Let's see, there are many varieties of turmoil and unrest: family squabbles, church squabbles, hostile political disagreement, geopolitical violence--the one thing it seems like is nowhere to be found is peace.
Yet, that is the fundamental promise of Advent (Luke 2:14). It was the tune of the angel chorus. Longfellow wrote that "hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men." What is this then, some cosmic joke played on hapless people?
Were the angels announcing peace as a temporary pause? Was there a temporary moratorium on war? Did the world collectively hold its breath while the Messiah came? No, as far as we know if there had been newspapers in the 1st Century they'd have been full of the usual stories of political intrigue, murder and war. Even the Pax Romana was enforced at the tip of a sword.
Were the angels mistaken? I've been listening to Christmas music a lot. One Johnny Mathis song says, "The world is waiting, waiting for one child, black, white, yellow, no one knows, but a child that will grow up and turn tears to laughter, hate to love, war to peace, and everyone to everyone's neighbor. And misery and suffering will be words to be forgotten forever." Okay. That sounds great. But Messiah came and that still hasn't happened.
Were they announcing peace as a process? Jesus didn't stay a baby in a manger, did He? He grew up to be a man who was crucified under Roman jurisdiction. Ephesians 2:14 says, "For He Himself is our peace." So first of all, peace is only found in Jesus. Faith in Him ends the separation and alienation that sin caused between us and God. This is the peace that comes from being able to rest in His sacrifice. It's the peace that comes when we lay down our arms and surrender.
Secondly, peace can occur for others when we live out our identity as ambassadors for God. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). Christians have a biblical calling to tell others about Jesus. We share Good News that brings peace.
Additionally, we can personally affect peace by being a peacemaker in our relationships (Matthew 5:9). We don't have permission to nurse resentments and petty differences in our connections with others. Treating the pronouncement of peace on earth as a greeting card slogan doesn't ask anything of me, but mature discipleship does. Peace requires work.
It's work to heal relationships in your family. It's work to treat people with whom you disagree politically as fellow travelers who have dignity and worth. It's work to interrupt chaos and humble ourselves and admit wrong and bring healing in our congregational life. It's work to reach out to the person you feel alienated from and as much as it depends on you, be at peace with them (Romans 12:18).
Obviously, the angel chorus was not empty, but powerful, hopeful, and robust with meaning. Peace is here, when we embrace it.
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