The Lord of Christmas

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Luke 2:11 (NIV) 

Do you know that this one verse is unlike any other in the Bible?

Luke 2:11 is the only place anywhere in the Scripture where the three titles, “Savior,” “Messiah (Christ),” and “Lord,” are used together. Jesus Christ is like no other–and He’s come to reveal Himself to you. 

Before Christ was born, God told Joseph to call Him “Jesus,” which is the Greek translation of the name, “Joshua.” Joshua means “God is our salvation.” Jesus saves you from all that you cannot save yourself from.

Once He has been born, the Scripture calls Him “Christ the Lord.” Some translations of the Bible translate the Greek word, “Christos,” which gives us the word Christ, as Messiah. Either way it is translated, the word literally means, “The anointed one.” Anointing is the way that kings would begin their reign. And now, Christ, the Anointed One welcomes you to reign with Him. 

For thousands of years, the Jewish people had been looking for a Messiah. They had been looking for that Deliverer that God had promised from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). They had been looking for the One that the prophets foretold and they waited for Him to come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). 

Do you know what it is like to wait and hope and feel like the light of faith itself has almost burned out? At the time of Jesus’ birth, the people of God had lost hope that there would be anyone who could help them through the oppression of the Roman Empire. But God entered their hopelessness with an unlikely gift. And God enters your hopeless places with the grace of a humble Messiah.

Jesus is not just the Savior of the world and the Messiah of the Jewish people…He is the Lord of the universe. One day, the world–including people of Israel–will bow at the feet of Jesus and realize He is the Messiah they have been waiting for. And perhaps today you can discover that the Messiah is waiting for you.

Have you acknowledged Jesus as Savior, Messiah and Lord today? The word “Lord” refers to someone who is in complete control, who has absolute authority and answers to no one. He is under nothing and no one. He is over everything and every one. 

When you trust Jesus Christ as Lord–not only the first time, but again and again–you can rest in His absolute authority in your life and in the world. 

At Christmas, you can see beyond the baby in the manger, and worship the promised Messiah of the Jewish hope and expectation. He is now the Savior of the world, the Lord of all, and He is ready to welcome you into His anointed, continuing story.

Prayer: Jesus, I praise You today and worship you as Savior, Messiah, and Lord! You have authority and power and I honor You today. I recognize how Your people waited for You in history, and then didn’t recognize You when you arrived unexpectedly. Help me not miss the wonder of Your Holy Spirit and Your anointing in my life today. I wait and look to You with expectation! In Jesus’ Anointed Name, Amen.