So there are kind of two scenes with the shepherds.
Scene 1: They encounter the heavenly messengers who simply tell them about the Christ child. But they haven’t seen a thing yet. So, in their words, they seek to confirm what they’d been told. And so they did.
Scene 2 - They went and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby. If you’ve ever been in the hospital after the birth of your child, you know there’s somewhat of a revolving door of strangers coming in and out of your room. You’re exhausted, bewildered at what’s just happened, and really mostly just want to get home. Of course, Mary’s experience wasn’t like this, but what would it have been like to have a bunch of shepherds show up?
So the shepherds become the first human evangelists for Jesus Christ, reporting what they’d seen about him to others who were, in turn, amazed.
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I don’t know what the birth of Jesus specifically means for you this year. But I pray for continued meaning and inspiration to live accordingly.
Merry Christmas!
Luke 2:15-20
When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.
Isaiah 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of a messenger who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God rules!”
Listen! Your lookouts lift their voice; they sing out together! Right before their eyes they see the Lord returning to Zion.
Break into song together, you ruins of Jerusalem! The Lord has comforted his people and has redeemed Jerusalem.The Lord has bared his holy arm in view of all the nations; all the ends of the earth have seen our God’s victory.
Prayer1
God,
You have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a young woman full of grace & humility: Grant that we, who have been born from above and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever.
Amen.
Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year Jeremy!