Good News Today

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  Luke 2:8

You can hardly imagine what it was like for the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the vicinity of Bethlehem many years ago.  To them it was just another night.  The routine must have been fully ingrained.  Watch the flock, eat, and sleep.  Arise to a new day, watch the flock, eat, and sleep.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.

As they were beginning another night with their flock, the routine was shattered.  You have to believe that they were never able to take their lives so much for granted again!

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  Luke 2:9

The glory of this heavenly messenger struck them down.  If the messenger can cause such awe, it is beyond comprehension what it will be like to be in the presence of the Lord Himself!  The amazing thing is that this angel came to reveal to them that God was even now preparing the way for us to come into His presence.

 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

What an announcement!  Everything provided that fallen man needs; a Savior who is the long awaited Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), and who is the Lord Himself.  What a blessed night.  Isn’t it amazing that this glorious announcement wasn’t made in the palaces of kings, but was made to simple shepherds who were simply working to survive.  God always loves to exalt the simple to confound the wise.

To confirm the word of this angel, God provided two signs.  First, when they got into Bethlehem they would find this amazing baby lying in a manger, not exactly the place where you would expect to find any baby, let alone the King of the Universe.  Secondly, even as they were trying to digest what was happening and being told to them, the testimony of this lone angel was confirmed by the testimonies of a multitude of heavenly beings.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13-14

Praise be to God for His good will to men, making peace through the blood of the cross of His Son.  O glorious night when Jesus stepped into history to begin this redemption. A night in which the angels sang: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  May all His people sing His praises as well!