A lady in our church grew up in a country in Central Asia that had been riddled with conflict for decades. She was overwhelmed with joy when she could move to the United States. She had always heard about the nation’s prosperity, a welcome change from her harsh conditions. But as a Christian in a land hostile to the gospel, she was eager to live in a country that allowed religion. She never imagined having multiple churches to visit and greatly anticipated the freedom to celebrate Christ.

That’s what made her first Christmas in the States so confusing. “Pastor, I thought it would bring great joy in a place where Christmas could be openly celebrated, but why does everyone seem so stressed out? People seem anything but peaceful during this time. I don’t even see what Jesus has to do with much of the celebrations here.”

I wanted to correct her assessment, but I couldn’t. Unfortunately, she was accurate. The time of year when we celebrate peace on earth seems chaotic. Much of what we do originates from extra expectations, and we can quickly become distracted from who we are supposed to celebrate.

The incarnation of Jesus is meant to lift our eyes from the regular and routine. It is a truth that should redirect our thinking from trying to reach God to grasping that He condescended to us. God sent His Son on a rescue mission for us, and if that isn’t the focus of our festivities, we are doing it wrong.

When the angels announced the gracious and glorious arrival of Jesus to a group of panicked shepherds, you could not have written a more surprising script. The work of shepherds was disregarded as meaningful employment. Of all the people the news could have come to, no one would have expected shepherds. But God delivered the most important news to what society would say were the most insignificant people. 

These men, working the night shift on the outskirts of town, were stereotyped with such bad reputations that they couldn’t be a part of ceremonial customs or testify in courts. While disrespected by society, these shepherds were esteemed by God. His angels proclaimed a message that has now been sent around most of the world.

“Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11). 

Some of us are so churched and have heard those words so many times that we have lost their significance. The angel’s proclamation contains three titles that connect to Jesus: Savior, Messiah, and Lord. These words are still critical today.

Savior

Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins. You have them, I have them, and the whole world has them. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). There are no exceptions. Since Jesus came to save us from our sins, you can stop pretending that you don’t have any. You may have perfected the ability to convey a squeaky-clean image in front of others, but you have not fooled Jesus. He knows about our sins and loves us anyway.

It is important to see Jesus as Savior because this encourages us to acknowledge our sins before Him. To act as if you have it all together before Him only stacks deceit upon a long list of transgressions. You don’t need to attempt convincing Jesus that you are perfect. He is fully aware you are not. So to confess your sins is not ruining your image; it is going to the One who is actively engaged to help you in temptation and assure you of forgiveness.

Messiah

The term “Messiah” can also be translated as “Christ” or “Anointed One.” As a child, I thought “Christ” was Jesus’ last name. It’s actually a title. The angels told these Jewish shepherds, who were familiar with what we classify as the Old Testament, that the long-awaited Messiah had been born.

Throughout the Scriptures, prophets spoke of a figure to come. He would be a sacrificial substitute and a righteous ruler. When we consider Jesus our Messiah, we remember that God keeps His promises. You can trust what you read in His Word. No matter how bad the world had gotten, Jesus was willing to invade it for our redemption. Jesus came in the humblest of circumstances to remind us that we are never beyond His reach.

Lord

Many of us were encouraged at the moment of salvation to trust in Christ as our “personal Lord and Savior.” The angel’s declaration uses all of those terms. What I have learned about the human condition is that everyone wants a Savior; nobody wants a Lord. We would rather decide what we think is right than obey someone else’s standards. 

I think that’s what makes our fascination with Christmas so intriguing. I think many people love thinking about baby Jesus in the manger because they can put Him on a mantle, sing some gentle songs about Him, and then go back to focusing on lesser things that we deem more important. 

While Jesus was a baby, He didn’t stay one. That baby in a manger grew into a man who flipped over tables. He lived a perfect life for 33 years. He willingly died upon a cross that He did not deserve and miraculously rose from the grave on the third day. He has ascended into heaven and awaits the green light to return to Earth on a rescue mission. Once placed in a cradle, He now sits on a throne. He is the Lord. You don’t adore the baby in a manger if you fail to obey the risen Savior.

If Jesus is Savior, Messiah, and Lord, your Christmas celebrations should look and feel different. His authority should bring you more peace. If your activities don’t reflect that, maybe you have forgotten that the angels first brought good news.

Jesus has come.

He is the Savior who deals with our sins.

He is the Messiah who fulfills God’s Word.

He is the Lord who directs our paths.