"That's What Christmas is All About, Charlie Brown" - The Real Peace, Joy, and Good Will to All

For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people... and on earth peace, good will toward men. That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!

For those familiar with the original TV show or the Bible, you'll note that much of this is a quote from the Bible, but it's missing the most important part of the announcement.  In the original show, the entire passage from Luke 2:8-14 is quoted by Linus.  Here's the full text:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  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.

In other words, the part missing from the Linus toy is that about the birth of Jesus.  The part remaining is that about joy, peace, and good will toward men.  From a politically correct standpoint, I am not surprised to see how the Linus toy truncates these words about Jesus' birth.  Yet, as I reflected on this, what stood out to me is that this really is what non-Christians who celebrate Christmas from a secular standpoint tend to think Christmas is all about: peace, joy, and good will.  On the surface, it might seem that this is a point in common with Christians who are celebrating the birth of Christ.  However, in actuality, it's not.  When Christians think about the peace, joy, and good will associated with Christ's birth, it is something fundamentally different than what the average non-Christian has in mind during the Christmas season.  This Linus toy demonstrates the difference well.

By removing the connection of the peace, joy, and good will with Christ's birth, a secular Christmas celebration becomes largely about something between men.  It generally makes the peace and joy and good will as about something between fellow humans.  A quick review of many popular secular Christmas songs demonstrates this.  Songs like "Grown Up Christmas List" and "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" are such examples.   But if Linus is going to quote about this peace, and joy, and good will from the Bible, then we must ask what the Bible had in mind when it announces this.  Upon examining the Scriptures, it becomes clear that when these angels announced these things to the shepherds, that they did not immediately have in mind this "horizontal" peace among humans.  Rather, the angels' emphasis to root their announcement in Jesus' birth, means that we must ask in what sense does Jesus' birth have to do with the arrival of peace, joy, and good will.

In the short term, Jesus' birth cannot mean an arrival of a horizontal peace among men.  The Bible makes this very clear with the following examples.  At Jesus' birth, Herod killed a number of babies, trying to put an end to Jesus.  Jesus himself during his earthly ministry predicted the ongoing reality of "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6).  Jesus' ministry involved people unjustly murdering him.  As the church grew after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, we see violence directed toward Christians by unbelievers who had no good will for them.  Clearly, in the short term, a horizontal peace among men has not come with the birth of Jesus.  In the long term, indeed Christ will bring about a horizontal peace among mankind.  But according to the Book of Revelation, that's not something that will be realized until Christ's return when he comes on the Final Day of Judgment.  Only after that will there be a universal and everlasting peace among the remaining mankind that have been saved out of that judgment.

So then what kind of peace, joy, and good will toward men came at the birth of Jesus?  This verse helps to explain what these angels surely had in mind:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1, NKJV)

The angels understood that man's greatest need is peace with God.  Apart from that, we should be without joy.  Mankind had offended and wronged God by our sinful rebellion from his lordship.  We should weep and mourn because to be God's enemy means that we are condemned and under his wrath and curse.  If that status is left unresolved and we remain unreconciled to God, then it will mean the eternal judgment of hell.  But God has shown us good will and grace by sending his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world.  Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life, and ultimately died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of God's people.  The offer of salvation is then held out, that all who would repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord will be saved.  We are then reconciled with God, because our offense of sin against God has been satisfied.  In other words, this is the way Jesus brings peace.  By his work on the cross, and through our faith in him, we become at peace with God.  We are then filled with an internal sense of joy, knowing we've been saved from eternal damnation, and instead have the blessing of eternal life in paradise with our Lord.  God's sending Jesus to us in this way, is his good will and grace that all who trust in him will know this peace and joy.

That is what the birth of Christ is really all about.  A secular celebration of Christmas, exalting generic notions of peace and joy among men is nice and something all Christians as well should pray for and pursue.  But, given how much lack of peace and joy that exists among humans today, even during this time of year, we realize those are ideals yet to be realized.  In contrast, the coming of Jesus Christ into the world some 2,000 years ago has brought a joy and peace that is real and everlasting.

It is my hope for Christians that as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ that you would be refreshed in what kind of peace and joy has arrived with the coming of Christ.  For those who are not (yet) Christians, it's my hope that you as celebrate Christmas again this year, that you would harken the full angelic announcement from Luke 2:8-14.  Don't miss that Jesus' birth is central to the peace and joy described there.  This is a message of such importance that God sent angels to proclaim it.  I urge you to truly consider it this Christmas season, that you might go in haste to place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.


About the author: Rev. Reid Hankins is the pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Novato, CA.