for unto you is born this day in the city of david a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [luke 2:11]
what is the “good news of great joy for all the people”? the answer is found in luke 2:11
for unto you: the shepherds were dirty, humble laborers, they were–in many ways, on the fringes of society. the angels don’t appear to kings and noblemen, they appear to those who have no earthly glory. they appear to the humble. the appearing of angels to the shepherds follows the pattern of scripture, that
For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. [psalm 138:6]
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, e“God opposes the proud but dgives grace to the humble.” [james 4:6]
this truth was for the shepherds, yes, but it the “you” also applies to us–Christ was born unto us–a perfect gift for us, no matter how lowly and unimportant we feel.
in the city of david: bethlehem. bethlehem is translated ‘the house of bread’ and was the birthplace of david. God made a covenant with him [2 samuel 7], and promised the sending of a son that would ultimately usher in the eternal kingdom of almighty God. how fitting that the bread of life would come to fulfill the promise from ‘the house of bread!’
a savior: a savior! we are desperately wicked, we desperately need a savior–when times are good, sometimes we forget, but when things are falling apart, when the world seems so broken, when we get sick and are surrounded by death or danger, even the most calloused of atheists cry out-”help me!”. who are we crying out to? with eternity in our hearts, we are crying out to the only one who can help, the only one who can redeem–our Savior!
who is Christ the Lord: God incarnate is the only one who can save–he, Jesus Christ, humbled himself, suffered and died so that we might have eternal life. he was the one we were waiting for!
but we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. [hebrews 2:9]
after the presents have been opened and the celebrations start to wind down, don’t forget the truth that we need a savior, and we have good news–with the angels, let us praise God and say:
“glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” [luke 2:14]!
~ conor eastman