Peace On Earth Series

Carols by candlelight. Peace on earth. WBC 19.12.2004 pm. Luke 2:8-20

A mother and father went Christmas shopping one Saturday afternoon with their seven-year-old daughter. The Little girl was so thrilled and enthusiastic about the season. But her parents were just the opposite- - they were so grumpy, so tense and uptight, so worn out with all the traffic jams and lists and bills and long line.

When the family returned home that night, the little girl was singing Christmas carols; but her mother and father were arguing and irritated with one another. Finally, the father, told the little girl to stop singing and go to bed.

The little girl started upstairs to her room; but she stopped on the stairway, opened the window, and looked out. "Why did you open the window and let in the cold air?" Her father asked. "Because I thought I heard the angels singing," she answered. Still angry and tired, the father said, "I don’t hear any angels singing, and neither do you. Now get upstairs, and get in that bed right now!" The little girl started up the stairs; but then she paused and said gently, "Daddy, if you want to hear the angels sing, you have to listen with your heart."

What Should Christmas Look Like? by John Kah www.sermoncentral.com

Or- thought you might appreciate a response to one of our newsletters from some really good friends. Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty!

Hello all you Huffys

This is the ‘Jones’ Christmas letter and its only to you. Your family life sounds so wonderful, and we are very envious as only this week after much gnashing of teeth part of a hot chicken was thrown across the kitchen aimed at a disgusting teenager! (we scraped the chicken off and ate it for tea the next day) and another disgusting teenager left home in his sock feet. he didn’t stay away for long but promised to leave for longer next time. (i went and tried to help him pack his bags). Hannah still manages to stay the sweet calming influence for all of us. (ok so i lie)

last year i went on a "how to manage your teenagers" couldn’t remember a word of it when most needed.

Of course they are all the apple of our eyes, just amazed at that special love given to you when they are born. Talking of births have a very splendid restful mad hectic family Christmas time because we certainly will. Wonder if Mary ever chucked hot chickens at her little darlings?

would love to get you chaps over here sometime next year lots of love Susan and John

Peace. The message of the angels… and the OT prophets regarding Christmas is one of peace

- but what are they talking about? What did they mean?

- Busiest time of year for most of us! Anything but peaceful

o A four-year-old and a six-year-old presented their mom with a houseplant for Christmas. They had used their own money to buy it and she was thrilled. The older of them said with a sad face, "There was a bouquet at the flower shop that we wanted to give you. It was real pretty but it was too expensive. It had a ribbon on it that said ‘Rest In Peace,’ and we thought it would be just perfect since you are always asking for a little peace so that you can rest.

o Contributed by: A. Todd Coget on www.sermoncentral.com

- And there wasn’t much peace, then

o Message came to an area occupied by a military force

 Bethlehem, no less. Still war torn. The one area we couldn’t go freely to when I was there

 There were militants being ‘heroes’ to their own folks and ‘rebels’ to the occupiers

- And really things haven’t changed since

o In fact: have got worse.

o Illustr: Freeview, people’s century. 20th century was the bloodiest in history. Pol Pot. Natzis… I could go on

It’s not surprising: Jesus Himself said there would be ‘wars and rumours of wars’ until the end

So – what’s being spoken of, here? What is this ‘peace’?

- was it just ‘false promises?’

- when Isaiah called this baby that was to be born ‘the Prince of Peace’, 750 years before it he was born

o was he just being cutsie and sentimental?

o (a story about a peaceful baby of whom it can be said ‘no crying he makes’)

LACK OF PEACE

Well- people are searching for peace, today

- in fact, it is one of the things people are most hungry for in our society

o inner peace. Outer peace.

o We live so fast…move so fast-

 and the trouble with living life in the fast lane is you seem to get to the end so quickly!