Hello, Merry Christmas, and welcome to the Will Preach for Food podcast. I’m Doug, a pastor here at Faith Lutheran Church, based out of Shelton, Washington. Faith is a beloved, affirming congregation of the ELCA, growing closer to and more like Jesus, making Christ known, for the sake of the world. You can learn more about Faith at our website, www.faithshelton.org. Thanks for listening today.

Today’s Christmas Eve message focuses in on the promise of world peace. The prophets point to it. The angels sing about it. Peacemakers are blessed. The Spirit breathes a peace that passes understanding. And Jesus, the Bible says, IS our peace.

A message of peace, however, flies in the face of what is a rather unpeaceful time in an unpeaceful world among warring nations, tribes, and tongues, ideologies, economic priorities, and political preferences. The Bible itself is a history of conflict, enmity, strife, and division, and the course of human history remains largely unchanged. Or, as the saying went back in the 1950s: Life is just one damned thing after another.

Still, here we are. We gather on yet another Christmas Eve—masks and all. We recall again the story of a child in a manger, and a promise of peace on earth. And I think the Holy Spirit has a good word for us today. Please open your Bible to the story of the birth of Jesus as told in the gospel of Luke, chapter two, beginning at the first verse. Let’s start with a prayer:

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. Amen.

Luke 2:1-20

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
     and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they h

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