Christmas cards often have pictures of the Madonna and Child or of baby Jesus in a manger, but I want to assure you that there was a lot more to this baby than met the eye. Plans, blueprints and photographs are two dimensional, but real life is in 3D.
We had the privilege of going to a 3D movie theatre in London – what an experience! (The seats shook when the earth trembled. We even got sprayed with water when a monster in the movie sneezed).
In like manner, if you want to fully appreciate Jesus, you have to see Him in 3D.
Our text today is Luke 2:8-11 esp. v 11
Luk 2:8-20 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (9) An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (10) But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (11) Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
We focus today on the three words that the angel used to describe Jesus.
A saviour has been born to you…
Jesus is the Saviour.
Mat 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. His very name means Saviour.
Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua (or Yeshua) which means literally, “the Lord saves”. What does He save us from? He will save his people from their sins. John the Baptist put it this way…
Joh 1:29 Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Jesus said these words of himself…
Joh 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
All of us need Jesus, for all have sinned and need a Saviour. I used to think salvation was a 50/50 deal between God and man. I now realise that salvation is 99% God and 1% man (if anything at all). A drowning man can take no credit for having grasped the life belt thrown to him to save him.
Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no-one can boast.
Receive Him as Saviour – be saved from your sins
He is Christ..
“Christ” was not Jesus’ surname, but a descriptive term to qualify who He was. “Christos” in the Greek is equivalent to “Messiah” in Hebrew and means literally, “the anointed one”. Jesus was recognised to be the Messiah because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that rested upon Him.
When Jesus came to earth He laid down His divine attributes (such as his omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence) and depended entirely on the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit.
Until He was baptised at about 30 years of age and empowered by the Spirit, there were no miracles or works of power. But then God the Father gave to Him the Spirit without limit (See Joh 3:34)
Peter recognised the messianic anointing upon Jesus and declared Him to be the Christ. Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This caused Jesus to rejoice.
Jesus is the baptiser in the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said…
Mar 1:8 I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.
The blood of Jesus covers our sins and therefore deals with our sinful past, but the anointing of the Holy Spirit given through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, equips us for the future – for a life of fruitful service. We can and should operate under the same anointing as Jesus Christ – the anointed one! Without the power of the Holy Spirit we are in a sense “good for nothing!”
Receive Him as Saviour – be saved from your sins
Receive Him as Christ – appropriate His anointing
..The Lord
The Greek word for Lord is “Kurios” which means: master, owner, ruler, boss. Humanly speaking, we have no problem with the first 2 dimensions I’ve mentioned. We often need a saviour when in a crisis, and I guess that we would all love to flow in God’s power under the anointing of the Holy Spirit given by the Christ. But… to submit to His Lordship costs you – self and pride must surrender. I can no longer “do my own thing”. Sometimes I will have to surrender what I deem to be “my rights” to do the will of God. (For example the right to a home. Jesus said to a would-be disciple, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Mat 8:20)
During my third year at University, whilst completing a Science Degree, I prayed repeatedly, “Lord, show me Your will for my life”. Towards the end of that year He called me to be a preacher and teacher of His Word. This meant some sacrifice and surrender in that I had to lay down my own plans to continue my studies and do an honours, then a master’s degree in Microbiology.
Preaching on the Lordship of Christ often evokes a limited response; for few are willing to pay the price! But, we must do what doubting Thomas finally did and honour Jesus by falling on our knees and saying, "My Lord and my God!" (Joh 20:28)
To put it succinctly – at Christmas we celebrate the birth of our boss.
Sinners partying are in a sense eating and drinking judgment on themselves.
The one who saves and baptises in the Holy Spirit will also ultimately be our judge. Mat 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
I would urge you to embrace all 3 dimensions of the heavenly gift this Christmas.
(11) Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Receive Him as Saviour – be saved from your sins.
Receive Him as Christ – be filled with His Spirit.
Receive Him as Lord – surrender to His will for your life.
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