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 otherhow 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 childthe 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