Luke 2:10-12 “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. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’”
Imagine you are a shepherd in ancient Israel: Your job is mundane, dirty, and maybe even a little frightening. You’re out in the wilderness, away from town, and the only light you see at night comes from the fire around which you are huddled and the moon hanging overhead. With that small field of vision, you’re supposed to not only keep track of your sheep, but also protect them from attack.
Suddenly, a supernatural brightness—“the glory of the Lord”—blinds your eyes, and there’s somebody there, unlike anything you’ve seen before. Perhaps you immediately realize that it’s the angel of the Lord, or maybe you are so consumed with confusion that it takes a minute to sink in that this being is from the heavenly realm. Either way, you’re so awe-struck that the angel’s first words are, “Do not be afraid.”
“Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
The first people who were given this great news was lowly shepherds, not Jewish leaders. The first thing they did was go straight to Bethlehem to see. They hurried to Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus. They reported the message proclaimed to them by the angels. The shepherds returned to the flock and were glorifying and praising God.
We celebrate Jesus Christs’ birth today. Let it be in remembrance of the gift of God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Let us glorify and praise God in our tradition of gift exchange.
