Shepherds hasten to his throne8/25/2023 ![]() She was declared to be “highly favored” and “blessed” among women. We would do a great deal toward making the reality of Christmas an ongoing part of our lives if we were more careful not to let it all slip away once the holiday was over but if instead we-like Mary-“kept” it and “pondered” it in our hearts more often.īut Mary’s circumstance was utterly unique from ours-something that was one-of-a-kind, and that could never again be repeated. What a great example she was of how to preserve Christmas. And we could spend the whole morning just thinking of Mary’s response alone. ![]() Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them (Luke 2:8-20).ĭo you notice how Mary responded? We’re told that she “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart”. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:Īnd on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Let’s consider once again the story of the shepherds who first heard the news of the birth of the Savior into the world. ![]() Let’s go back on this ‘day-after-Christmas’ Sunday and read the story again of what happened after Jesus was born in Bethlehem. That makes them the perfect ones to represent how best to respond to the Christmas story because they were of such a humble class of people that they would include every other class of human being in their scope. In fact, back in ancient times, they were considered just a step or two below ‘common’. ![]() There was nothing exalted or sophisticated about a shepherd. I believe that, on God’s part, that was intentional. Now I love it that it was shepherds-of all people-who were the first ones to hear the birth announcement of the Savior. I suggest to you that the best way to do that is by celebrating like a shepherd. So then how should we keep on celebrating the birth of Jesus? How can we make the significance of it a reality that we bring with us continually going forward? That’s the greatest news in all of history! And we ought to be bringing that truth with us into the work-a-day tasks of life throughout the coming new year allowing it to permanently impact every single day, and changing every aspect of how we think and live and respond to the challenges of life. The Word of God has become flesh and has dwelt among us as our Savior. But the significance of it, for us, is to be an ongoing thing. Certainly, the traditional activities of the holiday are over. But as followers of Jesus, there’s a sense in which we can never consider Christmas to be a thing that comes to an end. Many people will have considered Christmas to be over and done by now. And that makes it a very good day to keep the true message of Christmas before us-while it’s still fresh in our hearts and minds. In the providence of God, we have gathered for worship on the very next day after Christmas. I don’t know about you but it still feels far too close to Christmas to bring the holiday to an official end.
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