We hear the word peace a lot at Christmastime. Nervous but adorable children in annual Christmas pageants recite the angels’ words to the shepherds: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…” (Luke 2:14). Many familiar Christmas carols talk about peace. “Peace on earth, and mercy mild” (“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”). “Sleep in heavenly peace” (“Silent Night”).
But for many of us, Christmas is anything but peaceful. Despite earlier anticipation, we soon complain about the rude crowds as we do last-minute Christmas shopping. Our schedule bursts at the seams with concerts and parties and family get-togethers. We reluctantly spend time with relatives with whom we have a strained relationship at best. We find ourselves overusing credit cards, and feeling cheated because our bonus was too small—and tax season is just around the corner! All of this adds up to frustration, not felicity, to jittery nerves, not joyful nativity celebrations. Instead of finding peace, we feel like we’re falling to pieces!
Many of us feel depressed or overwhelmed during Christmastime. For a season that’s supposed to be so happy, why are we so miserable? Is there really such a thing as Christmas peace?
Merriam-Webster defines peace as “a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity.” How does that apply to Christmas? There are no enemies at Christmas, are there, except perhaps for the Grinch (and even his heart grew three sizes larger)? The serene baby Jesus, three gift-bearing Wise Men, lots of nice gifts to one another, cute kids in church pageants—what enemies?
To answer that, we need to go back to the first Christmas. Why did Jesus come into this world? The Bible says he existed before he was born, that he is in fact the Son of God, equal with the Heavenly Father, who came to earth to save us from our sins (the name Jesus means “Savior”). He was born into the human race so that thirty-some years later he could bear the penalty for our sins by dying in our place, so we could be pardoned.
You see, we all have deliberately disobeyed God—we have intentionally thought and said and done things we knew were morally wrong. The Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And our sin addiction has made us enemies of the God of the universe. He cannot wink at sin; it must be dealt with. But rather than just punishing us for our transgressions, he has made a way of escape—a way that required Jesus’ death on a cross, as if he had committed the sins that we committed. So now if we accept Jesus’ gift of forgiveness (there is no better Christmas gift!), we will have peace with God and will enjoy eternal life with God. But if we reject the gift, we must still be punished for our own sins and serve a death sentence that will never end. The Bible tells us, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The choice is ours.
“Peace on earth”—a real hope or a pipe dream? There is Christmas peace—the peace of no longer being enemies of God, but instead receiving forgiveness for all our sin. How do we get this pardon? By asking Jesus Christ, who died for us, to give us the gift he died to win for us. “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
Do you want this gift? Do you want Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf to bring you God’s forgiveness? We invite you to tell him so in words like these:
Lord Jesus, I believe that when you died on a cross you were dying for me, to bring me forgiveness for all my sins. I now ask you to be my Savior, to pardon me for every wrong I have thought or said or done. I believe in you as my Savior, for now and always. Thank you for dying to save me. Amen.
Read the Bible to find God’s precious and very great promises, which can set you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a Bible-believing church, and begin to worship and grow together with other people who treasure Christ above all things (Philippians 3:7).