The Brief Kiss

THE BRIEF KISS (Advent 2, 2017)

Text: Psalm 85:1- 2, 8 – 13

"Integrity and wisdom: These are the keys to business success," the old man was telling his son. "By integrity, I mean that when you promise the delivery of merchandise on a certain day you must do so even if it bankrupts you." "Well," asked the son, "what is wisdom?" "Don't make such promises." (Vernon. McLellan. Timeless Treasures. Raleigh: Heaven Word, 2000). How is this story relevant? Unlike us, God keeps His promises.

Humanity breaks promises. God kept His promise of salvation and God sent His only begotten Son to fulfill this promise so that whoever believes in His son shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

There are some things that seem impossible. Is peace really possible? The Word of God says that it is. One of the places where God’s Word gives us the promise of peace is in Psalm 85 where it says righteousness and peace will kiss each other. But what exactly does that mean?

INCOMPLETE REDEMPTION

God has a plan for our redemption that cannot be completed without God. How does God feel when we miss or fall short of His plan for redemption? “ The psalmist sees quite plainly that the incomplete redemption can only be completed if the people put away their evils, and show themselves fully loyal to God”. (R. Tuck. The Pulpit Commentary). Sin makes us stumble and destroys our loyalty.

There is one episode of progress that happened some 103 years ago on December 25, 1914. It was during the time of World War I. Both sides quit fighting each other. The Germans, the French, the English quit fighting. Enemies were all of a sudden “momentary friends”. What started this moment of peace? While enemies had stopped fighting on Christmas Day, they heard each other singing from their trenches. Each side happened stopped and listened to the music that they were singing one side sang in their language while their enemies began to sing in their own languages the same song. They were singing Christmas hymns.

Soldiers began to leave their trenches and showed signs of peace and friendship. Enemies began to help each other bury their dead. They began sharing food, fellowship and even their faith. They even held a worship service together with an English chaplain presiding. It looked as if the war might actually come to an end. They even did a documentary about this historic episode in the history channel.

THE BRIEF KISS

What happened to this moment in history when righteousness and peace kissed? It stopped! It was obviously incomplete! God kept His promise as always. Humanity broke their promise of peace, as high ranking officials on both sides reminded their soldiers that they were there not to make peace, but to fight a war. In the movie, Joyeau Noel , the English Chaplain was reprimanded for holding a worship service for troops on both sides. That chaplain was replaced by another chaplain who held a worship service for a handful of new English troops who were about go back to the “business as usual” of war.

Are we “can kickers” always kicking the can of promises to keep down the road? It has been said that “Procrastination is the devil’s chloroform.” (Croft M. Pentz. Zingers. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990, p. 257). Jesus Christ the Word made flesh (John 1:14) went to the cross as the lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Jesus came to conquer the works of the devil, (I John 3:8) , sin (John 1:29) , the wages of sin which is death (Romans 6:23), and the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15) by being resurrected from the dead (I Corinthians 15:21).

So how do we improve at making the kiss of righteousness and peace last longer and longer? As someone (George A. F. Knight) put it, the Lord “… will make his footsteps the way we are to plant our feet. Thus we are to step in the footsteps he has made in the mud and dirt of life’s highway leading onward …” to where God would have us to go as His people of goodwill and peace (Luke 2:14). (George A. F. Knight. The Daily Study Bible Series: Psalms. Volume 2. Lousiville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1983, pp. 67 -68). How far are we willing to follow in the footsteps of our Lord? What will we do and what changes will we make to make brief kiss longer?