Luke 2:8-20
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Giving gifts, receiving gifts, sending gifts, buying gifts...we use the phrases at this time of the year often. We sent our gifts through the mail, ordered them on Amazon, had them shipped to our house, sent overseas, across the country...gifts moving seems very normal at this time of the year.
That first Christmas, the gift of God came without fanfare. Jesus was born to Mary in a manger stall...and no one but Joseph witnessed the birth - that is, until God decided he wanted some others to see what was happening.
Contact Herod's court?
Send an Angel to the Pharisees and High Priest?
Make sure the mayor knows?
Well, at least the Innkeeper and his wife can see?
No, it's to ordinary laborers...shepherds...
the minimum wage earners of the first century.
Jews who were drop outs,
not very smart,
couldn't figure out a better job,
poor
without a lot of training...
Shepherds who had the least "witness believability" of anyone in that society. Anyone else...a governing authority, a priest, a religious leader, a shop owner, or tradesman...would have had a hearing among the people of the area...but not Shepherds.
Nobodies...
We might as well hear the voice through the drive up loud speaker saying, "Do you want fries with that?"
You hear it, but you don't relate it to a person and you don't really care to know anything more about them.
Shepherds...WHY?
It hits me that two significant things are related by Luke:
1. Amazed, startled, even afraid, they are still willing to go and see.
Luke 2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
2. Even more important, they returned to their work...changed...willing to share the good news...entering into Heaven's hall of fame as the first human ones to declare Immanuel - God is with us.
Luke 2:17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
We don't need to have a PhD, be a Pastor, get a Seminary degree, have a Masters on the wall...or, if I might say so boldly, even graduate from High School...to be a person God can shows things to, and ask to tell them to the world around them.
You and I are people who have been Gifted...here's one place where it's quite fine to "Re-Gift".
Peace
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Giving gifts, receiving gifts, sending gifts, buying gifts...we use the phrases at this time of the year often. We sent our gifts through the mail, ordered them on Amazon, had them shipped to our house, sent overseas, across the country...gifts moving seems very normal at this time of the year.
That first Christmas, the gift of God came without fanfare. Jesus was born to Mary in a manger stall...and no one but Joseph witnessed the birth - that is, until God decided he wanted some others to see what was happening.
Contact Herod's court?
Send an Angel to the Pharisees and High Priest?
Make sure the mayor knows?
Well, at least the Innkeeper and his wife can see?
No, it's to ordinary laborers...shepherds...
the minimum wage earners of the first century.
Jews who were drop outs,
not very smart,
couldn't figure out a better job,
poor
without a lot of training...
Shepherds who had the least "witness believability" of anyone in that society. Anyone else...a governing authority, a priest, a religious leader, a shop owner, or tradesman...would have had a hearing among the people of the area...but not Shepherds.
Nobodies...
We might as well hear the voice through the drive up loud speaker saying, "Do you want fries with that?"
You hear it, but you don't relate it to a person and you don't really care to know anything more about them.
Shepherds...WHY?
It hits me that two significant things are related by Luke:
1. Amazed, startled, even afraid, they are still willing to go and see.
Luke 2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
2. Even more important, they returned to their work...changed...willing to share the good news...entering into Heaven's hall of fame as the first human ones to declare Immanuel - God is with us.
Luke 2:17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
We don't need to have a PhD, be a Pastor, get a Seminary degree, have a Masters on the wall...or, if I might say so boldly, even graduate from High School...to be a person God can shows things to, and ask to tell them to the world around them.
You and I are people who have been Gifted...here's one place where it's quite fine to "Re-Gift".
Peace
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