Greetings and Merry Christmas,
When reading of the birth of Jesus, I am always intrigued
no matter how many times I read it on the humble beginnings
of His birth. Christ left His royal throne above and came as
a gift to us in human form right down to human birth. From
royalty in heaven to a lowly birth in a manger were indeed
humble beginnings. But, it was not just Jesus' lowly beginnings
that were intriguing, it was the folks who had the privilege of
first receiving the news Jesus' birth. The story is in Luke
chapter two verses eight through twenty:
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out
in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And
behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the
glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were greatly
afraid. 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 a
sign to you; You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling
cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest,
And peace on earth, goodwill toward men!"
So it was when the angels had gone away from them into
heaven that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us
now go and see this thing that has come to pass, which the
Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste
and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the
saying which was told them concerning the Child. And all
those who heard marveled at those things which were told
them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and
pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had
heard and seen, as it was told them.
Who were the people who first heard of Christ's birth? They
were shepherds. Christ's humble birth was also told to humble
people. I also note that other folks marveled at what the
shepherds had just told them.
I thought a lot about the shepherds and the news they spread
to others and that the Lord would choose to first tell of Jesus'
birth to lowly shepherds. The shepherds received God's special
grace for He knew they would receive the news with joy. The
people whom the shepherds told instead laughed about it.
But I believe also another reason God told Jesus' birth to the
shepherds; because I believe the shepherds symbolize Christ,
and what I mean by that is Christ is considered the Good
Shepherd who watches over His flock (those who accepted
Him as Savior) and guides them, much like a shepherd does
with his sheep. Like a good shepherd who seeks and saves
a lost sheep, Jesus too came to seek and save those who were
lost (people who do not know Christ).
I believe common folk are the people God mostly chooses to
do His work because common folk are less likely to be distracted
by things of the world and that a humble way of life draws people
to faith in God.
I know I was no man of nobility or high status when I was saved
and still not to this very day. But the Lord is of nobility and high
status and it is Him I rely on.
Have a blessed Christmas.
