Now when they
had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which
was told them concerning this Child.
his narrative text, taken from Luke’s Gospel, records for us the response of the shepherds who had been the first to see the Infant Jesus. They had been keeping watch over their flock in the dark of night (Luke 2:8). Suddenly “. . . an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid” (Luke 2:9). Unbeknown to them, something wonderful, something profoundly significant for them and for the entire fallen creation had taken place on that holy night. And of all the people that the angel could have heralded his good tidings of great joy (Luke 2:10) to, it was not to kings or rulers. Nor was it was not to the priests or Levites, nor the proud and self-righteous Pharisees; it was lowly shepherds who were startled out of their wits by what they saw and heard. What message did the angel have for them? It was the announcement the world had been waiting for since the fall. The angel continued on and spoke these words: For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11) This was the Seed of the woman that would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). He would be that One through whom the promise that the Lord made to Abraham would be fulfilled, “that in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This was the Child . . . born and Son . . . given promised by the prophet Isaiah in 9:6 of his prophecy. Micah had promised that “The one . . . whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting would come forth . . . out of Bethlehem Ephrathah” (Micah 5:2). The Babe born that night, in Bethlehem, whose birth was being heralded by the angel, fulfilled all of those promises and more in His birth. He fulfilled many more than these in His First Advent and will fulfill many more in His Second Advent. There is an important part of the message the angel gave to the shepherds that must be emphasized. There is born to you this day . . . a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Ever since man fell and the whole of creation incurred the curse of its Creator upon it, it has needed a Redeemer and Savior. A redeemer to redeem the creation back from under the sway of the wicked one (1 John 5:19). A redeemer and Savior for individuals to apprehend by faith, through whom they might be reconciled to God and brought into His family. He was the Christ, the Messiah that the Jewish people had waited for so long. These are good tidings of great joy for all of you—all who have come to apprehend Him by faith as your Savior and Lord. The shepherds saw the Babe with their own eyes—you have seen Him with eyes of faith. At the time when we traditionally celebrate His birth, shouldn’t you be doing what the shepherds did after they saw Him? Look at Luke 2:17 again, quoted at the head of this article. They not only made known that they had seen the Babe, they made widely known the saying that was told them concerning this Child. Let us do the same. Let us not be afraid or ashamed to boldly proclaim “Merry Christmas.” But we can go far beyond that. Let us not be afraid or reluctant to proclaim why He was born. Yes He was a teacher, yes He was an example. But let us be bold to proclaim Him just as the angels did—Savior—Christ (Messiah)! Unlike most humans, here was a Man whose death was much more significant than His birth—but in order to become Savior, He had to be born in order to die. This should be a time of great joy for all Christians. Let us rejoice together. (12/25/05) |
