fellowship? That is a choice of faith.

Every choice is a declaration of allegiance. Your deliberate decision to choose obedience, patience, and love is the visible evidence that your faith is alive, healthy, and properly aligned with God’s will.

Conclusion: The Challenge of Your Next Step

Faith is not a destination you arrive at, but a continuous journey of choosing.

God has set before you two paths: the path of death, curses, and self-reliance, and the path of life, blessing, and trust. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV  This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 

This verse of scripture comes at the end of a long series of speeches given by Moses to the people of Israel as they stand on the plains of Moab, preparing to enter the Promised Land (Canaan).

Moses reiterated the laws, regulations, and stipulations God gave them. He has just finished outlining the blessings that will result from obedience and the curses that will follow disobedience.  (chapters 27-28 of Deuteronomy).

In this final exhortation, Moses presents the people with a clear and undeniable choice and he  emphasizes that God has made the path clear.

By calling "the heavens and the earth as witnesses," Moses gives this choice supreme and lasting significance, implying that the decision is permanent and the consequences are inescapable.

The  command, "Now choose life, so that you and your children may live," is an appeal for them to choose obedience to God's commands, which is synonymous with choosing life, and prosperity.

Let's read it again;

Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV  This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 

This scripture is a defining, foundational statement on human free will and the ultimate importance of aligning your priorities with God's will.

What is the next choice you need to make? Is it to choose patience with a family member or friend? Is it to choose ten minutes of quiet prayer instead of turning on the television? Is it to choose to forgive a hurt you’ve held for too long?

The power is not in the size of the choice, but in the sincerity of the choosing. Commit today, and commit every day, to choose the path of constant faith. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV [5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

When you choose God, He will make your path straight.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the powerful truth that our faith is not passive, but active; it is found in the choices we make every day. Forgive us for the times we have defaulted to worry, or leaned on our own understanding instead of yours. We confess that we often seek the quick fix instead of committing to the continuous, foundational process you call us to.

Lord, we commit this moment to choosing You. Give us the courage to choose trust when fear rises. Give us the discipline to choose prayer over panic. Give us the humility to choose submission to your will over our own ambition. 

Strengthen our spiritual foundation, aligning our priorities with your perfect guidance. May our lives today and every day be a living testament to our choice to follow You. We ask this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.