One of my family’s Christmas traditions is that my Dad reads about Jesus’ birth before we open any presents on Christmas Day. He usually reads Luke 1:26-2:39. I have written only about Jesus’ actual birth and the shepherd’s visit.
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the Baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
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 of the Lord 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 2:1-20
It is ironic that the angels appeared to the shepherds. I have heard that shepherds were one of the lowliest professions of that time period. They were not kings or aristocrats. They would not have any formal education so they probably could not read or write.
But God chose the shepherds as the first people to see Jesus, the Savior of the world. They would not have much to offer Him but their voices. Jesus did not come to save only Kings or the people would had money and power. Jesus continually sought out and helped the most unlikely candidates. He came for the people who will believe and follow Him.
It is also ironic that baby Jesus was put in a manger, a feeding trough for the animals. Jesus could have chosen to be born in a palace since God is His Father. He chose to spend the first night of His life in a feeding trough that probably smelled like the animals that ate out of it. The shepherds came and saw Jesus there in the manger.
The shepherds did the same thing. They did not wait but rushed off to see the baby. They could not wait to see the Savior who had been talked about long before any of them were born.
We need to pursue Jesus by spending time with Him (like the shepherds did so long ago). They “hurried off” to see Jesus. They were so looking forward to seeing their Savior that they did not take their time to change clothes or dress up. They went as they were and encountered the Living God, the Savior of the World. We need to pursue Him with as much passion!! Jesus did not care what they wore or how they smelled.
We need to tell others about Him as well. The shepherds praised God for the things that they had witnessed. They only had their voices since they did not have money or power.
