A Baby Was Born

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” -- Luke 2:10–12 (NASB95)

A lady who served on many civic committees, asked to select carols suitable for a community Christmas-tree lighting, sought the help of her pastor. When she scanned the list he had selected, she exclaimed in dismay, "But they're all so theological." -- Unknown

Ever thought about how very theological is the birth announcement of Jesus? Right there in three verses, you’ve got some pretty serious stuff. Consider: angelology, evangelism, anthropology, soteriology, christology, lordship theology, signs, and incarnation. All of them have some pretty heavy-weight theological considerations behind them.

But we don’t talk in such language for the most part. We leave that to the folks locked inside ivory towers down at the university. Thankfully, we use smaller words. It still means the same.

Angels are messengers from God, and on this occasion, they bring some really good news for everybody. On this day, they announced that in Bethlehem a savior was born. He was the Messiah, the anointed, chosen one. Here’s a sign! Look for a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger.

That’s God with us, Immanuel. That’s the divine clothed with human flesh. That’s the promises of God fulfilled in a Son. That’s the perfect life, without sin, given as the sacrifice to take away the sin of the world. There is the grace and mercy of God displayed in the most graphic fashion imaginable. There is God’s love! Forgiveness abounds in a manger. Your whole Bible is focused on that baby and later the man. Your hope for eternity is wrapped in a mother’s arms. Shepherds came with amazed faces. Wise men traveled far to bow and give gifts to the baby born King of the Jews.

We spend so much time fretting over whether or not we’ve got the date right that we miss the birth. Jesus was born. Jesus died and rose again. Jesus is your Savior and Lord. It all came to fruition in a stable, on a night, when angels sang, and a baby was born.