December 23, 2011

What do you see at Christmas? Part 4

We continue today with a look at the shepherds.  I would say that they are one of my most favorites in the cast of Christmas characters.

The Shepherds – Do you see smelly men who spend all their time watching sheep – Or do you see the lowliest of people in Jewish time being honored by God with an angel choir, announcing the Savior’s birth.  Shepherds at this time of the story were looked down upon by others.  We must remember that ALL men and women are worthy of receiving Jesus and His salvation.  No one is too big or too small, no one is to rich or too poor too come to Jesus.  The shepherds are an example to me on how I must respond to seeing Jesus.  After the angels announced Christ’s birth the shepherds said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord told us about” (Luke 2:15).  The Bible goes on to say in verse 16, “They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby.”  When we hear the Good News our response must be to hurry and find Him.  After the shepherds had seen Jesus in the manger just as the angels had said the Bible tells us they told everyone.  And everyone was amazed at what the shepherds said.  When we find Jesus, just like the shepherds, there should be such joy that fills our hearts, that we become like the shepherds, we return, “glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:19-20)  Is your heart filled with joy this morning because you have seen Jesus?
Is the joy you had when you first saw Jesus and accepted Him still as bright today as it was then?  If not,  this Christmas season is the perfect time to rekindle that fire!  During this Christmas season let's be like the Shepherds and "glorify and praise God" for all that we have heard and seen.

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