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by Dr. Joe McKeever
"Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord." (Luke 2:11)
It should go without saying that the angels from Heaven know a lot more than you
or I do. And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem and they brought the announcement
to the shepherds on a dark hillside nearby, they identified Jesus as "a Savior."
Check any dictionary and you'll find the obvious: the word means "one who
saves."
I once pastored a church which used to have a blue neon sign out front which
beamed out the message JESUS SAVES. They took it down in the 1950s, I think, but
have never asked anyone the reason. I think I know. People are embarrassed by
that message. Erect it on the front of a church building, and immediately people
think you are a bunch of holy rollers or religious nuts. And since we all want
to appear dignified and respectful, they took it off the building and probably
sent it to the trash heap.
Read a thousand Christmas messages--cards, advertisements, songs, sermons--and
you'll find very few dealing with the salvation aspect of Jesus' coming to
earth. And yet, according to the angels, that was the whole point of His coming!
He came to save us.
In fact, that's what His very name means. "You shall call his name Jesus for He
shall save His people from their sins," the angel Gabriel had told Joseph
(Matthew 1:21). The literal meaning of 'Jesus' is something like 'The Lord
saves.'
All of which begs the question: SAVED FROM WHAT? And to what? The New Testament
is filled with answers to both questions, and I'll let you do your own spadework
on that. But in essence, it tells us we are saved from ourselves, from our sins,
from the penalty for our sins, from this perverse generation, and such. We are
saved to new purpose in this life, to Heaven in the life to come, and to all the
plans and promises of God.
I hate to argue with Christmas cards--they can be so beautiful and
inspiring--but Jesus did not come to bring peace on earth according to His own
words (Matthew 10:34). He did not come to make everyone feel good about
themselves or the human situation. He did not come to bless religion or to tell
everyone they are loved and beautiful in God's sight. He came to save us.
That's what His death on the cross was all about. It was the culmination of the
very purpose for His appearance in the first place. A gospel song about His
death puts it like this: 'Don't feel sorry for my Jesus; He did exactly what He
came to do.'
This means that the Christmas gift of God to mankind is salvation through Jesus
Christ. Have you received your gift yet? Put your faith and trust in Christ.
Stop now and do so, to the best of your ability. Just tell him this, and He will
take it from there.
Two days ago a pastor in another state who used to live in New Orleans called to
check on the local situation. We had never met, but in our conversation, one
thing led to another and he ended up telling me his story. I was struck by his
tale of loving church as a teenager and becoming totally involved in its
ministries. "I was 16 years old and teaching a class of grown men," he laughed.
Then one day, the pastor asked him to take a larger responsibility. "I can't,"
he said.
The pastor said, "Sure you can. Why can't you?"
The youth said, "Pastor, I'm not a member of the church. I've never seen saved
and never been baptized." The preacher was stunned.
Everyone had made the assumption that because the young man loved being in
church so much and was so eager to do anything asked, he surely must be a
believer.
"That day," my new friend said, "the pastor went over the way of salvation with
me and as we bowed our heads, he led me to ask Jesus Christ to come into my
life, to forgive my sin, and to make me a child of God."
My friend, it's one thing for others to make false assumptions about you and
your faith. But do not be guilty of making the same mistake yourself. Make
certain you have repented and put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today. Now.
[Editor's Note: Dr. Joe McKeever is a Preacher, Cartoonist, and retired Director
of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. http://www.joemckeever.com/mt/
]
See Also:
Christmas Message: The Message of the Angels to the Shepherds by Dr. Joe McKeever
Every element in the angels' message is a welcome surprise to us.The Announcement of Jesus' Birth, Part 1 by John MacArthur
In Luke 2:11 it says, "There has been born for you a Savior." There has been born for you a Savior...that is the high note of this entire passage. The shepherds and the angels are bit players, as it were, in the scenario in which the Savior who has been born is the main character. There has been born for you a Savior. This is the greatest news the world has ever heard. This is the good news.The Announcement of Jesus' Birth, Part 2 by John MacArthur
The beautiful old Christmas carol asks the question, "What child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?" And, of course, that is the real question. Who is the baby in Bethlehem born at first so anonymously to anonymous Joseph and Mary as far as any public knowledge was concerned? Who is this child whose birth established the world's calendars? Who is this child more widely known than any other child ever born? Who is this child whose life and work has impacted more souls than all other influential people in history combined?
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