INTRODUCTION
In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” And so, on Dec. 19th, the local paper placed the following headlines: “Wright Brothers Home for Christmas.” However, the most important story of the year, about man’s first flight had been missed out by the editor.
Now could the same be said about us when it comes to celebrating Christmas.
- In all of our rushing around, and
- In all of our gift buying, and
- In all the things we have to do during this season, have we missed the main message?
Which is that Jesus has come to earth, to save us from our sins!
BACKGROUND
- Luke 2 records for us the birth and boyhood of Jesus, including a description of the world into which Jesus was born.
- Joseph and Mary came to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.
- Now generally the birth of a King’s son is an occasion for public revelry and rejoicing; but the birth of the Prince of Peace was private, at midnight, without any flashiness, and worldly pomp.
- Now that night, in the same part of the country, there were some Shepherds watching over their flocks, when they received an angelic announcement (Note the announcement was not to the emperor, or King, or the High Priest, or to priests; nor to Scribes or Pharisees – but to humble Shepherds).
- Joy to the world, the Lord has come
- While Shepherds watch their flocks by night
- O little town of Bethlehem
- Once in Royal David’s City.
- Dox: What child is this
GREAT NEWS FOR THOSE WITH NO IDENTITY
10 And the angel commanded them, “Do not fear (The command was ‘do not be afraid’; or, do not be terrified’, or, stop being afraid!); For see! (is also a command! Or, look! Or, behold –), I bring (or I announce) good news (of) great joy to you, which will be to all the people. …
Interrupting the quiet, dark night when Jesus was born, was the shining presence of an angel, and the glory of the Lord. Now, just as fear would be our natural reaction if we saw an angel, these Shepherds too became terribly frightened when they saw an Angel of God.
Now the angel reassured the frightened Shepherds, and banned them from continuing to be frightened. The angel says,
- “I am here to announce to you a great and joyful event”, or, “
- to bring you glad tidings”, or,
- to bring you “some glorious news,
about a solution to the worlds greatest problem. That there is now salvation through Jesus”.
Now while these Shepherds may have feared because they felt that they were not good enough to be visited by an Angel. They may have had a low self-esteem of themselves, since they were poor; or, because they were regarded as social outcasts with a bad reputation.
However, Jesus loves the outcasts. In the Bible we observe, how Jesus loved the outcast in Jewish society, such as
- Women (the Samaritan Woman)
- the poor (Luke 4: 19 states that Jesus was anointed to preach the good news to the poor!)
- the unclean (such as leppers)
- those racially discriminated (Samaritans!)
The good news says the Angel, will bring great joy to all people, as this joyful event is meant for everybody. (Irrespective of nationality, or social position. So even these humble shepherds are included!), If so,
‘No matter who you are, or what you have done, Jesus can save you’.
So, none of us need exceptional qualifications, as Jesus accepts us just as we are!
GREAT NEWS FOR THOSE WITH SINFUL IDENTITY
For (or, because, or namely that) today a Savior has been born for you, …
The Shepherds were told that the child that had been born for them, that very day, was a Saviour. Now you may recall that during Mary’s pregnancy, an angel of the Lord had appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to name Mary’s son, ‘Jesus’, which means ‘the Saviour’! So, the reason Jesus came into the world, and what was central to His mission, was His work as Savoiur.
Sadly, many Jews were looking for a political leader to deliver them from Roman rule, while others were hoping for a Saviour who could save them from physical sickness or hardships. Someone said;
- If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator;
- If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
- If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
- If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;
- But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.
GREAT NEWS ABOUT JESUS’ IDENTITY
… who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.
So, the greatest event in history had just happened. The Messiah had been born in Bethlehem, which was also known as the City of David, as this was the place
- David watched his father’s sheep,
- and was anointed as King by Samuel.
For ages, the Jews had waited for this day and now finally, the promise had been fulfilled. Now this baby born in David’s city was given two amazing titles – Christ or Messiah; and Lord or Master. Jesus was not just another man, or perhaps a prophet, but He was the Messiah.
Now throughout Jewish history, and world history, there have been ‘false Messiahs’. But Jesus, was not simply ‘an anointed One’, but ‘the anointed One’. Peter Stoner a mathematician in the 20th century wrote,
“that the probability of one person fulfilling just eight of the Messianic predictions of the Old Testament, out of the hundreds of prophecies (born of a virgin in Bethlehem, would ride on a donkey, would suffer), would be one in a hundred thousand trillion.”
But Jesus, fulfilled all the prophecies as He was the Messiah sent by God to be our deliverer!
Now in the Bible we also see that the word ‘Lord’ is used with reference to Jesus. The word Lord is not used here
- as a polite address as, one would address a superior;
- or as a slave or servant or an employee would address his boss or master, as ‘sir’.
Interestingly, the same title Lord is used here with reference to Yahweh or Jehovah, in the Old Testament.
- So, the Angels were declaring that this title reserved for God, is also applied to the Messiah.
- Therefore, Jesus too who was sent to this earth is equal to God, or is God Himself.
Is Jesus only your teacher, or is He also your Lord, who holds the supreme place in your life. For Jesus to be Lord of our life means that He is the Ruler, the boss, the master of our whole life. He cannot be Lord of a part — He must be given control of our whole life, for if ‘Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all’. And so, we must,
So can we say, ‘All to Jesus, I surrender, I surrender all’