Rush and shudder, keep up the pace
My life and ambitions obscuring your face. (Psalm 27:8)
Come to my heart, Lord, I cry in my fear,
In rest and returning I find you near. (Isaiah 30:15)
Oh come all ye faithful, return to the stall
A babe in a manger to rescue us all. (Luke 2)
Lowly and fragile, how can it be true?
This tiny babe is God breaking through.
Eternity touching the physical earth,
Love emptied himself to come through a birth. (Philippians 2:5-11)
To join in our suffering, and reconcile shame, (Isaiah 53:3, Hebrews 4:15-16)
We enter what’s holy by the power of HIs name. (Romans 10:13)
Jesus, Messiah, the God who came near (Psalm 34:18, James 4:8)
Bearing within him the pain of our fear. (1 Peter 2:24)
Come lay your burdens beside the cruel cross
He bore every burden despising the cost.
For joy set before him, he carried them all
A chance of connection with one or with all. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
God leaned out from heaven, spilt love on the earth
And we barely lift our eyes in return. (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Oh come, oh come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel. (Romans 11)
Passing the Peace
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14).
These are the tidings God sent the angels to share with shepherds in a field. The song announcing the birth of Jesus.
This anthem sets up the thesis for all of Christ’s interactions and his purpose here on earth. The core reason the God of the Bible is utterly different from any other deity lies in this truth. God bends down, emptying himself, to enter the world he created; a world gone terribly awry.
“Peace and good will!” His announcement bellows out to deaf ears as he does everything He can to reach out and make peace between us. On the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michael Angelo depicts the half hearted response of man to this God stretching himself out of heaven to reach us.
Orthodox churches engage in a practice called “Passing the Peace”. In more modern church settings the practice has been replaced with greetings and handshakes. But great meaning is lost in this transition. Passing the peace is a moment set aside for reconciling with other congregants before sharing in sacred communion together. (Matthew 5:21-26)
The Passing of Peace is radical good news Jesus shared with His disciples and what he instructed them to share with others. In Luke 10, Jesus trains seventy disciples how to preach the Kingdom of God. He instructs them to enter a home with the message “Peace on this house.” (Luke 10:5). The disciples are told to stay with those who receive this offered peace. Spend time in fellowship and don’t go from house to house. The Kingdom of Heaven is depicted as deeply relational. Relationship, as neuroscience is revealing, is the foundation for transformation.
The disciples are further instructed, if no one receives your peace, “shake the dust off your feet” as a sign. Or like Taylor Swift might say, “Shake it off.” This is another radical truth. Do not worry about the people who refuse your offered peace. Those people, committees, or cities are not your assignment. Perhaps they will receive peace offered at a different time or from a different ambassador of the Kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20). You, however, are free to move along. Though, if you read the chapter, Jesus has strong words for those who refuse.
Yet, Jesus set no argumentative example. He did, however, spend time eating and hanging out with people who chose to receive from him. To those who were willing, He embodied a radical way of peace with God and man. A peace that begins and ends with the God who desires a relationship in return. The birth of Christ displays the humility with which He reaches down to make contact. It is our choice to receive Him or not.
May you receive His Peace this Christmas.