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Book: Luke
 Print ( PC Only )
Luke 2:8-11 A Savior
Intro. Luke is telling us the story of the birth of the Savior in
Bethlehem of Judea. After the child was delivered, and safely
wrapped in swaddling clothes, the angels made the announcement
to the shepherds.
I. The angelic announcement to the shepherds.
A. Shepherds were generally looked down upon by the orthodox Jew,
they were engaged in a profession that made it quite unlikely
to participate in the worship ceremonies. It would be nearly
impossible for them to fulfill all of the ceremonial washings
that were required.
1. Perhaps this is why the angel said that the good news
was for all people. The common as well as the orthodox.
2. Perhaps it was a foreshadowing of the future, for as
Jesus began to minister we read that the common people
heard Him gladly, though He was rejected by the
orthodox.
3. Some have suggested that these were not ordinary
shepherds, but were actually the Temple shepherds, who
tended the flocks that were raised specifically for the
temple sacrifices.
B. The announcement was of good tidings of great joy which was for
all people.
1. The Greek word translated good tidings is the same word
that in other places is translated gospel. You have
heard that the word gospel means good news.
2. The announcement was indeed good tidings of great joy,
for these people were in both spiritual and physical
.
a. They were in to the Roman government.
Roman soldiers walked their streets, a Roman
appointed king ruled over them and they had to
pay taxes to Rome.
b. They were in spiritual for the
priesthood at that time was controlled by
thieves. They had turned the house of God into
a market place for the merchandising of
religious articles at horribly inflated prices.
c. Even to the present day one of the negatives in
visiting the so called holy sites in Israel is
when you want to meditate on the things of the
Lord, you are harassed by the pushy vendors
trying to sell you their wares.
II. The announcement, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior, which is the Messiah, the Lord."
A. What good news to those who are lost in sin, there is a Savior.
1. The Bible asserts that all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God.
2. The Bible declares that the wages of sin is death.
a. That puts all of us under the sentence of
death.
b. This death is spiritual death, that is,
separation from God.
c. The effect of sin is always that of separating
man from the holy God. Isaiah 59:1
d. This spiritual death eventuates in physical
death.
3. In a sense the human race is locked up on death row
just waiting for the day of the execution of the
sentence.
4. Man has often sought to save himself from his sin.
a. There are all kinds of programs that offer
help, usually for a very substantial fee, to
those who are bound by addictions.
b. The Greek philosophers had concluded that
redemption was an impossibility. They concluded
that if a man was once down, he could never
rise again, he can never be truly changed.
c. In a sense they were right, in that man cannot
with his best efforts save himself.
d. Some try to excuse their sin by saying that
they cannot help doing what they do for they
were born that way.
e. They are confirming what the Bible has already
declared that we have been born in sin and
shapen in iniquity.
f. Where they are wrong is in their declaration
that they cannot change. It is true that they
cannot change themselves, but there was born in
Bethlehem a Savior who is able to save them,
even as He has saved us. For if any man be in
Christ he is a new creature, and the old things
are passed away, and everything becomes new.
B. Before He was ever born, the angel commanded them to call His
name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.
1. He was one day to proclaim, "For the Son of Man has
come to seek and to save that which was lost."
2. In Psalm 53:6 we read,
PSA 53:6 Oh that the salvation of Israel [were come] out of Zion! When
God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob
shall rejoice, [and] Israel shall be glad. Good tidings
of great joy.
3. Later in the chapter we read when Jesus is brought into
the temple for dedication this aged godly man Simeon
took him in his arms, and declared, "Lord let thy
servant die in peace for I have seen thy salvation."
4. Peter was later to declare, neither is their salvation
in any other for their is no other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved.
5. Paul was to write to the Romans, "For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God
unto salvation, to him that believeth."
C. This Savior is described by the angel to the shepherds, as
Christ, Lord.
1. The Greek word Christos means anointed, it is the Greek
word for the Hebrew word Mashiach. Thus the angel is
declaring that this child born in Bethlehem is the
Messiah.
a. The word anointed refers to the rite that was
conducted in the inauguration of the king. They
would pour a cruse of oil over his head, the
was thus anointed as king.
b. This babe that was born, was the anointed One,
who was to proclaimed King of Kings, and Lord
of Lords.
2. The word Lord is the Greek word Kurios, it is the Greek
word that is used to translate the name of Yaweh or
Jehovah into
the Greek language. Acts 2:20 is one of the many
examples.
a. The announcement is then that God has come in
human flesh, He is born in Bethlehem and now is
cradled in the manger.
b. Paul declared to Timothy, "Great is the mystery
of Godliness, God was manifested in the flesh."
c. John said, "In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the word was made flesh and He dwelt among
us."
D. He is the Savior, the Messiah or anointed One, He is the Lord
of the universe.
1. He is Savior only to those who believe in Him.
ACS 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved, and thy house.
ROM 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
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