Word of Salvation – Vol. 45 No.46 – December 2000

Glory to God... and on Earth Peace

A Christmas Sermon by Rev J Zuidema on Luke 2:14

Scripture Readings: Revelation 5; Luke 2:1-20

Suggested Hymns: BoW 255; 259; 268; 271; 279; 270; 265

Beloved people of God.

It is without doubt that if you are a Christian then you have much to sing about.  Not just on Christmas day, but every moment of every day.  We can sing about the glorious birth of our Saviour and the ramifications of that birth.  We sing because we celebrate God's indescribable and immeasurable love, when He sent his One and only Son as the answer to all our misery.

God's answer is for all mankind, irrespective of whether they are Christians or not!  In fact, it is for the whole of creation.  But why aren't people singing it?"  Well, the sad fact is that many do not know what Christmas is all about!  Sure, they sing their carols, and yes, carols may ring out from shopping centre speakers, but most of this is more tradition than a heart-felt rejoicing in God's goodness.

The fact is, that if you are not a Christian, than this news of the Saviour's birth should not cause you to break out in song, for it is also the birth of the Judge.  And when you think about it in those terms, then the majority of the people on this planet have very little to sing about!

Many people today even doubt whether the Christmas story is true.  Some say that it is nothing more than some well thought up commercial money-spinner.  And looking at much of what we see in the world and in the major shopping centres, you couldn't really be blamed for believing them.

Others, even those within theological circles, doubt whether the event took place as described in Scripture.  Was it a virgin birth?  Did the Holy Spirit conceive the baby in Mary's womb?  Is Joseph as innocent as Scripture makes him out to be?  After all, many babies are conceived before marriage actually takes place.

However, the angels visiting the shepherds in a field near Bethlehem had no such doubt, nor did the heavenly host who joined in this magnificent song of praise to God.  They knew what this baby meant for mankind.  And that is why they were singing, "Glory to God in the highest."

However a question comes to my mind.  Why should these angels sing a song of praise to God?  After all, they didn't really need to be saved from their life of sin, nor did they require salvation.

Well the answer is in verse ten, because of the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (vs.10).  That is why they sing.  They cannot help but sing about this good news.  From the time man fell into sin, the angels have been waiting to hear this news.  And now the good news has finally come and has been announced.  So they sing their song of praise directed towards God and to His glory, for He is the One who has brought it about.

And the good news is described there in verse 11.  "Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord”.  Brothers and sisters, this is the best news ever announced to sinful man.  This is better than receiving news that you are cured of a debilitating disease, or that you have been left a fortune by some rich relative.  It is better news because at the end of your days you have to face your Creator.

Sure, you may be cured of your disease, or you may be wealthy.  But, if this baby wasn't born, then it is all in vain because the Judge of the living and the dead will see you as you really are, a sinner, someone who is dirty and repulsive to Him.  Without the birth of this baby our lives would be lived in despair and would end in despair.  We know from Scripture that the end result of sinful man without a Saviour is eternal punishment.  Sounds a little harsh, doesn't it!  But it's true.  And that's why this news, announced by the angel, is the news a hopelessly lost mankind needs more than anything else.

God has sent a Saviour.  The long-awaited promised Messiah has been born.  He will lead His people to victory over sin, death, and Satan.  And this is not just an ordinary Saviour; He is God's very own Son.

Congregation, if the response to the Saviour's birth is one of singing praises to God by angels, who don't need to be saved, then how much more should we as sinful creatures sing a song of praise to the Lord?  We should follow the example of the angels, because we need to be saved.  Indeed, the whole creation should be singing, "Glory to God in the highest", for the whole world needs to be saved from sin and its effects.  God has brought salvation to the world.  It is in the Saviour's birth that the glory of God in heaven is revealed.  In front of the shepherds, 2000 years ago, the angels sing of God's glory.

In the Book of Revelation, John sees angels singing the same thing before the throne of God.  "He heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.  They encircled the throne and in a loud voice they sang: 'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise'...Amen!" (Revelation 5:11,2; cf.7:12)

Yes, we too have much to sing about.

By the way, do you know what 'glory' is?  'Glory' is the total of all the honour, praise and majesty that belongs to God.  Men and angels do not give this 'glory' to God.  It is already His and will always be His from eternity to eternity.  What the angels in the sky and the angels before the throne are doing is recognising and acknowledging the glory that has always been God's.  As such, even all our singing and praising cannot add to the glory of God, but it is acknowledging His glory and right to that praise from our lips.  And the glory of God is magnificently revealed and displayed on the first Christmas with the sending of Christ.

