“World peace.” What does it mean when the world talks about having world peace? Is it an end to the wars brought about by greed, which continue to claim many, many lives? Is it an end to the many outbreaks of civil strife brought about by religious differences, which have led to the slaughter of millions? Is it an end to the discord based on hatred between parents and offspring that rends families into pieces? Jesus tells us in Scripture that all of these things are signs of the end times. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. … Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death” (Mark 13:8a, 12).

The source of all this discord in the world is sin. If all the people on earth had all their thoughts, all their words and all their actions right in line with the thoughts, words, and actions of our loving God, then there would be no fighting among humans. This is true because our God is good, and He created everything good. “For everything God created is good” (1 Timothy 4:4a). It is sin that has tainted our world and caused so much loss of life and unhappiness. It is sin that merits death and eternal separation from the love of God. It is sin that demands punishment from our just God, for sin makes us His enemies.

This misery of suffering and death leads us to cry out for mercy, and our Almighty God has heard our plea. God the Father sent His one and only Son to be born of a virgin in the town of David, to rescue sin-plagued humanity from the certain death that awaited us. God reconciled us through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. When “we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5: 10). Through Jesus you and I are saved, and we realize peace between God and us, His crown of creation.

In this Christmas season, let us rejoice in the fact that we already have peace on earth. It is the peace that the angels sang in praise of God at the birth of Jesus, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). It is the same peace that maintains us in our faith, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

What is the one most important thing our society needs? We already have the “one thing needful”—the message of Christ and Him crucified. Let us share with the world the true meaning of Christmas—that we have peace on earth through the Babe of Bethlehem. Jesus is our salvation and our comfort. Thanks be to God for His peace on earth.

Harvey Longshore is a vicar at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota.