Word of Salvation – Vol.41 No.48 – December 1996

 

Glory To God For Bringing Peace To Men

 

A Christmas Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Luke 2:14

Scripture Readings: Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 2:8-20

Suggested Hymns:

Bow: 252; 272; 276; 279; 337; 265

 

Congregation,

Shepherds in the field at night watching over their flocks and surrounded by many angels.  It's not hard for us to picture this scene because we have all seen it many times on Christmas cards and in nativity scenes.  Whether every one of those artists have imagined the scene correctly, going by the description here in Luke 2, is another matter.  Some have obviously allowed themselves a liberal margin of poetic licence.

It is not wrong for artists to try and capture biblical scenes in their various forms of art, but it is probably beyond the most gifted artist's ability to reconstruct the scene exactly as it happened.  The shepherds are the easiest, I would think, but does anyone really know what an angel looks like?  People from the Bible times, such as these shepherds, are not around anymore to tell us.

And the glory of the Lord shining all around the shepherds – can anyone ever recapture that in some form of art?  Hardly!

First, that one angel speaking, and then a whole multitude of them appearing, praising God, and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among men of [his) good pleasure."

Now whilst we may wonder if artists have got it right, we may not wonder about the historical reality of the shepherds meeting up with the angels.  Adults and children who only see sweet, cosy pictures on Christmas cards and nativity scenes from some artists may think that the angels and the shepherds are as un-historical as Santa Claus and Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer are.  Some of the artists themselves may think the biblical scenes are no more than myths and folklore.

But Luke wrote his gospel and the book of Acts as an historian who carefully researched his sources.  And he refers to people and times which we recognise from the history of the Roman Empire, in the beginning of chapter 2, he takes us back to a decree passed by Caesar Augustus to take a census of the people living during his reign.  And if this is not enough, Luke also mentions Quirinius, the military governor of Syria at the time, who carried out the census.

But, of course, the real reason for regarding this meeting between the shepherds and the angels as not some fairy tale but actual history, lies in the fact that the Scriptures are inspired.  God made sure that this event is recorded for the benefit of all mankind.  Wherever the written Word of God is available, or wherever that Word is taught and preached, people can hear about this amazing night in the fields near Bethlehem, the place of Christ's birth.

It was quite remarkable, really.  An angel of the Lord came from heaven to earth to announce that the Saviour of the world was born.  But this wonderful event, which had been foretold so many times in the Old Testament, was not announced to the highest authorities of the day but to humble shepherds.

The Scribes and the Pharisees, who were the religious leaders and who knew the messianic prophecies, were not the first to be informed.  King Herod was not the first either, for he had to hear about it from the wise men from the east.

Joseph and Mary knew, of course, as did the humble priest, Zechariah, and his wife, Elisabeth.  John the Baptist was born from this couple and he was Christ's forerunner.  And the rather unusual circumstances surrounding this birth – his father, Zechariah, having had a vision in the temple and then not being able to speak until his son was born – was quite a talking point among the neighbours and people throughout the hill country of Judea (Lk.1:65).

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit had caused Zechariah to prophesy about his son, John, having to preach and prepare the people for the coming of Christ.

Yet for all that, the religious rulers of Israel were not prepared for Jesus' birth.  John's gospel says that when Christ came, He was not recognised, nor was He received by the very people He was sent to save in the first place.

Had the Scribes and the Pharisees only taken more interest when the wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, asking King Herod about the birth of the king of the Jews, and had they only become as excited as Herod was disturbed about this, and had the religious leaders enquired a bit more about what that priest Zechariah had been experiencing and saying when it was his turn to minister in the temple in Jerusalem, then they would have been ready themselves for the arrival of Christ in the world and prepare the nation Israel for the long-awaited Messiah.

Maybe the religious leaders thought that God would surely inform them first of the actual birth of the Christ.  God would surely not by-pass them with such an important event.  They could then announce it to the people and that would make them very important.  But it did not happen this way.  God by-passed all the VIPs in Israel, and the eternal Son of God, the Immanuel, the Redeemer of men, was born to a poor humble girl in an animal shed at the back of some inn, and the good news of this great joy was announced by an angel of the Lord to some shepherds out in the fields at night watching over their sheep.

In those days shepherds did not count for much.  They were lowly-placed in society.  But around them the glory of God and a multitude of angels had erupted in brilliant light.

And often that is God's way of doing things.  The lowly – those who do not count for much in the world, who are regarded as fools by the world, those whom the world despises – to the likes of those the Lord came.

The Scripture says: "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1Cor.1:27-29).

And so when the time had fully come, the Saviour from heaven entered the world as a child, born in a lowly place, with no fanfare.

Of course, that will all be different when He comes again.  Then it will be with power and glory and majesty, and all the inhabitants of the earth, both high and low, will see Him, and they will tremble before Him and acknowledge Him as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

At the Lord's coming again, the angels will sound their trumpets, the dead will be raised, the great and final judgment will take place, and this present world will pass away and make way for the new heaven and the new earth.

And yet, in the midst of Jesus' humble first coming there is also a touch of the glory of heaven around the shepherds – a multitude of angels praising God.  Much like the angels on the stairway into heaven when the Lord appeared to Jacob in a dream many years before this at Bethel.  Then God promised Jacob that He would be faithful to His covenant promises.

Jacob was shown in his dream that God's angels were protecting him because the Lord had made him to be the father of Israel out of whom the Christ was to come.  And now the shepherds in fields, not all that far away from where ancient Bethel was, were being told that the Saviour had come.  And once more a host of angels were making a glorious appearance.

This time they sing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of (his) good pleasure."

Yes, glory to God in the highest for bringing Christ to us in the world.

