We all want peace, and we all want joy.
In 1914, during World War I, it was the outset of the war,
on the Western Front somewhere in France,
the Allies, France, Great Britain, United States,
were in trench warfare with the central powers,
the German Empire, the Austrian Empire,
and they were engaged in a terrible, terrible war.
Military technology had advanced.
The machine gun was being employed for the first time
in this kind of conflict.
It eventually developed into poison, gas, and use,
and medical technology had not caught up,
and so it would have been awful.
In between the trenches was this no man's land.
Christmas time, 1914, a truce is called.
And so the soldiers on each side were able to bury their dead.
They were able to perform prisoner swaps.
They even began to mingle together in no man's land,
share rations together.
And on the Christmas of 1914,
the evening closed out with both sides singing Christmas carols together.
It's a picture of peace, isn't it?
In the midst of hostility and threat,
we all long for something like that.
Peace is not just the absence of hostility and threat.
It is the fullness of affection,
fullness of love and unity.
This kind of hostility and threat,
it always results in fear and hiding.
Whereas affection and love give rise to joy and unity.
The thing about the Christmas truce of 1914 is that
it was gone in a day.
The next day they were back to killing each other.
Fleeting peace, shallow joy.
The war raged on for years to come.
What we know,
what we're born into,
is a fleeting peace
and a shallow joy.
I can imagine some of you
who've come into this building this morning
and the thought of peace and joy
is appealing to you
so long as God's not involved.
Give me the joy,
give me the peace,
you keep God.
Well, this morning,
I'm going to be bold and say,
if you're wanting a peace
and a joy without God,
you're asking for a fleeting peace
and a shallow joy
because God alone
provides an everlasting peace
and a fullness of joy.
And the reason why you may not want God
is actually because
you're running from God.
You're hiding from Him.
There's things about God
you may be disappointed with
or fear.
I've got good news of great joy
for you today.
I can imagine some of you
in this room
when you hear the word joy
and the word Christmastime,
you go cynical.
You think something like this,
joy, Christmastime,
whatever.
Because for you,
the Christmastime
is not a time of joyfulness,
it's a time of misery
because you're just reminded
of your loneliness.
You're just reminded
of the unresolved conflicts
with those people
who are supposed to be
nearest to you.
You experience absence of people.
And so a time where everyone
gets together,
you're kind of like,
let's just get through it.
Time of enjoyment
turns into a time of endurance
for you.
I've got great news
of a great joy
of an everlasting peace
for you.
And then there's those of you
in this room,
you're like,
oh man,
my joy is in my children
opening up some awesome gifts
I've got for them.
And that joy is riding high
within about three gifts
and then your kid says,
I didn't want this one.
What happens to your joy then?
It's gone.
Maybe your joy is in the
end of the year bonus check
and what to do with it
like Clark Griswold did.
But what happens if your
end of the year bonus
comes as a can of popcorn
instead of a deposit of cash?
And your boss is given
the big bonus.
Where's your joy then?
Or maybe your joy is
at the thought of the gathering
of extended friends
and family
and everyone is together
and then it happens.
That unresolved
old tension
flares up
and everybody leaves
real quick.
We all want
everlasting peace
and fullness of joy.
and we're all looking
to stuff
that seemingly
can never deliver on it.
This morning
I've got good news
of great joy
of an everlasting peace.
Peace
leads to joy
and everlasting peace
leads to a fullness
of joy
and the everlasting peace
and fullness
of joy
that we all
long for
can only be found
in one person
the Prince of Peace
Jesus Christ.
And so this morning
I want to help you
reclaim the joy
of Christmas
by looking
at the Prince of Peace.
And so if you'd open up
your Bibles
to Luke chapter 2
we're going to
work our way
through verse 8
all the way
through chapter
verse 20
but we're going
to focus mainly
on verses 8
through 14
and we're going
to make our way
through the text
and here's what
I'm going to help you see.
