Inside: When we come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior – we are now to be people of faith – we are people who are told to Fear Not.
We’re often reminded in scripture to “Fear Not” (365 times to be exact). God’s Word reminds us, now that we are in Christ, the message that the angel brought to the shepherds that night in Bethlehem (Luke 2:9-11) is the same one being preached today.
The angel in Luke 2:10 first brought the message to a very unlikely group of people, the shepherds. Our good God uses ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plan.
What was this good news that brought great joy? This was the true joy of that first Christmas, and every Christmas we celebrate, it is a continual reminder to us that God became a man to save His people from their sins.
This joyful news was about the birth of a baby, but not just any baby.
Luke 2:11:
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
God, in His goodness and great love, provided a way for us to be forgiven. He provided a way for us to be with Him in Heaven. He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, who lived a perfect life, to take the punishment for our sins.
This news is personal – for unto you – each of us must respond personally – just as the shepherds did – they went with haste to see the Savior – and they told the good news to others – to all who would listen.
The angel that brought the good news that night proclaimed the end of all our fears...God is love (1 John 4:16) and perfect love casts our fear (1 John 4:18).The Christ who was born into the world must be born into your heart.
When we come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior – we are now to be people of faith – we are people who are told to Fear Not.
Listen to Podcast EP 134: Fear Not – Luke 2:10 (19 minutes) or read the post below (12 minutes):
Resources Mentioned:
EP 11: Serving with a Mary Heart in a Martha Season (or read it here)
Christmas Posts & Podcasts at Thankful Homemaker
Thankful Homemaker Facebook Group
Every time I read Luke 2:1-20, I am in awe of the whole night and what it must have been like, but I always come back to Mary. I’m so reminded that I want to treasure all these things and ponder them in my heart, so as we spend our time together, I pray we will ponder this news and what it means to each of us personally.
This good news that the angel brought went first to a very unlikely group of people – shepherds. They were considered to be at the bottom of the social ladder and not too far above lepers.
Shepherds were lowly and humble people – the religious elite considered them unclean because the sheep had to be tended to seven days a week, so they didn’t have time to honor the man-made Sabbath laws.
So these men of no significance at all – just out in the field tending to their flocks – we don’t even know their names – were given this great honor to receive the good news first – of the birth of Jesus.
God uses ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plan.
In verse 9 of Luke 2, the angel appears to them, and these shepherds had the normal response of those throughout scripture when they encountered an angel – fear – the text says, “great fear.”
These men were going about their ordinary duties – they were keeping watch over their flock by night, and suddenly an angel of the Lord stood around them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.
The word used here for Shone around them – literally means to shine around someone. It’s only used in one other place in the New Testament in Acts 26:13. The apostle Paul is retelling his experience of when the risen Lord appeared to Him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) to King Agrippa:
He says – At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me.
Our shepherds are overcome with great fear – imagine being in their place and seeing this burning light piercing the night sky. This was the glory of God, and it was reflected in the radiance of one of his holy messengers.
The angel did not leave them long in their fear but gave them words of comfort and reassurance with two simple words – fear not.
The shepherds, at that moment, knew they were safe and that the angel had come to bring good news.
This angel came to preach to the shepherds – good news – God’s promises, the words in – Isaiah 61:1 – were coming true – good news was being preached to the poor.
What was this good news that brought great joy? This news was stated in Luke 2:10 – “for all the people.” This was the true joy of that first Christmas, and every Christmas we celebrate, it is a continual reminder to us that God became a man to save His people from their sins.
This joyful news was about the birth of a baby, but not just any baby.
Luke 2:11:
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
We know, too, that as we get to the end of the gospel of Luke, this good news also includes a death and resurrection.
John MacArthur stated it as a side to the Christmas story that isn’t often told about this sweet baby Jesus in the manger:
He said – Those soft little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb, were made so that nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, pink and unable to walk, would one day stagger up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet infant’s head with sparkling eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday men might force a crown of thorns onto it. That tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling clothes, would one day be ripped open by a spear. Jesus was born to die.
We need to understand and fully grasp why Jesus is Savior, as the angel referred to him in verse 2:11 of Luke – let’s consider a few things.
Jesus is the Christ – To the surprise of some, “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos and it means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word that means “Messiah.”
“Jesus” is the Lord’s human name given to Mary by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:31 – – it means Yahweh saves or Yahweh is salvation.
“Christ” is His title, signifying Jesus was sent from God to be a King and Deliverer (see Daniel 9:25; Isaiah 32:1). “Jesus Christ” means “Jesus the Messiah” or “Jesus the Anointed One.”
Jesus is a Man – He was born in Bethlehem – he didn’t just appear fully grown – He was conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb. He went through the stages of development just as any other baby would. One commentator stated: “The only difference was that Jesus did his learning, growing, and maturing sinlessly and perfectly.”
Jesus had a real human body and mind, and emotions. The word became flesh and dwelt among us – that’s what’s referred to as the incarnation, and it means that Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh – the infinite God both became finite man and remained infinite God.
Jesus came in the flesh, under the law, to fulfill the law on our behalf. Jesus lived with a human body and all it’s limitations, except He was sinless. Jesus was a perfect, sinless man – He was the only one who could bear the sins of the human race.
