Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, poetically expressed his joy about God’s salvation when the son God promised to him and his wife in their old age was born. But, like most Israelites at the time, he still saw the gift of a savior as release from “our enemies.” A different vision of the meaning of “savior” began to emerge when the baby the angel told the shepherds about didn’t appear to be much of a threat to the Roman occupiers of Palestine.

• Zechariah said, according to Luke, “[God] has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house, just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago. He has brought salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us.” Does that sound like an accurate description of a baby born in a stable to a poor young couple? In what ways was it inaccurate? In what ways was it accurate?
• The angel’s announcement to the shepherds included both Jesus’ royal titles, which we studied last week (Christ, the Lord), and the title “savior” made personal (“your savior”). How might those night-shift shepherds have understood the angel declaring such august titles to them? In what ways have you made Jesus, not just savior, but “your savior”?