Glory to God – peace on earth – goodwill towards men

New Testament Church of God

As we celebrate another Christmas season, I echo two comforting messages uttered by the angel in St Luke, chapter 2. These words were spoken to a group of startled shepherds on that eventful night long ago. In Luke 2:10, 11, the angel proclaimed and announced the greatest gift of all – the gift in which all other good gifts are contained. The comforting words uttered by the angel so many years ago need to be echoed across the landscape of our country today. In fact, as mentioned by one of the most famous Christmas Carols, “Joy to the World”, the angel’s message should be uttered “wherever man is found”.{{more}} Like those comforting words did to the frightened shepherds on that hillside many years ago, they can still speak peace to troubled hearts in our troubled world. “Fear not”, the angel said “for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people”.

Tidings of great joy to all people, not just to the Jews and those living in Israel, but to us in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Caribbean and the world. Whatever fear was holding them captive could be released by the acceptance of the message of peace brought by the angel. This was not a baseless “peace” hinged on empty promises of temporary cease-fires, but a peace grounded in the reality of the promised Messiah’s birth. “Unto us was born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord”, so said the angel, and it was true! The one on whose shoulder “the government shall be upon” (Isaiah 9:6), was born to redeem a world being suffocated by sin.

Let’s us join the angel and the multitude of the heavenly host in singing praises to God – “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”( Luke 2:14). Maybe the natural environment in which you exist may not seem conducive to joyful singing. Maybe the economics of your lives, coupled with the many sicknesses and diseases that confront you on almost a daily basis may not allow you to conjure up the desire to sing praises. Maybe the hostile political atmosphere in which you find yourselves begs to differ with the message of the angel – “peace on earth, goodwill to men”, but please note that your joy should not be dependent on the physical, human-created conditions surrounding you. Your peace should be based upon your acceptance of the angel’s message. The Prince of Peace told us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. So, I share with you today the greatest gift that was ever given – Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, the Messiah!

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’”. (Luke 2:10-14)

Have a blessed Christmas season.