This Saturday we will celebrate Christmas.  It's a season known for acts of love and peace.  One such story grows out of World War I.
The story goes that in the winter of 1914, German and British soldiers spent Christmas Eve in the trenches. wading through mud, supplies and the corpses of their fallen friends. Their main activity was dodging the bullets from the enemy bunkers that were sometimes just 60 yards away.
To raise their morale, both armies’ governments sent their troops Christmas packages, including cognac, plum pudding, cake, tobacco and even Christmas trees. What happened next made headlines around the world.
The Germans set trees on trench parapets and lit the candles. Then, they began singing carols, and though their language was unfamiliar to their enemies, the tunes were not. After a few trees were shot at, the British became more curious and crawled forward to watch and listen. And after a while, they began to sing. By Christmas morning, the “no man’s land” between the trenches was filled with fraternizing soldiers, sharing rations and gifts, singing and burying their dead between the lines. Soon they were even playing soccer, mostly with improvised balls.
That story is an example of the “peace on earth” that Jesus came to this world to bring. If war can cease between two armies on Christmas Eve, God can work in our lives as well.
On December 25, 1964, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the words to one of the most beloved carols of Christmas; “I heard the bells on Christmas Day.”  When he wrote the poem that became a well-known song, America was still months away from Lee's surrender to Grant at Appamattox on April 9, 1965 and his song reflected the prior  years of the war's despair while ending with a note of triumph & peace.
 
“I heard the bells on Christmas day their old familiar carols play

And mild and sweet their songs repeat of peace on earth good will to men.

  I thought how, as the day had come,The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime, Of peace on earth, good will to men!”

Jesus wants to give us peace this Christmas. 

Watch this video of Casting Crowns singing "I heard the bells on Christmas day."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7670CXvPX0