The Reason for the Season
by Rev. Mike Schultz, Pastor of Mother's Home FWB Church

Eric Barker was a missionary from Great Britain who had spent over 50 years in Portugal preaching the gospel of Christ, often under adverse conditions. During World War II, the situation had become so critical that he took the advice of his mission agency and sent his wife and seven children back to England where they would be safe. His sister and her three children were also evacuated on the same ship. Barker himself remained behind in order to attend to some final missionary matters.

Well, on the first Sunday after Barker's family had left, he stood before his congregation and said, "I've just received word that all of my family have arrived safely home." He then proceeded with the remainder of the service as usual.

It was only later when the congregation came to know the full meaning of Barker's words. For you see, before the worship service began that Sunday morning, Barker was given a wire that informed him that a German U-boat had torpedoed the ship on which his family was sailing and everyone on board had drowned.

How would we respond if we had to endure something similar to this? How have we responded when something similar to this has transpired in our lives? How do we respond to similar heartbreaks in our lives? How should we respond when similar, tragic situations and circumstances transpire in our lives?

As I write this, we are in the second week of the Advent season. Again, Advent is that time of year on the Church calendar where, during the four weeks proceeding Christmas, believers world wide reflect upon the first coming of Jesus, in a manger, 2000 years ago and look forward in anticipation towards his second coming some day soon. Each of these weeks is represented by four key biblical themes and/ or Christ-like characteristics - often manifested in such things and Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. On this second week of Advent we consider, PEACE.

When Jesus first came to earth, he brought with him the first real hope and potential for real peace. The Word tells us in Luke 2:13-14 that after Jesus had been born, angels appeared to the shepherds and told them of the good news of Jesus' birth. And included in this glorious announcement was an angelic choir that praised and worshipped the Lord by singing out, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men."

Now, I think that it is safe to say that ever since the beginning of time, human history has been anything but peaceful - at least on the surface. Conflictand chaos between humanity and God, God and humanity, and humanity and itself have reigned supreme. It all started at the temptation that led to the fall and banishment of humanity from the garden. It continued through the first murders, to the flood, to Babel, to world conflictsbefore Christ and has continued on ever since Christ's first advent.

Why, even Jesus himself experienced conflictand chaos in his life, which at first seems sort of confusing. How could the one who was called the "Prince of Peace" experience spiritual, intra-personal as well as interpersonal conflictand chaos in His life? Yet, we see the conflictand chaos of Christ in his desert temptations, his relationship with the religious scholars and leaders, the prayer in Geth- semane, leading ultimately to his crucifixion.It all sounds so contradictory, so conflicted. What's the deal? Did the angelic hosts have it wrong? Was/Is the so-called peace of Christ all an elaborate hoax? Of course, not.

The "deal" is our faulty human understanding of "peace". You see, many people think that "peace" equals the absence of conflict.Such is not the case. The truth is we live in a fallen, broken, conflicted, chaotic world. Therefore, as long as we live in this world, we will always have to deal with chaotic, conflicted, and painful circumstances and situations.

But the good news is, as the old gospel song goes, "This world is not my [our] home, I'm [we're] just a passin' through. My [our] treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue." In other words, what we experience on this earth, both that which is good (and there are good things in this life) and that which is not so good are only temporary. That which we experience in the here and now is not all there is. There is an eternal aspect of life.

And Christ came so that through His life, death, burial, resurrection and second coming (whenever that might be), the conflict and chaos of this world would once and for all, come to an end, thus bringing ultimate healing and reconciliation between God and humanity, humanity and God, and humanity and itself. And until that time comes, Jesus gives those of us who have accepted him as our personal Lord and Savior, those of us who have accepted his wonderful gift of salvation, the ability to endure, persevere, grow, and maintain our sanity in the midst of the chaos, conflict,and confusion of this old world. And in doing so, experience true peace.

How was Barker able to deal with such a tragic situation in his life? Barker knew that all on board were believers, and the knowledge that his family was enjoying the bliss of heaven enabled him to rise above his circumstances in spite of his overwhelming grief. When the trials and tragedies of this life begin to overwhelm us, may we, like Barker, rest upon the peaceful presence of Christ in our lives.

May the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, rule in our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, not only this Holy season, but all of the seasons of our lives.

"Even so, come [quickly] Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20).