Read Luke 2
As Luke begins Chapter 2 of his Gospel, he reminds us that God has been at work throughout all of history. The Old Testament prophets told us that the Messiah would be born in the small city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). However, Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, a somewhat obscure place in Northern Israel, some 80 to 90 miles from Bethlehem. Joseph was a simple carpenter, so the odds of him traveling to Bethlehem on his own were slim to none. Yet, God used the governing authorities to fulfill His prophecy given over 700 years before the birth of Christ.
Then, God surprises us again with the announcement of Jesus’ birth. No matter how many times I read the story, I’m still drawn to the account of the shepherds. Of all the people in the world—rich, powerful, and famous—why did God choose smelly, uncultured shepherds to announce the birth of the Messiah? I don’t know His reasoning, but I think their reaction to the angels’ announcement confirms that He made the right choice.
The shepherds not only believed what the angels told them, but they immediately decided to see this great blessing for themselves. Then, after they had found the baby just as the angels said, they began to spread the word that the Messiah had been born. What a privilege it was to be the first human beings to proclaim that the long-awaited Savior had been born!
So, what do we learn from this account of the birth of our Savior?
- As our world seems to spin out of control at times, we can take comfort in knowing that our God is still in control. He is still orchestrating all of history towards that great day when Christ will return to claim His bride. What a glorious day that will be!
- God not only moves and communicates in unexpected ways, but He also uses unexpected people to spread His message. Would we have chosen the shepherds to announce the birth of the Messiah? Probably not, but why? Possibly because we wouldn’t consider them good enough to make such a world-changing announcement. However, that’s part of the goodness of our God. His message of salvation is for everyone, from the very lowest to the highest. He doesn’t judge by the outward appearance; He looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). By using the shepherds—outcasts of society—God reminds us that He is concerned only with our souls. Our position, our power, our prestige is immaterial to Him. “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11 NIV84). God calls each one of us, from the lowest to the highest, to be His child. It’s up to us as to how we will answer the call.
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