Peace On Earth

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 17th of December and the 3rd Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, today we step into the third week of Advent.  In the past two weeks we embraced the hope that God gave the world when He sent His Son Jesus to redeem us of our sin by the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb.  And we felt God’s love for the world and all mankind, that we might be reconciled with Him and live in His paradise forever, and the love of Jesus for us, that He would allow His mortal life to be ended, His blood to be shed, just for our salvation.  But before we get to the cross, we first need to visit the city of David and gaze down into a lowly manger.  What we see there will bring peace to our souls.

Our scripture reading this morning is one I will repeat next week, only with a few additional verses and in a slightly different version.  But this passage is especially meaningful today as we open our hearts to the Prince of Peace.  To get to this point, though, could be considered anything but peaceful.

Joseph had sought Mary’s father’s permission to ask for her to marry him.  The father agreed, Joseph asked, and Mary said “yes”.  So far so good.

In those days, a couple didn’t just run off a preacher or the local marriage authority; they didn’t even hop a plane for Vegas.  When a man and a woman were betrothed, they lived together for a certain period of time, usually set by the future bride’s father, and usually lasting about a year.  During this period, the man and woman would live together as man and wife, except that they would not consummate the marriage.  No sex; no fooling around; no hanky-panky under the covers or in the kitchen.

And then oops…  Mary becomes pregnant.  The angel Gabriel told her this would happen, that God’s Holy Spirit would come onto her and she would conceive a child that would be the King of kings.  When Joseph found out that Mary was suddenly with child, knowing he had nothing to do with the making of that baby, his first thought was that she had been unfaithful and had been with another man.  So in his eyes, he had two choices: he could parade her all around town and shame her for her indiscretion which would cancel their betrothal, or he could send her away to live where no one would know what happened and she would not suffer the shame.

Like I said…  this was not exactly a peaceful time, not for Joseph and Mary, anyway.  But Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream and gave him a third option.  Take Mary as your wife, accept the child and raise Him as your own.  I guess you could say that at this point, a peace did settle over Joseph, and he did just as Gabriel said.

But no good story would be totally without turmoil and drama, and this is certainly a good story.  So let’s see what happens next.  Please listen and follow along as the Apostle Luke tells his friend Theophilus about the birth of Jesus, as he recorded it in the 2nd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 14, I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

--Luke 2:1-14 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You sent Your Christ Jesus into the world to offer salvation to all of mankind if we would only truly believe in Him, and in believing, to follow Him.  You sent Your angels to announce His birth and proclaim peace and goodwill among men.  Thank You, Father, for loving the world so much that You would send Your only begotten Son to rescue us from darkness and sin.  We believe in Jesus as Your Christ and we do try to follow Him and do as He commands.  But sometimes, Father, the pressures of this life overwhelm us.  Peace and goodwill seem like a quickly fading dream in this day where men are filled with hatred.  Please forgive us, Father.  Help us stand stronger in the face of adversity.  Help us weather the storm swirling around us.  You’ve shown us Your love, now please help us show our love by more closely following Your word.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day.  Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds.  And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

In the book, Marching Orders, J. K. Laney wrote that, "The Society of International Law, in London, states that during the last 4,000 years there have been only 268 years of peace in spite of good peace treaties.  In the last 3 centuries [300 years] there have been 286 wars on the continent of Europe alone.

So much for peace on earth.  But an unknown source gives us comfort by reminding us that, "Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always."  Apparently we will always have conflict, but we who believe will also always have Jesus and the peace He gives.

As another now unknown person once noted, "Safety consists not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God."  It is the peace of Jesus and the presence of God that allow us to feel safe and secure, even in trying times.

Our scripture reading this morning is very familiar to us, and to many others in the world, including non-Christians.  Jesus is well known in the world – even if everyone doesn’t believe He is God, they know of Him.  And many know the story of His birth as told by the Apostle Luke to his friend Theophilus.  They know about the decree from Caesar, the long trip to Bethlehem, the lack of accommodations, the manger, the shepherds.  They may even know about the angels, but probably don’t believe that part.  Believing that would mean they’d have to believe God had a hand in all this.

