Unto You Is Born A Saviour (December 21, 1955)

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for 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 — Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace good will toward men" (Luke 2:10-14).

"Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16).

Truly the greatest event that this world had ever seen in all of its history was the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The next greatest event that took place in this world was the death of Jesus Christ: then His resurrection (and because He lives we, too shall live) then His ascension into heaven. And now the world awaits another great event and how great it will be: His glorious return! He had to take upon Himself a body of flesh that He might be able to die for our sins. God was manifest in the flesh, how wonderful! Jesus Christ had to be God that He might be perfect, sinless, holy and that He might perfectly keep the law, while He lived here among men. Then He had to be man in order that He might be able to die. The LORD Jesus Christ, the MAN Christ Jesus, great is the mystery but wonderful nevertheless.

He who had created the earth by the word of His mouth (for He spoke and it was done) now came down from heaven, was born of a virgin that He might die for the sin of the world. Why should He love us so? because He is love. Love prompted the greatest gift that has ever been given to man! His birth was so important that it was foretold by the prophets; it was foretold in types, it was annunciated by the angel Gabriel; it was announced by the angel; it was believed by the shepherds, Simeon, Anna and the wise men: it was feared by Herod and it has been proven by history. The birth of Jesus even changed the reckoning of time and today we use A.D. without really understanding or considering its great importance. The Saviour was born over nineteen hundred years ago: Is He yours?

In searching through the pages of history and rhyme,
We read of many sages who changed the course of time.
One was a great commander — we celebrate his birth
Another was a poet: with pen, he moved the earth.
Explorers, bold and dauntless, to new worlds led the way
While some were born musicians, to wield aesthetic sway.
Inventors eased life's burdens, physicians lightened pain,
Philanthropists gave kindly, relieving earthy strain.
But add these all together with good that they have done:
I'll tell of One excelling all, as lamps outshined by sun!
The One whom angels worshipped, the One of lowly birth
Has touched more lives, and wrought more than all the kings on earth.
In years now past, My Saviour has met men's deepest need:
And still we find forgiveness through Him — and peace indeed!
And will these cease? No, never! His love will outlast time,
Forever and forever we'll know His joy sublime!
Then worship and adore Him who to the manger came.
O bow the knee before Him, and magnify His name!

— Marie L. Olsen from Now

FOREORDAINED

"Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers: but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" (1 Peter 1:18-20). "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3, 14). "He was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). "Known unto God are all His works from the beginning" (Acts 15:18).

Just think before He made the world, He knew that He would have to die for the sins of that world. "Wherefore He cometh into the world, He saith — A body has Thou prepared Me" (Hebrews 10:5). "Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire: mine ears hast Thou opened — Lo I come — I delight to do Thy will" (Psalms 40:6-8). "I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: for the time that it was: there am I: and now the Lord God and His Spirit hath sent Me" (Isaiah 48:16). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was I am" (John 8:56). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" (Revelation 1:8). "Yea, before the day was I am" (Isaiah 43:13).

How good God has been to pull back the veil and let us have a little glimpse of His great plan that was made before the world was created. "The secret of the Lord is with the righteous" (Proverbs 3:32). "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant" (Psalms 25:14). "Surely the Lord will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). "Ye therefore, beloved, — know these things before" (2 Peter 3:17). But the natural man does not know nor understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. And the Holy Spirit will lead us into ALL truth if we are only willing to study, to meditate, to believe and to receive. Foreordained by God before the foundation of the world but manifest in the last days.

FORETOLD BY THE PROPHETS

The Seed of the woman, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15). "And when the fulness of time was come God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law" (Galatians 4:4). "The Angel Gabriel said to Mary, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). "And she being with child cried travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered — and she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron" (Revelation 12:3, 5). "And she brought forth her first born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manager: because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7). "This is the Lord's doing: it is marvelous in our eyes" (Psalms 118:23). Seed of the woman, Son of God, our Saviour. Unto you is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.

THE SEED OF ABRAHAM

"The Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and from they fathers's house, unto a land that I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great nation: and I will bless thee — and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3). "Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all of the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him" (Genesis 18:18). "The angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven — and said, By Myself have I sworn saith the Lord — that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore — and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 22:15-18). "And God remembered His holy promise and Abraham His servant" (Psalms 105:42). "He had said, My covenant with Abraham will I remember" (Leviticus 26:42). "Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad" (John 8:56).

