THE ANGELS PROCLAIMED “PEACE”
LUKE 2:1-20
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY SEARCHING FOR IN THIS WORLD IS PEACE. WE WANT PEACE OF MIND, AND PEACE IN OUR HEARTS. WE SEEK A PEACEFUL GETAWAY FROM THE BUSINESS OF THE WORLD AROUND US. WE EVEN SAY OF THE DEAD, “MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.”
HUMANITY IS ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR THAT ILLUSIVE “PEACE”. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT AT CHRISTMAS, WE COME EXTREMELY CLOSE TO FINDING THAT PEACE. I AM ALWAYS AMAZED HOW THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF CHRISTMAS EVE DAY, TRANSFORMS ITSELF INTO THE QUIET UNIQUENESS OF CHRISTMAS EVE. IT CAN ALMOST TAKE US BACK TO THE NIGHT THAT JESUS WAS BORN, AS FAR AS ATMOSPHERE IS CONCERNED.
CHRISTMAS USED TO BE A TIME OF PEACE AND HOPE, AND MY PRAYER IS THAT THIS CHRISTMAS CAN BE JUST THAT. IT WAS A TIME WHEN WARS WOULD CEASE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS A SEASON WHEN WE THINK AND STRIVE TO HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. THERE IS A QUIET ANTICIPATION AS CHILDREN, AND ADULTS, NOTICE SOME OF THE GIFTS UNDER THE TREE, AND IN THEIR MINDS SAY “NOW I WONDER WHAT THAT IS?”, FOR WE ARE MUCH TOO GROWN UP TO ACTUALLY SAY THE WORDS.
CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY MAY COME CLOSE TO EXPERIENCING PEACE IN OUR OWN PRIVATE WORLDS, ALTHOUGH IN ACTUALITY IT PROBABLY WASN’T THAT PEACEFUL FOR MARY AND JOSEPH.
MARY HAD A BABY THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS AND CHILDBIRTH IS ANYTHING BUT PEACEFUL. LUKE WRITES HIS NARRATIVE AFTER THE FACT, AND BEING A DOCTOR, MANY OF THE FACTS OF JESUS’ CHILDBIRTH WOULD SEEM ROUTINE TO HIM, AND SO HE WOULD GIVE JUST A GENERAL INFERENCE. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE:
LUKE 2:6-7:
6 WHILE THEY WERE THERE, THE TIME CAME FOR THE BABY TO BE BORN, 7 AND SHE GAVE BIRTH TO HER FIRSTBORN, A SON. SHE WRAPPED HIM IN CLOTHS AND PLACED HIM IN A MANGER, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN.
IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE IT ALL HAPPENED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WITH NO PAIN INVOLVED. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THIS WAS MARY’S FIRSTBORN, AND LABOUR FOR THE FIRSTBORN IS OFTEN LONG. IT WOULD BE SCARY IN THAT SHE WOULD NOT KNOW HOW SHE WAS GOING TO FEEL WHILE HAVING THE BABY. WE MAY LIKE TO THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST-CHILD, THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PAIN INVOLVED, BUT THERE IS NOTHING TO INDICATE THIS. IN FACT WE KNOW THE OPPOSITE TO BE TRUE. GOD SAID TO EVE AT THE TIME OF THE FALL:
GENESIS 3:16: “TO THE WOMAN HE SAID, "I WILL GREATLY INCREASE YOUR PAINS IN CHILDBEARING; WITH PAIN YOU WILL GIVE BIRTH TO CHILDREN. "”
MARY’S CONCEPTION WAS SUPERNATURAL, NOT THE BIRTH OF JESUS. THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE PAIN OF LABOUR WOULD BE REAL, SO TOO WOULD BE THE RELIEF AND PEACE AFTER THE BABY CAME.
HALFWAY THROUGH HIS NARRATIVE LUKE TAKES US FROM THE STABLE AND INTO THE FIELDS WITH THE SHEPHERDS. HERE, LUKE SHARES THE MISSION OF THE CHRIST, AND ALSO VERIFIES SOME OF THE PREDICTIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT CONCERNING THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH.
IT IS IN THE MISSION THAT THE ANGELS PROCLAIM THAT PART OF THE MISSION OF THE MESSIAH IS TO BRING PEACE TO THOSE ON WHOM IS FAVOR RESTS.
LUKE 2:13-14:
13 SUDDENLY A GREAT COMPANY OF THE HEAVENLY HOST APPEARED WITH THE ANGEL, PRAISING GOD AND SAYING, 14 "GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE TO MEN ON WHOM HIS FAVOUR RESTS."
CHRIST IS THE ANSWER TO THE SEARCH FOR YOUR PEACE TODAY. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL SEE “PEACE” IN THE WORLD TODAY, FOR MANY NATIONS HAVE ABANDONED THEIR WALK WITH GOD. IT DOES ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHO IT IS ON WHICH HIS FAVOR RESTS.