God's full glory is also seen in His eternal purposes.  God planned for a Saviour from the moment sin entered this world, to be delivered of a virgin woman, to be of the lineage of David, to be born in the town of David, and to be the Messiah and Lord.

And 2000 years ago this eternal purpose was realised and God's glory was there for all to see.  God has brought salvation to the world in this little baby.  He has revealed His glory.  And, says the apostle John, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn.1:14b).

So the angels sing, "Glory to God in the Highest”, and congregation, let us join and sing with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest.”  All too often we have other songs on our lips.  So many times God is not and does not come first on our own lips or in our own lives.  Oh, we may sing our love songs, but the best love song was written 2000 years ago.  May we sing about this love song every day to the glory of our God, and with gusto!

But there is another aspect to this psalm.  The second phrase: "...and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."

When I was somewhat younger I was always confused about this text.  I always thought that it was a funny way to introduce the Saviour of the world.  The text speaks about glory to God and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests.

Well, if God's favour rests on man, where is this peace?  There have been more wars and slaughter in this last century than in any other previous century.  Only this week the slaughter and fighting continues in... [enter your own current examples].

Well, it took me several years to realise that the peace this verse is speaking about is the peace between God and man.  And, mind you, it was not a negotiated peace.  God and man didn't come half way and sit round a table and nut out their differences with each giving a little ground.  No, the peace accord between God and man is entirely initiated and completed by God.

Already in the Garden of Eden God started his quest for Man to restore the peace that was broken by man.  And the whole of the Old Testament history and story is exactly about that: God's battle plan to bring peace between Himself and man; the battle to bring about the birth of the Saviour.

Yes, we know from Scripture that man did not search for this peace.  Romans 5:10 tells us that while we were God's enemies, He came to us.

Oh, I have said so often, how great is the love of God!  Yes, despite our stupidity, and stubbornness, the Saviour is born.  This baby's birth, God's Son, our Saviour, is the only possible answer of peace between God and man and also between man and man.

This baby grew up to die an agonising death, and through His death restore peace between God and man.  Unfortunately, those who will not accept this baby's sacrifice for their sin are still at war with God.  And the end result of their continued rejection will be eternal punishment.  I am not scare-mongering – this is the plain message of Scripture.

However, those of us who do accept this Saviour and the work He did, can be assured that lasting peace has been restored, and one day we will enjoy complete peace.

And, Brothers and sisters, it is only when this vertical relationship is right, that there can be any chance at correcting the horizontal relationships – relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, and yes, even on a bigger scale, nations to nations.

When this vertical relationship is not right, then there can never be a lasting peace.  Yes, people may be able to negotiate a peace accord within families or even on an international scale, but it can never be a lasting peace.

The reason why there is so much strife in relationships of all kinds is because to a large degree, people are unwilling to accept God's ultimate answer to peace.  Sometimes parents accept the answer, and children don't.  Sometimes one spouse does, and the other doesn't.  Sometimes children do, and parents are unwilling.

They refuse to believe that this Child was sent at great cost by the Creator to correct what man in his stupidity and sinfulness mucked up in the first place.  And, I guess that is where the crunch comes for us.  We need to tell our spouses, our children, our teenagers, our neighbours, about God's answer for lasting peace.  Yes, sometimes sin continues to intervene, and sometimes it may be at no fault of our own.  This side of heaven, there are always going to be disappointments.

But, there will come a day, a day when this Baby's work will be completed.  On that day God will be "all in all” and “everything to everyone.”  On that day all of mankind, all of God's creatures, all of creation will unite in one tremendous choir; and there will rise up to the throne of God one mighty refrain from all of creation: “Glory to God in the highest.”

All this reminds us of Revelation 5.  Do you notice the crescendo in that passage?  Remember the context?  The apostle John is weeping, for there was no one found worthy to open the seven seals.  Then he sees the Lamb, as though it was slain.  And, we read in verse 8, that four living creatures and twenty four elders sang a new song.  And it continues in verse 9.  And look at verse 11 – ten thousand times ten thousand angels, and they sing, "Worthy is the lamb...!”

And then in verses 13 and 14 – let’s read them together – “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!  The four living creatures said, 'Amen,' and the elders fell down and worshipped."

Congregation, may God forgive us for our indifference to his greatest 'love' gift.  May He show mercy and restore us yet again.  May the song the angels sang so long ago be on our lips and heart forever.  Furthermore, may our lives reflect the peace that Jesus has brought to us, and to those who are at war with God.

Amen.