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made ("and all the promises of God in Him, are yea, and in Him amen unto the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20). "God made a covenant with our fathers saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed" (Acts 3:25). "Saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ" (Galatians 3:16). "And we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that He by the grace of God should tasted death for every man — Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels: but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest — and make reconciliation for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:9-17).

"He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8). "He was made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). "Jesus Christ — the Son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1). "The scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Galatians 3:8).

THE LAMB

"Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I my son: and he said: Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My Son, God will provide Himself a Lamb for a burnt offering (Genesis 22:8). "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter: and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not His mouth" (Acts 8:32). "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). "Worthy is the Lamb" (Revelation 5:12). "And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain" (Revelation 5:6). Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem that He, the Lamb of God, might die upon Calvary's cross.

THE SEED OF ISAAC

"And God said unto Abraham — In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12). "I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him" (Genesis 17:19). "The Lord said unto Isaac, I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, — and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 26:4). "In Isaac shall thy seed be called (Romans 9:7). "Abraham offered up Isaac — of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Hebrews 11:18). Abraham had other sons but Isaac was the son of promise and through him the Lord Jesus came according to the flesh. Jesus Christ — the son of Abraham, Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob.

THE SEED OF JACOB

"Jacob went out from Beer-sheba — and he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night — and he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac — thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth — and in thy seed shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:12-14). "I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob" (Isaiah 65:9). "Thou, Israel, art my servant Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend" (Isaiah 41:8). "I bring near My righteousness: it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory" (Isaiah 46:13). "Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (Isaiah 49:3).

"Balaam the son of Beor said — I saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel" (Numbers 24:17). Here is the prophecy of the Gentile prophet to a Gentile king. And when the wise men came to worship Jesus Christ, they followed the star. "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacle, O Israel!" (Numbers 24:5). "Thus saith the Lord, I remember my covenant with Jacob" (Leviticus 26:42). "Israel then shall be upon a land of corn and wine: also his heavens shall drop down dew. Happy art thou, O Israel" (Deuteronomy 33:29). "God ruleth in Jacob unto the end of the earth — Selah" (Psalms 59:13). "The Lord hath chosen Jacob" (Psalms 135:4). "He hath remembered His covenant — which He made with Abraham and his oath unto Isaac: and confirmed the same unto Jacob" (Psalms 105:8-10). "Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old" (Micah 7:20).

Who are the fathers? Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. "The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — this is My name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (Exodus 3:15). This is the message that God sent to the Israelites by Moses. How they loved the memory of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!. "Who are the Israelites: to whom pertaineth — the glory, and the covenants — and the promises; whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever" (Romans 9:4-5). "Jesus Christ — the Son of Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Jacob and Jacob begat Judah" (Matthew 1:1,2). "Judah was the son of Jacob which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham" (Luke 3:34).

THE SEED OF JUDAH

"Judah thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise; thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies: thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stopped down, he crouched as a lion, and as an old lion: who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come: and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be" (Genesis 49:8-10). Shiloh means the sent One and the Lord Jesus Christ was sent from heaven to this earth that He might die for our sins and one day all men shall be gathered unto Him and then every knee will bow before Him. "God hath spoken in His holiness: I will rejoice — Judah is My lawgiver" (Psalms 60:7). "Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler" (1 Chronicles 5:2). "God chose the tribe of Judah, the Mount Zion which He loved" (Psalms 78:68). "In Judah is God known" (Psalms 76:1). And Jesus Christ came to reveal Himself and to make known His Father. And today in Christ is God known. "Judah was His sanctuary" (Psalms 114:2). "Judah — ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints" (Hosea 11:12). "Judah shall dwell forever and Jerusalem from generation to generation" (Joel 3:20). "I will strengthen the house of Judah" (Zechariah 10:6). "Then shall the offering of Judah — be pleased unto the Lord" (Malachi 3:4). "It is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah" (Hebrews 7:14).

And in the line of march through the wilderness it was the tribe of Judah that led the march and how we need the Lord Jesus Christ to go before us as we are walking through this world. "And one of the elders said to me, weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David hath prevailed to open the book" (Revelation 5:5).

Jacob had twelve sons and Joseph especially teaches us many things but it is his son, Judah that was chosen to be in the line of the descent of Christ and Judah means praise. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Him." Judah went down into Egypt with his father and died there. The Israelites stayed in Egypt many, many years and after much persecution and suffering they cried unto the Lord and He sent Moses to lead them out. For forty years they wandered in the wilderness and God wonderfully watched over them and provided for them and then they entered the promised land under Joshua. "The children of Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua and which had known all the works of the Lord, that He had done Israel" (Joshua 24:31).

