So there I was sitting and watching these sheep. Yes, I know...Mom's REAL proud that her son went off and travelled the world spending his inheritance only to come back and have to settle for a job sitting outside in the cold protecting these sheep from jackals and lions with nothing but a stick. Real proud...but HEY! Times are tough!! A man has to work wherever he can and this is honest enough pay!
Only this day, I had drawn the short straw and had to work the night shift!! UGH!!! Why couldn't I had become a shepherd in some other part of the world?? But no...I had to choose an area where we keep the creatures outside 24/7...even in the cold months like these...even at night!! Ugh!!
Oh...and as if it were not bad enough...these were not the well trained sheep we normally cared for...the ones that were many years old and used to the day in and day out of sheep life. No...as the new shepherd in the field I had to watch over these new lambs...the ones being raised specifically for the upcoming passover!! Crazy little things...running all over the place in the dead of night!!
So there I sat with my other fellow "short straw" compadres, complaining about our lots in life and feeling about as helpless as we could feel. When...
BOOM!!! The brightest light I had ever seen suddenly appeared and scared the crap out of me !! I nearly broke my neck trying to get over the other shepherds and run away...sheep flying everywhere!!
Then in the light came the most beautiful sight any of us had ever beheld and we knew...somehow we just knew...that the Angel of the Lord was upon us saying "Don't be afraid. I bring you great news of tremendous joy for ALL people! A Saviour has been born and you will find Him in a manger in the city of David!"
Just then the angel was joined in by a chorus of Heavenly voices!! Then the beautiful sight was matched in their song as they sang of God's Glory, Whirled Peas, and Good Will Hunting. The angel left as quickly as it had come and we all began to discuss what had happened.
Luckily I was set straight on the angels message rather quickly....it was God's Glory, World Peace, and Good Will Towards Men!! Which makes much more sense, because whirled peas are nasty and while Good Will Hunting was a great movie, let's face it...Matt Damon carries Affleck in every movie they do...I mean, I understand friendship, but the guy is just bringing you down Matt!!
Anyway...so there we sat in silent night rather shocked and awe inspired!! Needless to say we all immediately left for nearby Bethlehem to see our new King!! On the way, there were various discussions.
"A manger??" one asked incredulously. "Our new king and savior is in a manger...surrounded by cows and chickens and pigs and sheep?? Would not the grandest palace in Jerusalem be more suitable??"
"Why swaddling clothes?" another asked "He is our king!! He deserves the garments of royalty like that of Herod!!"
"Are we there yet?" asked one of the children...
The question I had I dared not speak aloud...Why us?? Why come and tell us lowly shepherds?? Should not this news be heralded throughout the kings palaces and the mighty synagogues of Jerusalem??? We are nothing but shepherds with no status and no riches...
As we approached the manger it was just as the angel had said! There lay precious 8lb 3oz baby Jesus in swaddling clothes amongst the animals of the land. What a sight to behold!! We told Mary and Joseph of the angel that had come to us!! Excitement raced through each of us as we knelt before our king and one by one left to tell all who would listen of the birth of the Savior, Jesus!!
And thus the story I am telling to you now!! I have seen our Savior lying in the manger...just as the angels told me!! I know that He has been born!! Tell all who will hear this story you have heard from me today...For Jesus Christ is born!!!!!
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." -Luke 2:8-20
I have three points I'd like to share from this scripture:
1 - The angel said "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.". The angel did not say that the good news was for those that believed a certain way....or for those that just believed!! He said that the good news was for ALL people!! I cannot stress that enough: ALL PEOPLE...regardless of their beliefs, attitudes, pasts, or even their spellings of Christmas!!
2 - God chose to reveal the birth of Jesus to shepherds for a fantastic reason. They weren't just the closest group of folks He could find so "they'd do"...He chose shepherds specifically!! They were the "every day working man" of the Bible!! The most humble of social status, yet many great leaders had come from herding sheep (Amos, Moses, David, etc). Jesus came to save EVERYONE and that is evident in the fact that His birth was revealed first to the shepherds and not in the palaces!
3 - These shepherds were the first true disciples!! They met Jesus and then went out and told everyone about Him!! It's truly is THAT SIMPLE!!
The one thing I have to say that I personally regret from this (my first true) Christmas...is that I have not told enough people about Jesus!! I mean...it is the absolute BEST time of the year to tell people about Jesus Christ!! We are surrounded by it everywhere, giving us the perfect setting...the perfect opening line...the perfect topic...it is the PERFECT time of year to witness...Just as those shepherds did immediately following their visit to Bethlehem!! Have we done the same??
Merry Christmas everyone!! Thank you for reading the stories!!
Remember: Love your neighbor as yourself. :)
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