The angel of the Lord visited the shepherds at night to announce the birth of Jesus. They did not see the angel coming from a distance and finally arrive in front of them. It was sudden. Not only was the angel suddenly there, but suddenly there was a brightness that flooded their space. The Bible does not say that the glory of the Lord was around the angel only. It says the glory of the Lord shown around them. They were all emersed in the glow of His glory. Suddenly, the sky was full of angels praising God. Wow! If I were there with the shepherds, I think I would have . . . Maybe you can complete that.
They went with haste to see the newborn baby. I think of hasty pudding when I read that. That is a British dish that is quick and cheap and has nothing to do with the Christmas story. It is a dish mentioned in the song Yankee Doodle. “Fath’r and I went down to camp along with Captain Goodin’, and there we saw the men and boys as thick as hasty puddin’.” That also has nothing to do with Christmas.
I like to think of the shepherds, in the Christmas story, as men with few inhibitions. Men who were free spirited, lively, and animated. When they got excited, they expressed it with shouts, leaping, dancing, arms waving and swinging. They found Mary and Joseph and the baby. “And when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” (Luke 2:17-18).
The shepherds saw Him. Their response was to make it “widely known.” I can see that happening. These shepherds made some noise. They spread the news. They jumped and danced and got the attention of everyone around the town. No one could ignore them. “What is going on?” some asked. “What is the excitement all about?” others queried. The shepherds shouted, “The Messiah is born! The Savior has come!”
Wouldn’t it be great if we could be less inhibited and more animated when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ? We need to make some noise. We want everyone around us to wonder what is going on. Whisper this, “Jesus the savior is born.” Now . . . shout it!