52 The Shepherds and the Angels [Luke 2:8–20]
The Bible passage: [Luke 2:8–20]
The Story:
In the nearby fields, shepherds were watching over their flock during the night.
An angel stood in front of them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Look, I came to tell you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today a Savior, Christ the Lord, was born for you in Bethlehem. This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
Suddenly, there was a multitude of angels, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!”
When the angels left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that the Lord told us about.”
They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. After seeing them, they told everyone what they had been told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said.
Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.
The shepherds returned to the field, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard.
The Lessons:
- Shepherds watching the flocks would have been watching sheep/lambs that were eventually destined for sacrifice at the temple.
- First one angel spoke to the shepherds, then a huge group of angels joined in praising God.
- The angel referred to Jesus as “Christ“. This is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah.
- The first people to visit the baby Jesus were shepherds, who were the most common of the common people.
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