In Pieces...Or...Peace?

A while back, a bit of family trivia flashed-back in my memory: both of our kids, Peter, and Sarah, were born in the middle of a blizzard. For Peter, it was a blizzard in Baltimore, MD, in January 1982. For our daughter Sarah, it was a blizzard in St. Charles, IL., in February 1985. But in both cases, the evening was much the same. In both locales, everything was in disarray; you might say, ‘in pieces.'  Why power lines were down, cars were in ditches, white-out conditions prevailed, creating eerie darkness, making it hard to see. But we ventured out anyhow, into the darkness, and we made it; we made it to the hospital! And then things got focused, real quick! Why authority figures took over. Lights were positioned and turned on. And in no time flat – I mean my wife Robin delivers fast -- God showed up, and a miracle happened, on a messy night as a baby was born! And the baby changed everything! Sure, the blizzard was still blaring, but a baby was now smiling! And the baby changed everything!

As we enter Isaiah 9, a classic Christmas text, a blizzard is blaring. Why Israel is disoriented, walking in darkness, Isaiah 9:6 suggests. And for a good reason. Why Israel has given up on God, forsaking truth (Isaiah 8:16), turning to superstition (Isaiah 8:19), and neglecting the hungry (Isaiah 8:21). And the result is devastating. Why Israel enters darkness, a total white-out, groping “…for the wall like the blind…groping as if [they] had no eyes… [stumbling] at noonday as in the night…”  (Isaiah 59:9-10). But there’s still reason to hope, for miracles do occur in messes. Look Isaiah prophesies: during your blizzard, "…a child is born…a son is given…” (Isaiah 9:6) -- a baby is birthed. And the baby changes everything!

The baby still changes everything, for at Christmas we celebrate: the baby is Jesus! And so, where are you in a blizzard during this holiday season; where are you disoriented, groping as if you have no eyes, stumbling at noonday as in the night? There is every reason to hope! But only if you believe the baby does change everything. Continuing now with Isaiah, we discover how to believe again – how to claim a life-changing Jesus – and His life-changing path of illumination, direction, and peace.  For starters... 

Be A Peacebuilder, ‘Standing In The Gap.’   

It’s interesting the life-changing Jesus doesn’t just have one name, but four names, technically called ‘throne names,’ the first being: “Wonderful Counselor…” (Isaiah 9:6). Literally ‘Wonderful Counselor’ is best translated: ‘Extraordinary Leader, With An Extraordinary Plan,’ reminiscent of Micah 4:9, where Israel’s leader, Israel’s King, is referred to as a counselor, with a very different plan.  And what is Jesus’ plan? It’s a plan for peace, detailed in Isaiah 11: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat…and a little child will lead them…”  (Isaiah 11:6). Thus, as Jesus leads as Wonderful Counselor, He does so as a Prince Of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; yet another throne name) -- modeling a new, peace-full strategy. Just as Jesus models a new peace-full strategy, we need to model a new peace-full strategy, helping wolfs and lambs, and other feuding folk, to connect with a new message, a message of reconciliation and goodwill.

        

In March 1936, King Edward VIII assumed the throne as King of England. As he did, he prepared to make a radio speech emphasizing the need for brotherhood and peace. But right before Edward’s broadcast, an engineer in the control room of WJZ in New York, now WABC, stumbled over a wire and snapped all communications between Britain and America. As you might imagine, the staff at WJZ were frantic because of the importance of Edward’s speech. But then, just seconds before airtime, a quick-thinking apprentice grasped the two broken ends of the wire and held them together through the grip of his own hands and reconnected the two countries. And so, the King’s words, a message of peace, were indeed transmitted, but through the body of that quick-thinking apprentice. Quick-thinking folk are still needed to step in and transmit the King’s message; to grasp broken ends, estranged people, feuding folk, and bring them together to hear a message of peace. Where are there broken ends in your life? Where are folks fighting, bickering, ‘at odds’ this Christmas? If we want peace, we must step in and work for peace, standing in the gap, bringing folks together.

But not in our strength. We can only transmit peace if, indeed, we receive the power and fortitude of the prince of peace. And so...

Don’t ‘Go It Alone,’ Draw On The Might Of The Savior.  

For the life-changing, Jesus has yet another throne name: “…Mighty God…” (Isaiah 9:6). Literally the word mighty in Hebrew means not just strong, but the strongest one in any battle. Isn’t that incredible! And so, no matter the battle, the struggle, the blizzard, God is stronger than the blizzard. 

