How often do you turn on your television to watch the news and conclude, “This news will cause joy to all people”? Not often. We are bombarded daily with news. Regrettably, most of the news we hear is bad. But the “news” proclaimed in the second chapter of Luke was different:
There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:8–10 NIV).
The word translated good news in this passage is evangelion, from which we get the English word gospel. So the shepherds understood this announcement as “Don’t be afraid, I have good news (the gospel); the Savior is here.”
As in everything God does, there was prophetic accuracy in the angel’s announcement. In order to eliminate any confusion, the angel told the shepherds when the event occurred—“today.” In a way, this was one of the most important eschatological declarations ever made. With the coming of Jesus to the world, the beginning of the end was here. The world as they knew it was no more. Today the Savior was born. The angel also told them where this Savior was born—“in the city of David.” This accuracy of where and when this Savior was born was very important because the Jews were expecting the promised Messiah.
But the announcement to the shepherds was not only accurate as to the time and place of birth of Jesus. It was also very descriptive as to why Jesus came to the world and what he would do for humanity. The angel’s announcement introduced Jesus to the shepherds as a Savior, the Messiah, and the Lord.
A Savior
As it is in our present days, the shepherd’s world had many problems. There were wars, oppression, poverty, hunger, abuse, racism, sexism, etc. In two thousand years, things have not changed much. To that list we can add the need for clean water and energy, displaced people, hunger, etc. These ever-growing problems are serious, and we do not need to underestimate their importance. However, the greatest problem of the world today remains the same—without Jesus, the world is lost. That is why the angel said, “A Savior has been born to you.” Of course, clean water is important, and fighting every injustice in the world is extremely urgent for the church, but we must never forget to deliver the full message: Jesus came to save the world. Without this declaration, our efforts as a church are incomplete.
Messiah
The angel’s announcement described the Savior as Messiah (or its New Testament equivalent, Christ). In their cultural context, the shepherds understood Messiah as the one who had been set apart and anointed by God, a deliverer who would rescue people and usher in a time of prosperity and blessings. Years later, at the synagogue, Jesus would make the following declaration about His mission as Messiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18–19).
Lord
But not only was the baby that was born in the City of David a Savior and the Christ, He is also our Lord. In fact, He is Lord of lords and Lord of all. The apostle Paul tells us that God “exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
Whatever you are facing this Christmas season, let me remind you the words of the angel: “Do not be afraid.” In Jesus, we have the best gift: a Savior who is our Messiah and Lord. This is great news for everyone, and He is the reason we celebrate!
