When the Shepherds Visit Jesus - Luke 2:8-20

There were the shepherds minding their own business about their normal duties of caring for the sheep and protecting them from predators. Along came an angel and their whole life changed immediately! No-one would have expected such a sound & light show to be turned on for shepherds, as these were not highly regarded people, partly because, due to their occupation, they were not able to observe the Jewish ceremonial law and synagogue attendance. These were people on the margins of mainstream society, the lowest paid of the working class, thought to be at the bottom of the heap.

The shepherds didn’t realise straight away, but they were about to witness the greatest event in the history of the world … this would rank ahead of the moon landing, ahead of Carlton’s miraculous win in the 1970 Grand Final, ahead of the fall of the Berlin Wall. So, it would be a natural human reaction to be scared at such an unexpected occurrence – a hugely bright sky in the middle of the night. I imagine this was even more spectacular than the recent fireworks display over Sanctuary Lakes at Christmas by the Lake, and in this case, came without any warning.

Then added to this was the angelic words coming to them as plain as day, followed by multitudinous voices exclaiming “glory to God”. What ever did all this mean?! But the shepherds didn’t run and hide, nor did they just go back to their jobs unaffected; rather they talked together and decided to go to Bethlehem and check this all out. These shepherds were open to the possibility of something different and new and outstanding, and accordingly were enthusiastically responsive and active … “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place…” (v.15b).

And as we read on, we see that they did so without wasting any time – the shepherds felt that something so potentially important as this should be responded to without delay! After all, what had they heard?! There were certainly two or three things that would have caught their attention (v.10-11). That this was “good news” that will bring “great joy” – and who, maybe even especially a lowly shepherd, would not want such a measure of joy! Then there was this mention of the long-awaited Messiah, so much a part of the mindset in ancient Israel. The mention of a Saviour, one who could offer rescue and freedom, would also have caught their attention from a very personal viewpoint.

We don’t know how hard it was to find Mary & Joseph, but, with determination and expectation enlivening these shepherds, find them they did. Many who observed the shepherds entry into the town would have been shocked at how they dared to come among respectable folk, but maybe it was alright when they headed out to the back of the inn to the shed where the animals were kept. And when the shepherds saw the child lying in the manger and connected this with the words that they had heard earlier, their fear turned full circle towards understanding and awe, and they told everyone within hearing distance about what they had experienced.

You’ll note that, unlike the wise men referred to in the Matthew nativity story, the shepherds had no gifts to offer (as likely they were very poor). But they could offer themselves – their presence, the true testimony of their recent experiences, and a conviction about the importance of what had happened. As the angel had said (v.10), this “good news of great joy” is for all people, and this is evidenced in such vital information not being delivered to the elite and powerful, but rather to lowly humble shepherds. We offer gifts to family members and friends at Christmas, and many of these gifts will be in response to previous requests or wish-lists (or subtle hints being left for us); but when it comes to God, what God desires for Christmas is just our availability.

God has “good news of great joy” for us as well, and what he desires is for us to make haste to the side of the child who has become the Saviour of the World. We don’t need to bring material gifts, for whatever could we come up with for the One with everything; just offer ourselves … in all our brokenness, feelings of hopelessness and fear … to that source of “great joy”. Your personal heartache is possibly closer to God’s heart than you have ever before imagined.

This nativity scene shows that there is no person and no situation that God will not reach into to offer an invitation to experience the love and compassion that can set us free and raise us to life in all its fullness. Our concluding Verse 20 reflects what a positive impact this had on the shepherds as they returned home thanking and worshipping God.