Monday, December 2, 2024
In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:8-12
Who Is This Child?
In Luke chapter 2 we find the traditional Christmas story, which is also the very first proclamation of the Gospel. Who were the recipients of the long-awaited news of the Gospel? A group of Shepherds watching their sheep at night.
Shepherds were not considered to be a privileged position in society. Unreliable and uneducated, shepherds at the time of Jesus’ birth did not have a good reputation. They were not allowed to give testimony in Jewish court because they were considered untrustworthy. They were criticized by Jewish leaders because the nature of their work meant they usually could not keep religious rules such as strict Sabbath observance. They were dirty and smelly and looked down upon in society. Yet they were the ones the angel of the Lord chose to tell first about Jesus’ birth.
Who did the angel tell the Shepherds that this child was?
The angel told the Shepherds that the child was three things:
The Savior – The people were in need of a Savior, but they were looking for a different Savior. They were looking for a Savior that could deliver them from the Romans. They were looking for a military leader to come riding in and deliver them. Some of them did not even realize their need for the Savior that Jesus was – a Savior to deliver them from their sins and give them eternal life. Until we realize our state as a sinner, we do not even realize that we need a Savior.
The Messiah – The Angel called Jesus, “Messiah”, which means, “Anointed One.” The people were waiting for a messiah because prophets prophesied that one day King David would have a descendant whose throne would last forever. The angel Gabriel said Jesus was that king. The New Testament calls him “Christ,” which means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” The Old Testament predicts the Messiah, and the New Testament reveals the Messiah to be Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Messiah: He was a Hebrew of the tribe of Judah, He was born in Bethlehem, to a virgin.
The Lord – Jesus is God and has “all authority in heaven and on earth.” Jesus is Lord, more than the Messiah, and more than the Savior; He is the Lord of all and all will submit to that truth: “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, and 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.”
When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:15-18
God’s message of salvation is for everyone, regardless of stature, class, status, wealth or poverty, or position in society. God chose the lowly Shepherds to be the first to hear of the birth of Jesus. God often used those who the world sees as unimportant to spread His word and accomplish great things. The angels did not just give the shepherds a message to share. The shepherds were the direct subjects of that message. "Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord…" The divine proclamation of a personal savior is delivered to those who need and recognize their need for salvation. The highest qualification to be a messenger of the good news is to be one transformed by that very news.
We don't know the extended story of each shepherd, but we know that having looked into the face of the incarnation, they were eager to share the news of the birth of the King of Kings. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them… Maybe they were amazed at the shepherds themselves. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told. v20
This baby – the Savoir, the Messiah, and the Lord, was and is hope – true hope – for sinners. He is our true hope still today. He is our only hope. Because Jesus came as our Savior, Messiah, and Lord, we have this hope that we cannot find anywhere else. We can have hope in eternal life with Him in Heaven. The Shepherds couldn’t find hope in the fields. The pharisees couldn’t find hope in the books. Yet God gave all of mankind the hope they needed, and He used some of the lowest of society to spread that hope to others.
