Wasn’t the birth of Jesus supposed to bring peace on Earth?

The Christmas of 2012 was anything but peaceful for one resident of Philadelphia. CBS affiliate KDKA Channel 3, Philadelphia, filed this report of an unusual Christmas disturbance:

Local resident Alan McCutcheon was busy putting up his Christmas lights on his home, when suddenly his ex-girlfriend, Mary Jo Smith, came barreling through his yard in her car. She made several tours through the yard screaming “Merry Christmas,” all the while Christmas carols blasted from her cranked radio through her open windows. At one point, she even took aim (thankfully, unsuccessfully) to run McCutcheon over.

“She proceeded to do a pretty significant amount of damage to the outside of the residence,” Stefani Lucas with Pennsylvania State Police told CBS Pittsburgh. “The Christmas decorations were damaged, the vehicle was damaged, property was damaged, the home itself [was damaged],” Lucas said.

So much for “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men!”

Whatever happened to that “peace on earth” stuff heaven’s angels spoke of that first Christmas night? Wasn’t there some kind of peace promised or pronounced about Christmas? Like …

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6.

Or …

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.’ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased,'” Luke 2:8-14.

It wasn’t a very silent night …
We like to sing about how Jesus slipped into the world He had created one silent night, but His arrival actually set of off quite a ruckus!

An angel making an announcement was a bright event, only to be magnified with the noise and radiance of “… a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God and saying …” That’s anything but silent or peaceful!

The shepherds would impinge upon the peace in Bethlehem as they hurried to find the new-born Messiah the angels heralded. Can you imagine all the racket they made trying to find the baby in Bethlehem, and then, “After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child,” Luke 2:17.

Some time later, magi from the East would come in search of the new-born “king,” and the use of that title would startle King Herod. His response to the birth of Jesus was anything but peaceful …

“Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance,” Matthew 2:16.

That first Christmas was bright and loud and would be punctuated by murder, not peace on earth or goodwill toward men.

Read it correctly …
Many tend to think there was a promise of peace on earth to everyone that first Christmas night, but that was not the announcement the angels made when proclaiming the birth of Jesus. Look more closely, so as to read correctly, what they did say:

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased,” Luke 2:14.

The angels did not say there would be peace for everyone, but “… peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the baby Jesus had become a man and eventually launched His earthly ministry, He would make it clear that He had not come to bring peace to everyone. In fact, His entry into the lives of people would continue to disrupt the peace …

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine,'” Matthew 10:34-37.

Prince of Peace …
When Jesus comes onto the scene, and into lives, He disrupts in order to bring a kind of peace only the Prince of peace could provide.

It’s not the kind of peace that always results in comfortable days and silent nights. It’s this kind of peace …

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world,” John 16:33.

“I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid,” John 14:27.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7.

The real peace Jesus provides comes in two ways:

(1) Peace with God through the salvation Jesus would provide by offering Himself as a ransom for our sins, and

(2) Peace of mind and heart, regardless of the content of our circumstances, because Christ is not only Savior but Lord of our lives, our Lord who has overcome the world.

When we surrender our lives to Jesus and receive the salvation He has provided, God is pleased with us. Who was it the angels said on that first Christmas would have peace?

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased,” Luke 2:14.

Have you discovered the peace that comes when God, through Christ, is pleased with you?

Scotty