#Advent # endtimes
There is no greater paradox as likening the birth of a child to the coming of peace. I was in the delivery room when my wife gave birth to our daughter. There was chaos, there was excitement, there was fear and there was joy, but no peace. At least there was no peace outwardly. Then there was relief, exhaustion and later peace.
Paradoxically there is no more peaceful a picture, a time when a mother is embracing a tiny, contented, resting little baby. The baby is a promise of future and an expectation of love.
This is what the birth of the Christ child brings to us a sense of future promise and love. The deposit and full purchase of peace has come. Yet, the receiving of peace is internal to those who accept the deposit. The full realization of peace is yet to come!
Psa 119:165 "Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble."
Rom 5:1-11 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
2Co 5:20, 21 "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
He is Absolute Love, come and receive the peace of God through Christ.
There is no greater paradox as likening the birth of a child to the coming of peace. I was in the delivery room when my wife gave birth to our daughter. There was chaos, there was excitement, there was fear and there was joy, but no peace. At least there was no peace outwardly. Then there was relief, exhaustion and later peace.
Paradoxically there is no more peaceful a picture, a time when a mother is embracing a tiny, contented, resting little baby. The baby is a promise of future and an expectation of love.
This is what the birth of the Christ child brings to us a sense of future promise and love. The deposit and full purchase of peace has come. Yet, the receiving of peace is internal to those who accept the deposit. The full realization of peace is yet to come!
Psa 119:165 "Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble."
Rom 5:1-11 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
2Co 5:20, 21 "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
He is Absolute Love, come and receive the peace of God through Christ.
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "
Lyrics by Francis Mohr in German "Stille Nacht"
Music by Franz Gruber
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