Growing up, I always loved to be around my Uncle Bill because my Uncle Bill was an FBI agent. Translated:  he was a G-Man! And so, to me, my Uncle Bill was invincible, able to whoop anybody. I mean, he probably didn't actually tangle with gangsters. Still, I always imagined he tangled with gangsters, taking on the likes of ‘Baby Face Nelson’ – ‘Buggy Siegel ‘– ‘Crazy Joe Gallo’ – ‘Legs Diamond’ – ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’ – ‘Ice Pick Willie’ -- and my favorite ‘Butterfingers Moran’! And so, I figured he could take on my biggest bully, my biggest adversary, the very terror of Halfway, MD, ‘Big Toes Gearheart’! But there’s someone even mightier than Uncle Bill to handle ‘Big Toes,’ or any other bully threatening life.  And that someone is our Mighty God! 

One of the forgotten characters of the Christmas story is Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor. Frankly, that’s surprising for two reasons:  First, 1) the Christmas story begins with Caesar Augustus.  "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census be taken…So Joseph…went up…to Bethlehem…and the baby [Jesus is] born” (Matthew 2:1; 4; 6); but secondly, 2) Immediately after that, Caesar Augustus is never mentioned again!  Only the baby, Jesus, is mentioned again. But that’s shocking because the baby, Jesus, had no apparent power.  Caesar Augustus had all the power! Because Caesar Augustus wasn’t just any emperor, but the greatest emperor to ever live!  Why Caesar Augustus expanded the Roman Empire in unprecedented ways, oversaw the golden age of Roman literature and architecture, and established the most significant era of Roman peace, the famed Pax Romana. Yet the baby, Jesus is remembered, and Caesar Augustus is forgotten. And for a good reason:  the baby, Jesus turned out more powerful, more able to produce peace than the most powerful man in the world. Never forget that, when you confront your bullies, your blizzards, your challenges. All power, the greatest power is yours, not because Caesar Augustus was born, but because the babe of Bethlehem, Jesus was born. An anonymous author puts it best: “We forget that the cradle of Christmas is not just any cradle, but the cradle that rocks the world.”  

So, let that cradle rock your world! Believe again, that the baby -- Jesus -- changes everything. And so, peace is possible. Not just family peace or world peace but personal peace. So... 

‘Settle-Down,’ Address Anxiety, Believing Jesus Never Forsakes. 

The theme of betrayal dominates the news on a reoccurring basis. Whether its sexual abuse by clergy, extra-marital affairs by entertainers, or embezzlement by financiers – a lot of people feel let-down and forsaken. And so, is it any wonder we lack security and peace? But Isaiah 9 makes a strong declaration:  though men and women forsake, the baby – Jesus -- never forsakes! Why Jesus is not just any parental presence, Isaiah 9:6 tells us, Jesus is an EverlastingFather (Isaiah 9:6). And His government, His rule, is not just any rule; it is a rule, an influence that is forever, with “…no end…”  (Isaiah 9:7). Count on it, Isaiah 9:7 declares, the zeal, the determination of the Lord Almighty ‘will deliver’ “…the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:7) coming through for us – faithfully -- every time.

One of my favorite stories concerns my first year in college, a terrible year for me when I felt really distressed. I mean, nothing was going right, and I felt really forsaken. I mean, my teachers were picking on me. I wasn’t making any friends.  And the cafeteria food was awful, just awful!   To be blunt:  I was lonely, anxious, and far from peace.  But then one Saturday morning I looked out my dormitory window, and I could not believe my eyes. Why outside was a familiar car, a ‘hometown car,’ a Hagerstown (MD) car. But not just any Hagerstown car, an old beat-up Mercury Comet car – my father's car – and my father was inside! Rushing out to the curb, I just looked at him: ‘what are doing here?’  ‘Oh,' Dad said, ‘I just was in the neighborhood, and thought I’d drop in.'   Far from it: he had driven all the way from Hagerstown, MD to Baltimore, MD, just to drop in. Why? Because he sensed I needed him, and you know I did. And so that visit —my father’s visit – became a turning point in my semester, making all the difference!

At Christmas, our Father God just drops in, and His visit makes all the difference, too! Oh, He’s not in the neighborhood, but He travels all the way from heaven to be in the neighborhood, just because He knows we need Him. I know it’s surprising someone would do that, but Father God does such things; for Isaiah is right: unto us, a child is given, a baby is born.  During difficult seasons, when blizzards blare, Father God just shows up. He always shows up. 

 you believe that? You will if you show up for others, standing in the gap, working for peace. You will if you draw on the might of the savior. You will if you settle down believing Jesus never forsakes. Believe:  Jesus never forsakes! For Jesus is an everlasting presence – an influence with no end – a zeal that always delivers! 

Wow, that’s a lot to expect from a little baby! But remember this is no ordinary baby, this is a Christmas baby, born in a Christmas cradle, that does rock the world! And so, let Jesus rock your world! 

I know a lot is in disarray; I know much is ‘in pieces.’  But Jesus can ‘peace’ together the pieces; Jesus can reorient life. Because Jesus makes all the difference. 

Because a baby is born -- because God ‘shows up’ -- because Jesus ‘comes to the neighborhood’ – Jesus makes all the difference!