Luke 2:9-14
Luke records a heavenly presence by the
angelic host, and this is the third time angels have brought the message of God
to earth in this section of his book. Many times on the radio or while watching
television, we hear the announcer break in and say something like “we now pause
for this important announcement”…As I think of the shepherds sitting in the
fields, perhaps gathered around a campfire, I picture the angel suddenly
appearing and saying; “And now for this important announcement!” And, down
through the centuries of time there has never been an announcement as important
or as special as this one!
The first thing I want you to consider is
that this was a “personal” announcement. The angel said “I bring YOU good news”
a Savior has been born – “unto YOU” this day…“He is Christ the Lord.” The fact that hundreds of years, even
thousands of years have passed, and thousands upon thousands have heard it,
does not diminish the fact that this was a personal message. Jesus was born to
be a personal Savior to all who would hear, receive, believe, and respond to
this wonderful personal message. Have you ever looked into the manger at
Bethlehem and thought, “This babe is God, coming into this world personally,
for me!” Secondly, this message brought by the angel was a “universal announcement” “I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for all people.” While the message was personal in content and impact, it was also universal in scope. All means all! All people were to have the opportunity to know and respond to a God who loves them. We have said before that every person ever born is born with the inherent desire to worship. Missionaries have gone to the remotest villages to a people who have never heard of God or Christ, and they are worshipping something as god. Most of the time they respond in fear to a god who is angry when storms come and bad things happen. That’s why the combined messages of Christmas and Easter are indeed such “good news!” The same can be said for many people in our world who don’t know God or understand the gospel message. It truly is “good news” to know that what the angel proclaimed was personal - “for me” … and it was universal - “for all people”!
Third, it was a timely announcement. “Today, a Savior has been born” The Word says “When the time had fully come, God sent His Son.” Spiritually speaking, every Christmas it should seem as though we are celebrating the birth of Christ for the first time. Perhaps for some, it truly is the first time! For me, the Christmas story always seems to be timely. It renews our faith, it lifts our spirits, it brings us joy, it reminds us once again why we come to celebrate and worship.
But, this announcement was not only timely, it was time-less! “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for all people! Today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord”! What an announcement! The people needed to hear it then, and it’s what people need to hear now! It’s what every person needed to hear between then and now! It is an announcement that people will need to hear until the end of time!
While it may be proper for us to pay special attention to this announcement this time of year, it is equally true that it is important to us every day of the year. We could appropriately sing “Joy To The World” at any time, any day. We could sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” at any time of the year…. We could and should sing “He Lives” and “Christ Arose” any time of the year, not just at Easter! “I serve a risen Savior, and He’s in the world today!” It is a personal message. It is a universal message. It is a timely message. And, it is a timeless message! It’s a message of “Good news, of great JOY!”
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