There are some
fearful shepherds
there
and they have a fear
that we can
all identify with
and then
an evangelizing
angel shows up
and he is
proclaiming
good news
of great joy
for all people
and then
this multitude
of the angelic hosts
show up
and they start
praising
and glorifying God
and they announce
peace on earth
to all those
with whom
God is pleased.
And then
those fearful
shepherds
make a beeline
to Bethlehem
where their fear
is radically
transformed
to joy
and in verse 20
they go back
to the outskirts
praising God.
Does anybody
want to know
why
fearful shepherds
turn into
worshipping shepherds?
They encountered
the prince
of peace.
So let's look
at these fearful
shepherds
in verse 8
a little background
verses 1 through 7
we learn that
this baby
has been born
to Mary and Joseph
and they lie him
in a manger
and on that same day
Luke brings us
to the outskirts
of Bethlehem
in the region
the hill country
surrounding it
where there is
a bunch of shepherds.
Look at verse 8
and in the same region
of the city
of Bethlehem
there were shepherds
out in the field
keeping watch
over their flock
by night.
Now what you got
to understand
about these shepherds
is these were
everyday guys
and you got to
ask the question
what do you think
they were talking
about?
I'm thinking
they're talking
about politics
Roman occupation
maybe they're talking
about economics
how much are these
sheep going to get
on the market?
How do the sheep
help?
Maybe they're talking
about family stuff
I'm not sure
what to do
with my daughter
maybe maybe
they're going
a little deeper
and one of the
shepherds is saying
something like this
how did I end up here?
Is this going to be
what I'm doing
for the rest of my life?
I feel stuck.
Here's something
you need to know
about shepherds.
In Israel
at this time
shepherds
were considered
lowlifes.
In a
ancient Jewish document
there was this
understanding that
shepherds were under
a perpetual ban.
They were thought
of as disgusting.
The only people
in Israel
at the time
lower than the
shepherds
were lepers.
It gives you
a sense of scale
and where they're at
in terms of the
low life
to high life
spectrum.
Here's what I want
you to notice
in verse 8.
These shepherds
these lowlifes
of that time
they were
on the
outskirts
of Bethlehem
in the same region
they were out
in the field.
So you got
lowlifes
who were on the
outskirts
and did you notice
they're in darkness?
They're watching
over their flock
by night.
Lowlifes
on the outskirts
living in darkness
they're lost.
lost.
You might not
be a lowlife
but apart from
Jesus
you have no life
and if you're
apart from
Jesus
you're definitely
not on the
inside
you're on the
outside
and if you
don't know
Jesus
you may think
you're living
in the light
but reality is
you too
are living
in darkness.
There's a reason
why
in verse 9
an angel
shows up
to these lowlifes
living on the
outskirts
in darkness.
God
has come
to declare
to them
good news
and if you
realize that
you are a lowlife
on the outskirts
in darkness
it's good news
for you too.
So in verse 9
out of nowhere
an angel
of the Lord
appears to them.
It would have
been sudden
it would have
been unanticipated
and an angel
of the Lord
appeared to them
and the glory
of the Lord
shone around them
and they were
filled with
great fear.
The glory
of the Lord
shone around.
What is this glory?
Well it would have
been really bright
and in the darkness
it would have
been really
really bright.
It would have
been an all
encompassing
glory.
Here's the way
to think about it.
You know how
the mist rolls
in off the lake
from time to time
and not only
do you see it
you feel it.
This glory
would have been
a penetrating
glory
glory.
Because
this is not
the glory
of the angel
this is the glory
of the Lord.
Do you see that?
The glory
of the Lord
shone around them.
This is the
Shekinah glory
of God.
It's his holiness
gone public
and if you
experienced it
it would
affect you
down to
the core.
So these
lowlifes
on the
outskirts
in darkness
are suddenly
immersed in
the brightness
of the Shekinah
glory of God
and there
before him
is standing
an angel
of the Lord.
