The Christmas gospel proclaims, "... on earth peace..." (Luke 2:14)

The words once spoken refused to go away, but how viable are they?  Despite U.N., untold peace  treaties, etc. do tell us, please, where can we find this "peace on earth" which is full of unrest, terror, fear and helpless nations (Luke 21:25).

These days EU is falling apart, the Middle East is a ticking bomb or rather, it´s exploding already, and millions of refugees are sinking into utter despair, while our overheated entertainment programs  are doping us with "harmless" Christmas fun, stupid smirks and noise -  but without peace.

A communist once said to me as I was handing out gospel tracts on a street in Copenhagen, "Maybe we´re not too far from each other, you want peace, and so do I!"  I had no reason to doubt that he was sincere.

So what about that peace?  The truth is that it was offered and turned down. A disciple crowd shouted as the Lord entered Jerusalem riding on a  young donkey, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord:  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest"  (Luke 21:38).  Why "peace in heaven?"  An old Scottish friend probably gave the right answer,  "The rejected peace was taken back to where it belongs, i.e. in heaven!"


But "heaven on earth" is possible when "the Prince of peace" is received repentantly in our hearts just as He will one day  (see Zech 12:10)  be received in deep repentance by a Jewish remnant as part of God´s saving plan for Israel without the aid of anybody else except the Lord only.

Let us face it, Christmas is an illusion and its Christendom swallows the bait, but our glorified Christ is no bait and He is in reality our lasting peace, for in Him our conflict is over forever and full forgiveness is given us for all our sins (Isa. 40:1). It´s true, praise His name, in life and death.

Dec. 7, 2016 - jn