Dec 16 - A Christmas Truce

A Christmas Truce

Saturday, December 16, 2023

by: Geoff Posegate

And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,

    one who will arise to rule over the nations;

    in him the Gentiles will hope.”[a]

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:12-13

My childhood was in the shadow of World War II and the Korean War, and in the run-up to the War in Vietnam.  From my earliest days I took for granted the reality and impact of warfare.  One Christmas in the midst of all that I heard a fascinating war story that has intrigued all my life.  It happened in Europe at Christmas in 1914. It was the first year of what was then known as The Great War or The War to End All Wars. (!)  All along the Western Front an unplanned, unauthorized truce took place.  From across no man’s land, British soldiers heard German soldiers singing “Stille Nacht” and saw them decorating scrawny trees and bushes with candles.  They responded back with their version – “Silent Night.”  Hesitatingly, soldiers from both sides crept out of trenches, weaponless, to greet their enemies, and to wish them a Merry Christmas.  Gifts were exchanged, drinks were shared, pictures were taken, and games were played.  Up to 100,000 troops experienced this up and down the front.  If only for a few hours, enemies united to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

In his letter to followers of Jesus in Rome, Paul quoted Isaiah’s prophecy, saying, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.”  When we hear the term “Gentile” now, we tend to think this means simply those who were not from a Jewish background, as was Paul.  “Gentile” had a much heavier and negative meaning to Jewish people then.  A Gentile was someone who was not a part of God’s favored people, not pleasing to God, and even unworthy of any kind of interaction with those who followed the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses.  In short, a Gentile was an enemy, by presumption of accepted Jewish practice.  This ramps of the impact of what Paul said.  The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus binds all in his Lordship and his Kingdom, even and especially those we see as enemies.

Whom do you and I assume is outside the benefits and importance of the birth of a Savior?  Before what individual, group, political persuasion, ethnicity, lifestyle, etc. are we staying in our trench, braced for attack, or planning for attack?  Where do we need to lay down our “arms”, sing “Silent Night” as an invitation, and cross no man’s land to offer “Merry Christmas” as an invitation to celebrate together?

Where do you and I need a Christmas Truce?

 

 Jesus, you who came into the world as an enemy of none, show me where we need to take the first step toward a “Christmas Truce”, so that others may see you in me.  Amen.