And if you
know Luke
at all
Luke chapter
one
there's this
angel of the
Lord that
keeps on
showing up
and it's
Gabriel
and my
suspicion
is it's
Gabriel again.
So let's
just bear with
me and just
think it's
Gabriel.
Gabriel
appears to
them
and the
reaction
of
these
shepherds
is something
you've got
to see.
And they
were filled
with great
fear.
I want to
take an aside
here and help
you to understand
something.
For us to
reclaim the
fullness of
joy that
comes with
Christmas
we've got
to reclaim
the tragedy
of the fall.
Out of the
tragedy of the
fall is
born a
great joy.
Why were
these shepherds
filled with
great fear?
Was it the
suddenness of
the appearing
of the
angel?
This past
week I'm
at a
basketball
game for
my son
I walk
out of
the men's
room
my little
daughter Mary
surprises me
boo and
I'm like
blah!
I was
afraid but
just for a
little bit
it wasn't a
great fear
it was a
little fear.
So I don't
think that
these shepherds
their great
fear was they
got surprised
nor do I
think it's
just because
it was an
angel.
The angel
of the Lord
showed up to
Zachariah and
Mary and
though they
were troubled
and maybe a
little afraid
they didn't
have this
great fear.
Why this
great fear?
I think it
has to do
with the
Shekinah
glory.
This palpable
holiness that
was surrounding
them.
You see
what happens
is that
when God's
glory shows
up this
holiness
penetrates
and exposes
a person's
utter
sinfulness.
We see
it in
Isaiah
chapter 6.
The prophet
Isaiah has
this vision
of God
in the
temple.
The seraphim
sang holy
holy is the
Lord God
almighty.
The whole
earth is
full of
his glory.
His glory
is his
holiness
gone public.
And what
does Isaiah
do?
Woe is
me for
I am
a man
of unclean
lips.
He's ready
to die.
He feels
exposed
because he's
in the
presence of
the glory
of God.
Exodus
19.
God is
speaking on
Mount Sinai
to Moses
and all of
his people.
They hear
his voice.
And you
know the
people think
we're gonna
die because
we hear his
voice.
And they
start saying
Moses in
verses 18 and
19.
Moses stop
him from
speaking to
us.
You speak
to us.
We can't
handle it
anymore.
They were
exposed by
God's
manifest
holiness.
In
Genesis
chapter 3
Adam and
Eve they
blow it.
They disobey
God.
They eat of
the fruit.
And then in
verse 8 God
comes looking
for him in
the garden.
It's what he
did every day
it seems.
He would
come and
spend the
afternoon with
Adam and
Eve and walk
with him in
the cool of
the day.
And so
after the
fall something
horrific tragic
happens.
Do you
remember God
comes calling
for Adam?
Remember where
Adam was?
He was
hiding from
God.
God's presence
he's hiding
from it.
He saw God
as some kind
of threat and
so he hides
from it and
he's covered
himself up with
fig leaves because
he's ashamed of
himself.
And not only
is he ashamed
of himself
when God
asks him what
happened he
starts blaming
his wife.
She made me
do it.
And then when
God says to
Eve what
happened she's
like I blame
the serpent.
He made me
do it.
So you have
blame.
And then the
curse comes down
and now all
creation is
cursed.
We're to toil
and what we
read from Romans
is all creation
has been subjected
to futility.
It's groaning
being under
the weight
of sin.
That's what
we're born
into.
And what we
see here is
God's holiness
as a threat.
Let me just
press this home
a little bit
more.
Now imagine
we've got this
screen behind
me right?
Let's just say
we played a
video of all
your thoughts
for the last
week on this
video screen
for everybody
to see.
Would you come
back next
week?
No.
Why not?
Because you'd
be ashamed.
Just like I
would be ashamed
if I had all
my thoughts
put up on
screen.
Not only would
I be ashamed
you'd lock
me out.
When we
become aware
of our
sinfulness
we want to
hide.
And what we
see happening
with these
shepherds
this fear
is
at the
Shekinah
glory of
God.
It's they
want to
hide.
They're being
exposed.
And there's
nowhere to
hide.
They're out in
the open.
There's nowhere
to go.
Adam and Eve
played hide and
seek in the
garden.
It's like we
play hide and
seek with God
today.
If you play
hide and seek
with a three
year old it's a
really interesting
game.
You count to
ten the
three year old
goes hides.
You go looking
for the three
year old.
It's not
tough.
You're like oh
red lightning
McQueen sneakers
underneath the
floor length
curtain of the
window.
There's a
bulge there.
I wonder who
that is.
You know
where this
child is
hiding.
This child
thinks that
they're hiding
from you.
We tend to
think that
we're able to
hide from
God.
Adam and
Eve weren't
able to
hide from
God.
Isaiah wasn't
able to
hide from
God.
These shepherds
weren't able to
hide from
God.
There is no
hiding from
God.
When you
come into
the presence
of God
you will
feel exposed.
There will
be great fear
in you.
You will
start to
fear your
death.
These
shepherds
are thinking
the worst.
I don't
know what
was going
on in
their minds
but I
can only
imagine
they're
thinking
okay is
this one
of the
angels
that
kind of
dropped
the bomb
on Sodom
and Gomorrah?
Is this
the angel
of death
that swept
through Egypt?
I'm guessing
these shepherds
at this point
have this pit
in their
stomach
thinking
this is
bad news
this is
bad news
we can
all identify
with that
right?
You think
about your
life
you think
about what
you've done
the shame
but this
angel
didn't come
with bad
news.
Let's look
at verse
10.
This angel
shows up
and the
first thing
he says
to them
is
fear not
don't fear
don't be
afraid
I'm not
here to
destroy you
I'm here
to evangelize
you
we read
I bring you
fear not
for behold
I bring
you good
news
of great
joy
that will
be for
all
people
good
news
not bad
news
good
news
these
shepherds
are exposed
they're
afraid
and this
angel is
saying
I bring
you
good
news
great
joy
that word
bring good
news
is a
verb
that you
can literally
translate
gospelize
to announce
good news
to
to make
known
the good
news
of a
particular
event
back in
1945
at the
closing out
of World
War II
you would
have these
newspaper
headings
that said
VJ day
exclamation
point
victory over
Japan
day
or VE
day
exclamation
point
victory
over
Europe
day
you have
headlines
that say
Japan
surrenders
war
ends
victory
exclamation
point
peace
exclamation
point
the paper
headlines
were declaring
good news
they were
publishing
good news
for all
to read
and rejoice
in
and so
this angel
comes to
these
low
lives
on the
outskirts
in darkness
who's had
their fears
exposed
and he's
like I
bring you
good news
of a
particular
event
that particular
event
happened
earlier that
day
but what I
want you to
see right
now is
that this
good news
would bring
great joy
for all
people
whatever this
good news
is
it turns
great fear
into
great
joy
you see
the verse
the great
fear in
verse 9
and if you
look down
to verse
20
those same
shepherds
are rejoicing
and glorifying
God as they
go back
to the
outskirts
there's
great
joy
this
great
news
of great
joy
is for
all
people
it's not
just for
the low
lives
on the
outskirts
who are
living in
darkness
it's for
the high
lives
who are
on the
inside
but still
living in
darkness
and for
everybody
in between
whether you're
