Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 15: Read Luke 2:8-12

Shepherds Hear About Jesus

Luke 2:8-12 recounts how shepherds were told about the birth of Jesus. The night of Jesus' birth there were shepherds in a nearby field that were watching sheep. An angel of the Lord came to them in the field and stood before them. The glory of the Lord was surrounding them, which made them frightened. The angel told the shepherds not to be frightened because he was bringing them good news, "Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord." The angel told the shepherds that they would know it was Jesus because they would find him wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feed box. 

Jesus' birth could have been announced to kings or priests, yet instead it was announced to shepherds. Announcing His birth to a king may have caused His destruction, as we saw when the wise men told King Herod about the star they were seeking; while telling the priests would have been met with much speculation, as we can see in Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees during His 3 year ministry. Wise men were already seeking a star that they believed would show them the place of the Savior and so did not need an announcement. However, the shepherds or common people were the ones who most needed a Savior. The shepherds were not rich, but their hearts were humble and ready for a Savior. Again, we see that humbleness is rewarded. 

The shepherds are told exactly how they will find the baby in order that they would know it was Him.  This is important because Jesus wouldn't have been the only baby born in Bethlehem and the humbleness of His birth would have led people to conclude He wasn't their Savior. Again, the specific information given is crucial to verifying the authenticity of the news the people are receiving. The shepherds can confirm it was truly good news and this was their Savior based on the accuracy of the angel's description when the shepherds found Jesus. The authenticity of the angel's words are going to produce faith in the shepherds and this faith will restore their relationship with God. The humble beginnings of Jesus' birth and announcement to the shepherds nearby is only an indication of the glory God is going to demonstrate through His life.