10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11)
Do you remember that feeling of relief washing over you when someone saved you from some predicament? Maybe it was a professor who gave you a second chance on the final exam. Maybe it was an anonymous financial gift that allowed you to finish school or pay that month’s rent. Or maybe you made some bad choices that led to your trial, and your parents, sibling, or friend bailed you out of the consequences of your sinful actions.
At one time or another, we all need saving, don’t we? And the deeper the pit we’re rescued from, the greater our relief and gratitude.
And there’s no deeper pit than what our sin creates. No deeper pit than facing the interminable, righteous wrath of God for our sins. Nothing worse. And nothing more humanly irresolvable.
We can’t get out. No matter how good or religious we are. So, when the angel announces the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, he calls his message “good news of great joy.”
Because the entire Old Testament pointed to this moment. Every Old Testament believer knew that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin completely. Each one knew that every high priest was destined to die and could not save their people, let alone himself.
For thousands of years, God’s people waited for the male seed of the woman to crush the head of the devil and do away with sin and death once and for all (Gen 3:15). They waited for the Suffering Servant who would bear the sins of His people, who would by His substitution justify the many (Isa 53:11). The One who is David’s son, yet David’s Lord (Psa 110:1). The One whose “goings forth are…from the days of eternity,” yet would be born in a little town called Bethlehem (Mic 5:1-2).
On the night of Jesus’ birth, the eternal entered the temporal. The Son of God was born! This was the best news of the greatest joy because it meant a Savior had been born. The Messiah, the Lord, had been born. Inconceivable, yet promised and true.
Here He was, the one-of-a-kind, God-anointed, and divine Savior who would save His people, not from any temporary calamity, but from an eternal one, made by our own doing, by our own sins.
So, when we consider the angel’s words in vv. 10-11, our hearts fill up with joy at beholding the glory of Christ our Savior and Lord. We rejoice that Jesus has come to save us from our sins. We rejoice in His marvelous love.
But we cannot have that joy unless we admit we’re in a predicament of our own doing that we cannot get out of. We have to admit that we are sinners against a holy God. It’s only when we feel sick that we reach out to a doctor. And it’s only when we admit just how sick with sin we are that we will long for Christ.
Only He can treat this disease. Only He can pull us out of this pit. If you don’t know Christ as your Savior and Lord, own up to your sins against Him and receive Him and His salvation by faith.
Christ is always Lord. And He’s always the Savior. But, He can be your Savior today.
