“Unto You Is Born”
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
Thus, Luke describes for us the wonderful awe-inspiring scene that took place outside of Bethlehem the night our Blessed Lord was born of the virgin Mary. What glory and great feeling must have filled the shepherds at such an encounter with this heavenly host who met with them that starry night to proclaim the birth of the Savior of all mankind to them.
Heaven had moved to bring about this great event. An angel had been dispatched some nine months before to a virgin espoused to a man named Joseph. She lived in a small town called Nazareth in Galilee. Miraculously she conceived and was with child by the power of the Highest overshadowing her. Now, some nine months later she is still residing in Nazareth. Heaven moves upon Caesar Augustus to declare that all must return to their city of birth to be taxed. This brought about the removal of Joseph and Mary to the city of their birth, Bethlehem of Judea. And it was while there that she gave birth to the child in the stable and laid him in a manger while the animals must have looked on.
Little did the world know of the events that were taking place that night in that small village, but heaven was well aware of the events which were taking place for the very God of glory was wrapping himself in flesh and coming forth to the world as man. Divinity was stooping to the level of man to bring about the greatest love story the world has ever or will ever know.
The Lowly Shepherds
The angel sent from Heaven visited in the fields outside of Bethlehem with the shepherds. We do not know how many shepherds there were, but what they saw that night must have stayed with them the rest of their life. We pose the question? Why did God dispatch an angel and his heavenly host to lowly shepherds in the field with their sheep? Why not send a special host to the king dwelling among the sumptuousness of the palace in Jerusalem because this is such a special event? This would have been our approach quite possibly. Not so with God, however; He chose to send his angelic host to visit some lowly men who dwelt among the sheep they cared for in the field that night.
God showed that he deals with:
1. All men regardless of their station of life — not just those of position and prestige.
2. All who will be humble and hungry for those things of the Spirit of God.
Jesus was to say later in the days of his ministry “the poor have the gospel preached to them.” The news proclaimed was not for the ears of those who would show no concern. Herod did not care what was taking place in Bethlehem unless and until what took place could threaten his kingdom, only then would he show concern.
The Praising Angels
The angel who delivered the good news to the shepherds must have shown his excitement at what was taking place. His words were words of praise and thanksgiving. He said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” The angels who had walked with God in the heavens and who had obeyed his every command since the day of their creation were now taking part in the greatest act that God had ever performed — an act that possibly they had been privy to for some time and waited with great anticipation for the great event to take place. And now at last the day had finally arrived when God would walk among men as a man. To think the very God of glory would leave his heavenly glory, as it were, and robe Himself in the robes of mortal flesh and walk among men for thirty-three years and die for them on Calvary.
But this night the joy of the angel was for this night alone. It was a time of rejoicing. Heaven had come down and kissed the earth. Deity had wedded humanity this night. As was natural for them, their praise is first evoked by the result of the incarnation in the highest heavens. It will bring “glory to God” there; for by it, new aspects of His nature are revealed to those clear-eyed and immortal spirits who for unnumbered ages have known His power, His holiness, and His benignity to unfallen creatures. They now experience the wonder that properly belongs to more limited intelligences when they behold that depth of condescending love stooping to be born.
Even they think more loftily of God and more of man’s possibilities and worth when they cluster round the manger and see who lies there.
Unto You Is Born A Saviour
The very term Saviour probably means far more than even the angels were able to understand that night in Bethlehem, for it declares the Child to be the deliverer from all evil — both of sin and sorrow — and the endower of all good, both of righteousness and blessedness.
The sinner who has become steeped in the lowest gutter of sin in this world shall know the tender embrace of this one called that night Saviour. Who could better proclaim that he is Saviour than the one who has known the touch of His saving hand? Saviour reaches for beyond any racial barrier, far beyond any social standard, far beyond any geographical barrier Saviour reaches to all mankind regardless of where they are or who they are.
The angel said, “Unto you is born.” He is my Saviour. I can say that. He is MY Saviour. Just as David could say many years ago “The Lord is my Shepherd” even so can I now say, because of that night and because of what would take place through the one who was born that night, he is MY Saviour.
It was the love of God that brought about His coming to the earth that night in the form of flesh to become MY Saviour. If I had been the only one in this whole world who was lost and in need of a Saviour, He still would have come to die for me and save me from my sins. He loves ME! So, the angel could say to the lowly shepherds that night, “For unto you is born.” The shepherds might have been ignored and unknown to most who dwelt in Bethlehem, but heaven had taken record of them and sent the angel to them that night. What significance could there be in some lowly shepherds — a despised trade by many? We say the same significance that there was in your sins and in mine. It was significant enough for the Lord to come to this earth to save us.
Which Is Christ
Oh, the significance of this name — Christ. Many times, He is referred to by this name in the New Testament. It is a name which means that he is the “anointed.” It is the official appellation of the long awaited, long promised and long expected Saviour. It denotes his kingly authority and His mediatory position as the “Saviour of the Lord.”
The “Christ” claims that he is the fulfiller of prophecy, perfectly endowed by divine anointing for His office of prophet, priest and king. The consummate flower of ancient revelation, greater than Moses the lawgiver, than Solomon the king, than Jonah the prophet. This is Jesus, the Christ.
Just as Aaron was anointed with the anointing oil by Moses to officiate as High Priest, even so our Blessed High Priest comes as the anointed Christ. It is the same anointing which he pours out into the hearts of all those who believe on him in obedience to his commands (Romans 8:9). It His gospel that is preached that brings salvation to all who heed its call and its power (Romans 1:16). It is His mind that we strive to retain in our daily walk through this world of sin and chaos (1Corinthians 2:16). And through obedience to his word by baptism in his name and being filled with His Spirit we have been added to his body (1Corinthians 12:27).
The Lord
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span. It was more than just a mortal that was born that night in Bethlehem. While the cries of the newborn babe might have rung out in the night air of that stable; the time would come when the same voice would ring out from Calvary’s cross — the cry of victory and triumph. Here is the cry of birth, the birth of life as a new babe enters the world. There it will also signify the cry of the birth of a glorious kingdom that shall be offered to all who are weary with sin and sorrow.
In this statement we may also note that the angel knew full well who it was that was being introduced that night to the unsuspecting world. It was “THE LORD.” There can be but one “THE LORD!” It is the same one who later was to smite Paul on the road to Damascus and would reply to the question of Paul, “Who art thou, Lord?” with: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” It is the same Lord who would appear behind the closed doors with the apostles on that day after his resurrection and Thomas would be heard to exclaim to him, “My Lord, and My God.”
In this we see the great love of God in as much as he came down to this earth to walk as man among men. Jesus was God coming down to woo man to himself again. The babe born that night was THE LORD.
It matters not, at this point at least, when he was born. We know it is unlikely that He was born at this time of the year. Many have lost all respect for things that are holy with their commercial attitude toward this time of the year. The thing that is important is that He WAS born. He did come to this earth as a man. He did die for us on Calvary. And before He could die it was necessary that he first be born, and this was accomplished in that little place called Bethlehem. For this we rejoice that God, who is rich in mercy toward all mankind, thought enough of me to come to this earth and be born of a virgin, to walk among men as a man, to suffer for us on a tree. And it is for this that we should rejoice and offer thanksgiving from the very depths of our heart.
