The birth of Jesus: The most significant event in the history of Humankind!
History is divided into two time periods:
B.C. – before Jesus’ birth
A.D. – In the Year of our Lord
THE SHEPHERDS
It seems to me that God has never had much of a flair
for marketing. The biggest announcement since
“Let there be light”
takes place in some field, in the middle of the night,
in front of a few filthy men who were probably
doing the only job available to them.
What kind of a way is that to kick off the redemption of humanity?
Have you met the shepherds? I haven’t.
I’ve seen some pictures, perhaps spent a few minutes
with a PBS documentary (Shepherding: A Lost Art…).
I think we’ve got one of those Precious Moment Christmas
Tree ornaments that’s a shepherd, but I’ve never been
around a real one. I can imagine they’re
pretty regular folks with dirty boots.
But the shepherds in the field who first heard of Jesus’ birth
were not regular folks. They were regular outcasts.
To put it mildly, no one thought highly of shepherds.
The nature of their work meant that they were never able
to observe the religious rituals of the time, which meant they
were always “ceremonially unclean” (and you can bet they were
unclean in more ways that just ceremonially!).
Most decent folks would have preferred that the shepherds
just stay out on the hillside, out of sight, and out of mind.
And yet the shepherds are the first to hear the announcement.
~Rev. Dr. Wesley Eades
Jesus answered them,
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 5:31-32 (NIV)
What did the shepherds want for Christmas?
…to go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has made know to us.
Luke 2:15b
When they had seen him [Jesus], they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds said to them.
Luke 2:17-18 (NIV)
THE MAGI (THE WISE MEN)
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
Numbers 24:17a (NIV)
And going into the house they saw the child with Mary
his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.
Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11 (ESV)
What did the Magi want for Christmas?
To worship the Christ Child!
WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS?
I bring YOU good tidings of great joy…
For unto YOU is born this day…
And this shall be a sign to YOU…
YOU are the reason Jesus came into the world!