December 10, 2006

All I Want For Christmas

All I Want For Christmas Is Peace

Luke 2:8-14

Opening Words: An American Express survey asked, “What is the worst Christmas gift?” The Number one answer at 31% was fruitcake. It even finished ahead of "no gift at all." When asked how to dispose of a bad gift, 30% would hide it in the closet, 21% would return it, and 19% would give it away. This suggests that the Christmas fruitcake you eat at a holiday party is really an unwanted recycled gift. People don’t want fruitcake. So what do people want for Christmas?

During the season of Advent I am going to look at five different gifts that God gave to you in the person of Jesus. They are gifts that are eternal. They are not gifts that will end up in next summer’s yard sale. Last week we looked at the gift of hope. Today we look at the gift of peace. We are in the second chapter of Luke, verses eight through fourteen.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

I rest beneath the Almighty's shade,

My griefs expire, my troubles cease;

Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,

Keep me still in perfect peace.

Charles Wesley wrote those words in the eighteenth century. They are timeless. They are as true today as they were then. One of the reasons people come to church is to experience peace. Maybe that is why you have come to church today? Today, let us look at the gift of peace.

Did you know the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India have come up with some startling facts? Since 3600 B.C. the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14,351 wars in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed would pay for a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Did you know since 650 B.C. there have also been 1656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war? The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved. There is a shortage of peace in our world.

Have you seen the news this morning? It is the same every morning. There is a shortage of peace in our world. How many American soldiers have died since we entered Iraq? How many innocent Iraqis have died since we entered Iraq? Has anyone here lost hope of seeing peace in the Middle East? How many people will die within the city of Youngstown during this calendar year? How many acts of domestic violence will go unreported within our community? How many children will never experience a quiet meal with both mom and dad because mom and dad are divorced? How many homes now have an alarm system that used to sit unlocked? There is a shortage of peace in our world and the shortage seems to be growing.

Advent is a time to remember that Christ came into this world to bring us eternal gifts. One of those gifts is the gift of peace. That is what the scripture lesson tells us today. Jesus has just arrived! He is a tiny baby in a big world. His birth will change the history of the world. This is big news! However the news is not reported to the royalty. The news is first reported to the commoners. The angels tell the blue collar shepherds. This divine proclamation ends with verse fourteen. It says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." With all the topics the angels could have addressed about the birth of Jesus, they speak of peace. So today let us look at the peace that Christ brings to your life. So if you are ready for my three peace-filled thoughts say, “Amen!”

Peace Within

Christ brings us peace within. I love the movie Home Alone. You know the story. Kevin is accidentally left behind when his family leaves on vacation. Near the end of the movie he begins to miss his family and regrets some of the things he has done in the past. He goes to a church and begins to talk to a stranger. He confuses his emotions to the stranger. The stranger, who is also having some family problems, says, “You’re in church now. There is the place to come when you are feeling bad about yourself.” It is a secular movie but there is divine truth there.

The church should be the place you go when you need comfort, when you need forgiveness, when you need a new start, when your troubled soul needs a little peace. Church is where you go when you need to experience a Savior. “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in God.” Augustine said it but we have experienced it in church.

Church is like that little boy who walked out of Sunday school. In his hand was a ceramic tray. He had worked on it in class for several weeks. It was his mother’s Christmas present. He was so proud. Then the unthinkable happens. The boy trips and falls to his knees. The ceramic tray hits the floor and fractures into several pieces. The boy is devastated. He begins to cry and church members try to comfort him. They say, “You can make another. It wasn’t worth much. No big loss. It is just a little tray.” When the boy’s mother appears she understands perfectly. She says, “Let me look at it. It is not so bad. It is a wonderful gift. We can glue the broken pieces.” The boy stops crying and his mother gives him a big hug.

That is the story of Christmas. Our world in fractured. Our individual lives are fractured. God reaches down to us and gives us a hug. He picks up the broken pieces of your life. He says, “It is not so bad. We can fix it!” Christ offers us peace within but we have to accept it. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Peace with Others

Christ gives us peace with others. Several years ago, baseball hall of famer Hank Aaron was checking into a hotel. The clerk behind the counter told him they were filled up. There was no room. The owner of the hotel recognized Hank Aaron and said to the clerk on the side, “That is Hank Aaron. He is the one who broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. Tell him we will find him a room.” The clerk went back to the counter and said, “Mr. Aaron, I a sorry. I didn’t recognize you. I didn’t know you were a somebody. Of course, we have a room for you.” I love Hank Aaron’s reply. He looked at the clerk and said, “Everybody is a somebody.”

That is what Jesus is really telling us. Everybody is a somebody! If we treated everybody like a somebody how would our relationships change? Revenge is never sweet. Violence only breeds more violence. Hatred poisons the soul. Resentment, jealously, bigotry, and prejudices are spiritual viruses that the kill soul. Hank Aaron and Jesus were right. Everybody is a somebody. That is what Christmas tells us. That is why Jesus is called the Prince of peace. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Peace with God

Christ gives us peace with God. In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was burned at the stake because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley's execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas declined the offer and replied that he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as ever he did in his life. Because he knew the peace of God, he could rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of his Lord to meet his needs and so can we.

How well do you sleep? I accepted Christ into my life thirty-two years ago this Saturday, December 16, 1974. A young woman asked me the question that changed my life. Do you want to go to heaven and live forever? I did and the rest is history. I wouldn’t trade my life with anyone. I slept well that night and I still do. If I know one thing in this world I know this. When I die I am going to heaven. I know God is with me through life’s very best and worst. I can sleep through anything.

How well do you sleep? Are you up at night worrying about the issues in your life? Are you up at night still wrestling with those massive problems of the spirit? Are you still wondering why you are in this world? Are you still trying to earn your salvation by collecting good works? Could it be after all the preaching and all the teaching you still don’t know the only way to salvation is accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If that is your story then accept Jesus now and sleep well tonight!

The angels said it to the shepherds years ago but it is still true today, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Jesus offers peace within. Christ offers peace with others. Christ offers peace with God. Christ offers a good night sleep. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

I end with those timeless words of Charles Wesley.

I rest beneath the Almighty's shade,

My griefs expire, my troubles cease;

Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,

Keep me still in perfect peace.

And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”