Part of the message of Christmas is Peace On Earth. But the Christmas story is in some ways not at all about peace.
Mary was an unwed mother, in a country where the Law was to stone people for adultery. She would have had a difficult time convincing people that her child was of the Holy Spirit, and not of some man. Her life and the life of the unborn Jesus were in danger in Nazareth.
Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem so that Roman taxes could be paid. Mary traveled on a donkey, and that must have been an agonizing trip, just prior to giving birth. In Bethlehem, the town was overcrowded to an absurd extent, because the family of David all went to Bethlehem, for the tax.
David lived 1,000 years earlier and had a vast family. It would have been total chaos in that town. But Joseph managed to find a place to stay in a stable with the animals. Not the most luxurious of accommodations, but I imagine that the animals kept the place warm.
The first people to come and greet the baby Jesus were the shepherds. Shepherds had a terrible reputation for stealing in the night. They were up guarding their sheep at night while people were sleeping, and it was common for them to lift a few items, from the homes they passed. They were regarded as no-good common thieves. And yet, these were the ones that the angels called to come and be the first to greet the newborn king.
And then, at some time after the birth, we don’t know how long, King Herod the Great, tried to locate the child in order to kill him. This was the time of the visit of the Wise Men or Kings. They came to give gifts and honour the new king but they did not tell Herod the location of Jesus.
God warned Joseph, and the young family fled to Egypt just before the soldiers of Herod arrived to kill all the young boys of Bethlehem. Before the birth, at the birth and just following, there was danger, extremely difficult travel, a town in chaos, visitors who were unclean thieves, and soldiers racing to the child to kill him. This is not exactly a picture of peace. And yet the angels sang a message of, “Peace On Earth”, because of the birth of this very special child.
What does this tell us about the peace of Christmas? I think that the message is that genuine peace from God can come even in life situations of great turmoil and pain. Mary and Joseph had a deep trust in God, that God would see them through all the difficulties. They were in the midst of danger and chaos and within their hearts there was something of the peace of God.
Some of you are in very difficult circumstances, there is turmoil all around. But the song of the angels tells the truth, God’s message is Peace on Earth. May the peace of Jesus and hope and faith in God touch you deeply this Christmas season.
