BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OUR FATHER’S ANGELS WHO ANNOUNCED OUR SAVIOR’S BIRTH
Among multiple tasks assigned to me in my ministry of Christian education, the making of announcements was not considered by me to be the least of them.
One Sunday morning years ago, following a service in which I had done my making of announcements, a sincere young man asked me, “Mr. Cunningham: What do you do besides make announcements?” My answer: “Come and see.” (My invitation to him was to spend a week with me to see all that goes on in the background to make things happen.)
If Gabriel and angels from the realms of glory could serve God effectively by making announcements, why not me? Nothing to me is more fulfilling than to tell people about the wonderful blessings God has in store for them if they trust Him, . . . if they “come and see”. Moreover,
The excitement of belonging to God’s Fellowship does not end with the hearing of an announcement about what’s going to happen. Excitement builds, and is fully realized, as we work together with God and others to help make good things happen in the lives of all who “come and see”. Experience is the best teacher!
The mystery and miracle of God’s Story of Redemption began so long ago that it boggles our minds to try to figure out when – not all that important anyway except to say, “In the beginning God . . .”
The earliest known announcement occurred in the Book of Beginnings . . . then, about 4000 years ago, came the call of Abraham through whom it was announced that all peoples on earth would be blessed . . . then about 1000 years after Abraham’s call, Isaiah announced that blessed event of which the sign would be a virgin birth and, according to an announcement by Micah, the place would be Bethlehem . . . then, almost another 1000 years later, lo and behold, while shepherds watched their flock in a field not far from that little town of Bethlehem, the grandest announcement ever made interrupted the silent night - and all glory broke loose!
We’ve talked about His plan of redemption . . . purposes . . . predictions . . . prophesies . . . pronouncements . . . Now it’s time to talk about announcements of the fulfillment of “these things” – which begs the question: “Why now (at that particular time in history when the fulfillment did in fact occur) and how?”
In and through all of these studies, one lesson we’ve learned: Mysteries surrounding God’s Story of Redemption were cleared up so that ordinary folks can understand that those miracles, that served as signs of the fulfillment of all that had been prophesied, occurred providentially - when the time was right in God’s sight.
Thus, the birth of Jesus Christ occurred at the direction of the LORD God! Almighty God used the events of human history to accomplish His holy purpose – clearly established by Luke in the run-up to his account of the Christmas Story – Luke 2:1-7 . . .
Jesus was born according to God’s time and place in a historical context. (What is it about “taxation” that every human being knows? In some form or another, we all pay taxes. “There are two absolute certainties in life: death, and taxes.”)
In order to make sure that everybody gets taxed, there is a census. For us, a census occurs every ten years. For Joseph and his kinfolks, every fourteen years. Whereas we go nowhere to register . . . the head of the household in Joseph’s day, under Roman rule, was required to go on a pilgrimage to his ancestral home town – in Joseph’s case, Bethlehem.
If you’re interested in human personality traits, you might find it odd that a Roman emperor would decree that “all the world” should be taxed – when in fact Rome did not control the whole world --- only the Roman Empire which included Judea. Did Augustus think of himself as being in charge of the whole world?
Caesar Augustus, grand-nephew of Julius Caesar, was born Gaius Octavius BUT he was so clever in consorting with Queen Cleopatra of Egypt and other enemies that the Roman Senate gave him the title Augustus (majestic, revered, feared). You might say: They massaged his ego! (“But I thought Herod ruled Judea!”)
Herod the Great, governor of a region that included Judea, was considered king of the Jews, BUT he served at the pleasure of and “under the domain” of the Roman emperor!
Then, to make sure his readers pinpointed the historical setting, Luke points out that Cyrenius was governor of Syria - to the north of Palestine. What it all means is: Citizens of any province under control of the Roman Empire dare not do what they had been ordered to do! Much of the legislative and ruling class in that day was made up of mean politicians!
In spite of and, as a matter of fact, due to the meanness of a world gone mad, the LORD God worked in and through that historical situation to bring to pass His promise of a Deliverer. God was at work providentially to implement His plan!
“So it was” means that God’s redemptive plan was unfolding in the place, in the manner, and at the time He determined. And, you know? We stand amazed that the birth of Jesus, God’s Son, our Savior, took place in such humble surroundings!
Just as amazing and astonishing was the manner by which, and the men to whom, the birth announcement was made – Luke 2:8-14 . . .
The holiness of God’s presence is associated with light of unusual brilliance -the prelude to an impending visual appearance of the LORD Himself - often in the form of an angel of some sort which if we are human should frighten us, palpitating heartbeats and all that goes with it! . . . Therefore, it was so good for the shepherds and is so good for you and me to hear “Do not fear.”
My fear would be due to my initial thought that judgment day has come. But once my heart settled down, how great would be my joy that my Lord’s brilliant manifestation was not to pronounce judgment but to announce the good news for which we all had been praying . . .
What a message delivered to humble folks: “Unto you” (personal) “this day” (contemporary) “is born” (completed act, matter of fact, promise finally fulfilled, a done deal)!
To folks living in an era of social oppression and ominous misdirection of spiritual ideals and values, the message addressed what the people needed then and there . . . need in the here and now – a Savior.
The message was a pronouncement for today, not a promise for tomorrow. It was not a message of what might be, will be, could be but a message of what is! A Savior which is Christ the Lord!
Savior. . . not a self-proclaimed Savior of an empire – the God-appointed Savior of the world! Sent to save (deliver) humanity from: sin’s bondage . . . sin’s consequence of spiritual death (eternal separation from God).
Christ . . . the God-anointed one sent on a mission to fulfill God’s promise: that a descendant of David - the greatest king of Israel - would be born to become greater than David – born to become King of kings, Lord of lords - One whose reign would be forever.
Lord . . . the LORD God Himself (Yahweh) come in flesh to dwell “among us” so that those who walk in darkness could “behold His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth”.
The sign this time would be a manger (feeding trough) in which the baby born of a virgin had been laid after having been swaddled (bound tightly for warmth and a sense of security). “Rather than look in fine houses or elite palaces, check the barns”!
Yes, the circumstances and the locations surrounding the birth of the Savior were such that ordinary folks like you and I personally identify . . . understand why . . . unashamedly testify . . . joyfully glorify Him who is worthy of praise and honor!
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among people of good will!
May you, a person of good will, be “swaddled” this Christmas: by the warmth of that divine presence of our Savior which is Christ the Lord . . . by that sense of security which comes from knowing Him whom to know is life eternal! Amen!
