Thank You Shepherds
The Shepherds and the Angels
"And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Just then, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, 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 us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 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 they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them." Luke 2:8-20
This is now the 11th message of thanksgiving* which is also an Advent Series.
The passage above is familiar to many people for over 50 years, because every December, these verses are the same ones spoken by Linus in that one Charlie Brown Christmas Special that airs on TV.
Shepherds
What some people might miss is that it was these unnamed simple shepherds who were the first to proclaim the coming (advent) of the Savior King, the arrival even, for they saw it with their own eyes.
Praise
It is also these shepherds, to whom the gospel (the good news) was first proclaimed to. And they in turn were the first to tell others. What a blessing that is. The passage tells us that they glorified and praised God as they spread the word out.
Thanksgiving & Christmas in One
So it is not uncommon that we started this series of messages as a Thanksgiving Series* and it has become about the Story of Christmas. This is the Reason for the Season -- the Christmas Season, the arrival of the baby prophesied for hundreds of years before the baby was to be born -- the Word becoming flesh.
An attitude of thanksgiving and praise and telling others of this story is the appropriate response. Thank you shepherds for showing us how.
Merry Christmas!
*Giving Thanks Series:
Giving Thanks
Thank You Theo
Thank You John
Thank You Mary, Mother of Jesus
Thank You Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Teachers of the Law
Thank You Zach
Living a Life of Thanksgiving
Thank You 1 of 10
Footnote: As we have read, the Christmas story involves Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, angels and the shepherds. There are no three Kings or even the Magi as that would be a separate incident, you could read that narrative on Matthew 2:1-12.
"And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Just then, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, 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 us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 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 they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them." Luke 2:8-20
This is now the 11th message of thanksgiving* which is also an Advent Series.
The passage above is familiar to many people for over 50 years, because every December, these verses are the same ones spoken by Linus in that one Charlie Brown Christmas Special that airs on TV.
Shepherds
What some people might miss is that it was these unnamed simple shepherds who were the first to proclaim the coming (advent) of the Savior King, the arrival even, for they saw it with their own eyes.
Praise
It is also these shepherds, to whom the gospel (the good news) was first proclaimed to. And they in turn were the first to tell others. What a blessing that is. The passage tells us that they glorified and praised God as they spread the word out.
Thanksgiving & Christmas in One
So it is not uncommon that we started this series of messages as a Thanksgiving Series* and it has become about the Story of Christmas. This is the Reason for the Season -- the Christmas Season, the arrival of the baby prophesied for hundreds of years before the baby was to be born -- the Word becoming flesh.
An attitude of thanksgiving and praise and telling others of this story is the appropriate response. Thank you shepherds for showing us how.
Merry Christmas!
*Giving Thanks Series:
Giving Thanks
Thank You Theo
Thank You John
Thank You Mary, Mother of Jesus
Thank You Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Teachers of the Law
Thank You Zach
Living a Life of Thanksgiving
Thank You 1 of 10
Footnote: As we have read, the Christmas story involves Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, angels and the shepherds. There are no three Kings or even the Magi as that would be a separate incident, you could read that narrative on Matthew 2:1-12.
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