The angel says of the baby Jesus, “He is Christ (Messiah) the Lord.” Christ the Lord renders a Greek expression found nowhere else in the New Testament. It literally can be translated, “Christ Lord”. Perhaps we should understand it as “Christ and Lord”. Acts 2:36 records Peter saying to the crowd on the day of Pentecost, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:5 records Paul saying of his evangelistic mission, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
In Philippians 2:10-11, Paul includes the early Christian song’s lyrics, “…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ” (Tyndale New Testament Commentary, Luke). I have more to say about Jesus being called Lord in the commentary found at www.FreeBibleStudyHelp.com in this passage. The point is, in saying, “He is Christ the Lord” the angel is calling Jesus the God of Israel.
Do I live knowing and believing God is Lord? Do I trust in his provision? Do I trust in his love? Do I obey his commands like the Great Commission, love my neighbors, and pray for my enemies? Do I live for his glory or my entertainment? Do I trust him in every aspect, or do I grumble like the Israelites did when the Lord took them out of Egypt?
