Articles

Reading: Romans 5:1-2

During Christmas, the sounds of the season are everywhere—on the radio, in the house, over the sound system in the stores. We love to sing along to our favorite carols. What does “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” have in common?

            When peace shall over all the earth
            Its ancient splendor fling,

            And the whole world give back the song
            Which now the angels sing.

            Hark! The herald angels sing
            Glory to the newborn King,
            Peace on earth and mercy mild,
            God and sinners reconciled.

            The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
            With Peace on Earth, Good Will to Man.

Peace. We love to think about peace at Christmas time. Even more, we love to sing about peace at Christmas time! You’re singing about it right now, aren’t you?

Romans 5:1-2 reminds us of this truth: the peace that the heavenly host was declaring at the time of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:13,14), God delivered through Jesus. Because he took the death sentence for our guilt, there is no fear of judgment. But it gets better—now we can stand before God as he declares us righteous! This reality brings real peace to our hearts—not just at Christmas time but every day in every season!

Question: How does having peace with God through Jesus Christ impact you this Christmas? How can you share this good news with others?