[S] In just a few more days we will celebrate the most spectacular event in all of human history. The general population calls it Christmas or Winter Break or Happy Holidays, but we know it as the birth of the Messiah. We tend to celebrate the event with the giving and receiving of gifts as expressions of our love for each other. But even that doesn’t quite capture the point of Christmas. For when you untie the bow and remove the wrapping paper and dig through all those blasted Styrofoam static charged, clingy peanuts and get to the bottom of the box it’s not so much about the gifts we give each other as it is about the gifts that God gives us.
As we move through this series I have come to a greater appreciation of Christmas and the gifts that God has given me and you. And I hope you have too. The first gift from God that we unwrapped was the gift of hope associated with eternal life. The second gift was the gift of God’s unconditional love for you and everyone else. Third was the gift of joy associated with the good news of Jesus’ birth. There are still two more gifts under the tree from God. We’ll open one more today and save the other for Christmas Eve. Let’s unwrap the next gift by reading Luke 2.8-14 together.
[S] “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2.8-14, NIV) [S]
The fourth gift that God gives us is the gift of peace.
And who couldn’t use a little peace these days eh? It’s ironic don’t you think, that a season that proclaims peace is so full of anxiety, stress, tension, short fuses, impatience and bad attitudes? Christmas has a way of revealing the contrast that exists between peace and the status of the real human condition. If there is one thing Christmas brings to light it’s that the world needs and longs for peace.
[S] Does anyone recognize what I’m holding? It’s Mistletoe. And you’ll see it hanging in doorways, from light fixtures or dangling from someone’s hand over the head of another. Tradition has it that when people stand under the mistletoe they’re supposed to kiss. Well, that’s not quite the way it originated. The tradition of the mistletoe began with the Druids of northern Europe. The Druids believed that Mistletoe had special healing powers. Not only could it heal people from a myriad of physical ailments but it could help to restore the relationship of people who were estranged or separated for whatever reasons as well. For example, if two enemies met under a tree and there happened to be mistletoe in its branches they took that as a sign to reconcile and would drop their weapons and embrace each other. Mistletoe is equated with establishing peace within the body or with somebody. (Christmas Gifts that Won’t Break, James Moore, pg 35).
[S] Jesus is God’s mistletoe.
The Bible says, “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 rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5.1-2, NIV)
[S] The word translated to “gain access” refers to a ships access to a harbor, a safe haven for ships to moor and dock. Understood this way, it means as we try to conquer life on our own we will be like a ship tossed in the rough seas caused by the sin in our lives and the consequences of that sin. But through faith in Jesus we are granted entrance to God’s harbor of grace and peace. (The Letter to the Romans, William Barclay, pg. 73)
[S] God came into this world as Jesus in order to reconcile us with God’s self. The bible makes it clear that sin separates us from God because sin and God do not mix. Never have and never will. And according to the Bible sin must be punished or dealt with.
Romans 6.23 reveals that the payment for sin is death understood to be eternal separation from God. And that’s frustrating because we have this inner desire to live in peace with God for eternity and yet we can never get there on our own merits or efforts. And since we’re sinners, incapable of earning our own salvation we are doomed.
All in all it seems pretty hopeless doesn’t it? And it would be if God didn’t act on our behalf. Romans 5.8, tells us that while we were yet sinners that Jesus died for us. That is true, but it also means that while we were yet sinners Jesus was born for us so that we could have peace with God. What that means is that Jesus, as God incarnate was able to live a perfect life without any sin. And then as a young adult, Jesus voluntarily took upon himself all the sin of the entire human race on the cross where he died paying the price for all our sin. But then God did something else amazing. God credited all of Christ’s righteousness to our account justifying us in his presence. [S] Justified means that Jesus makes our situation just-as-if-I’d never sinned.
And that means that the person who does this doesn’t have to fear death and damnation. They don’t have to worry about what will happen once they die. They don’t have to worry or wonder if God will accept them. They don’t have to lose sleep questioning whether or not they’ve dotted all their I’s and crossed their T’s or if they were able to live up to the Sermon on the Mount. They don’t have to worry about whether or not they feel like they’ve done enough or if there are some unknown or forgotten about skeletons in the closet that might jeopardize their salvation and heaven bound gift. As a person grows older they can be at peace because they can have a sense of blessed assurance that their salvation is not in question once it’s been activated by trusting Him.
[S] God extends the olive branch of peace through the birth of Jesus. All a person has to do is accept it and open it by the act of faith. And that’s good news that makes a difference!
But wait! There’s more! I want you to know that God enjoys giving His peace to people.
And that means no one has to be fearful of Jesus rejecting or withholding the peace of God. In fact, if anything Jesus weeps over those who don’t open the gift he offers.
[S] One of the many memorable experiences I’ve had involves sitting on the slope of hill that that overlooks the Eastern Gates and The Temple Mount of Jerusalem. It’s a spot that tradition says the following unfolded. “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19.41-44, NIV)
There were many people in Jerusalem who refused God’s gift of peace. Jesus wept for them because he knew of the horror they would undergo in this life and the life to come that they didn’t have to go through, if only they would have received the gift of the Prince of Peace. Three or four decades after Jesus said this the prophecy was fulfilled when Rome invaded Israel and destroyed Jerusalem including the Temple. I suspect that was the most catastrophic event in the history of the Jewish people to date.
[S] As I thought about this series I asked myself what are some words that I would use to describe my life prior to trusting Jesus with it. The following words came to mind: hopeless, discouraging, empty, lonely, loveless, bland, joyless, turmoil, worry and peace-less. But those aren’t the words that characterize my life now. How I use words like: confidant, optimistic and hopeful; esteemed, treasured, and loved; enjoyable, pleasant and joyful; and peaceful. And yours can be as well if you receive the gift of God – Jesus the Messiah.
I hope you’ll recognize the time of God’s coming to you this Christmas and unwrap the gift of peace that is yours. Let me tell you how.
First, it begins with a simple prayer acknowledging your trust in Jesus to provide this gift of peace. I’ll lead you in that prayer in a moment for those who would like to pray it. And secondly, you’ll want to start learning about the teachings of Jesus and living by those teachings and the best way to do this is with a group of other Christ followers who will love you and encourage you in your new life. And those people are here today.
Now, I ask you to bow your heads and to pray this prayer silently if you are making that decision to trust in Jesus.
