Recent news has drawn the world’s attention to several significant global conflicts. The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, terrorism here and abroad, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the Taliban in Afghanistan, Isis, the Refugee Crisis in the European Union, the Kurdish Conflict, criminal violence in Mexico, Earthquake and Hurricane torn Haiti, internal factions in our communities and even in our families, and more.
Our question today is, where is the \”peace on earth and good will toward men\” of which Luke 2:14 speaks?
Pessimism and hopelessness have gripped hearts. Is our claim on faith just a figment of the imagination?
In the face of uncertainty, we need help! Where can we go? What should we do? Where can we find the peace that Christmas promises?
20th Century theologian Karl Barth says that the preacher should hold the newspaper in one hand and the Bible in the other; scripture speaks in the face of difficult news.
Isaiah 11:2-3 speaks of the day when the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon a little child who would be the Messiah. The Spirit would rest on Him in such a way that situations around Him would not discourage Him nor determine His power.
The Holy Spirit would be the source of His wisdom, counsel, and knowledge. The magnitude of his domain would superimpose situations in life.
His insight would not be discernible through the vision of his physical eyes.
His judgement would not be based on what people say around him.
He would look and hear. But, what he would see and hear on earth would not be more real than what he would see through the vision of His divine imagination.
A mission to realize God\’s righteousness and justice, the birth of the Messiah child would sneak up on humanity in an unprecedented and powerful way.
Isaiah prophesied that when the Messiah comes, He would remember the forgotten and people\’s needs would be met.
This branch from Jesse’s stump would rule with power. He would need no nomination; so votes would not be necessary. Unlike most kings who are born a prince and have to wait their turn to be king, this King would be born a King!
He would aim to please the Father and not humankind. His life, teachings, and death would be for the sole purpose of saving humanity from the clutches of evil, hate, injustice and unrighteousness.
His Words would be so profound, so powerful that people would either love him or hate him. Yet, his ultimate goal would be to heal and not hurt; to bring peace and not war. Even the storms would come to a screeching halt when He would speak.
The miracle of his Kingdom would end opposing forces and cause wolves to live with the lambs, leopards to lie down with the goats,
This little child will lead an unlikely herd of calves, lions, and young horses together.
The cows will eat with the bear, their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox. (ref. Isaiah 11:6–7)
But, since He can do that,
- Can He make family members love each other?
- Can He make Muslims, Jews and Christians eat a meal together?
- Can He make peace in Syria?
- Can He make peace between Israel and Palestine?
- Can He cause Isis to beat their swords into plowshares and study war no more?
- Can He bring racial reconciliation in the United States of America?
- Can He level the playing field so that everyone has equal access, equal motivation, and equal opportunity?
- Can He heal addictions?
- Can He heal wounded hearts?
- Can He heal sick bodies?
- Can He revive crushed hope?
- Can He help us through life\’s toughest challenges?
- Can He give us peace of mind?
With great conviction and with great expectation, I hasten to say, \”Yes He can!\”
The peace, hope, joy, and wholeness we desperately search for is among us. It came to earth when Jesus was born!
Let\’s not gaze too intensely at the vicissitudes of life and miss it!
We miss it when we miss Him!
Many people missed it in the biblical narrative of Christ\’s birth. A Negro Spiritual captures the story in a powerful way,
Sweet little Jesus Boy —
They made you be born in a manger.
Sweet little Holy Child —
Didn\’t know who you was.
Didn\’t know you\’d come to save us, Lord;
To take our sins away.
Our eyes was blind, we couldn\’t see,
We didn\’t know who you was.
Long time ago, you was born,
Born in a manger low,
Sweet little Jesus Boy.
The world treat you mean, Lord,
Treat me mean too,
But that\’s how things is down here —
We don\’t know who you is.
Luke 2:10–14 says,
The angel said unto them (the Shepherds), Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, \’Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.\’
The hustle and bustle of political pandemonium; the mad rush to adhere to Caesar’s decree filled the city with noise and clamoring.
It was hard to hear the sound of peace. It was hard to find joy in the middle of the chaos.
All along, peace was about to be born in an unlikely place and would be revealed to unlikely people — shepherds, wise men.
But, the peace He was bringing was for everyone.
Let us rediscover peace, and know it when we see it.
Like the shepherds, let us: \”go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain. Jesus Christ is born!\”
Consider this poem by James Weldon Johnson called “Deep in the Quiet Wood:\”
Are you bowed down in heart?
Do you but hear the clashing discords and the din of life?
Then come away, come to the peaceful wood,
Here bathe your soul in silence. Listen! Now,
From out the palpitating solitude
Do you not catch, yet faint, elusive strains?
They are above, around, within you, everywhere.
Silently listen! Clear, and still more clear, they come.
They bubble up in rippling notes, and swell in singing tones.
Now let your soul run the whole gamut of the wondrous scale
Until, responsive to the tonic chord,
It touches the diapason of God’s grand cathedral organ,
Filling earth for you with heavenly peace
And holy harmonies.
Where is the peace? The peace is the bold, rejected, the palpitating solitude in the middle of life\’s chaos. Only Jesus can give that kind of peace!
Blessings to you and your family,
Dr. Antipas