a low
life
or whether
you're a
high
life
or you're
in between
life
you have
no life
apart from
Jesus
darkness
one of
the things
about
living in
darkness
and why
this is
good news
for all
peoples
is it's
all
peoples
apart
from
God
are
hiding
from
God
they're
trying to
deal
with
their
threats
they're
trying to
deal
with
fear
this
good
news
that
generates
great
joy
is for
all
those
who are
hiding
and willing
to admit
it
so whether
you're a
man
or you're
a woman
or you're
confused
if you're
a man
or a
woman
this
is great
news
good news
of great
joy
for you
you just
need to
admit
you're
hiding
it doesn't
matter
if you got
more money
than you know
what to do
with or
you've got
so little
money
you don't
know what
bill to
pay
it doesn't
matter
this is
good news
of great
joy
for all
people
you just
need to
admit
that you
need
peace
it doesn't
matter the
color of
your skin
it doesn't
matter the
address on
your place
the issue
is we
all
want
peace
and we're
all
hiding
from the
prince of
peace
are you
willing to
admit
that you're
hiding from
the holiness
of god
this good
news of
great joy
for all
people
is for
you
what the
angel
announcing
here is
a plan
god's plan
for the
fullness of
time
for all
people
everywhere
the good
news
is for
every
tribe
tongue
and
nation
again
this
angel
Gabriel
isn't
bringing
bad
news
of
hostility
and
threat
he's
bringing
good
news
that
makes
the
nations
glad
so the
question
is
what
is
this
good
news
that
makes
the
nations
glad
look at
verse 11
for unto
you is
born
this day
in the
city of
David
a savior
the good
news of
great joy
for all
people
that this
angel of
the lord
is declaring
to these
sin exposed
shepherds
it's not a
government
program
it's not
educational
degrees
he's not
making job
offers
he's not
proclaiming a
scientific
discovery
he's
proclaiming the
birth announcement
of a
person
the good
news
of great
joy
for all
people
is a
person
for unto
you is
born
this day
in the
city of
David
a savior
when you
hear those
words in
verse 11
for unto
you is
born
this day
does that
ring a
bit of
a bell
does that
sound
familiar
to you
if you
go back
to Isaiah
9 6
you read
Isaiah
prophesying
of one
who is
to be
born
for unto
us a
child is
born
Gabriel
is doing
a little
bit of
a riff
on the
words of
Isaiah
9 6
it's a
prophetic
fulfillment
riff
he's saying
the baby's
been born
this
baby boy
born
to us
is
David's
son
baby boy
is
David's
son
baby boy
is
David's
son
baby boy
is
the
offspring
of
Abraham
and
whom
all
the
nations
will
be
blessed
as
far
as
the
curse
is
found
the
nations
will
be
glad
in
this
baby
boy
this
baby
boy
who
is
born
to
us
is
David's
greater
son
this
baby
boy
according
to
Isaiah
the
government
will be
upon his
shoulders
and his
name
will be
wonderful
counselor
mighty
God
everlasting
father
prince
of
peace
of the
increase
of his
government
and
of
peace
there
will
be
no
end
the
good
news
that
this
angel
was
announcing
that
would
bring
great
joy
to
the
nations
is
the
birth
of
the
peacemaker
you
will
bring
great
priests
to
all
who
humble
themselves
and are
willing
to admit
they
need
it
a
peace
with
God
no
more
hiding
a
peace
with
yourself
no
more
shame
no
more
self
hatred
peace
with
others
the
blame
game
gets
done
and
eventually
peace
with
creation
a
time
coming
when
there's
no
more
toil
a
peacemaker
can
go
by
another
title
savior
unto
you
this
day
is
born
in
the
city
of
David
a
savior
a
savior
rescues
from
threat
and
fear
and so
this
angel
is
announcing
the
birth
of
