Shepherds and the Messiah

The night started just like any other night. A clear, star-lit sky. Sheep
sleeping in the field. The shepherds finishing their evening meal around
the campfire. Quiet talk about families and the price of wool. But this was
no ordinary night.

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An angel of God coming to proclaim the coming of the Messiah, and the
heavenly host glorifying and praising God! The shepherds going to Bethlehem
to find the newborn Savior after the angels had left. The shepherds seeing
the Messiah for the first time. This was no ordinary night.

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Have you ever thought about what these shepherds talked about when they
left Bethlehem to return to their sheep? While it’s true the Bible never
tells us about their conversation, it would be fun to speculate.

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They may have talked about the prophet Isaiah of long ago. How they
remembered his writings: “The virgin will conceive a child! She will give
birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ”˜God is with us’)”
(Isaiah 7:14). And the prophet also said this child who is born this night
will be called “Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6).

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The shepherds may have shared their amazement with each other—how they, the
outcasts of society, were to witness the fulfillment of prophecy. Prophecy
that was first written 400 years ago, seen this very night. They may have
talked about the angels singing praises to God, about the young mother, but
mostly about the child—the Messiah coming to Bethlehem. God sending His Son
as a baby, fully human, fully God. What a wonder, how amazing.

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Perhaps these shepherds didn’t realize they had a part in history. God
intervening in human affairs quietly. Not in a big city, but in a small
town. Not using government officials or religious leaders, but shepherds.
Not in broad daylight, but in the dead of night. Perhaps these shepherds
didn’t realize they had a part in God’s history, or perhaps they did. •
Doug Velting

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• Read Luke 2:8-20 again, and then take a moment to imagine being one of
the shepherds who experienced the events of that night What sticks out
to you the most? What fills you with awe and wonder? What questions do you
have?

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When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other,
“Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the
Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Luke 2:8-Luke 2:20