Luke 2:10-14
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
In many ways Christmas is anything but peaceful! There is decorating to do; shopping to get done; crowds to fight through to do the shopping; parties to attend; special events at school and church; cards to mail; and on and on it goes! The whole month of December can seem like an unending blur of activity!
In a similar way Jesus’ birth did not come at a particularly peaceful time. Israel was occupied by the armies of the Roman Empire and Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that levied a new tax on the Jewish people. This decree required every family to register in the town of their birth. So Mary and Joseph were not traveling the 80 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem voluntarily, rather, they were being forced to do so by the power of the pagan Emperor. Mary was 9 months pregnant and expecting to deliver a child at any moment. The roads and inns were filled with unhappy travelers and, like it or not, the baby was going to come whether or not they found a place to stay the night. It was not a peaceful time.
Yet, in the midst of this terribly unsettled and unsettling time, we read:
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
What kind of “peace” is this?
The quiet of night is shattered by the voices of 10,000 angelic creatures; the darkness split by the glory of God; their lives are changed forever and what message comes to the shepherds?
...peace to men on whom his favor rests...
See it?
This is not peace as in “visualize world peace”; the bumper sticker I still see on occasion. This is not the peacefulness we feel when the kids are all healthy and there’s money in the bank. This is not the peace that comes when the storm is over.
This is a peace that is ours when the world has gone mad; when it’s our son or daughter who is in the hospital; this is peace in the midst of the storm. For this is a peace found not in the circumstances of our lives, but in the favor of God.
What is the favor of God?
The favor of God is what the angels announce as “good news”; and the good news is that a Savior has been born.
The favor of God is a child wrapped up snug in an animal’s feeding trough. The favor of God is Jesus.
Centuries before his birth, the prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Of the peace that Jesus brings, the Apostle Paul would write:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
In Jesus we can have peace with the past through the forgiveness of sin.
In Jesus we have peace about the future through the promise of eternal life.
In Jesus we have peace in the present because he guards our hearts and minds through his Spirit.
Jesus is the favor of God who brings peace.
Lord Jesus,
We are a weary and anxious people in need of your peace. We carry burdens of regret from our past; we worry about a future we can’t control; we are frazzled by the hectic pace of our day to day lives. Remind us again this Christmas of your favor, your peace and your rest.
Amen.
Pastor Brian Coffey
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