THE FIRST THING WE CAN NOTE FROM THIS VERSE IS THAT GOD’S PEACE IS NOT UNIVERSAL. BY THAT I MEAN NOT EVERYONE WILL HAVE IT. PEOPLE TONIGHT WILL SEARCH VARIOUS FORUMS IN AN EFFORT TO FIND PEACE, BUT MOST WILL WAKE UP TOMORROW, STILL SEEKING THIS ILLUSIVE GEM, BECAUSE WE TRY TO FIND IT IN OUR OWN STRENGTH.
THE PEACE THAT THE ANGELS DESCRIBE HERE, IS THE PEACE THAT COMES, AT THE END OF A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH. IT IS THE PEACE AND SATISFACTION THAT COMES AS A RESULT OF REACHING YOUR GOAL. THE GOAL FOR US IN THIS CASE IS THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS.
THE PEACE THAT IS SPOKEN OF HERE, IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF KAOS AROUND US, NOR THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE AS THEY EFFECT US, IT IS THE PEACE THAT ALLOWS US TO OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES.
PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13:
“11 I AM NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I AM IN NEED, FOR I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 12 I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE IN NEED, AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE PLENTY. I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION, WHETHER WELL FED OR HUNGRY, WHETHER LIVING IN PLENTY OR IN WANT. 13 I CAN DO EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.”
THE PEACE THAT THE ANGELS PRAISED GOD FOR THAT NIGHT IS THE PEACE THAT IS OFFERED TONIGHT, BUT LETS ASK THE QUESTION THAT THE REST OF THIS VERSE PUTS ON OUR MIND. WHO IS IT SPEAKING OF WHEN THE ANGELS SAY “MEN ON WHOM HIS FAVOR RESTS.”?
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD IS PICKING AND CHOOSING PEOPLE TO GRANT HIS PEACE TO. THE ANGELS WORDS TO THE SHEPHERDS ARE VERY CLEAR ON THIS POINT:
LUKE 2:10-11:
10 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. 11 TODAY IN THE TOWN OF DAVID A SAVIOUR HAS BEEN BORN TO YOU; HE IS CHRIST THE LORD.
THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL IS A MESSAGE FOR ALL PEOPLE TODAY. IT IS A MESSAGE OF GOOD NEWS AND GREAT JOY, FOR THE PEACE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR CAN BE OBTAINED IN CHRIST.
ROMANS 1:16: “I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.”
THE PEOPLE ON WHOM GOD’S FAVOR RESTS THEN, ARE THE PEOPLE WHO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO THE CALL OF GOD ON THEIR HEARTS TO ACCEPT JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR. IT IS RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF GOD THAT GIVES US THE PEACE OF KNOWING OUR FUTURE IS SECURED IN HIM. IN RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF GOD WE HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE. WE HAVE A HOPE THAT ALLOWS US TO CARRY ON. PAUL SPEAKS OF THIS HOPE AND PEACE IN HIS GREAT BOOK TO THE ROMANS:
ROMANS 5:1-2:
“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 REJOICE IN THE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
THIS WONDERFUL PASSAGE REMINDS US THAT BECAUSE WE PUR OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR THAT WE NOW CAN HAVE PEACE WITH GOD. THAT WORD JUSTIFIED IS A LEGAL TERM AND IT MEANS THAT THE PENALTY FOR THE LAW THAT WE BROKE HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL. JESUS PAID THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINFUL CONDITION THROUGH HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS, AND WHEN WE ACCEPT HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR, WE ACCEPT HIS PAYMENT OF OUR SIN DEBT.
THIS PEACE IS HARD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE DIFFICULTY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LOVE OF GOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF IT. THE PEACE THOUGH THAT COMES WHEN GOD IS IN CONTROL OF OUR LIVES IS NOTHING SHORT OF PHENOMENAL. PAUL SAYS:
PHILIPPIANS 4:7: “AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.”
OUR SINFUL NATURE IS WHAT KEEPS US FROM HAVING PEACE TODAY. IT IS A NATURE THAT WE CANNOT CHANGE BY OURSELVES. IT CAN ONLY BE CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE LOVE AND MERCY OF GOD.
JOHN WRITES:
JOHN 14:27: “27 PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU; MY PEACE I GIVE YOU. I DO NOT GIVE TO YOU AS THE WORLD GIVES. DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED AND DO NOT BE AFRAID.
THIS PEACE IS SOMETHING THAT ONLY THE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN CAN KNOW. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT PEACE TONIGHT. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO BECOME ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOD’S FAVOUR RESTS ON TONIGHT.
JOHN DECLARES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION:
REVELATION: 3:20: “HERE I AM! I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.”
JESUS STANDS AT THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART TONIGHT ASKING YOU TO LET HIM COME IN. HE STANDS READY TO GRANT YOU THE PEACE YOU LONG HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR. IT’S MY PRAYER THAT YOU WILL ACCEPT HIM INTO YOUR LIFE TONIGHT AS LORD AND SAVIOR AND BEGIN AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
