22/12/2023
For Friday, December 22, 2023
Bible Reading: LUKE 2:8-14
Bible verse to Live by: LUKE 12:51-53
“On earth peace, good will toward men”
PEACE ON EARTH BUT WHEN? (I)
When Jesus came the first time, the angels announced, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Lk 2:14). But in Luke 12:51, Jesus said something quite different, “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay, but rather division.” Is there a contradiction, a mistake in the Bible, in the words of God? If there is a mistake, then who is right, the angels who delivered God’s message, or Jesus, the Message of God Himself? It goes without saying that we who believe in the perfection of the Holy Scriptures, the 100% inspiration and 100% preservation of the words of God, believe in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ and of His angels—both spoke the truth, and there are no mistakes in those words at all!
So, how do we explain those infallible words of the angels and of Jesus? The answer lies in God’s perfect Word itself. Jesus indeed came to bring peace into the world as the angels announced, but peace will only come when certain conditions are met. What are these conditions?
Peace will only come when we make peace with God. People in the world today are looking for peace—peace in the world, peace at home, peace at work, peace in church, but they will find it in vain. The reason why there is no peace anywhere on earth is because of sin—we are a sinful people living in a sin-cursed world.
That is why we need a Savior, and that is why Jesus had to come. That is why our Savior's name is JESUS for He has come “to save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). So, in order to have peace, we need to be reconciled to God, and be born again (John 3:3). Yes, unless we are born again, we will not experience peace in our life, we will not have the peace which passes all understanding which only God can give (Phil 4:7).
QUESTION:
Is my heart restless or peaceful?