Christmas in the Gospel of Luke: Part Two

Good tidings of great joy is…to us…the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior, who is Christ Jesus. For unto us a child was born in Bethlehem, a Son was given at the city of David to the house of David (Is 9:6; Lk 1:69; 2:4). Salvation has come out of heavenly Zion (Ps 14:7; 50:2). He has visited us in order to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21).

It is the providence of our sovereign God that directs the steps of the heathen, and gracious providence…His beloved (Prv 3:5–6). A decree from the emperor at Rome set the Christmas day event into motion (Lk 2:1). The census requirement was the impetus to move the Christ child from Nazareth of Galilee to Bethlehem of Judea (Lk 2:2), so that the prophecy of Micah 5:2 would be fulfilled. The fullness of time and the prophesied place of God’s choosing brought forth His elect Messiah to be born to the people of His choosing (Gal 4:4).

The sovereign will of God must be done (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Eph 1:11). All of it is God’s work to bring glory to God. The condescension of the eternal Son of God (Phil 2:5–11), His setting aside His glory, in order for Him to be like us, yet without sin (Heb 4:15), by the wisdom of divine conception and virgin birth (Mt 1:18, 20 Lk 1:35), brought forth our Redeemer (Lk 1:68).

The first-born son of Mary is the God-man (Lk 2:7), the incarnate Word (Jn 1:14), God in the flesh…forever. This humiliation of Emmanuel (Is 8:8; 9:6), in God’s economy with humanity, provided the federal Head of God’s holy nation (Rom 5:12–20; Eph 1:22; 5:23; Col 1:18; 1 Pet 2:9). Just as Adam represented humanity, so the second Adam represents His people in the eternal covenant of grace, wherein God promises salvation to Israel, His elect from every nation (Rom 11:5–6; Gal 6:16; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 1:9; Rev 5:9; 7:9).

Setting aside heaven, for our blessing and benefit, Christ the Lord humbled Himself as the sons of Adam should have done before their Maker. As the one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus is one of us, yet divine (Phil 2:8; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 9:15; 12:24).

Blessed are the called to come and see Christ the newborn King. First among them were the shepherds (Lk 2:8), working the night shift, in order that they might be the recipients of a heavenly display of glory. Men are no match against a heavenly host, even one angel is a fearful encounter (Lk 1:30; 2:9). Hence, fear is the common response by men in the presence of angels.

What comfort when one hears the greeting of favor and joy. Good news for all God’s people, those with whom He is pleased. What pleases the God of heaven and earth? It is faith in His Word (2 Cor 5:9; Heb 11:6).

Divine are the announcements of heaven’s favor. Glorious are the messengers and the message that glorifies the Lord of glory. My dear reader, have you not heard? Is it not written for your consideration? The least of men have rightly responded to the summons to see Jesus (1 Cor 1:26). It is God’s prerogative to reveal the Son to whomever He wishes (Mt 11:25–27). Blessed are the people who receive the preacher with beautiful feet! In the Christmas story, it is the lowly shepherds and the unlikely Gentile Magi who receive their respective “signs”.

These shepherds who received an angelic visit responded to the Good News; and their right response was faith and obedience. The shepherds were privy to a spectacular act of worship, upon hearing the good tidings of great joy. They, too, made haste to find the child. They found the setting to be just as had been told them. Meeting Jesus for the first time is the only real life-changing event in our lives. The shepherds and magi were never the same; and neither is the one in receipt of the Spirit of Christ, today.

For those shepherds and for all others who come to Jesus when they are called, it is a life of glorifying and praising Jesus from that day forward. It is for us to share the news of Him who is to be worshiped. It is for others to wonder at the things we tell them in our testimony and witness of Christ (Acts 1:8). May they marvel as we did on the day we first believed.

A Savior has come to save us (Mt 1:21; Lk 2:11). We have the rest of the story of how He defeated all our enemies and those who hate us, as His redeemed people (Ps 107:2; Lk 1:71). As David’s Son (Lk 2:4), He is Christ the Lord (Lk 2:11), the King of the Jews (Mt 2:2), who has sat down at the right hand of the Father (Ps 110:1). All authority belongs to Him (Mt 28:18), in heaven and on earth, for He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

The first-born Son of the Virgin Mary (Lk 2:7), whose Father is God, emptied Himself of the glories of heaven (Phil 2:5–11). His mission in identifying with poor humanity was to represent those whom the Father had given Him before all time (Jn 17:2, 6, 24; 2 Tim 1:9). As the second Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ is the federal head of His holy nation, the Israel of God, His church (Is 49:1–6; Mt 16:18; 1 Cor 15:22; Gal 6:16; 1 Pet 2:9).

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Son of Mary, is Himself fully God and fully man. He is redeemer and ruler. His condescension was the way to His consecration, leading to His coronation as King of the Jews, who sits on the throne of David, forever. He is the consolation and the glory of Israel (Lk 2:25).

Jesus Messiah is the Light of revelation to the Gentiles, too (Lk 2:32). It is for us to give His people the knowledge of salvation (Lk 1:77), by giving them the knowledge of who Jesus is and what has done to secure our peace with God and each of us with one another (Rom 5:1; 2 Pet 3:18).

The God of peace has sent us His only begotten Son (Jn 3:16; Rom 15:33; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 13:20), the prince of peace (Is 9:6), to guide our feet on the way of peace (Lk 1:79), which passes all understanding (Phil 4:7), in a world that knows no peace (Jer 6:14), apart from Him who is Himself our peace (Eph 2:14).

As we ponder, as we wonder along with those who join us in being amazed, let us remember our mission to make Him known — not just in the story of an infant lowly, but as the one born to die for the redemption of Jerusalem (Lk 2:38), the city of God, filled with the people of God throughout history and from every representative people group, who will soon be a complete company…the wealth of nations to be in His presence, forever, in the new heavens and the new earth prepared for us by Him (Is 65–66; Jn 14:2–3; Rev 21–22).

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

December 22, 2024

Luke 2:1–20