The Gifts of Christmas: Peace
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 12/25/2016
Good morning everyone, welcome to the Grove and Merry Christmas.
I’d like to thank each of you for spending Christmas morning with us here at the Grove. We often talk about the importance of keeping Christ in Christmas and there’s no better way to do that than by gathering together on Christmas morning and worshipping the One whom this season celebrates.
Now, I know that many of you—especially the younger ones here—are probably anxious to get home and open or enjoy your presents, but if you’ve been able to join us the past three weeks, you know that we began a journey through the season of Christmas by unwrapping the gifts of Christmas. We began with the gift of hope—past hope, present hope, and patient hope as we wait together for the arrival of Christ. Then we unwrapped the gift of love—God’s love, which came to us wrapped in swaddling clothes laying in a manger. Then last week, even though the weather prevented us from meeting together, many of you joined me online where we unwrapped the gift of joy. Following the shepherds in Luke 2, we discovered joy in the moment, joy in the Messiah, and joy in the message of Christmas.
So, we have one last gift to unwrap this morning—the gift of peace. This gift was part of Christ’s original birth announcement made by the angels: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13–14).
Whether it be printed on a greeting card or emblazoned on a sign outside a church, the proclamation of “peace on earth and goodwill to all” often comes to the forefront around Christmas time. These few short words sum up for many the warm feeling that is synonymous with Christmas, conveying an implicit hope, a spirit of generosity and a kindly disposition toward others.
But if we lift our heads above the tinsel and trappings and take a cold, hard look at the world around us, the frequently used words of comfort and cheer seem somewhat hollow. I mean for many of us, Christmas time isn’t exactly peaceful. In fact, it’s just the opposite—stressful, busy, hectic, and demanding. You’ve got gifts to buy and presents to wrap, parties to attend and dinner to prepare, and let’s not forget church! Let me tell you, there’s nothing peaceful about getting four kids dressed and ready for church on Christmas morning. And then there’s the world at large. There’s so much war and unrest. Did anybody else see the photos of war-torn Aleppo making their rounds online? I’d never even heard of Aleppo before this week, but after a brutal 6-month siege in which much of the historic city was reduced to rubble, military forces reportedly rampaged through the streets summarily executing dozens of suspected rebels.
In a world filled with war and worry, peace can be ever elusive.
This is the world Jesus came to. The song “Silent Night” conjures calm, soothing, peaceful images in our mind, and it’s often a worshipful three-minute respite in the midst of our hectic holiday preparations. But that original silent night was not actually very silent. The world was not at peace. There was a divide between God and people. There was conflict among families and nations. There was political unrest and Roman oppression in Israel. There was demanding physical travel forced on Mary and Joseph by Roman politicians. And there was turmoil in the hearts of many. But in the midst of all this, Jesus came bearing the gift of peace.
Centuries before Jesus was born, his birth was foreseen by the prophet Isaiah. In a section of the Bible often read in churches at Christmas, we find this proclamation: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end.” (Isaiah 9:6–7).
Peace isn’t a pill, or a program, or a philosophy. Peace is a Person—Jesus. Only the Prince of Peace can give the gift of peace. Jesus says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace… And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give” (John 14:27 NLT). So what kind of peace does Jesus give and what makes it so transcendent?
The Bible speaks of three types of peace that we can experience thanks to Jesus.
First, Christmas brings eternal peace.
• ETERNAL PEACE
This is the most important type of peace—peace with God.
I’m sure many of you have seen the bumper sticker that says, “Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace.” Placed on the back of a car, it can sound trite and cliché. But there is actually truth there. When we know Jesus, we can experience eternal peace because of what He started in the manger and finished on the cross.
The Bible says, “This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36 NLT). Our first and greatest need for peace is to be at peace with God. Our sin naturally separates us from God. From the time sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, humans have been at odds with God. Our sin and His holiness are not compatible. They are not at peace—in fact, they’re at conflict with each other.
This is the reason God sent Jesus to earth that first Christmas. The Bible explains, “since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1-2 NIV). So, when we believe in Jesus and accept Him as Lord, we are at peace with God. This eternal peace with the Creator is the greatest gift we can receive this season. It is available to us all. But it’s up to us to receive and unwrap this precious gift.
Furthermore, Christmas brings emotional peace.
