Does it seem to you that, at this season of the year when our hearts should be drawn to the thoughts of "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" the exact opposite is occurring? There are the escalating protests around our country against the recent grand jury decisions in Ferguson, MO and in New York. Traffic was shut down here in Minneapolis on Interstate 35W. Violence seems to be growing as the protests become more frequent. As one reporter said yesterday, "We seem to be on the verge of another civil rights war like was seem in the 1960's." Peace and good will? Hardly!
Anti-Semitism is growing around the world at an alarming rate - from New York to Chicago to Paris to London to Jerusalem. Europe seems to be awash in a strong anti-Semitic propaganda, with some seeing parallels to Germany in the 1930's. Peace and good will? Hardly!
The slaughter continues in Syria, although it has become so commonplace that it no longer makes our newscasts. ISIL continues its march toward another Islamic Caliphate, leaving a wake of terror, destruction and death in its path. The radical Islamic group from Somalia, known as Al Shabab, has terrorized neighboring villages in Kenya in recent weeks, killing all those who were not Muslims. And the spirit of animosity between Russia and Chechnya was reignited recently with a violent terrorist attack. Peace and good will? Hardly!
Certainly the world needs peace. The United Nations was formed in 1945 to end war and to establish peace. Its track record has not been good. If one looks at all the treaties that nations have signed within the past half century, one would think that there would be peace for sure. But, as you and I know, peace has been very elusive, even though strong leaders supported those initiatives.
The announcement of the angels to the shepherds that first Christmas night was "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." The world was searching for peace when Jesus came the first time. The Jews living in Judea maintained a rather fragile "peace" with their Roman conquerors. Everyone knew that it would take just the smallest spark to ignite a great conflagration there; that spark would come some six decades after the birth of Jesus. Peace on earth - certainly that was merely a dream.
Yet the reality is this: peace cannot be legislated. Lasting peace cannot be negotiated. The reason is very simple: the heart of man is not inclined toward peace. The heart of man is full of self-centeredness. The heart of man is full of pride. The heart of man is full of greed and avarice. The heart of man is full of envy and jealousy for what he does not have. And, when self-centeredness, pride, greed, avarice, envy, and jealousy are allowed to be expressed, whether in the lives of individuals or nations, the results are expressed in: war, strife, hostility, murder, chaos, destruction, and death. So, when a treaty of peace is signed, it is signed by individuals whose hearts are not inclined toward peace. That is why ceasefires seldom are sustained - they are created by hearts inclined toward evil, not peace.
So, what exactly did the message of the angels mean that evening. They were announcing that One came who would truly cause men to know what peace really was. Peace is found in a relationship with a holy God. And that peace can only be found through the acceptance of His Son Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus came to earth to bring us peace. God's peace. A peace in knowing that our sins can be forgiven. A peace in knowing that our relationship with God can be re-established. Truly the Apostle Paul must have had those thoughts in mind when he wrote to the Romans these remarkable and powerful words: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). That is the peace that Jesus came to offer us that first Christmas. That will be the peace that will characterize the world when Jesus comes again to reign.
Until that second coming of Christ happens, the world will continue seeking for peace, but never find it. For it can only be found at the foot of the cross - and the cross is certainly not what the world is seeking today. But, you can find that peace you are searching for. You, too, can experience the truths of that angelic message to the angels, "and on earth peace to men in whom his favor rests."
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