“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”
– Luke 2:8-14, NIV
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
Born in a manger, Jesus came to ransom us with His blood, to free us from Satan’s tyranny, to save us from the depths of Hell, and to give us ultimate victory over the grave.
How do we respond? We rejoice in our Emmanuel.
And we tell others. We give them the Good News that can bring them great joy. We tell women that Christmas is about a real man, born a real baby, in a real manger, who grew up to die a real death on the Cross – and then really rose victorious over sin and death.
We tell them that they can begin a friendship with Jesus and experience His forgiveness, His love, His guidance, and His peace.
As we hear the shepherd’s story read again and again this Christmas, as we sing Christmas carols that rejoice about the coming Emmanuel, let us pray for many opportunities to share these truths with women desperate for the peace that only Jesus can impart.
Other verses: Luke 2:25-32; Romans 1:16
Discussion questions:
- The angels and Simeon both refer to Jesus as Savior. What other truths do they teach about the Messiah, Jesus?
- How should we respond to the fact that Jesus is our Savior?
Lorraine Potter Kalal
President and CEO