“The preaching of the cross … is the power of God; …Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18,24
Dear Ones:
When the angel of the Lord came upon the shepherds in the field just after Jesus’ birth, he made some most remarkable declarations, which pertain to every human being on the face of this earth. The first thing was, “Fear not.” Certainly overwhelmed by the sight of the angel, and the glory of the Lord that surrounded them, the Lord removes their fear to prepare their hearts to listen to the true message he has to deliver. He then continues: “….for, behold, I bring you GOOD tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL people.” (Luke 2:10) If we would feel the profound import of the message, we need to grasp the fact that this angel is a messenger of God, and this message is from heaven itself, from the One who is seated on the throne of heaven, the Creator of all. God declares by the angel that the message He has for these shepherds, and for all people, is GOOD. It is that same goodness that was declared and revealed in the creation before the fall of man. It is perfectly good, without a flaw, wholesome, pure, and absolutely lacking nothing, in nothing deficient in its purpose, effect, and blessing upon its object. So, here we have a message from the throne of heaven to sinful men declaring that the content of this message is so good, and blessed, that it’s purpose is to benefit sinful man, all men, to the greatest possible extent.
The second thing we need to see with regard to the content of this message is that it is one which brings, not only a semblance of joy, but GREAT JOY, to the heart of man. What does this reveal to us of the heart of God, the Giver of the message? It is that HE, our Maker, desires for us to KNOW His joy, fullness of Joy. Jesus declared this in His great prayer in John’s gospel: “…that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” (17:13) The message from heaven is not only good in its essence, as God is good. It’s purpose is the imparting of the Joy of God to the heart of man.
Thirdly, this message is not for a select few, a privileged class, a sophisticated or “righteously” moral group. It has been designed, and declared, to be for ALL men, women, and children…everywhere, and for all time. How can this be? How can one message, perfectly good, given with the purpose of giving everlasting joy, be destined for every individual on the face of the earth? And if this is so, how then does it work?
Let us look first of all at the content of the message. “For unto YOU is born this day in the city of David a SAVIOR, which is Christ the Lord.” (v.11) The good news is being declared to shepherds in a context where all men are lost, without hope and without God, in this world. It is a world where sin and death dominate, where man is a prisoner of his sinful nature, on a path that he cannot get off of, and headed towards an abyss death and darkness that he cannot avoid. The good news is that there is ONE provision from heaven, one so great and powerful, so Divine and perfect, one so good, that He, the Lord Jesus, will taste death for ALL men. This One will be the One upon whom the Father will lay, “… the iniquity of us ALL.” (Is. 53:6) God has provided one, singular answer for not only the sins of men, and their total removal, but also for the nature of man, deliverance from its downward and destructive power. That POWER and PROVISION is a Person, “Christ the Lord,” declared to us by a message, a good message, one of power, which produces great joy.
Dear Father and God, give us grace to see and to understand that you want nothing that we can give, nor try to be, in order for you to save us. The whole intent of Your message to mankind is centered upon Your willingness to give that which we do not have, and cannot produce. Give us grace to truly RECEIVE and BELIEVE Your message, and the ONE of whom it speaks, as our ONLY and absolute Savior. For you have said, “For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad