"Can I Get a Witness?" from Luke 2

Luke 2 contains some of the most memorable sections in all of the Bible. The birth narrative of Jesus is familiar even to those who know very little of the content of the Bible. In my reading of this chapter, two themes jumped out at me.

First, a number of different people (or creatures) gave testimony to confirm the identity of Jesus Christ.

1. Angels (verses 10-11). They said to the shepherds, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

2. Shepherds (verses 17-18,20). After the shepherd saw Jesus, they "spread the word concerning" what they had seen and whom they had met.

3. Mary - "But Mary treasured up all these things in her heart" (verse 19).

4. Simeon (verses 28-32). The Holy Spirit had promised him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When he saw Jesus at the temple with His parents, he saw the Messiah.

5. Anna the prophetess (verses 36-38).

6. Jesus Himself (verse 49). When Joseph and Mary found Him in the temple, He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in My Father's house?"

Second, what, or who, did all these witnesses reveal Jesus Christ to be?

First, He is revealed to be the Savior.
The angels proclaimed it best when they said, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you" (verse 11). He is God's "salvation" according to Simeon in verses 30 and 31. Anna says He is "the redemption of Jerusalem" in verse 38.

Next, He is revealed to be the Lord.
Once again, the angels announce to the shepherds that the newborn Jesus is "the Lord" in verse 11.

Finally, He is revealed to be the Son.
Jesus said that He "had to be in my Father's house" (verse 49). Of course, the Father He's speaking of is God the Father, whose "house" was the temple in Jerusalem.

The Gospel of Luke (and all of the Bible for that matter) points us to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's especially true in the Gospels. Whatever else we may find there, and however interesting it may be, it's all about Him ultimately.

Jesus is Savior, Lord, and Son of the Father. He was then and He is now! Praise God!