The Peace of Christ, our mediator.

Growing up I was taught that we could go straight to God ourselves, that we didn’t need anyone to stand between us and God. I was struck this morning reading in Hebrews 9 where Jesus is called our mediator. The lesson I grew up with was only partial right. We don’t need another human to stand between us and God. We need Jesus. Without recognising that, it is easy to not acknowledge our sin, our brokenness in the one place, at the feet of the One who can do anything about it. Without recognising that we need One to mediate for us we come to God without reverence, without awe and wonder. We come with pride, self righteousness and self sufficiency. When we remember that Christ stands for us we can come before God and receive all that He has to offer.

Christ came so that we can come to God but it is in Christ we come, it is in His righteousness. We do need One to stand for us in front of God. In Christ we can stand before God.

For those out there leading and pastoring churches. For those of you who feel weighed down, Christ stands there for you and for each member of your congregation. The Christ we celebrate this Christmas is not just a babe in swaddling clothes but was there in the beginning and is there now and will not stop standing there for us with God. Christ mediates, Christ prays, Christ weeps for each of us.

Without recognising that we need One to mediate for us we come to God without reverence, without awe and wonder… When we remember that Christ stands for us we can come before God and receive all that He has to offer. This is the good news of peace that the angles sing to the shepherds that first Christmas night. Not simply that a baby has been born but that the peace has come to dwell among us. This is the good news of Christmas.

Praying as your lead, as your pastor, as you shepherd congregations in this time that you would know the peace of Christ richly in your own lives. That that peace of Christ would give you the energy to keep going, the courage to ask for help, the strength to say ‘no’ to one more request. That you would come first to God yourself through Christ this Christmas and know His peace in your own life. Praying that you don’t settle for Christ being no more than the doll in the nativity scene this weekend in the pretense that once Christmas is over you will get back on track. Let this day be the day when Christ steps out of the nativity and says to you ‘peace.’