Olde Tymer
Active Member
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● Luke 2:8-12 . . Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and
keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of The Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of The Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.
. . .The angel said to them: Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good
news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a
savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
The angel announced the birth of a savior. Webster's defines a "savior" as one who
rescues.
Rescuing is what the Coast Guard does when boats capsize. Rescuing is what
Firemen do when people are trapped inside burning buildings. Rescuing is what
mountaineer teams do when climbers are in trouble. Rescuing is what EMT
paramedics do when someone needs to get to a hospital in a hurry; and kept alive
till they arrive. Rescuing is what surgeons do when someone needs an organ
transplant.
I could go on and on giving example of rescuer after rescuer; but I think we get the
idea. The New Testament's Jesus is like that: he rescues people from the wrath of
God-- people who not only fully deserve it, but definitely in line to get it; and with
no humanly possible way to avoid it.
Now; of what real benefit would the savior of Luke 2:8-12 really be to anybody if he
couldn't guarantee a fail-safe rescue from the wrath of God? He'd be of no benefit
to anybody. No; he'd be an incompetent ninny that nobody could rely on.
But, if a savior were to be announced who guaranteed anybody who wants it a
completely free of charge, no strings attached, guaranteed fail-safe, sin proof,
human nature-proof, Ten Commandments-proof, bad behavior-proof, apostasy
proof, reprobate-proof, back-sliding proof, Sermon on the Mount-proof, God-proof,
Devil-proof, irrevocable rescue from the wrath of God, and full-time protection from
future retribution; wouldn't that qualify as good news of great joy?
I think just about everybody concerned about ending up on the wrong side of things
would have to agree with me that news like that would not only most certainly be
good; but also cause for celebration, and ecstatic happiness.
FAQ: Why did the angel appear to only the shepherds?
REPLY: One possibility is that the date of Messiah's appearance was accurately
predicted in advance by the prophet Daniel to occur on what we know as Palm
Sunday (a.k.a. the Triumphal Entry) but the date of Messiah's birth in Bethlehem
wasn't predicted. Consequently, those sheep guys were the only audience at hand
instead of the thousands that one might expect at such a significant event.
_
● Luke 2:8-12 . . Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and
keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of The Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of The Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.
. . .The angel said to them: Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good
news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a
savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
The angel announced the birth of a savior. Webster's defines a "savior" as one who
rescues.
Rescuing is what the Coast Guard does when boats capsize. Rescuing is what
Firemen do when people are trapped inside burning buildings. Rescuing is what
mountaineer teams do when climbers are in trouble. Rescuing is what EMT
paramedics do when someone needs to get to a hospital in a hurry; and kept alive
till they arrive. Rescuing is what surgeons do when someone needs an organ
transplant.
I could go on and on giving example of rescuer after rescuer; but I think we get the
idea. The New Testament's Jesus is like that: he rescues people from the wrath of
God-- people who not only fully deserve it, but definitely in line to get it; and with
no humanly possible way to avoid it.
Now; of what real benefit would the savior of Luke 2:8-12 really be to anybody if he
couldn't guarantee a fail-safe rescue from the wrath of God? He'd be of no benefit
to anybody. No; he'd be an incompetent ninny that nobody could rely on.
But, if a savior were to be announced who guaranteed anybody who wants it a
completely free of charge, no strings attached, guaranteed fail-safe, sin proof,
human nature-proof, Ten Commandments-proof, bad behavior-proof, apostasy
proof, reprobate-proof, back-sliding proof, Sermon on the Mount-proof, God-proof,
Devil-proof, irrevocable rescue from the wrath of God, and full-time protection from
future retribution; wouldn't that qualify as good news of great joy?
I think just about everybody concerned about ending up on the wrong side of things
would have to agree with me that news like that would not only most certainly be
good; but also cause for celebration, and ecstatic happiness.
FAQ: Why did the angel appear to only the shepherds?
REPLY: One possibility is that the date of Messiah's appearance was accurately
predicted in advance by the prophet Daniel to occur on what we know as Palm
Sunday (a.k.a. the Triumphal Entry) but the date of Messiah's birth in Bethlehem
wasn't predicted. Consequently, those sheep guys were the only audience at hand
instead of the thousands that one might expect at such a significant event.
_
