Jesus Christ, the long awaited Savior, Messiah comes to earth in the form of a baby human. He was expected but hope in His coming was dim for it had been a long time since Isaiah, the prophet had told them he would come. So it is not surprising to know very few were given the news of his arrival. Read the birth of Jesus as if you are reading it for the first time. See and listen to what God might want us to see from Luke’s perspective of seeking the lost…

Luke 2, The Message
The Birth of Jesus
2 1-5 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

6-7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

An Event for Everyone
8-12 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

13-14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
15-18 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

19-20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!

The greatest surprise of all! God’s Son, the Messiah is born to a human, with little to no preparation for this long awaited Savior. The world had gone dark without a word from God for many centuries and now, angels are extolling the messages from God, Himself, first to Zachariah, then to Mary, Joseph and now to shepherds in a field working at their dirty daily task of spending the night watching over the sheep as they graze.

In the midst of the mundane, Jesus comes! He comes to plain, simple, ordinary people and they believe immediately. They were not to busy for this visit of God’s Son to earth. They were surprised and taken off guard from their work, but they listened. Then they obeyed immediately! They stopped life dead in it’s tracks and worshipped, “glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!”

The shepherds returned back to their work and “let loose” telling everyone what they had seen and heard. Are we let loose to tell the story? Are we too busy to stop life and listen to God speak to us? Is the world too loud for us to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit speak and minister to us so He can minister through us?

The greatest question of all this morning for me to think about all day long is…Have I made all the necessary heart, mind and soul preparations for the return of Jesus? He’s coming back, you know? Are we ready for the next visit as He comes in power and majesty, with no doubt it is Him? We get to go with Him next time, leaving this temporary home for life with Him forever. It will happen…EXACTLY as He said.

Dear Heavenly Father, When we read Your Word as if it was our first time, oodles of thoughts flow into our heart. Your Word is Truth and gives hope that lifts our souls to higher places in our thinking. May Your Word spur us on to living out Your Word exactly as You taught us to live. Be with us. Guide us this day.
In Jesus Name, Amen