Luke 2:8-20

After several years of failure and frustration, my husband and I discovered we were expecting a baby. We eagerly anticipated sharing our joy, but how, when, and with whom? Since Christmas was coming soon, we created unique gifts for our parents to announce their new status as grandparents.

God also wanted to announce the good news of a long-anticipated birth to his chosen people. His choice of who, when, and how stunned many, especially his first audience.

Shepherds ~ A Surprising Choice

In biblical times, the metaphor of shepherds and their flocks described how God cared for his people and how human leaders should rule. But no one expected God to announce the Messiah’s arrival to shepherds.

Scholars debate the first-century honor status of shepherds. Some accuse them of being dirty, dishonest, and dishonorable. Others claim the Bethlehem shepherds were priests who took care of the sheep used in the Temple sacrifices. Another group sees them as representing average Judean common laborers. Luke, however, didn’t elaborate on those who received the angelic visitors.

Protecting sheep from thieves and wild animals defined the shepherds’ nighttime responsibilities. Perhaps they filled the long hours by telling stories, whittling sticks, or trying to sleep. Although they knew God’s promise to send a Messiah to rescue his people, his 400-year deafening silence diminished any hope of imminent fulfillment. 

Furthermore, the shepherds expected any updates on God’s movement from their religious leaders. So, imagine their terrified astonishment when an angel appeared to them, and God’s glory surrounded them.

Seeking to allay the shepherds’ fears, the angel assured them that his message was one of great joy for everyone. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior (one who delivers or rescues), who is Christ (Messiah, Anointed One) the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 

Luke 2:11-12

The heavenly army then joined the angel in praising God before leaving the shocked shepherds. 

In line with the angel’s assumption and God’s intention, the shepherds raced to the crowded city in search of a swaddled baby nestled in a feeding trough. When they discovered the promised sign, their excitement bubbled over as they described the astounding angelic appearance and announcement. 

Follow the Shepherds

God often chooses unexpected vessels for his work, e.g., shepherds to share the news of his Son’s birth. To experience the shepherds’ excitement, we must follow their steps.

1. Pay attention to the moment. Perhaps God chose the shepherds because they were available; they made time and space for him in their lives. Are we too busy with our agendas to let God interrupt us, too sure of how he works to recognize his surprises?
2. Pursue God’s hints. After hearing the angel’s announcement, the shepherds hurried (from a root word meaning “to pursue”) to Bethlehem (Luke 2:16). They translated the information about the sign as God’s invitation to seek and find. Do we pursue the God-possibilities hidden in what we see and hear?
3. Pass on what we’ve seen and heard. Filled with exhilaration and anticipation of what God might do next, the shepherds’ joy overflowed, and they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child (Luke 2:17). As Albert Schweitzer noted, “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.” So, who can we tell about God’s incredible gift?
4. Praise God in our everyday lives. The shepherds returned to their responsibilities, awakened to God’s presence, celebrating his faithfulness to keep his promises, and humbled that he’d chosen them to welcome one of their own—one who would later call himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). How can we discover the holy within the habitual, allowing God to work through our stories?

What Will We Do with the Good News?

We’ve revisited how God broke into our world by becoming one of us. Will we be like those who hear the story and wonder, dazzled by the sights and sounds of Christmas but never surrendering to the One who started it all? Or will we be like Mary, who pondered the shepherds’ words, surrendering to the mystery of the incarnation and trusting the God who does the impossible? Even with the most unlikely people—people like you and me.

Instead of trying to cram one more thing into our already overwhelmed lives, let’s do the one thing that matters most—celebrate God’s gift of himself in the form of a baby.

May we, like the shepherds, let Jesus jump-start our joy. And may we share it with everyone we encounter.