Peace of Christmas

It is not unusual to come across Christmas cards' greetings along the lines of "May love, joy and peace be with you during this season."

So it was a good reminder when I attended ORPC's candlelight service on Christmas eve and came across this thought through Rev Teo Yew Tiong's sermon, "The peace of Christmas"

(Note: I did not take notes during the sermon so it is based on my sketchy remembrance. Please feel free to correct inaccuracies.)

Carols always bring about feelings of peace and serenity. Consider the song "Silent Night"

“平安夜，圣善夜。”(Literally translated: Peaceful Night, Holy Night)

It always conveys a sense of security, serenity and rest. Yet looking at the world today, news of war is always at the edge of our consciousness; famine, natural disasters and catastrophes are still upon us. Has peace come upon us after Christmas?

In the first noel, the baby Jesus is born in a manger. The wise men from the east in coming to look at the baby was told by an angel to take another route home to avoid the King Herod, who was insecure about his throne and wary about Jesus' destiny as king and the implications on his kingship. His insecurity had led to all Hebrew male children below the age of 2 to be killed which led to the flight by Joseph and his family. Did peace come supernaturally during the first Christmas?

Nearly all the apostles, early disciples and followers of Jesus were persecuted, were bankrupted, were maimed, were stoned, were killed by the sword, were exiled. Did they experience peace because they had chosen to follow Jesus?

Jesus had said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace." in the Last Supper, the night before he was tried by the governor, Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. Was that peace a lie?

*But Jesus have also said, "I have overcome the world." which was proven in His later resurrection. He also said "As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Thus the peace that Jesus spoke of, is not the peace that we understand in the world.

It is peace with God. "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Eph: 2:14-17)

So are you now at peace with God? Have you now come to the Father through Jesus Christ? Have you experienced the true peace of Christmas and fully understand the meaning of:

“平安夜，圣善夜。”(Peaceful night, holy night) ?

Note: For the section marked *, I've forgotten what he had said so those things were most probably my interpretation.