107 Immanuel: God For Us

“There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NASB)

An angel spoke those words and shepherds were the first to hear them.  But what was proclaimed back then to them is being proclaimed right now to you.  “There has been born for you…”  – a Savior…who is Christ… the Lord.  

Here’s the thing, friends.  You need all three.  

You need…a Savior to forgive you.

That’s good news because there’s not one of us here who doesn’t need to be forgiven.  

Most of us are familiar with John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”  But you need to keep reading because the next verse continues, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn that world, but to save the world…” 

Jesus did not come to rub it in, but to rub it out. Regardless of who you are or what you have done, you matter to God and He longs to forgive you.  

Secondly, you need… a Christ to empower you.

The Greek word christos literally means “the anointed one” or “king.”  Kings in that day were anointed with oil and in that moment they were given both power and authority.

As children of the King, we have been given access to His kingly power

Could you use some kingly power like that to move forward into what seems to be a challenging and uncertain future?  The Apostle Paul, who was no stranger to stress and pressure discovered that Immanuel was a prime power source. He writes: “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me.” Philippians 4:13 (PH) 

There has been born for you …a Savior to forgive you.  A Christ to empower you. 

And, finally… a Lord to lead you.

In the Greek language of the New Testament, there were 2 words for “lord.” One is despotes from which we get our word despot - a cruel, tyrannical lord. This is not the word that is used to describe Jesus.

The word used to describe Jesus is kurios. It means the rightful ruler of a dominion.  

So when the angel gives this announcement, he’s saying that the rightful ruler has come to establish His Kingdom.  A good ruler…a generous ruler…a wise ruler. 

And we are promised that one day… “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.”  (Revelation 11:15)

A Lord to lead us.  Listen, friends: Congress doesn’t lead the world.  Jesus does.  The economy doesn’t control your future.  Jesus does.  The cancer in your body will not determine your fate.  Jesus will.  The grave does not have the last word.  Jesus does.

Text: Luke 2:1-11

Originally recorded on December 23, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.