Today's text is Luke 2:8-20 (ESV).
8 Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people:11 Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. 17 When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said.19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean.20 So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.
The Gentile gospel writer, Luke, is the only New Testament writer who chronicles in such detail the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. We are told in the opening statements of his gospel that he was meticulous about interviewing witnesses and corroborating their stories, so that his friend, Theophilus, could be sure that what he had been told concerning Jesus was true. I sometimes wonder... If it had not been for Luke, what stories would we tell at Christmastime?!
The whole Christmas narrative is just not the way we would have scripted it, is it? What a strange way to introduce the world to Messiah! God orchestrated this grand, glorious display of jubilation over the birth of His Son and presented it to some of the lowliest members of society, shepherds. (Lepers were farther down on the societal ladder; but, they could not have gone to worship Jesus in the manger.)
The angels' message is one of the most misinterpreted of all the aspects of Christmas celebrations. Generally, Christmas cards proclaim, "Peace on earth, goodwill to men." For years, I totally misunderstood that message, because it was incomplete. Take another look at the entire message, in verse 14 above. The angels were glorifying God for His marvelous work, but also celebrating that peace would now be available to all people with whom God is pleased.
So, God sent Jesus to make peace available to all people, not just the Jews, to provide a way back to Him, to have peace with Him. But, this peace is only available to people with whom God is "pleased". Some versions say, "those whom God favors". The Greek word (eudokias), which is translated in the KJV as "good will" only occurs one other time in the New Testament, and that is in Philippians 2:13, where it is translated as "His good pleasure".
How does one, then, obtain God's favor? We are unable to do it through our own inherent goodness, because we do not have any, in and of ourselves. The Bible makes clear that we are each conceived and born into the world with our sinful nature firmly in place. It is impossible for us to meet God's standard of sinlessness. This is the very reason Jesus had to come and live His sinless life on our behalf.
We obtain God's favor and peace with God through His Son, by accepting His sacrifice, His substitutionary death FOR us. There is no other way. Peace was and is made available to all who will embrace it. It is not forced upon anyone. Every person, however, must make a choice....to accept Jesus or not.
The day after Christmas, we are going to look at Simeon again. He warned that Jesus's birth and life would be divisive to people. Jesus, Himself, proclaimed that His message was divisive, that it would divide even close family members. Consider His words, as recorded by Matthew:
“Never think I have come to bring peace upon the earth. No, I have not come to bring peace but a sword! For I have come to set a man against his own father, a daughter against her own mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those who live in his own house."
Matthew 10:34-36
We certainly do not see peace on earth among nations, do we? That is most certainly not what the angels meant. Just recently, the tiny country of North Korea has been threatening terrorism upon Sony Pictures and the United States because of a movie Sony made, derogatory to that country's leader. When people heap insults upon the dead "prophet" Mohammed, adherents to that faith rise up and threaten to annihilate the scornful. There are so many examples of strife, conflict, all-out war on this earth, it is obvious that peace does not reign here...
Except in one place: the hearts of the followers of Jesus Christ.
The apostle John records some of Jesus' final words to His followers, speaking about peace in the heart of a person, peace between a person and God:
"The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught."
John 14:25-27 The Message
When He was born, the message was "peace with God". When He was about to leave, the same message was given: He is the originator of peace.
I like this pithy little saying: "Know Him; know peace. No Him, no peace."
There are those of you who read this blog who do not know Him. Don't you wonder sometimes if the message is true? If HE is true? Don't you long for peace that abides, deep within your soul? There is only one solution, one remedy. Take that leap of faith this Christmas. Kneel at the manger of the God-child, Jesus. Take Him into your heart as your own.
"The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His face upon you, and give you peace."
Numbers 6:25-26
Merry Christmas!
Psalm 8:9 - - "Oh Lord, my LORD, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!" You give strength to Your people (Ps. 29:11), because You blessed us with peace at the birth of Your One and Only Son, and You continue to extend Your hand of peace to all people today who will receive it. Hallelujah!! May Your holy Name be praised forever and forever! Amen.
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