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Luke 2:8-14
God has first chosen to reveal the birth of his Son to shepherds; those who watch over their flock. Being a shepherd is not a glamorous job, but one that requires dedication, courage, and an ever-watching eye to ensure the safety of the flock. The message given to them in the midst of, “the glory of the Lord” (Luke 2:9b, NKJV) shining all around them was, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12).
There are three things in Luke 2:14 that are very important to learn in this message:
- “Glory to God” (Luke 2:14a). The angels sang praise to God as we too should do every day.
- “on earth peace” (Luke 2:14b). The angels proclaimed peace on earth through the birth of our Savior Jesus, which is proven by the peace in each of our hearts as we proclaim Jesus our Savior and begin putting His will for our lives first.
- “goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14c). This is a direct reflection of the words of Jesus in John 13:34-35 declaring, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
A “multitude of the heavenly host” (Luke 2:13) appeared praising God with the above words. The Savior of the world has arrived. Jesus said in John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
This is praise to God from the heavenly host in celebration of the birth of Christ Jesus.
This is the promise from heaven that Jesus is the Savior of the world, the Savior of all people.
In John 10:11 Jesus proclaims, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” As Jesus is the “good shepherd,” should it not be considered that God would first reveal the birth of His Son, the Savior of the world, to shepherds? As we study God’s Word and see His plan of salvation in His Son being revealed, we find a lesson in everything He does and says; in this case He is revealing the birth of the “good shepherd” to shepherds. Jesus show’s His dedication and courage “to all people” (Luke 2:10) as He is ever watching over us while giving His guidance to us as we ask of Him and seek His will for our lives.
The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah to save them and set them free from the oppressive hand of Roman authority. But God usually works in ways that are not as we would expect as His ways are greater than our ways and beyond our comprehension (Isaiah 55:8-9). In revealing God’s great plan of salvation for His people Israel, we find that He used the Israelites to be an example to all people throughout the Old Testament to show the world that He is the one and only true God, however, limits cannot be put on the Almighty God’s saving power by limiting salvation through Jesus to just the Israelites, and by this, limiting the power of God. John 1:11-13 states, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” The Apostle Paul states in Galatians 3:21b-29, “For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Dear Lord,
Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to be the Savior of all people, and that as You chose the Israelite people to be an example to all the world to show Your almighty power as the one and only true God, Your limitless power of salvation through Jesus extends to all people. Thank You Lord. In Jesus name I pray, amen.