No Room in the Inn: Part 4

If you were a shepherd in the first century you were considered unclean and not worthy of being called to witness; according to Levitical Law. Yet you receive the greatest news the earth has ever known. “Angels we have heard on high!” That is the declaration of a rag-tag bunch of misfits. Why would God want to use their testimony to announce His perfect Son arriving on earth?

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)

The blessing would have been especially precious to these abiding in the fields. The shepherd has long been God’s representative as the leader of his children. Additionally, they would have been tending the flock to be used for temple sacrifice offerings. In upstanding society the shepherds were not respected. They would not have been the “people’s choice” for first hand witnesses. To be told God was well pleased with men on earth, and that the “good news… will be for all people.” would have been too good to be understood by these outcasts. Surely, God made an error in choosing this group to receive His good news and to be His messengers.

The response from the shepherds proves otherwise. “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened that the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manager.”

(Luke 2:15b-16)

It is not our standing in leadership or our wealth or lack of either that God uses to choose those He calls, it’s the obedience to what He is asking them to do. So the first witnesses to meet and declare the perfect Savior Immanuel, the promised Messiah, were unclean. God’s ways are higher than our ways.

During the rush and bustle of the coming weeks it can be easy to choose all the best parties and shop the best sales, and these things are not bad unless they cause us to leave out the Who and Why we are celebrating the season. Jesus is the reason for the season, let us go straight to tell it everywhere!

Happy Honeymooning and Merry Christmas!

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)