The Christmas season is all about the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. We get caught up in the shopping, decorations, gifts, parties, and even eggnog. We celebrate Christmas to recognize the gift of Jesus to the world. The Biblical story of Christmas is familiar but central to the reason we celebrate thousands of years later.
The first christmas
Mary, while still a virgin, was miraculously pregnant through the work of the Holy Spirit. Joseph and Mary both hear from angels about this reality. Then they journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem and stayed in a stable for animals, which is ultimately where Mary gave birth to Jesus. His first bed was a manger, and His first visitors were shepherds, and later Magi from the East bearing gifts.
We also know that there was a glorious angelic announcement of the birth of Jesus, given to the shepherds. In Luke chapter 2, the shepherds were in the fields with their sheep. During the night, an angel of God came to tell them about the birth of Jesus. They immediately left their sheep in the field and went to find the baby, Jesus. This would be pretty strange behavior for the shepherds. I do not imagine they were much of the baby shower type, and even if they were, leaving their sheep unattended in the field would have been quite a risk for them to take. The shepherds went to see the newborn baby because of who the angel said the baby was. In verse 11, the angel said these words:
“For today, in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord.”
This child was the Savior, Christ (or Messiah), the Lord. These titles for this newborn baby told the shepherds and tell us now how important this birth of Jesus really is.
Savior
First, Jesus was proclaimed as the Savior. His very name means “God saves.” He is the one through whom God will bring about salvation. I don’t imagine the shepherds fully understood all that meant, but they knew they were oppressed, marginalized, poor, and needy, and having a Savior would be a welcomed gift. We know that what we most need a Savior for is the sin that corrupts our lives. We know we cannot rectify our past sins, and there is a penalty that we face. Oh, how we desperately need a Savior.
Christ
Jesus is also the Christ. This was another name for Messiah, the one chosen and anointed by God to deliver His people and establish blessing, prosperity, and peace. For the Hebrews of Jesus’ day, they understood the Messiah to be one who would deliver them from the yoke of Rome. We understand that far greater than the bondage of a foreign ruler is the enslavement of sin. Just as we can’t atone for our past sins, neither can we find deliverance from the domination of sin in our lives in the present. We need Christ, the One who can deliver us from the enslavement to sin.
Lord
The Angel also said that Jesus was the Lord. Jesus is never proclaimed as “a lord,” but as “The Lord.” He is not one way; He is The Way. He is not first among equals but uniquely above all others. Jesus is not only the Lord over us who choose to bow before Him, but He is also the Lord overall, and every knee will bow before Him. His authority is supreme and unending.
What a gift is this child who has come to the world! He is what we need and all we need. Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, The Savior, the Christ, The Lord of all!
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.