“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke
2:11).
What a wonderful verse!
We can be delighted that the verse didn’t say “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a … Harsh Legalist who will enforce a heavy set of rules and regulations which make no sense but must be followed anyway. “
Or “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a … Judge. He will watch every move you make and if you fail to keep his laws, he will pulverize you.
Or even “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a … strict disciplinarian who will be like a sentry over you. He will ensure that you push yourself each day to perform to your maximum ability … and if you don’t … watch out … he’ll get you!
No!!!! That’s not what it says either. Our text reads, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a … SAVIOUR.
A saviour was our greatest need and God has met it in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider the history of Israel. Israel had, in days gone by, been given many saviours who, in times of trouble had delivered them from their enemies. Just think of the mighty ones like Sampson and Gideon and how they delivered the Lord’s people. They were saviours for their time and generation.
But that’s not what Jesus is like. He doesn’t come as saviour for a short time, He has come permanently.
In Christ, God became human to deliver His people.
I’ve read that, in the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament, thirty-five of them make reference to the nativity narratives of the New Testament. And why indeed wouldn’t they? God, on that day to which the prophets pointed, was manifest in the flesh (John 1:14). What an event! The mighty God shows up as a little baby! That’s astonishing! Does it astonish you?
What an occasion … clothed with angels, light, singing, joy, and well-deserved praise. However, in the center of it all was the Saviour. He, the Saviour would deliver His people from their blindness and lostness.
Some years ago, a church paper told of a baby, born in a New York City hospital, who lived a mere two hours. When the attending physician came out and told the Father that, in spite of everything he and his team could do, the child had died, the parent immediately requested that, if possible, the baby’s eyes be donated for corneal transplants.
The following day the Red Cross delivered one cornea to one hospital and the other to another. One was given to a working man with a large family and the other was given to a mother. As a result of this one infant living only two hours, two blind human beings were able to see.
As wonderful as that story is, our text tells of something far greater. Here we have the record of the birth of a baby and multitudes have since received spiritual sight, spiritual health and everlasting life from Him. Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
“Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.”
And that’s the Gospel Truth!