Odd and difficult

The second part of this extraordinary public announcement about the meaning of Christmas is much more difficult. The beautiful cadence of the AV reads: 'Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill.' You know what's difficult don't you? It's the words peace and goodwill. The cynic says 'Where?' Actually, you don't have to be a cynic to say that. Where in our world today can we speak of peace and goodwill?. It sounds too wonderful - that. this baby is born to bring peace and goodwill everywhere. It sounds blanket wishful thinking, magic wand thinking. And God doesn't do wishful thing, magic wand thinking. He deals personally in relationship. 

We really need to look at other translations. The NIV says: ' on earth peace for those on whom his favour rests.' The Message is even more personal: 'Peace to all men and women on earth who please God'. Profoundly and ultimately, Jesus as Prince of Peace will reign in the consummation of his mission on earth. All will bend the knee. Yet we must understand that God works in relationship with ordinary people in ordinary places now. His  peace works in two directions.  First, Jesus makes peace with God. Peace is about wholeness, belonging together, at-one-ness. We call Jesus work on the cross the AT-ONE-MENT for this is the place where, in ways far beyond our full understanding, Jesus dies in order to bring us back to God as forgiven, whole people. The first thing Jesus does as he greets his friends after he has risen from the dead is to greet them 'Peace be with you' and he says it a second time.(John 20:19,21) Because now his disciples belong with him in a peace relationship that nothing can break. Personal peace with God is the most precious transforming gift we can know.

Yet peace with God flows in another direction. When we call Jesus, Christ the Lord, acknowledging his Lordship, we belong to his new people - a kingdom of different relationships because we are Easter people. Ordinary people in ordinary places, belonging in peace and goodwill.  The baby born in a manger fulfils his destiny on the cross to create a new people. As someone put it: You will not reach your destiny unless you see this baby go to his. We are a new people knowing the risen Jesus empowered by the Spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, self-control. I know kindness is not on the list but these qualities add up to kindness.

When cynics say; 'Where is there peace and goodwill' they should see these groups of people like HBC where we seek to share love. Do we always succeed. Oh no! I know how churches, tragically, can fail. But I have also experienced the love and kindness of a church. Peace and goodwill. Indeed, in my own recent problems with Carol's illness that's exactly how it has been.  I am so grateful. Where else on earth is this extraordinary possibility of a group of people, so different in personality, gifting, esperiences, behaving differently together, kindly and caring because of Jesus?

I finished the sermon with the recent event in my house when Carol cried out 'Where's Jesus? when she found the empty stable (Post Dec 25th).  That really is the vital question for 2026. Where is the living Lord now in our lives.  As a busy minister, off duty one Sunday, I was in worship in my local church in London. When the service was over, the old West Indian gentleman sitting next to me, who I didn't know, said to me: How's your walk with Jesus?   That's the question for me. And it's about peace and goodwill!