Living By Faith

Christmas As Armed Invasion

December 7, 2020 Speaker: Josh DeGroote Series: Advent

Topic: Jesus Christ Passage: Luke 2:13–2:14, Romans 5:1–5:1, Isaiah 9:7–9:7

When you think of Christmas, you probably don’t have an armed invasion come to mind. Well, you should. After the angel of the Lord announced the birth of a Savior in Bethlehem to some unassuming shepherds it says, 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13-14)

Did you catch that? With the angel of the Lord, a multitude of the heavenly host gathered with him. In the OT, the Lord is referred to as the “Lord of hosts” which means the Lord of armies, specifically armies of angels. When Christ was born an army of angels invaded. But they didn’t invade declaring war, but rather peace. The angels declared peace on earth. But we see trouble everywhere, all around. So what is this peace? How do we get it? It starts with accepting God’s terms of peace. In the coming of Christ, God intended to accomplish peace and offer it freely to those who are at war with him. There is deep hostility in the heart of every son of Adam from birth. We demonstrate this hostility in our ongoing war against God and his rule. We want to do things our own way without any input from the God who made us and is full of wisdom and goodness. This describes everyone without Christ. This describes the world to which the angels were sent to announce the birth of the Messiah. God the Father, knowing this very well, sent his Son - the Prince of Peace - to win peace for us. Jesus did this by being born of a virgin, living the life of obedience we have not nor could live; then dying the death we deserve for us, and rising from the dead. The terms of peace which are offered are only through the Lord Jesus Christ, for he is the Prince of Peace.  

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

Peace with God - there it is! That’s what we all desperately need. And that is why Christ came. That’s the point of Christmas! 

But the peace the angels announced isn’t meant to just stay with us in the nice cozy confines of our hearts. It is meant to spread through peacemakers. Our Lord Jesus Christ said “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). But you cannot give what you do not have. So once you have been conquered by the Prince of peace and are living in the kingdom reality of his peace, then you can spread peace on the earth. And you must spread peace. That’s what peacemakers do. And for this reason we are called sons of God. 

But as we look around, we have to ask, what hope is there that peace will actually spread - that there actually can be peace on the earth, and maybe throughout the whole world? Is there hope for that or is it a pipedream?  Why yes, there is hope of universal, unending peace. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the extent to which the Prince of Peace will rule in peace

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:7)

The reign of Christ’s peace will increase and increase and increase, without end. This is the hope to which Christmas points - universal, unending, perfect peace. So have you accepted the terms of peace? Do you have peace with God through faith in Christ, the Prince of Peace. If not, trust in Him alone and do so now. If so, then the blessing of peace announced by the angels has come to you! Spread it in hope of its increase!

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