We believe, though.  We believe, and we know that the angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the shepherds, with God’s glory surrounding him and spilling out over the shepherds.

“Do not be afraid.”  The first words out of the angels mouth, straight from God, were, “Do not be afraid”.  He continues by telling us the great news of our King’s birth, that He could be found in the lowliest of settings.  And while that news is the very best thing we could ever even hope to hear, those first words hold great meaning for us, too.  For they are part of God’s message to us.

“Do not be afraid”, God’s angel said.  The Prince of Peace, Isaiah called Jesus.  There is no need to be afraid because Jesus brings us peace.  Peace is the confidence we have that Jesus is always with us.  We are safe in the presence of God.

Sometimes it’s hard to completely separate Jesus’ birth from His death, especially since we celebrate both in the same year, and only three or four months apart.  I blame it on the visiting wise men from the east, who brought myrrh as a gift for the baby Jesus.  Myrrh was a resin usually mixed with oil and used to anoint the bodies of the dead in Jesus’ day.  So our Lord’s death was foretold at His birth.

And as His death drew near, He tried to prepare His disciples for what was to come.  Listen to what Jesus told them, as recorded by His beloved disciple John in the 14th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 25 through 27…

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

--John 14:25-27 (NKJV)

“My peace I give to you.”  Think about what the world has to offer in terms of peace.  For one thing, worldly peace usually comes with terms.  You agree to our conditions and we won’t keep killing you.

But the main distinction of worldly peace is that it is always vey short lived.  Remember that little illustration I used earlier?  Only 268 years of peace out of the last 4000 years.  Peace treaties are broken almost as soon as they’re signed.

The world’s peace is practically worthless.  It’s no more than a brief respite, a chance to catch our breath before the battle resumes.  But the peace Jesus brings is everlasting.  It may not stop the war being waged around us, but it allows us to remain calm and at peace in the thick of it.  This is Jesus’ peace, the inner peace we are blessed with when we truly believe and fully trust our Lord.

Oh, and did you catch what Jesus told us there at the end?  “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”, Jesus said.  “Do not be afraid”, the angel said.  What do we have to fear in this life when we have Jesus with us?

A little closer to His appointment with the cross, Jesus again let us and His disciples in on what was going to happen.  John also recorded this in his Gospel account, in verses 32 and 33 of chapter 16.

And Jesus said…

32 "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

--John 16:32-33 (NKJV)

“In Me you may have peace.”  Jesus told us all this to assure us, so that we can have peace in Him, through Him, by our faith in Him.  We may not still have the peace on earth the angel proclaimed at Jesus’ birth, but we have a better peace.  Through Jesus, we can be at peace with the earth and all that happens on it.  Our peace comes from within, from God’s Holy Spirit living in us, a gift from Jesus.  For Jesus is God, and God is good all the time.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us, to redeem us, and to bring us peace in our hearts.

Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for spreading Your peace over us when we are in turmoil.  Thank You for calming the storms that rage within us.  Thank You for the safety we know in Your presence.  Thank You for the redeeming love You sent in the person of Your Christ, Your Son, Jesus.  Father, we admit that too often we let the troubles and turmoil of the world creep into our conscious thoughts and destroy our inner peace.  Too many times we allow our faith to be shaken by the brutal acts of mankind.  We forget that You are still in control.  Forgive us those times, please Father.  Please show us how to give of ourselves, to give of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, so that others might know You through our love.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so… [* pause *]

Lord Jesus, You came to give of Yourself and redeem us of our sin so that we might be seen as clean in our Father God’s eyes when we stand before Him at the last.  Along with redemption, You offered peace.  You never promised us peace in this life, peace as the world knows it.  No, just the opposite.  You assured us we would face trials and have tribulations.  But the peace You brought transcends this world.  It is an inner peace that allows us to face adversity and stand up to our trials.  Thank You, Jesus, for overcoming the world.  Thank You for washing us clean of our sin.  Thank You for giving us peace while the storm rages around us.   Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You.  Help us love all others and be patient with them.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You.  Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.