Angels and Shepherds

Chuckle: "Little Tommy was tired of the long Sunday sermon. After much squirming around, he finally whispered, 'Ma, If we give him the money now, will he let us out?' "

Quote: "Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from (within) it. He did not evolve out of history; He came into history from the outside." --Oswald Chambers

                                                

"That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened. But the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!' Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God: 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors' " (Luke 2:8-14 NLT).

It's interesting that God would first reveal the birth of his Son to those one would least expect. The shepherds are not identified specifically, but they could have been those that provided lambs for Temple sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. Speaking of lambs, John the Baptist later would identify Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the whole world forever (John 1:36).

At the announcement of Jesus' birth, the shepherds were scared out of their wits, but their fear soon turned to joy as the angels announced the Messiah's birth. The greatest event in history had just happened! For ages the Jews had waited for this, and when it finally happened, the announcement came to humble shepherds. This reminds me that before Jesus can come into our lives as Savior, we must first humble ourselves before him and see ourselves as spiritually destitute. You don't need any special qualifications -- He accepts you as you are if you turn to him by faith.

The word, "Savior," used by the angels to describe Jesus is an extension of the Old Testament idea of God saving and delivering His people. Salvation through Jesus Christ is applicable to all areas of life -- physical and spiritual. To call Jesus Savior is to relate to him as God because only God can "save."

The angels welcomed the birth of Jesus with praise to God and a blessing calling for peace to all those who accept the gift of salvation through God's grace. True and lasting peace can never be found other than in the person of Jesus Christ as a gift of God. It can never be the result of human intentions and actions. God ushered in true peace by sending Jesus to be born of Mary there in Bethlehem. We can be instruments of his peace this Christmas by sharing his love with others.

Love, Jerry & Dotse