PEACE: A TIME THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY

            84 years ago, and event occurred which, while tragic, helped bring about peace in the world.  It was an event that then President Franklen Delono Roosevelt called, “A date that will live in infamy.”  I am referring to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; an attack that brought the United States into World War II, helping to secure a victory for the Allies and ushering in a period of peace, although a short-lived one.

            Several centuries earlier an event, actually 2 of them, would occur that would focus the eyes of the world on a small strip of land in the Middle East called Israel.

            Throughout history this tiny piece of earth has been marched through, fought over, fought against, and ruled over by nation after nation.  Even today, the nation of Israel finds itself in the daily news cycle.  This is God’s Promised Land, surviving in a world that has, for many, turned their backs on God.  This morning, I would like for us to take a look at 2 families that found peace in the midst a time of chaos.  We turn 1st to the Gospel of Luke.  <1:5-7>

            Luke tells us that this occurred “in the time of Herod king of Judah.”  We know him as Herod the Great, but he was anything but great.  With the blessing of Rome, the ruling power at the time, he was appointed to the throne of Judah.  Paranoid that he would lose his kingdom, he had 2 of his sons killed when rumors surfaced of their desire for the throne.

            So despised was he among the Jews for his loyalty to Rome and for the high tax burden he placed on his people to pay for his building projects, Harod ordered that upon his death the imprisoned Jewish elders were to be executed so that people would be morning during his death.  This is also the king who, when he heard from the Magi of a new King of the Jews being born, had the male babies in his kingdom slaughtered in an attempt to destroy any threat to his power.

            Under this puppet leadership lived a couple by the name of Zechariah and Elizabeth.  We are told that Zechariah was a priest of the division of Abijah, a priest who served during the reign of David, and his wife was a descendent of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

            Verse 6 tells us <  >.  Here was a couple with a spectacular family tree and an outstanding moral character.  Verse 7, however, reveals that this couple had a problem:  they had no children for Elizabeth was unable to conceive.  For Elizabeth, this was a tragedy.  In that culture, a woman proved her value to her family by bearing children, children who could carry on the family name.  Even with the status of a priestly lineage and glowing morals, being childless was a mark against the family.  Yet, that was all about to change!

            We are told a lot was cast (kind of like today’s lottery, but in that day was used to decide the will of God), and the lot fell to Zechariah to enter the second most holy place in the temple (most holy place was the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant was) and to burn incense symbolizing the prayers of the nation.

            As he prepared to offer the incense of prayer, an angel appears and announces that his prayer has been answered – Elizabeth would give him a son!  His name would be John and he was to go out in the spirit of Elijah and prepare the way for the Prince of Peace.

            We don’t know how many years Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed for a child.  Did they stop praying when Elizabeth passed her child-bearing years?  Did they believe that God could still work a miracle or say to themselves and each other, “I guess it just isn’t meant to be?”  Did they grieve within their hearts when they would hear family and friends lament their situation?  All that was going to change with the angel’s announcement.  The chaos of childlessness was about to be replaced by the peace of parenthood.

            Let’s jump ahead 6 months to another family whose lives will be transferred from problematic to peace.

            A young virgin girl, most than likely in her early teens, I imagine was, as most young brides-to-be, excited about what the future would hold.  Going through her daily routine in Nazareth of Galilee, she gets news from an unlikely source that will change her life forever….she was to become pregnant with a son while she was still a virgin.  And if that wasn’t chaos enough in her life, I can guess that the thought of what would Joseph say probably crossed her mind.

            Joesph’s fiancée, his future bride, was pregnant, and as we would say today, “it wasn’t his!”  Chaos, for that could only mean that she was involved with someone else.  Only 1 thing to do, call off the wedding and move on.  But how?  If this news goes public, Mary and her family would bear the scars of disgrace for the rest of their lives.  Not to mention that according to Jewish law, Mary could/should be stoned to death for her supposed actions.  Chaos!!

            Let’s look at Matthew 1 beginning with v. 19  <19-21>

            “Joseph,” says the angel, “Mary did nothing wrong, in fact, she did everything right.  And out of this chaos, she will bear the One who will bring peace.”

            As you might have guessed by now, our theme for this second week of Advent is Peace.  But what exactly is peace?

            For me, Peace is Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 22.  Peace is God walking in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day in fellowship with humankind.  Peace is the restoration of that very Garden for we read in Revelation 22: 1-5 <  >.

            But what about today?  We stand between the original garden and the restored garden.  How are we to find peace?

            We find peace by looking into the face of a child.  Children have a peaceful presence about them.  Are there times of chaos, sure.  But a hug from Mom, some warm milk, a kiss for a scraped knee and all is right with the world once again.  Children don’t worry about the dangers the world poses.  They don’t stress over the stuff that keeps us up a night.  Children don’t worry because they have adults to look after them, just as you and I have a heavenly Father that looks after us.

            Throughout the annals of history, the nation of Israel has been bruised and battered by nations that would like to see them vanish.  Enslaved by Egypt, dispersed during the Diaspora.  Nazi Germany sought to rid the world of what they called, “the Jewish problem.”  And the list could go on.  Yet, the nation of Israel exists still today, because they are God’s chosen people living in a land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

            When the Messiah arrived, He didn’t come as a conqueror to rid the Promised Land of Roman rule as the Jews had hoped.  He didn’t come as a king, ready to rule the nation.  He came as a baby, innocent and at peace.  Isn’t it interesting that almost all nativity scenes have the baby Jesus, peacefully asleep with a smile on His face while Jospeh and Mary watch over Him.  Peace!

            Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again.  Jesus told His followers that they were to become as little children.  Jesus called them to be at peace, for they, for we, have a Heavenly Father who watches over us, provides for us, protects us, LOVES US, so that we can be at peace in this world and the next.   Amen.