The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Peace
Luke 2:1-3, 13
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get Up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.
Imagine with me for a moment what the headlines of the news might have read when Jesus was born.
“Taxation Sends Everyone To Their Hometown to Register”
“Young Teenage Jewish Girl Pregnant”
“Herod Seeks to Destroy Promised Child Savior”
“Joseph Takes Family Across The Border Into Egypt”
Those theoretical headlines certainly don’t sound like The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, do they? And by the way, the headlines of 1963, the year that the song The Most Wonderful Time of the Year was written, were not wonderful either. After all, in 1963 there was serious civil unrest in our country, American President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated and tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States were ever-growing.
Think about the headlines we are seeing today.
“FBI director sounds alarm as terror threats elevated to all-time high since Oct. 7 attack”
“Millions of Americans’ personal data stolen after company confirms massive breach”
“JPMorgan makes grim prediction about the stock market next year”
So let me ask the question, what makes a season the most wonderful time of the year?
Based on the headlines, the days that Jesus was born into, the days of 1963, and the days of 2023 are anything but wonderful. The days are filled with political unrest, economic slowdowns, military battles, and personal tragedies, to mention only a few.
It is this most un-wonderful world that needs the hope and peace that God brings through Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Do you love Christmastime? I love Christmas. From my childhood days to now, I just love Christmas. I love the shopping, the tinsel, the decorations, the Christmas programs, the children’s faces, the Christmas trees, and, of course, all the Christmas desserts! Although I love all those things, I am well aware that others may not share my love for Christmas. For one man I was speaking to recently, Christmas is full of painful memories, death, and personal losses.
The message of Christmas to each of us is hope. But sometimes the message of hope is lost in all of the trappings or painful memories of Christmas. You see, Christmas is not about gifts, red and green colors, trees, shopping, and all the other things that, although we enjoy, sometimes hide the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas is about the birth of God’s Son, Jesus, who was born to take away our sin, the very thing that separated us from God. Christmas is God taking a step toward us, not us taking a step toward God or even one another. Christmas is full of hope because God is now with us. The name Immanuel, another name for Jesus, means “God with us!”
If you are looking for the most wonderful time of the year in the headlines, then you will be disappointed. If you are looking for the most wonderful time of the year from the government offices in Washington, DC then you will be devastated. If you are looking for peace on earth through the reconciliation of warring nations, you will be discouraged. If you are looking for personal peace from your bank account or even from your retirement account, then you are going to be disappointed. None of these things can ever create the most wonderful time of the year.
The most wonderful time of the year, the day, the hour or even the century only comes when we receive God’s gift of eternal life. The most wonderful time of the year comes when there is peace between you and God. And God has made that possible because He gave us His Son, Jesus.
Do you have peace with God?
Don’t place your hope in a season of the year, in the possibilities of a better financial outlook, or in the talks of peace between nations. Place your hope and your faith in Jesus alone. He alone can give you the most wonderful days, the most wonderful Christmas, the most wonderful start to a new year, and the most wonderful life because He alone is Savior, our Prince of Peace!