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LUKE 2:8-15

"DID THE ANGELS LIE?"

I. "AND ON EARTH, PEACE."
        A. Present day struggles.
                1. Viet Nam; Venezuela.
        B. Since angels announcement 13 yrs. of war.
        C. "Good will toward man?"
                1. Race riots.
                2. Political extremist.
                3. Ill will.
        D. Obviously the angel lied . . . or . . . did he?

II. REVISED STANDARD VERSION READS - "GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE AMONG
    MEN WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED."
        A. Angels speaking of peace on personal level.
                1. And then to a particular class.
                2. You cannot have peace on earth and be at war with God.
                3. Peace on earth is the result of peace with God.
        B. With whom is God pleased?
                1. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
                        a. What a beautiful picture of peace on earth.
                                1. When violent mob was whipped into a mob hysteria, He was 
                                   the only calm one.
                                2. When disciples frightened into panic.
                2. Neg. "They that are in flesh cannot please God."
                        a. You cannot have peace living for material realms.
                        b. Living to please self, brings turmoil.
                        c. You cannot have peace seeking to please others.
                                1. "If I seek to please men then am I not the servant of 
                                   Christ."
                3. Peace can come only when we live to please God.
                        a. It pleases God when we, by faith, receive His Son.
                        b. God is pleased in obedience. "In burnt offerings and sacrifice, I
                           have no pleasure, it is better to obey than to sacrifice."

III. PEACE SHALL YET BE ON WORLD-WIDE LEVEL.