Jesus Worshiped by Angels and Men.—Luke 2:8-33

Notes

1. "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This is the gospel; for "gospel" means good news, or good tidings. "Jesus" means "Saviour," and he was so called because he saves his people from their sins. Matt. 1:21. "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. Therefore the gospel is the good news that men can be saved from sin, and brought into perfect harmony with God. It does not simply save men from the consequences of sins committed, but from sin itself—from the transgression of the law. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Rom. 1:16. Peter addresses those "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5. Kept from what by the power of God?—Kept from falling. Jude 24. Kept from falling into sin and condemnation, as the next verse indicates, by saying that the Saviour will present us faultless before the presence of his glory. Manifestly, he keeps us in the condition in which he presents us. Since God is able to keep men faultless, it must be that he is able to make them faultless; and he is as able to do this now as he will be two or three days before the time for translation to heaven. It is not now, nor will it ever be, in the power of man to do this; but let no one limit the power of God by saying that he cannot do it. Then to him "be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever." God only can have the glory, for he does the work. Therefore, as he is to have the glory now, he must do the work now. Our part is to let him do it. "Submit yourselves therefore to God." James 4:7. Submit to his righteousness (Rom. 10:3), which he desires to put within and upon us (Rom. 3:22).

2. "The shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." There was prompt belief. They did not go to Bethlehem to see if what the angel had told them was true, but to see the thing which they knew was true, because the Lord had told them. Such faith when the Lord speaks is not very common. Most people imagine that it is a sign of a weak, credulous mind to believe at once, without any questioning. Many think to excuse their unbelief by citing the case of Thomas, saying that, like him, they have to see before they can believe. But they forget the words of Jesus to him: "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:29. Thomas lost the blessing that he might have had but for his unbelief.

3. Note the poverty in which Jesus was born. Why was this? "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 Cor. 8:9. He had everything in the universe; for "all things were created by him, and for him." Col. 1:16. He could have retained these riches, and his equality with the Father, if he had wished. But he did not count that a thing to be grasped, but "emptied himself," and took upon him the form of a servant. Phil. 2:6-8, Revised Version. So we through his poverty are made rich. The "unspeakable riches of Christ" are ours, if we accept him. We are "joint heirs with Jesus Christ." In him we have a "right to the tree of life." "Behold, what manner of love the Father bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1.

4. Simeon was "waiting for the consolation of Israel." He therefore recognized Jesus as soon as he saw him. The poor shepherds also must have been looking for him, for they gladly accepted him. This shows that there was no excuse for those who did not receive him. All of the Jews might have known him as well as these few. To as many as received him, to them he gave the right to be called the sons of God. John 1:12. It is evident, also, that there was no excuse for the blindness that characterized the Jewish nation as a whole, concerning the true mission of the Messiah. They looked for a powerful conqueror who should make them masters of the world. But Simeon was looking for a consoler—one who should be the Light of the world. What he knew, all might have known. Moreover, it is clear that there was no reason for the narrow views that so many even of Christ's followers had. They thought that none could be saved but the Jews. But God had never given them any reason to think so, and Simeon knew better. Said he: "Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." The prophets were read "every Sabbath day" (Acts 13:27), and so the Jews were continually hearing that the Messiah was to be a "light of the Gentiles" (Isa. 42:1-7). The angels told the shepherds that the good news was for all people. For ages God had been trying to get the Jews to understand that their work was to evangelize the world. The cases of Naaman, of the Queen of Sheba, of the Ninevites, and of others, were intended as lessons to them. But their pride and bigotry were too great. Are we not too often, like them, congratulating ourselves on the great light that God has given "us as a people," forgetting that God is no respecter of persons, and that he has no light for one that he has not for all? No one can retain more than he uses; and if we do not accept the light that comes to us, as a sacred trust, that we may bestow it upon others, we shall soon lose it. Let us be wise.