Journal: Luke

10/4/11 – Gospel of Luke

I read Luke a few weeks back, but haven’t gotten around to journaling about it yet.  So, I thought I’d finally get caught up and do it now.  No doubt the thoughts that I had when I first read it are not fresh anymore, but I think I can still recall what impressed me from then, even if it is quite brief.  I tend to write more when things are fresh, which can be good and bad.

So, while reading Luke, chapter 2 verse 14 stood out to me:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

I think it stood out initially because it is reminiscent of some well-known Christmas songs.  However, after re-reading it a couple of times, I started to realize that the Christmas songs that sing of “peace on earth and goodwill to all men” are sung with the idea that the lyrics and meaning are for us.  Peace for us and goodwill for us.  But I don’t think that’s exactly what Luke was getting at.  At least, not without the means to the peace and goodwill.  Christmas, or life in general, isn’t about us obtaining the feelings and experiences of peace and goodwill, as much as we might think it is.  It’s also not about acting in a certain way to create an environment of peace and goodwill among men.  Those things are good things, don’t get me wrong.  But they are an end (and not really the greatest ones at that), and here’s the kicker: WE ARE NOT THE MEANS!  What!?

Let me explain.  This passage comes after the birth of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke.  Luke tells us that thousands of angels were praising God because of this occasion and they were the ones to exclaim verse 14.  “Glory to God” is the first phrase out of the angels mouths.  Another way of looking at this was that the angels were attributing the birth of Jesus to God, saying that He should get the credit and the fame for such a thing.  Why? What’s the big deal?  Just another dude being born who made an impact in history.  True, but there is something more.  Don’t miss it. 

The big deal that the angels were making was because Jesus (you may know the story) came as a man, but also was fully God, and lived a perfect, sinless life; he felt what we feel, he went through what we go through.  In the book of Hebrews it mentions that we have a High Priest (a holy intercessor—Jesus) who can sympathize with us!  God himself knows what we go through.  He knows our unrest and our pain because Jesus felt it.  In fact, God’s big plan that the angels were praising Him for was this: Because Jesus was sinless and fully human, but also fully God, He was able to take upon himself all the sin of the world when He was crucified and killed on the Cross.  All of sin, past, present, and future.  Gone.  If we would but believe in the name of Jesus Christ (believe that He truly is God and that He died for your sins) and receive Him into our life (turn from your sinful direction and ask Him to come into your life and take control).  Because Jesus did what he did, the Bible says that God’s wrath was satisfied.  Meaning God’s wrath toward us which would for sure end in our destruction, was turned from us and satisfied in Jesus Christ.  While at one point we were enemies of God, now, get this, GOD IS AT PEACE WITH US!  This is great news!

Only once we believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior will we be able to say, “Because God is at peace with me, I have peace.”  And as we have peace because of God having peace, there can truly be “on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.”  For He is not pleased until He can look upon you, with Jesus as your Savior, and have Him say “Not guilty; innocent; my child; loved one.”  And don’t you try to please Him with your good deeds either.  For God’s Word says “It is by grace you have been saved, not by works[…]” and that our good works are like dirty rags (menstrual cloths to be more specific and graphic….sorry).  This means we can’t please God on our own accord, but rather, it is ONLY on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.   I realize more and more everyday how in need I am of Jesus and the good news that He brings.  He has truly brought us peace with God.  Please respond to this as you wish.  Thanks for reading!