12 Days of Christmas - The Real Story (day 6) - The Birthday
Luke 2:8-20
There were in the same area, some shepherds who were keeping their flocks. It was nighttime.1 Suddenly, a bright and shining light surrounded them! An angel had appeared right in front of them.2
The shock of this moment cannot be fully explained with words. There are very few moments in all of history that God has chosen to reveal the light of His glory, or that he has sent messengers in such a vivid and glorious way. Now that we are more familiar with the manger scene, perhaps we can see the importance of this message coming to the nearby shepherds.
The angel tells them not to be afraid because he brings them good tidings, or good news that is of great joy! He makes it clear that this news is not just for the shepherds, but that this news is for all people.3 These humble shepherds would be the first to know of the birth of the Messiah, but this message would not be just for them, but would be for all people. The message to them is the message to us: “..unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”4
These shepherds are not mentioned by name, and we don’t see or hear from them for the rest of the gospels. But the message must be told to them first. The Lamb of God has been born. The sign of His birth is that He was wrapped in swaddling cloth and laid in a manger. This sign would mean little to other people… why would the King of kings be born in a place made for animals?
The significance is lost on our generation as much as it would have been for the pharisees of that day. We imagine the glory of God as deserving great elegance and wealth, because we think of wealth as material, physical, or monetary wealth. But God did not reveal His glory to the priests, the kings, the wise men, or the scribes. He showed the light of His glory to the humble shepherds in the field, because they would be the ones to understand.
The magnificence of the moment is then amplified as a large number of angels join the first messenger to these shepherds and begin to praise God with the words “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”5
When the angels were gone, the shepherds talked with each other. Perhaps they pinched themselves to make sure it wasn’t a dream. If this was real, they wanted to see it! So, they said to each other, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass…”6
Having left their flocks on the hills nearby, the shepherds made their way down to the tower of the flock at Bethlehem. Upon entering the lamp-lit room at the base of the tower, they found Mary and Joseph, and there in the hay, in the place where many sacrificial lambs had been born was a little baby boy.
It’s hard to imagine the feelings and the thoughts that went through their minds at this moment. Here in front of them was the Savior of the world that would with one sacrifice pay the price for the sins of every person in all of history.
They wanted to go to this place, because they wanted to see. The news alone was not enough, they had to go and they had to see. Are we content with the news that God sent His son? Are we content with hearing the stories of the Bible and hearing that Jesus paid for our sins so that we can be saved? Or are we, like the shepherds near Bethlehem, motivated to go and see what God has done?
2:17 when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying that was told them… - they told everyone they knew! But who else would come to see Him?
Luk 2:8 KJV - And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9 KJV - And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10 KJV - And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11 KJV - For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:13 KJV - And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14 KJV - Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luk 2:15 KJV - And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.