This is the second week of Advent. Our theme for this week is peace.
On that first Christmas night, the angel proclaimed in Luke 2:14:
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
What is peace? Peace is a lack of conflict. For example, when nations are not at war, when hostilities have ceased, when they become friends, we say they are at peace. When individuals or families stop fighting and arguing and start getting along, when they live in harmony, they are at peace. Peace is a state of tranquility. Peace is a state of calm, quiet, and rest. With the realities of so much conflict in our world, how can there peace on earth? God sent His Son into the world to make peace with men.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
We are justified, made right with God, through faith in Jesus Christ. Since we are made right with God through faith in Jesus, we have peace. Formerly, God and man were not at peace. We rebelled against God, refused to submit to Him, refused to worship, honor, and obey Him. Because of our sins, we were at war with God. But Jesus Christ is the Great Mediator to bring God and man together. How can Jesus make us right with God?
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:19-20
Jesus is the fulness of God, very God of very God. This child is God. This child is man. The One born in the manger has brought us to God and reconciled us through the cross. Jesus brought peace between God and man.
For Jesus, the manger leads to the cross. At the cross, Jesus shed His blood and gave His life. Jesus paid for our sins. Because our sins have been paid, we are at peace, and the war with God is over. Our consciences, once filled with fear and guilt, are now at rest. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
The nations of the earth still search for that elusive peace that will make utopia a reality. However, true peace is found only in God though Jesus Christ. We can enjoy true peace even in the midst of a world without peace. Jesus gives us peace in the midst of unrest because, through Him, we are right with God.
The peace we are talking about is not primarily a feeling. Peace primarily refers to our status before God. We are at peace with God whether we feel like or not. This should cause us to feel at peace with God. Because of what Jesus has done we no longer fear the condemnation of the law. Because of Christ we are accepted in the presence of God and we enjoy with peace with God.
Did you notice what kind of people God chose to announce the birth of His Son? He chose shepherds. Why shepherds? Shepherds were outcasts. While Shepards are sweet in Christmas plays, they had a very bad reputation in their day. Because they lived out in the fields, they were unable to keep the ceremonial law. Therefore, they were considered unclean. They were also regarded as liars and thieves. Their testimony was inadmissible in a court of law. Shepherds were despised. With the exception of lepers, they were the lowest class of people in Israel.
Nevertheless, God revealed His Son to these shepherds. Why? God wants the most despised and downcast to hear the gospel. If we were not so familiar with the Advent story, I think it would upset all our expectations. We tend to think that God came for the good people, the righteous. However, God saves sinners who are in desperate need for grace. If God is gracious to shepherds, He is gracious to any sinner who will come to Jesus in faith.
Peace comes only to those on whom His favor rests. This means peace comes to those who stop their own war against God, put down their arms of self-righteousness or indifference or rebellion and embrace the Baby born in Bethlehem as their Lord and Savior. Jesus was born to rescue us from our sins. The time to repent of our sins is now. The time to believe in Jesus is now. The time to come to Jesus is now.
We give God glory, just like the angels did when Christ was born. We rejoice in what God has done. We rejoice that we are at peace with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus has come. Let us worship and adore Christ the Lord!
Mark Cymbalak
holds an BA from Bob Jones University with additional class work from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served as a part time paid elder at Black Earth Congregational Church/Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship. In 2006, Mark became a full time paid elder and pastor at Curtiss Street Bible Fellowship until his retirement in 2020.