The Shepherds Visit and Rejoice!
Luke 2:15-20
Thursday— December 29th
What a night those shepherds had! The angel ' s announcement. The angelic choir. The sprint to the stable. The wonder and the worship. The baby in his strips-of-cloth for a blanket lying there in the manger. Then what? A slow stride back to the fields of Bethlehem? A silent walk as they returned to their work? Anything but, right? When [ the shepherds ] had seen the child, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Without any formal training the shepherds were talking and telling, communicating and conveying, preaching and proclaiming. The shepherds didn’ t just stand there and ask all sorts of questions of Mary and Joseph. They didn’ t bicker and balk at the innkeeper who had no room in the inn for a pregnant woman. They didn’ t decide to hurry off back to the sheep.
Instead, as the angels had broken the silence of their night, those shepherds broke the silence of other people’ s night. Those simple, uneducated shepherds became the first missionaries. They didn ' t need years of study. They didn ' t need to know every prophecy and fulfillment of Scripture. They simply shared what they knew- A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. God came to save us, rescue us, from what we deserve because of our sin.
Maybe you have a friend or relative who thinks, " Why bother with this stuff about God? I’ ve been hit hard, still trying to recover from the Hurricane. My husband is sick. My income is slashed. Conflicts are going to carry over into the New Year. I’ m left dazed by the drastic and unforeseen turns that life has taken.”
You have a message to share. Spread the Word concerning what has been told you about this child. It’ s a message of a Savior given through whom sins are forgiven, heaven is open and peace is given. It is a message that goes with you into a New Year, return to work, or walk back into the classroom. It ' s a message for you to share as you reenter those situations and settings where you run smack dab into anxiousness or anger, exhaustion or emptiness, lingering sickness or upcoming surgery, guilt or grief, frustration or finances. Take the message with you and watch how the Savior born for you walks through all of it with you.
PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, like the shepherds, help me to use every opportunity you give me to share you with others. Amen.
ACTIVITY:
The shepherds told everyone the good news about Jesus. Go around the table and tell one piece of good news about Jesus.
42