the
great
savior
who
is
the
peacemaker
and
not
only
is
this
savior
the
great
peacemaker
he's
the
christ
do you
see
that
who
is
christ
the
lord
christ
is a
title
it's
a
reference
of
the
long
awaited
king
from
david's
line
who
would
establish
a
forever
kingdom
with a
never
ending
peace
and so
what we
read is
that
savior
is
the
great
peacemaker
and
he's
the
christ
the
great
king
and
he's
not
only
the
great
peacemaker
and
the
great
king
he
is
the
lord
and
what
luke
and
this
angel
are
helping
us
to
see
is
he's
god
the
lord
the
great
god
this
baby
this
birth
announcement
which
is
good
news
for
all
nations
born
this
day
in
the
city
of
david
is
the
great
peacemaker
the
great
king
the
great
god
who's
taken
on
flesh
emmanuel
and
it
happened
this
day
says
the
angel
it
took
place
he
was
born
he
really
was
born
he
really
lived
and
in
verse
12
the
angel
tells
these
shepherds
hey
let me
give you
a sign
you can
just
make a
beeline
to
bethlehem
right
now
and
what
you
will
find
you
will
find
a
baby
wrapped
in
swaddling
clothes
which
would
not
have
been
unusual
lying
in
a
manger
now
that's
unusual
especially
given
who
this
baby
is
the
great
peacemaker
the
great
king
the
great
god
is
lying
in
a
manger
it's
a
feeding
trough
what does
that tell
you about
our
god
he
became
nobody
he
came
to
the
outskirts
he
came
into
the
darkness
to
save
those
who
were
low
lives
on
the
outskirts
living
in
darkness
so that
we
could
have
life
so that
we
could
be
brought
in
so that
we
could
be
lit
up
what a
god
before
the
shepherds
can make
a beeline
to the
city of
Bethlehem
something else
happens
in verse
13
it's
another
unexpected
appearance
and it's
a multitude
of the
angelic
host
and that
word
multitude
means
literally
a number
you can't
count
one
pastor
thinks
that
it's
all
of the
heavenly
host
present
to
announce
the birth
of the
great
peacemaker
and I
tend to
agree
with him
my son
and I
were recently
at a
football
game
and we
were in
a stadium
that held
over
a hundred
thousand
people
watching
this game
and the
place
was
electric
it was
this
mass
of
humanity
praising
this
football
team
it
was
we
were
surrounded
by it
hundred
thousand
people
in a
stadium
it's
like the
city
of
Kenosha
in a
stadium
we're
not
told
how
many
angels
were
here
but
if
it
was
a hundred
thousand
that
would
have
been
impressive
don't
you
think
it
was
a
multitude
too
great
for
anyone
to
count
and
it's
what
these
angelic
hosts
were
saying
that
you
need
to
see
in
verses
14
they're
praising
and
saying
glory
to
God
in
the
highest
and
on
earth
peace
among
those
with
whom
he's
pleased
this
angelic
host
and by
the
way
the
word
host
literally
means
army
the
army
of
God
had
gathered
to
announce
the
birth
of
this
baby
and
they're
saying
glory
to
God
in
the
highest
in
excelsis
Deo
and
they
say
on
earth
peace
among
men
with
whom
he's
pleaded
the
angelic
host
this
army
of
God
is
declaring
peace
to
the
earth
at
the
birth
of
this
baby
this
baby
in
the
manger
gives
rise
to
the
angelic
praise
of
God
and
they're
declaring
peace
among
men
with
whom
God
is
pleased
peace
with
God
has
come
peace
with
yourself
has
come
peace
with
others
has
come
peace
with
creation
has
come
no
more
hiding
no
more
shame
no
more
blaming
no
more
toiling
this
baby
has
come
to
make
it
all
right
and
for
those
who
are
humble
those
who
please
God
oh
receive
the
peace
in
verses
15
through
20
what
do
these
shepherds
do
well
the
angels
leave
and
then
these
shepherds
make
a
beeline
to
Bethlehem
and
they
find
