The First Messengers

 

The Shepherds were the first to hear and the first to announce to the world that the Messiah had been born.  How like God to choose men who were considered “lower class” to most of the Jewish world, men who spent more time with animals than people, men who probably smelled.  Once more God reminded us that He doesn’t care about power or position.  He cares about the heart, and these men were ready to receive and celebrate the birth of their King! 

This is an account of how the night might have appeared to the Shepherds.

It was a clear, cool evening the night it happened. There was a gentle wind blowing from the East.  The lambs seemed to sense that something was about to happen as they were unusually restless.  Sheep generally settle down at night and seldom move or make a sound after dark.  That night was different.  Several sheep were up moving around and the Shepherds, especially the older ones who had done this duty more times than they could count, were amazed at how unsettled the sheep were. 

Suddenly, the night sky was filled with a bright light.  It was almost like a cloud that was on fire.  When the voice spoke from Heaven, the Shepherds went to their knees, partially out of reverence but more likely out of fear.  They were terrified!  Then, the Angel said: “Do not be afraid!  I bring you good news!”  At that moment, they probably wondered “what could possibly be good news? We are out here in the fields, tending sheep that are going to be sacrificed in the days ahead, and now, we have seen God’s glory, so we are surely going to die with the sheep!”

But the angel went on to tell them the good news.  The long-awaited Messiah had been born that night!  The shepherds, like any good Jews, knew the prophecies that a King would come who would save His people.  But what could the Angel mean when he said, “a Savior has been born to you”?  Kings don’t come as babies; they come riding on horses, leading a group of soldiers.  How could a baby possibly stand up against the power of the Roman army?  Besides, they had been waiting hundreds of years, so what made that night different?

But then, the Angel said something that only the Shepherds could completely understand.  He said “This will be a sign to you.  You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” The shepherds knew about swaddling clothes and mangers.  They wrapped the newborn lambs in swaddling cloth and laid them in the birthing trough to keep them from injuring themselves.  Only lambs without blemishes were acceptable for the Temple sacrifices.  This baby, born that night as the Savior for His people, would be the perfect, unblemished sacrifice, once and for all!

Before they could completely comprehend all that the Angel had said, there was a whole multitude of Angels, singing the most beautiful song of all time, praising God, and announcing the peace that only the Savior could bring.  The Shepherds were speechless.

Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the Angels were gone, and the night sky was silent.  Finally, the sheep were quiet, resting comfortably.  It was apparent that even the animals had known that this was a special night!

The Shepherds didn’t hesitate.  They knew that this was a message that they had to share.  They immediately went to Bethlehem and found the baby just as the angels said.  This was a message too good to keep to themselves, so as they left the manger that night, they spread the Good News to everyone they met.

In this Christmas season, with its hustle and bustle, when was the last time that you took the time to focus on God’s gift that night so long ago?  When was the last time that you were excited enough about the Messiah’s birth that you shared it with others?

May we each have the excitement of the Shepherds, hurrying to share the Good News: “Christ, the Savior is born!”

Luke 2: 17