• EMOTIONAL PEACE
Emotional peace means peace within, which is something I think we’re all hunting for during the holidays.
One lady told her friend, “My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of chips and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.”
Fortunately, God knows the unrest we feel within ourselves. He made you and knows your deepest thoughts, hurts, joys, and desires. He knows your need for peace within. And He knows the broken world surrounding us and all the unrest clamoring around and against us.
Paul offered us these appropriate words, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
What a beautiful promise! What a rich practice! What a powerful peace that we can experience!
Look at this phrase: God’s peace “transcends all understanding.” It defies our world and our circumstances. It calms us when everything going on around us is not conducive to peace. In other words, it shows itself most strongly in circumstances where peace just does not make sense. Maybe that’s a tragedy or an illness or a conflict or a heartache. No matter how bad your situation, God is there . . . with you . . . offering the gift of His peace that is stronger than whatever difficulty you face.
Like a child who is given confidence through the presence of someone they trust, we can experience peace in Christ Jesus. Like a hand in the darkness, Jesus’s presence gives us peace that doesn’t even make sense in the circumstances. Nothing has changed but everything is different. His presence gives us peace beyond understanding.
What’s causing you anxiety this Christmas? Have you taken it to the Lord in prayer? Have you laid it at the base of the manger or the foot of the cross? Whatever your situation or stress may be, give it to Jesus, draw near to Him and experience his peace in your heart.
Finally, in addition to eternal peace and emotional peace, Christmas also brings external peace.
• EXTERNAL PEACE
External peace means peace with others. It’s one thing to experience peace with God and within your own heart; it’s a whole other thing to experience peace with other people, isn’t it?
Travis Tritt knows a little something about that.
Before making it big as a country music singer and songwriter, Travis spent years playing in small out-of-the-way bars and taverns. These venues could get pretty rough at times. His fans were mostly drunks who had a hard time controlling their tempers. Thus bar fights often broke out in the middle of his performances. How did he handle those perilous situations? He said in an interview, “Just when [the crowd] started getting out of hand, when bikers were reaching for their pool cues and rednecks were heading for the gun rack, I’d start playing 'Silent Night.' It could be the middle of July—I didn't care. And almost immediately, the crowd would calm down. Sometimes they'd even start crying, standing there watching me sweat and play Christmas carols.”
Isn’t that incredible?
Of course, we know not every problem can be resolved by singing Christmas Carols. What about the situations we can’t change, the relationships that are broken, the chaos we can’t calm, the hurt we can’t heal, the violence we can’t understand? What do we do with the need for peace in our world?
This again is where we recognize the two-pronged nature of the Advent season. Christmas celebrates the first Advent but also points us forward to the Second Advent.
The same angels who announced the birth of Christ appeared again after his resurrection and ascension promising that one day Jesus would return from heaven. It is then that Isaiah’s prophecy concerning never-ending peace will be to be fulfilled on a worldwide scale. Looking forward to that day, Isaiah also writes: “The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest” (Isaiah 32:16–18 NIV).
The peace we long for in our world is a peace that is still to come. It is a promise not yet realized. In the meantime, we wait with longing for the day when God’s peace will reign in all the earth.
Until then, we can turn to the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples. We can hold onto them closely until we see Him face-to-face: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
There is a peace today in Jesus, and there will be complete peace that is yet to come in the world. In the time between, we trust in Jesus’s promise that He has indeed overcome the world.
Conclusion
Something important to remember: Although God offers his peace to everyone, not everybody experiences it. That’s why the angels specified “peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Praise has to come before peace. When we give the highest glory to God—honoring and accepting Christ as our Savoir and Lord—then we’ll experience the peace of Christmas.
As we celebrate the Christmas season, let’s recognize that we wait with longing for God’s peace to be made perfect in our world. Let’s also remember that the peace of Christ is also here and now and waiting to fill us all.
Invitation
As we prepare our hearts to sing this next carol, would you pray with me?
Prayer: God, thank You that we can unwrap Your gift of peace this Christmas. Help us to live in the peace You provided through Jesus, rest in the peace You give in the midst of life, and trust in the peace of knowing You have overcome the world. Fill us and hold us with Your peace as we encounter You and experience the depth and richness of life You provide both now and forever. Amen.
