wfn.org | LWI 2009-069 - 2009 Christmas Message from LWF President Mark Hanson

["LWFNews" <LWFNews@lutheranworld.org>]

>LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION  
>LWI News online:
>http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Welcome.EN.html 

Call to Receive God’s Promised Peace in the Midst of Yearning
2009 Christmas Message from the LWF President

GENEVA, 30 November 2009 (LWI) - In his 2009 Christmas message,
the President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Bishop Mark
S. Hanson urges Christians around the world to celebrate God's
promised peace in expectant hope, despite moments of fear and
yearning.

Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, points out that while the first Christmas was also
marked with uneasiness, ordinary shepherds in Palestine received
the glad tidings about peace that human hearts longed to hear.

"God's peace is promised in the person of the Savior Jesus. The
Word made flesh is the very embodiment of God’s goodwill, not
an empty abstraction. The one born at Bethlehem is God's promise
made good in flesh and blood," says Hanson.

"God's peace has come and will make its home in you. Join your
voices in the song that is itching to be sung and the whole world
deserves to hear," he adds. (171 words) 

>The complete text follows: 

2009 Christmas Message from the President of the Lutheran World
Federation

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night. (Luke 2:8)

God's people had heard from the prophet Isaiah to keep watch, to
be alert - not in fear but in expectant hope - even in the
deepest silence of night. To those who watched confidently the
promised reward was to see their redemption approaching and sing
joyously. 

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has
shined. Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together
they sing for joy. 'See, your salvation comes.'" (Isaiah 9:2;
52:8; 62:11).

So, while Caesar Augustus, his Syrian governor Quirinius, and
the Judean king Herod shepherded the peoples of the Roman empire,
counting and keeping an uneasy watch over the Mediterranean
world, more ordinary shepherds in Palestine received the glad
tidings that human hearts yearn to hear: the promise of God's own
peace.

God's peace is promised in the person of the Savior Jesus. The
Word made flesh is the very embodiment of God's goodwill, not an
empty abstraction. The one born at Bethlehem is God's promise
made good in flesh and blood. God's peace has come and will make
its home in you. Join your voices in the song that is itching to
be sung and the whole world deserves to hear.

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among
those whom God favors! (Luke 2:14)

>Bishop Mark S. Hanson
>President, The Lutheran World Federation
>Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

>November 2009

The 2009 Christmas message is available in English, French,
German and Spanish in PDF format on the LWF Web site:
http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Christmas_2009-EN.pdf

http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Christmas_2009-DE.pdf

http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Christmas_2009-FR.pdf

http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/LWF_Christmas_2009-SP.pdf

>*      *      *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF
currently has 140 member churches in 79 countries all over the
world, with a total membership of 68.9 million. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

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