Thinking about the story of Christ’s birth while looking at the beautiful Nativity set in our church, I focused on an improbable group that came to that manger – the shepherds. Shepherds of that era do not really belong in such a scene, or do they? They were men who slept in the fields, who did not enjoy regular meals at home; theirs was a menial job. Tending sheep kept them from going to synagogue and observing the Judean ritual of Sabbath. They generally were not a ‘holy’ lot!
But there
they are, at a most holy moment. These men responded with faith to the angelic announcement of
the Messiah’s birth. "And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before
them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly
afraid. 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." (Luke 2:9-10,
NKJV)
"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." (Luke 2:15-16, NKJV)
That choice to leave their sheep and go to the manger brought that little group of ruffians into the Story of the ages.
Friend, are there those who have told you or implied that you are not worthy of God or His goodness? Does some memory of failure or rejection tempt you to conclude that you cannot really stand in the Presence of Jesus - too bad, too sinful, too old, too sick, too poor? Consider this. Another announcement and invitation recorded in the book of Acts extends an offer to us.
About 33
years after the events in Bethlehem, the Spirit was poured out in Jerusalem at
Pentecost, the birth of Christ’s Church. Peter preached a powerful message,
concluding with these words: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to
your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God
will call.” (Acts 2)
It is an invitation to us – those who “are afar off.”
How will YOU respond? People have lots of reasons (excuses) for not responding
to God’s invitation to come to Jesus. No one is “too anything” to be beyond His
love and grace.
Jesus Christ is’ good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’ Jesus found men, ordinary men fishermen, laborers, and said, “Come, follow Me.” They, too, dropped what they were doing. "At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:20, NIV) He changed them into spiritual giants who changed the world!
Are you a
captive of fear, believing the lie that God does not care about you?
Are you tangled in the troubles of life, convinced by circumstances that you
are outside of the circle of God’s grace?
Take the way
of the shepherds.
Come running!
Don’t stop at the Manger.
Continue to the Cross where love spilled forgiveness,
then move to the Empty Tomb that assures us of our final victory over sin,
death, and Hell.
The word
from the Word comes to us in the inspired work of Isaiah -
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no
money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without
cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the
richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I
will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to
David." (Isaiah 55:1-3, NIV)
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near."
(Isaiah 55:6, NIV)
Let faith make this the best Christmas ever, a discovery of life and Light found in the greatest Gift- Jesus Christ. Come and see!
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