“And the angel said to them, “Fear not; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”” – Luke 2:10-11 

Scripture reading: Isaiah 45:20-25

The angel proclaims the birth of “a Savior.” If you ask people, “What do you need to be saved from?” they might say, “From cancer, mounting debt, addiction, a toxic person, depression and anxiety, high taxes, corrupt government, crippling grief, bad habits, lust, anger,” et cetera.

Our Savior Jesus will save His people from all these things and more. Above all, however, we need a Savior to save us from our sin – our guilty, corrupt condition and God’s judgment against it.

We need Jesus to save us from the guilt of sin. Jesus, our Substitute, lived the life we should have lived, and died the death we deserved to die, to remove our sin and God’s anger against it. When we confess our sin and cry out for mercy, God forgives us and justifies us.

We need Jesus to save us from the power of sin. Paul cries out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25a).

We need Jesus to save us from the misery of sin – all the miseries that entered this world because of sin, including death itself. All who belong to Christ by faith have this hope: He will return to make all things new. He will wipe the tears from every eye and all the miseries that cause them.

“You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21b).

Suggestions for prayer

Thank God for the gift of Jesus our Savior and all that He saves us from. Pray that He will save you and others from the guilt, power and miseries of sin.

Rev. Richard Zekveld is the pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church (PCA) in South Holland, Illinois, a Chicagoland suburb. Rev. Zekveld, his wife Nancy, and their five children have lived in the community of South Holland for seventeen years. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.