Jesus: The real giver of Peace

Luke 2:1-7 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,  ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The nativity scene is one of the classic pictures of Christianity expressed by numerous artists over many years – the other of course would be the Good Friday and Easter account. And so they should be as the two main festivals of the church. The story of Christmas has also captured the imaginations of many great hymn writers; some of the best known Christian songs are carols. But as we look at the marvellous art works of the nativity throughout the ages and read the words of the timeless Christmas carols we develop a picture of the first Christmas story.

Luke’s gospel along with Matthew’s gospel is the only two accounts we have of Jesus’ birth. They were included because the early church was probably asking questions about Jesus’ birth, but they both do more than that, they proclaim that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah who comes into the world to bring God’s salvation.

Luke’s account calls us to look at our own lives and reflect on who this Jesus is and how he relates to our lives. Luke begins by giving us some historical details about Jesus birth – now I would suggest that he isn’t focussed on dates and times here but instead the contrast between Caesar Augustus and Jesus the Christ.

Caesar Augustus was the son of Julius Caesar and most historians would suggest the greatest of the Roman Emperors ever to reign. Under his rule he expanded the Roman Empire and brought in the “peace of Rome”. Augustus proclaimed himself to be the son of God – why because when Julius Caesar died people proclaimed him to be a god. Some people worship Augustus – Augustus actually means “exalted one”. Augustus claimed that through his rule he brought peace and salvation to the empire – to whole the world. He claimed to be the prince of peace, the mighty counsellor, the king of kings. Around the time Jesus was born Augustus was bringing order into his empire, everyone had to be registered, he was trying to keep tabs on people so they all paid their tax, he placed legions of soldiers in key strategic areas to maintain peace and rule.

But in the backwaters of Judea in a tiny village named Bethlehem a baby was born. He was proclaimed to be the King of kings and the prince of peace by the angels. They sang songs of worship and declared him to be the son of the living God. Even the prophet Isaiah spoke about the birth some 700 years before the event, saying,

Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  ⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

By the time Luke wrote his gospel Augustus was dead – but Jesus was the risen Lord who had conquered death and was reigning over his eternal kingdom.

Luke is saying to his listeners, maybe to his Roman friend Theophilos, Jesus is the real deal. He is the true son of God, his peace is an everlasting peace, not a worldly peace but a peace between God and humans.

When we come to the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ we look for peace. We try to find hope in the beautiful picture of the nativity scene, we search for happy feelings by singing carols. But the nativity scene, the baby lying in a manger points us to a far bigger event. The Easter story.

We all live busy lives, hectic chaotic lives at times, we know about stress and about deadlines, about managing a family and paying the bills. Some of us are lonely and lost in the world. Some of us are down and out looking for purpose. Coming to the quiet and pleasant picture of the nativity helps us to escape the reality of the world. We look at the peaceful and comforting scene and find rest.

Maybe we don’t see or search for the real picture because it will ruin the Christmas season: the noisy, smelly barn isn’t the perfect picture we want at this time of the year. But this is how God chooses to come into the world.

Our focus needs to be drawn to what is taking place behind the nativity. In the humble is the glory of God, in the insignificant is the significant, this is the way of the cross. John tells us - the word became flesh and dwells among. This is where our peace is really found. God comes into our world into our hearts and makes his dwelling there.

The angels weren’t just singing songs of worship to a baby born, they were singing to the event of God coming into the world to deal with the problem of sin. We can take for granted the gift that we receive through this event of Christmas. We celebrate Christmas to remind us that God is working in the lives of his people today bringing about his kingdom of peace through the preaching of the gospel to the ends of the earth. We like the shepherds are people who carry the gospel message out into the world.

Looking at the nativity may bring us joy and comfort, it may help us to find peace in our lives, but we must also try to look behind the event where Luke takes us to find the true son of God, the true bringer of peace into the world, to true giver of salvation, coming into our lives in a quiet way, he draws us into the story of who this Jesus is and says which God will you follow? The God of real, wholesome, everlasting peace or the god of worldly fleeting peace?

We try to search for peace in different avenues, we build idols in our life, we look for the next good feeling hit, and like Augustus we try to manage our chaos to bring peace. But as Luke says, Jesus is the only giver of real peace. Come and find him in the manger and then look further into this event and see the God of peace who calls you to follow him.

The word of God, Jesus Christ, dwells among us, this is the song the angels sing, this is song we must also sing in our hearts as we gather together this Christmas season in homes, with family and with friends. The nativity may bring us comfort but real comfort for us is in the forgiveness of sins and the salvation that is ours in Jesus.