Be One Of The Shepherds - Merry Christmas!

Where are you at the moment? Are you looked down upon and doing the work nobody else wants to do? Are you in a stinking situation (sheep stinks) literally and figuratively? Are you in the dark where there seems like the light would not shine into?

Welcome to the night of the shepherds in the Christmas account. Let's remind us as follows:

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now 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. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them." - Luke 2:8-20 version=NKJV

God is the one who decided to reveal Himself to the Shepherds. They were the first besides Mary and Joseph to see the face of God in the flesh  - Jesus Christ. God continues daily to reveal Himself to people.

 It has always been by grace that we are brought face to face with Jesus and are saved through faith. The shepherds believed and went to verify, that is faith with "walks" or works. It is not enough to believe. We must obey the voice of God we have heard.

They walked to Bethlehem. Will you walk to God in repentance and ask for forgiveness of your sins?

For the shepherds, it was reality. They looked forward to a Savior and they knew that their lives have been changed forever because God Himself is here. No one else can save us except God himself - Jesus the Son. Hallelujah!

What has God revealed to you this Christmas and in this season? "Do not be afraid." Friend, please do it and stop debating with God. "Fear is the liar." Don't listen to him.

The shepherds were the first missionaries and gospel preachers. They only had one night of instruction in the Stinking School. They obeyed the "go" command and "they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child."

Yes, like the shepherds, we have heard the message of God invading earth for the first time to come and be like us, crucified for our sins and rose again to save us forever from our sins. This is the greatest thing that has ever happened.

Would you go without hesitation and tell others what you have heard and have seen?  Pray and go to specific people as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Notice the result: the people were amazed or marveled. Let your words be full of grace and may people be amazed to believe for themselves as God reveals Jesus the Savior in their hearts.

Friend, don’t let this be another ordinary Christmas with food and drinks. Be a shepherd even in the celebrations. Tell someone in your family and around you about Jesus and the transformation in your life.

Then, daily go out praising and glorifying God for all He has done. Amen.

Yes, like me and the shepherds, you may return to the same "temporary" stinking situation but now you are changed forever because the Prince of Peace, Jesus is in your heart and has forgiven your sins forever. He is the permanent peace and joy in all situations and Immanuel, God with us forever.

Like Mary and the shepherds did, let's treasure Jesus forever and share Him with others.

Merry Christmas to you, my fellow shepherd. If not yet a shepherd, please believe in Jesus today, the Savior and the Great Shepherd and become His child and follower. Amen.