Glory to God in the highest for the Saviour who has come to take away the sins of all who believe Him to be the Son of God.

Yes, glory to God in the highest, for reconciling sinners to Himself through the suffering and death of Him, whose coming into the world was announced here to the shepherds.

And yes, glory to God in the highest for bringing peace to those whom God has graciously chosen to be His people.

You need to know that the second half of what the angels said has been translated in different ways and this has resulted in some confusion.  The Bible translations are not to blame for this because the ancient manuscripts of the Greek text, from which translations are made, has variations.

And thus some Bibles have “and on earth peace, good will toward men" [AV].

Sometimes this has been understood to say that peace on earth will come to those who are of good will.  And so around Christmas time many people believe that this is the season of the year to be especially nice and a time to exchange gifts.  Staff in the shops are extra polite and neighbours more friendly than usual.  The down and out are shown more compassion and the hungry get an extra portion.

Even politicians and nations have capitalised on this view.  At Christmas time even pagan governments will show gestures of good will.  Countries at war may cease hostilities for a few days, exchange prisoners and allow humanitarian aid to reach the victims of war.

But it's only a brief peace.  People soon go back to their old quarrels and grievances.  The effort at being extra nice wears off.  Life for the poor and needy returns to its former toughness.  The shooting starts once more and people die again, as before.

Of course, these brief spells of human kindness are to be appreciated and everybody hopes it will last.  But in many cases the will to sin is stronger than the will to do good, and the power of sin is stronger than the desire for peace.

This sad fact about human nature confirms the Bible's teachings about people being unable to bring about lasting peace.  The inability of human nature to continue to do good and remain good is well attested to in Scripture, and history has brought this out many times.  Moreover, if men had such good will to make peace last then it would have been unnecessary for Christ to come as the Saviour of men and bringing peace.

Therefore, a better translation is the one that says, "And on earth peace among men of [his) good pleasure." God's good pleasure - or as the NIV has it: God's favour, or rest, comes to some people.

Who might these people be?  Well, they are sinners like everyone else.  They have the same sinful human nature.  They are no better than others.  But they are God's elect.  They are those whom God has appointed to salvation.  They are the ones placed in the care of God's angels.  They belong to Jesus.  He has come to save His people from their sin, says the Scripture.

But you, I, and everyone else, do not know who the elect might be until God's saving work in them begins to show itself with the emergence of faith and repentance, a trusting and serving of God according to His will.  In other words, do not now begin to wonder if you are among the elect.

Christ came to bring peace to you, and to your family and to your neighbour and to the nations of the world.  He calls on all men everywhere to repent and believe.  Do that and then you will know that you, too, are among those on whom God rests His favour – among those whom the Lord is pleased to save.

The peace of God will come to all who hear the Word and do it, who believe what it reveals and trust that God is true to His Word of mercy and compassion.  The Lord will remove the barrier of guilt and sin and bring peace.  He will remove the wall of hostility between His Holy self and your sinful self, and justify you through His blood and thus establish peace between God and you.

You will know that you have this peace from God because it turns you into a peacemaker.  Those who have received God's peace in their hearts, for which Christ paid with His blood, will make for peace.

The opposite of peace is this: "What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something, but don't get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:1-3).

This teaching from Scripture explains why there is conflict in your own heart, why there are family quarrels and why there are wars among the nations.  Sinful human nature wants certain things because of selfish desires within, and when it does not get it, or can't get it, then dissatisfaction sets in and so it leads to conflict.

Christ came to bring peace but this peace will only be there when you have given your heart to God, when you repeatedly submit your will to God's will.  Even when you have found Christ and worship Him, as the shepherds did, then the battle for peace is not over.  Satan will constantly try to use your sinful nature to make you argue, quarrel and fight.

So, you must resist him with all your might, with all the spiritual weapons the Lord has placed at your disposal.  Even when you have failed, you must not give up.  You must live by faith in Christ's victory.  He has come to earth to break the power of sin.

Therefore turn in faith again and again to Christ's cross and resurrection.  There He paid for your sins and there you have the basis for God having forgiven you.  Then rise from your prayer of repentance and faith and once more fight the good fight of faith.  Wage war against your own nature and let the peace between God and you reveal itself in your relationship with others around you.  Not everyone will respond, but do not repay evil with evil.  As far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone.

And remember to not only think about Christ's first coming but also about His second coming.  It will be sudden and many will be caught unprepared, like the people at the time of the great flood.  Only Noah and his family were then saved.  Many religious leaders at Jesus' birth were unprepared.  And God warns us that many will be unprepared when Christ comes for the last time,

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come (Mat.24:42)  Many a house has been broken into because the owner was absent.  If the owner knew at what time the thief was coming then he would have kept watch and been there to prevent the break-in.

How do you stop thieves from stealing?  Well, people do several things.  Either they keep a guard dog.  Or they install security locks and alarm systems.  Should a thief still get into the house – and some are very clever – then if you happen to be at home and you hear the thief, you might grab a baseball bat and let him have it.  In other words, to prevent a robbery you take precautions.

In the same way guard the peace that you have received from Christ.  It's very precious, even more precious than your material possessions.  Christ's peace has made you right with God and it has given you eternal life.  You cannot afford to lose this.

Therefore, you must be vigilant and think up ways of deterrence.  Whatever would war against your soul, resist it, fight it.  Some counter-warfare is very necessary in your spiritual battles against sin and Satan.  If you do nothing then your spiritual house will be broken into and you will be robbed of precious blessings.

The peace from Christ, therefore, needs to be guarded.  You must stay on full alert.  The devil is on the prowl constantly.  He is always there stalking you.  You can restrain him with prayer and faith, and also living a life in obedience to God's will.  Do this and you will be ready when the Lord comes.

Amen.