the
savior
in
the
manger
just
like
the
angel
told
them
and
they
share
with
Joseph
and
Mary
what
has
just
happened
and
all
of
them
wonder
and
we
see
Mary
treasuring
all
these
things
in
her
heart
Mary
did
you
know
that
your
baby
boy
would
be
the
great
peacemaker
what
I
want
you
to
see
is
in
verse
20
I
pointed
to
it
a few
times
now
and
the
shepherds
returned
glorifying
and
praising
God
for all
that they
had heard
and seen
as it
had been
told of
them
they
had
now
personally
encountered
the
prince
of
peace
and
their
fear
was
turned
to
joy
their
threat
becomes
peace
I
want
to
let
you
know
something
this
grace
peace
came
at
a
great
price
this
baby
lying
in
the
manger
surrounded
by
his
parents
and
shepherds
and
eventually
magi
in
33
years
he's
going
to
be
surrounded
by
quite
a
different
crowd
and
that
crowd
is
not
going
to
be
praising
him
but
jeering
him
mocking
him
taunting
him
he
saved
others
let
him
save
himself
if
he's
the
Christ
of
God
his
chosen
one
if
you're
the
king
of
the
Jews
save
yourself
the
prince
of
peace
who
was
announced
at
his
birth
by
singing
angels
died
at
the
jeering
of
those
he
came
to
save
those
who
are
hiding
in
fear
Isaiah
53
5
says
but he
was
pierced
for our
transgressions
he was
crushed
for our
iniquities
upon him
was the
chastisement
that brought
us
peace
his work
on the
cross
is what
secured
our
peace
the
good
news
of
great
joy
for
all
peoples
is the
birth
of
this
baby
and
the
shepherds
when they
encountered
him
were
dramatically
transformed
their
fear
was
turned
to
joy
because
threat
had
turned
to
peace
have
you
encountered
the
prince
of
peace
have
you
come
to
him
you
who
came
in
and
you
want
peace
and
joy
without
God
he
came
for
you
and
he's
no
longer
in
the
manger
he's
raining
on
high
and
you
can
make
a
beeline
to
him
if
you
want
to
experience
the
everlasting
peace
and
fullness
of
joy
that
he
alone
offers
through
his
blood
you
go
to
him
and
you
say
something
like
this
oh
prince
of
peace
I
have
been
hiding
and
I've
been
covering
up
and
you
see
me
as
I
am
I
admit
my
sin
and
ask
for
forgiveness
and
peace
through
your
blood
that
you
alone
can
supply
and
at
that
moment
if
you
meant
it
if
you
trusted
it
if
you
believe
that
you're
saved
peace
everlasting
joy
in the
full
and
your
peace
becomes
a
merry
salvation
for
those
of
you
who
have
come
in
and
Christmas
time
is a
joyless
time
remember
that
this
baby
boy
grew
up
and
he
secured
your
everlasting
peace
and
so
maybe
right
now
your
life
the
people
in
it
are
really
hard
but
remember
your
greatest
problem
has
been
solved
you've
got
peace
with
the
God
of
the
universe
and
that's
something
to
rejoice
in
even
when
hardness
comes
joy
to the
world
the
Lord
has
come
and
for
those
of
us
who
are
setting
our
hearts
on
the
fleeting
peace
and
temporary
joy
that
will
soon
dry
up
there's
a
greater
joy
that
is
grounded
on
an
everlasting
peace
that
secured
by
the
blood
of
the
prince
of
peace
and
it
never
dries
up
joy
to the
world
our
Lord
has
come
let
earth
receive
her
king
he
comes
to make
his
blessings
flow
as far
as the
curse
is
found
as far
as the
curse
is
found
now
let
every
heart
prepare
him
room
do
you
want
everlasting
peace
and
fullness
of
joy
set
your
heart
on
Jesus
the
prince
of
peace
it's
the
good
news
of
great
joy
for
all
people
and
that's
Christmas
cheer
let's
pray
God
in
heaven
would
you
do
a
work
of
bringing
peace
and
joy
to
the
hearts
of
these
people
for
the
glory
of
your
name
and
for
peace
on
earth
it's
in
your
name
we
pray
amen