Jesus is Lord – Our Savior born in Bethlehem is God in the flesh – If he was only a man, he couldn’t have died for the sins of the human race – He is Christ the Lord and God, and only God alone can deal with our sin.
Jesus is God in human flesh – He is the only one who qualifies to be the Savior of the world. This is the best and most important news in the world because it deals with where we will spend eternity. We’re talking here of Heaven or Hell.
I want to share with you the best news ever and why it’s called the good news – to get to the good news, we need to start with the bad news.
Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death – we have all sinned.
We are all separated from God. We all deserve Hell. We have all broken every one of God’s ten commandments. We’ve lied and stolen and coveted and not put God first, and that’s only looking at four of the commandments. We all stand guilty before a holy and righteous God.
But God, in His goodness and great love, provided a way for us to be forgiven. He provided a way for us to be with Him in Heaven. He sent His one and only Son Jesus – who lived a perfect life, to take the punishment for our sins.
Romans 5:8 tells us – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Hebrews 9:22 tells us – without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.
Jesus died on the cross, and he took on himself the punishment for the sins fulfilling the Law’s righteous requirement of all those who would ever turn and trust in Him.
Romans 4:25: He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Jesus rose from the dead, showing that He defeated death and that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and God’s wrath against us had been exhausted.
1 Peter 2:24:
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
So now, God now calls us to confess and repent of our sins – to turn from them – and to trust in Jesus Christ alone for our forgiveness. If we repent of our sins and put our faith and trust in Jesus – we are born again to a new life – an eternal life with God.
This is the good news the angel brought to those lowly shepherds that night and it is still the message being preached today.
Luke 2:11 – For unto you is born this day in the city of David – a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
This news is personal – for unto you – each of us must respond personally – just as the shepherds did. They went with haste to see the Savior and they told the good news to others, to all who would listen.
The Christ who was born into the world must be born into your heart.
I pray that if you have not been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, you will, as Mary did, ponder these truths deeply and receive His gift of salvation today. It’s the greatest gift, and it truly brings great joy.
When we come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior – we are now to be people of faith. We are people who are told to Fear Not.
What does it mean when we as believers see terms in the bible: “do not be afraid,” “do not fear,” and “fear not”?
Let me interject just a quick note. This is not contradictory to the commands in scripture to fear God, where it means we are to show Him respect and reference and awe and come to know more and more about Him so we can walk in His ways and live obediently to His commands by His good Grace.
So why are we told to Fear Not so often in God’s Word – 365 times to be exact? We – like the shepherds – don’t have to be afraid any more – if we are in Christ – we have been given a Savior.
This isn’t news now of judgment or news of punishment or news about death – it’s good news. The message of Christianity is good news. We have a saving God, and He sent a Savior who takes away our sin, and our sin is forever forgiven in Christ. This is good news that should produce great joy.
When a heart is free from danger – Joy is the result – we’ve been freed from the penalty of sin.
Ray Stedman stated it:
Joy is what the presence of Jesus in our lives ought to bring us as Christians. The absence of fear and the presence of joy. This is what it is all about. And it is not intended to be a once-for-all experience. It is intended to be an ongoing process. We don’t face dangerous and frightening situations just once or twice in a lifetime; we face them every day. Anytime something strikes terror in the heart or grips us with the cold hand of fear, anytime we are anxious and troubled and weary, anytime something seems to threaten us or our loved ones is a moment of danger. And for that moment – for that moment – we have a Savior a Deliverer. Therefore the continuing word of God to us who have such a deliverer is Fear Not.”
Our chief mark as believers should be those who live with the absence of fear and the presence of joy.
We know that all authority on Heaven and Earth has been given to Him.
We know He is completely sovereign over every aspect of our lives. So we know that everything He allows into our lives is meant for our good and His glory. We know he is a good Father who loves and desires what is best for His children.
When we see do not fear it means not to allow anxiety or worry or panic to rule in our hearts. Christ is now our shepherd, and we don’t have to fear the valley of the shadow of death. Or His rejection. He never leaves or forsakes us. The maker of Heaven and earth is watching over us, we do not need to fear anything.
The angel that brought the good news that night— proclaimed the end of all our fears…God is love (1 John 4:16), and perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).
I hope we will ponder these words as Mary did and treasure them in our hearts. That, we will think a bit more deeply about the message of Christmas – Jesus Christ is God’s Christmas gift to you. If you haven’t received Him as your Savior, what are you waiting for?
What use is there for a gift that is never opened?
And if you are known by Him – you have nothing to fear: Romans 8:1 – reminds us – There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
Let me close us with the words of the angel to the shepherds:
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
And what is the source of that great joy:
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
This is good news of great joy!
Scriptures Referenced:
- Luke 2:10
- Luke 2:1-20
- Luke 2:9
- Acts 26:13
- Isaiah 61:1
- Luke 2:11
- Luke 1:31
- Daniel 9:25
- Isaiah 32:1
- Romans 3:23
- Romans 6:23
- Romans 5:8
- Hebrews 9:22
- Romans 4:25
- 1 Peter 2:24
- 1 John 4:16-18
- Romans 8:1
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