To Us a Son Is GivenSample

The Child Who is Lord

It must have been quite a spectacle when an army of angels showed up unannounced that night in the middle of a field. God certainly got the shepherds’ attention, for they were stunned in the presence of His glory. They had to be reassured by the angels not to fear. The most amazing part of this night, though, was not what was seen but rather what was heard. The angels called this newborn in Bethlehem “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Unfortunately, those titles—Savior, Christ, and Lord—can become so familiar to us that we fail to pause and consider their significance.

As Savior, Jesus was the One who would rescue His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). This would ultimately be accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection. Christ, on the other hand, is a term often used for the long-expected Messiah. It means “anointed one,” for Jesus was the Spirit-Anointed Deliverer of God’s people.

Finally, the title Lord signifies Jesus’ sovereign authority over everyone and everything. This is the same title used for the God of Israel in the Old Testament, another indication that Jesus is fully divine. The angels were right, then, and so are we, to respond to this child by giving glory to God.

Simple Summary

An army of angels announced the good news to a group of lowly shepherds—Jesus, the Savior, had been born. The angels called this newborn child the “Savior” because Jesus would save His people from their sins. The angels also called Jesus “Christ the Lord.” “Christ” means that Jesus is the One God chose to deliver His people; “Lord” means that He is in charge of everyone and everything. When God’s glory shone around these shepherds, they were afraid. But the angels told them not to fear and to make this good news known. The shepherds obeyed, and they returned giving praise to God.

Pray

Ask God to give you the courage to share with unbelievers the good news about who Jesus is.