December 14, 2011
Dr. Luke records the story of the angels announcing the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. It must have been a spectacular announcement because it scared the shepherds silly (I think it says they were ”sore afraid.” Have you ever been so scared that it hurts?). Besides the spectacle of the announcement, the amazing thing to me is what the shepherds did after they regained their composure. They said to each other, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass.” And they went.
It’s an amazing reaction to me, because of the way we normally treat such good news as that. They didn’t say, “Aw, you know there’s gonna be a crowd and we’ll probably have to stand in line for something this important.” They didn’t say, “Man, you know the people who own these sheep are gonna be mad if we go traipsin’ off to Bethlehem and leave their sheep out here on the hillside unguarded.” They didn’t say, “You know, if it’s that big a deal they won’t let us in to see it ’cause we’re not good enough to see such a thing – we smell bad and look worse.” They didn’t question or doubt the authenticity of the message or the authority of the messengers. They just dropped everything and went.
Even today, knowing what we know of this story from Luke, believing as we do that it is true, we have trouble doing the same thing. We go to a lot of trouble to shop for unique gifts, buy and send beautiful cards wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas,” and even spend hours decorating our homes for the season. But we so easily forget what the message says and dismiss our own part in it. We get so distracted that we forget to go to the manger and see the savior of the world. We allow the festivities to keep us away from the kind of humble, kneeling posture by which the shepherds accessed the good news for themselves. They went to the manger to witness firsthand the evidence of God’s love poured out for everyone. Thoughtful meditation, prayer, and other worship activities are our way of going to “see this thing that has come to pass.” In church, at home, on your way to the Christmas events, let you life be touched by the message God sends to the whole world. If you don’t go to the manger, God just wasted a great angelic concert.
Gary
