Bible Reading:
Luke chapter 2 verses 4 to14

Peace

The Bible has a lot to say about peace. In the Bible there are 420 verses with 450 usages of the word "peace" or words about peace. The angels, proclaiming the birth of The Lord Jesus, spoke about peace on earth in Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Peace is a wonderful thing. After a hard day at school or college or round our place of work it is nice to settle down in peace. When things are "in our face" and pressuring us all the time it is good to get away from it all and have a time of peace. Peace is a valuable thing, something worth having. Peace is especially valued after a time of conflict. The greater the conflict the better the peace that follows is appreciated.

I expect we have all seen films of the celebrations that took place in Europe as the Allies liberated villages and towns from occupation by the Germans. Perhaps you've seen films of the celebrations at the end of WWll when for many it was all over. The sheer joy and relief on peoples' faces was a sight to behold. People with tears of happiness flowing down their faces! Peace at last after years of danger and violence.

Peace, nowadays is a rare commodity. There is not a lot of it about; neither has there been down through history. There always seems to be conflict and hostility somewhere no matter where we look.

There are different kinds of peace.

Imagine a large tiger moves in to your area. It roars round the place at night keeping everyone awake and pounces out on unwary people whenever it is hungry. Nobody would be safe while the tiger was nearby.

However, if the tiger moved to another area you'd have peace from it - but only so long as it stayed away. Peaceful, quiet and safe as it might be while it's away there's always the possibility it'll come back and then the peace will be shattered again.

If someone got a large gun and shot the tiger it would be peaceful again but permanently so. The tiger would be gone for good.

What if someone came along who believed the tiger had been shot and told everyone it'd been shot but the tiger, in fact, had not been shot and was still on the prowl in your area. You'd feel peaceful and safe but it would be a false peace. You would feel OK about your situation without realising that the thing that broke your peace was still there.

False peace is a very dangerous thing.

Imagine a Christmas card snow scene. We've all seen the pretty pictures of pure white snow sparkling in the winter sunshine. A gentle fall of snow is so peaceful. The snowflakes float gently down in silence. The blanket of snow deadens sound and all becomes quiet and restful.

A weary traveller lying down to rest in such peaceful surroundings would be in terrible danger. Someone resting in sleep, despite the peace would peacefully and quietly freeze to death!

I saw a cartoon in a pre-war newspaper that was seeking to warn Europe of the growing danger from Nazi Germany. The Nazis appeared so harmless. Europe was recovering from the First World War and all seemed so peaceful and restful. The cartoon showed a traveller with "European Governments" written on a label on his overcoat lying down in the snow saying, "Leave me alone it is so peaceful here!" All around him the snow was building up and it had Naziism written through the gently drifting flakes.

The governments in those days looked for peace but found a terrible war when they were least expecting it.

The peace of the nations was based on something that was not true. The Nazi government was secretly making all kinds of weapons, building a powerful army, airforce and navy and preparing to take over the rest of Europe but people thought they were harmless. The Prime Minister of Britain said "Peace in our time" after visiting Hitler, the Chancellor of Germany who had taken charge of the German Government.

There followed the greatest, most destructive war in history.

Wars and conflicts are terrible and obvious when they happen. When they end people feel at peace - but this peace is a false peace for so many people. If we look ONLY at our outward situation then things might well look nice and peaceful. This is because even though our outward circumstances might give us peace our inward situation, the situation with our souls gives no reason for peace at all, but people just do not see it. There might be those who go around telling people they are alright.

God condemns such people in His word. In ancient times there were men claiming to speak about peace in Gods name, and with His authority, but they were lying.
Jeremiah 6:13-14 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

God was angry.

True peace comes only from one source. The Lord Jesus came into the world to bring real peace, peace from God, peace with God. This is why the angels spoke of peace at Jesus' birth.

If The Lord Jesus came to bring peace has He failed? It depends on the peace we think that He brought. The angels proclaimed peace toward men, not among men. The Lord Jesus came to bring peace toward men from outside mankind. He brought peace from God to mankind. The Lord Jesus dealt with the greatest cause of a lack of peace, the thing that ended mankind's peace with God - sin.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

This is what The Lord Jesus told His disciples before He went to die at Calvary. He brings peace from God, not fragile worldly peace that can be broken in a moment. He brings eternal peace that lasts through even the most terrible things that can happen to us and around us. All who believe that The Lord Jesus is God and trust Him to take away their sin and seek to turn from everything that displeases Him receive peace which passes understanding. Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Peace with God belongs to all such people through what The Lord Jesus has done.

Do you have this peace which passes understanding?