15 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.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Why did the angel appear to shepherds rather than the religious leaders, to tell them about the birth of a Savior? Did they understand their need of someone to rescue them from their sins, whereas the religious leaders were trusting in their own self-righteousness? Father God thank you for sending Jesus to bring us the gift that we really needed, to be saved from our sins.
First of all, thank you Marty for setting up these advent readings. The familiar story is bringing forth many new things to ponder. I guess that is the nature of the Word- ever new, ever fresh! Today’s thought: the shepherds said,”Let us go and see.” To hear a marvelous promise from God is not a stopping place. It is the beginning of a faith walk that ends with seeing - the promise in the flesh before our very eyes. We think the shepherds were different; they saw and heard angelic messengers. But we have the inward persuasion of the Holy Spirit Himself. What marvelous promise has He illumined to you and me from the Scripture. Let us set out in…
What a privilege to be among the very first to come before the Son of God on earth. They carried this memory the rest of their lives not knowing some day we would read these words and also worship. Have you ever seen something the world has never seen before?