Most people know something of the Christmas story, and the followers of Jesus most likely know it very well. We might have an expectation of Christmas that brings joy and hope to us; or the opposite and Christmas may cause us to have anxiety and pain. Either way, I want to share something that can give you joy and hope this Christmas.
When Jesus was born that first Christmas in Bethlehem among the Jewish people, they were expecting a coming King. They had this expectation because God Himself had made this promise. He had sent many prophets over the centuries who told of a coming King who would be a saviour to them.
One prophecy about this coming one was this that He would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.” He would be called “The Prince of Peace” and that is one of the things that we celebrate about Christmas, that it is the season of peace. Jesus’ coming didn’t magically create peace when he was born that first Christmas. During His earthly lifetime of about 33 years, He didn’t subdue any political enemies. He didn’t bring peace to His own country; they were still ruled by the Roman Empire at His death. He didn’t restore unity to the religious factions within Judaism or become a great reconciler of family squabbles. His coming wasn’t to remove all earthly conflict and eliminate tension between people. His peace would be of a different kind.
When Jesus was in His 30s, it is recorded that He said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Did Jesus ever bring peace? Well, the peace that the world systems can produce among people is mainly of the variety that is the absence of conflict. The coming of Godly peace is the coming of a person and His name is Jesus. His coming wasn’t to take away the conflicts in life but He came to walk with you in the midst of the turmoil. God cared so much about us that He came to us through Jesus Christ His son to bring us peace in the middle of the bad. So that in all the turmoil in life He breathes peace and brings a little of His peaceful presence to us.
What is the greatest aspect of Jesus bringing Peace to us?
In the Bible we find that it gives this as the reason, “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them.” Jesus came so you would have the possibility of you being reconciled to God, if you will put your trust in Christ.
A dictionary definition of reconcile states “to cause to cease hostility or opposition, to harmonize or settle a quarrel or inconsistency.”
We were all born sinners and from that there was opposition from God toward. We all broke God’s laws and God had a quarrel with us because of that. Now through Jesus Christ and His completed work we can be reconciled, and there is no more opposition to us from God. The quarrel He had with us because of the way we were living has been settled.
When we put our faith in Christ Jesus there now becomes harmony between us and God. We are reconciled and that brings peace because there are no hostilities, no opposition or quarrels from God’s perspective towards us. That becomes our reality when we put our trust in Him. This is the greatest peace a person could ever have, peace with God through Jesus the Prince of Peace.
May you truly experience peace this Christmas season.
***
Fred Erb serves as pastor at Listowel Community Church.
