December
General Superintendent
Max Edwards
17, 2024
The Shepherds Were Willing
Luke the Apostle of Jesus wrote an extensive account of the events leading up to the birth of Christ. He opens with an emphasis on the announcements through the Angel Gabriel to Zechariah, and Mary, and then through Zechariah to others. In what we have as Luke’s second chapter, his attention turns to the day of Christ’s arrival. And I find it interesting that two-thirds of Luke’s words there are devoted to the story surrounding the Bethlehem shepherds:
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Why is their story so fascinating? Well, what I find most intriguing is that God chose to send the angel choir to a field full of shepherds rather than to the stable where the Christ child was. In a truly shocking display of trust in humanity, God delegated to common folk the opportunity and responsibility to share the good news that Christ had come!
And the shepherds did not fail in their witness. The gospel writer noted that these men made “WIDELY KNOWN” that Messiah had come. They were willing ambassadors. They did not offer a rebuttal, saying to God, “If you want this known, YOU announce it.” They did not reason that it’s best to leave controversial subjects alone, thinking it would be best to let people find out for themselves. They did not shrink from the responsibility, choosing to share the news with only a select few.
NO. They were willing. Just like Jesus … just like Mary and Joseph … just like Zacharias and Elizabeth. They stepped up to the moment and declared that God had come in human form to love us and redeem us. The Shepherds heard, experienced, and shared. We too have heard, and experienced. What next?