Greetings in the name of the Heaven Born Prince of Peace our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this message, we are highlighting the Christmas Holiday Season. With the ongoing litany of the war in Iraq, the genocidal atrocities in The Sudan, the senseless loss of life through the avoidable pandemic of HIV/AIDS, the escalation of violence in our streets and schools, the crimes of man's inhumanity to man, I can't help but sense that during the celebration of the birth of God's only begotten Son that well need to pray that the peace that we witness around the world for Christmas Day would be perpetuated all year round!

In celebration of the miraculous birth of the Savior there is for me an accompanying desire to make the holy angels' praising proclamation into our prayer. In the Gospel according to St. Luke, chapter two, an account of these events is chronicled for our consideration. When Jesus was born on that Holy Night, angelic messengers were dispatched from the bright glory of God in heaven to declare the news to a world in darkness totally unaware of His wonderful arrival. The first ones to receive the good news were shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flocks that night. Then in verses 13 and 14 these words are recorded: " And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

That was the meaning of the coming of this Child. That was the meaning of this Savior, Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest. That phrase "in the highest" does not mean in the highest degree. It means "above." It is a descriptive word of heaven, the dwelling place of God. Then on earth, what? Peace! But how? Actually the words our King James Version renders "On earth peace, good will toward men" could also be rendered "And on earth, peace among men of his good pleasure." Peace will come "among men in whom He is well-pleased." People everywhere are talking about peace, and they are trying to produce peace; and they are attempting sometimes on the basis of a mistranslation and consequent misunderstanding of this passage. There is no peace on earth, except among people in whom God is well-pleased. That is the basis of true peace, people of His pleasure. Look for a moment, thirty years from all this. The Boy born, has passed through babyhood and childhood and youth, and stands, thirty years of age, on the verge of His mighty Messianic mission; He goes to baptism, and heaven breaks the silence and say, "This My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased." At His birth the angels said, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among men in whom He is well pleased." Mark well the connection! That Baby became the Man in Whom God was pleased.

Peace will come to earth when we are like Jesus. That is the way of peace, and there is no other way. No discussion concerning disarmament will ever bring peace. Limitation of armaments? Certainly. Reduction of weapons of mass destruction through denuclearizing? Of course. But this will not bring the true and lasting peace of God. The heavenly host was chanting the anthems of welcome, not merely to that Baby, but to all people who are or will be new creatures in Christ. People "in whom He is well-pleased" are the ones that will spring forth from that Baby. That Baby is the second Adam, that Baby is the last Adam. From that Child, that Son of God, Child of the Virgin Mary, born and laid in a manger, will spring forth a people which will satisfy the Divine demands, and please the heart of God. There is peace, peace for them. Children of God, we must be the possessors, prototypes, promoters and perpetuators of this peace. Pray for peace! Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with us! From our house to yours: Merry Christmas!

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Winston C. Ridley, Jr., MDiv

Pastor