“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
Imagine the bucolic scene of the shepherds watching their flocks at night. I´m sure they were expecting a quiet, even boring night. Then suddenly, the night is broken by light and an angel appears, telling them that the Messiah has come, that the Savior is born! And then, a choir of angels joins to give an anthem of praise.
Have you ever wondered why an angel delivered this message to shepherds instead of breaking the news to priests or scribes, to someone more “important”? I love how Warren Wiersbe answers this question in his book “Be Compassionate:”
“By visiting the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God toward mankind. Shepherds were really outcasts in Israel. He calls the poor and the lowly (Luke 1:51–53; 1 Cor. 1:26–29).
The Messiah came to be both the Good Shepherd (John 10) and the Lamb of God sacrificed for the sins of the world (John 1:29). Perhaps these shepherds were caring for the flocks that would provide sacrifices for the temple services. It was fitting that the good news about God’s Shepherd and Lamb be given first to humble shepherds.”
The angel interrupted the shepherds’ night just like one blessed and wonderful day interrupted my life. When the news of great joy was revealed to me, my life was forever changed. It is my prayer that I never forget my first love, that time of wonder when I first met my Savior, my Lord.
Dear God, help me to never get used to the news of Your Son coming as a baby to save the whole world. Please, Father, continue to interrupt my life and make it exceptional, not because of who I am, but because of who You are. Amen.
You can Google search and find that these were not just any old shepherds. They were specially-trained shepherds guarding flocks of sheep specifically bred for use in Temple sacrifices. The lambs were even wrapped in swaddling cloths! I encourage you to do the search. There is so much significance in this scene that we are missing out on. There is no “coincidence” with God. Everything has a purpose.
Jesus birth as a human baby has been especially relevant to me this year with the birth of a new baby grandson two days ago. My brain keeps coming up with thought provoking and probing questions. Great for the awareness of the reality of how and why Jesus came. Merry Christmas to all!