Pastor Chuck’s 2014 Christmas Countdown Blog #9 – I love that Christmas really does change everything. It was an ordinary night like the thousands that preceded it. The black sky was clear as the stars shined in the distance. It was a chilly night as a group of lowly, anonymous shepherds sat down to rest from a long day of work. The shepherds were sitting by the fire surrounded by flocks of bleating sheep. One stayed awake as the others one by one began to fall asleep by the warmth of the flames. The lone shepherd that wasn’t sleeping scanned his eyes back forth over the sheep. As he forced himself to stay awake, he heard something that caused him to look up into the sky. He thought he was dreaming as he saw angels in the sky – more angels than he could ever imagine. And he was scared to death. He ran to where the others were sleeping and woke them up. The Bible describes it this way: That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem! How will you recognize him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger!” When this great army of angels had returned again to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on! Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. The shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child . . . All who heard the shepherds’ story expressed astonishment, Then the shepherds went back again to their fields and flocks, praising God for the visit of the angels, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had told them. (Luke 2 – Living Bible)
The shepherds saw with their own eyes and heard with their own ears the birth announcement of Jesus. And after the angels returned to heaven, they made a lifechanging decision – to leave their flocks, their security and the sole source of income – to go and find this newborn baby. In fact, they ran the whole way. And when they arrived, they fell to their knees when they saw Jesus. The shepherds told everyone about what the angels told them. Everyone was amazed at what happened. And then it was time to leave and the shepherds went back to their same flocks and their same life. But nothing was ever the same again. Why? Because Christmas changes everything. They found Jesus and He turned their whole world upside down. And he wants to do the same thing for you! When the meaning and message of Christmas grab your heart – you are forever changed from the inside out. The meaning and message of Christmas turns a holiday into a holy day. The meaning and message of Christmas add meaning to the mundane. The meaning and message of Christmas changed the world and it changed me. And I like that!