Then came time of declination and suffering and slavery in the land because they had failed to obey the Lord and had not driven the idol worshippers out of the land. But when they would cry to God, He in His mercy, faithfulness and love would raise up a judge and deliver them. But every man did that which was right in his own eyes and what a sad time this was for Israel! It was during these dark and troublous times that Ruth and Boaz lived and through their son we continue the study of the line of Christ according to the flesh. The Bible gives each one that came in that line but we know so little of them that we are going to the next one in that line, Jesse. "Boaz begat Obed of Ruth and Obed begat Jesse" (Matthew 1:5).

THE SEED OF JESSE

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him — and in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people: to It shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious" (Isaiah 11:10). "He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground" (Isaiah 52:2). "In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious" (Isaiah 4:2). "THus saith the Lord of hosts: Behold I will bring forth My servant the Branch" (Zechariah 3:8). "Behold the man whose name is the BRANCE: — He shall grow up out of His place" (Zechariah 6:12). "Again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and He that shall rise up to reign over the Gentiles; In Him shall the Gentiles trust" (Romans 15:12). And Jesse is the father of David.

THE SEED OF DAVID

"Behold the days come saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth" (Jeremiah 23:5). "In these days and at that time will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David and He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land" (Jeremiah 33:15). "The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David: He will not turn from it: of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne" (Psalms 132:11). "I have made a covenant with My chosen I have sworn unto David My servant. Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah — Also I will make Him My first born, higher than the kings of the earth — His seed also will I make to endure forever and His throne as the days of heaven — Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David: His seed shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever and the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah" (Psalms 89:3-37).

"Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne" (Acts 2:29-30). "And the angel said to Mary who was of the house of David, Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33).

"Jesus Christ, our Lord — was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3). "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel" (2 Timothy 2:8). Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was "And the scriptures cannot be broken" (John 10:35). "And Jesus Himself said, I Jesus have sent mine angels to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David" (Revelation 22:16). Jesus was called the Son of David when He lived here on this earth, "O Lord, Thou Son of David" (Matthew 15:22). When Jesus asked the Pharisees, "What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? They say — The Son of David" (Matthew 22:42). He was also the

SON OF THE VIRGIN

"Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). "And when the fulness of time was come, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a VIRGIN espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the VIRGIN's name was Mary. — And the angel said unto her, Fear not Mary — Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name JESUS — The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:26-35). "The angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream and said, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph — took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her first born Son: and he called His name JESUS" (Matthew 1:20-25). Truly great is the mystery of Godliness: God manifest in the flesh. Christ was born of the VIRGIN, Mary. He humbled Himself and took upon Himself the seed of Abraham.

BORN IN THE CITY OF BETHLEHEM

"Thou, Bethlehem — Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). When the wise men came to worship Him and asked Herod where He was, Herod asked the priests and the scribes, who said, "In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophets. And thou Bethlehem,in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule My people Israel" (Matthew 2:5-6).

"Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judea, unto the city of David: to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife and — while they were there — she brought forth her first born son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 4:7). No room for Him who had come to seek and to save the lost: no room for Him who had created all things and in how many hearts today is there no room for the Lord Jesus Christ! Then angel announced this good news to the shepherds and they said, Let us go now even unto Bethlehem according to the scriptures.

UNTO YOU IS BORN A SAVIOUR. What does He mean to you? On the night of His birth the heavens were opened, the glory of the Lord shone through and His birth was announced by the angel and believed by the shepherds. They went to see for themselves. Have you seen Jesus? Then they went to tell the good news. How many people have you told about Jesus today? Simeon was waiting for His coming and the Holy Spirit revealed Him unto him and he rejoiced. Anna also saw and believed and told the good news. Are you rejoicing this Christmas because by faith you have seen Jesus who is the Christ and because you have received Him as your Saviour? Then if you are, won't you go and tell another of Him?

His birth was so important that it opened heaven to tell the good news unto men: it changed the lives of those who believed it; even wise men from the east came to worship Him and those like Herod who hated Him were destroyed.

Unto you is born a Saviour — What does it mean to you? "Unto us a child is born…and His name shall be called Wonderful."

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