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For the regulars to this article you will notice that a break has been taken from the current series in John - well done for noticing! The series through John will continue in the New Year but I'm going to take a bit of a Christmas break so thought I'd bless you with a holiday message - this will run for three weeks so come back for the next article on 10 January 2009!

I'd love it if we could look at Luke 2:8-18. While I would normally quote from my preferred translation, the ESV, today this is from the NIV:

'And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.'

So this Christmas I'd like us to look at the shepherds, and see three aspects of this passage:

'the glory of the Lord shone around them'

Here's the first thing to notice, and is one that we overlook far too often: God came to us. The shepherds were in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks. They were not out searching for the meaning of life, they were not out drinking themselves silly at a Christmas party - they were just doing their job. And then God came to them. We, far too easily, make out as if we are the centre of the universe, that we are the pinnacle of creation and that the universe revolves around us - of course God came to save us - we're just that important! The truth is that God did not have to come to earth. He chose to - that's how much He loves us. Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God with us. This Christmas shall we not just look at the baby then settle into the biggest turkey we've ever seen - let's realise that God's love, nothing to do with us, moved Him to send His Son to us.

'terrified'

Now shepherds at the time of Jesus' birth were essentially outcasts. They needed to spend time with their flock to protect them from thieves and wild animals, so couldn't keep the strict Jewish law and as a result were shunned by general society. They were rough and ready, well-built and were used to fighting wild animals armed only with their staff. This is why this particular word is so fascinating. They were used to facing bears, wolves, and other wild animals yet when they saw an angel and the glory of the Lord shining around them, 'they were terrified'. So here's the first challenge this Christmas: when was the last time we truly gazed upon the glory of God and were filled with fear? Now please do not hear me wrong, being 'terrified' is not a good thing - the angel's immediate response is to say 'do not be afraid' - but the truth is that it should be the most natural reaction when we see God. That, in turn, makes it all the more incredible when we see how God the Son stepped down from that terrifying glory to the humble point of being a man (see Philippians 2:5-11).

'they hurried off'

Finally it is imperative to recognise how the shepherds reacted. They saw God's glory, they heard an angel speaking to them, they even experienced worship of God overflowing from heaven, and their reaction was to hurry off to be where Jesus was. This is the biggest challenge this Christmas. We hear the words of the Bible, we sing Christmas carols and celebrate the birth of Jesus, but then we will head straight into 2009 without so much as a look back apart from perhaps to look at a nice present we got (or perhaps to discard a poor present? Surely not!). Jesus' own words in Matthew 7 are that 'everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.' This Christmas let's hear the words of the Bible and carols, let's allow ourselves to listen to what God has to say, and let us actively respond in whatever way that means. I know that I do not wish to be like a foolish man who builds his house on the sand - let's join together in imitating the shepherds and acting on what we hear this Christmas!

And may I finish by wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! See you on the 10 January.

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

Winning in Christ Jesus