Shepherds

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 favor 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." Luke 2:8-15

They were the outcasts of society, dirty, lowly men whom no one wanted the company of. As they were tending their flocks on this autumn night, they experienced the shock of their lives. And it wasn’t just their lowly estate that made it such a shock – it would have been an odd occurrence for anyone, for suddenly, in the middle of the night, the field became brighter than day. It was when they saw the angel, though, that their fear overwhelmed them. They must really be in trouble now!

But the angel told them not to be afraid. He had good news. A baby had been born. And not just any baby, but One who would be a Savior to everyone, even them! Hadn’t they once heard about a promised Messiah? Then there were lots of angels. This must be big news! They rushed off in the direction the angels had pointed them.

And then they saw Him. He was an ordinary baby, and yet He wasn’t. There was something different about Him. As they returned to their fields, they knew life would never be the same. They had seen the face of God.