The Lord sent a messenger to tell the Christmas story. Then the story was given to other messengers. I love the idea of God sending the message of his son to the world.
An Illustration
My grade school had a milk program. Each day a kid was picked to be milk monitor for his class; and it was a big deal. The honor was earned and awarded, and occasionally, it was awarded to me. It felt great to get the milk. I was appointed, I was the messenger; because of me people got milk!
God’s Messengers
God had messengers. On the night of Jesus’ birth, he sent an angel to share the good news of great joy, that a Savior had been born. The angel gave the message to some shepherds who immediately went to Bethlehem to see the new born Messiah. It’s a great story.
The Shepherds
They weren’t Priests, Rabbis, or Pharisees. They were simple, ordinary men, probably poor, uneducated, and nothing special. Except they were the first to see the Christ. Think about it, God chose keepers of sheep to see the new born savior. And where did they find him? In a most ordinary place, a place that was nothing special. They found the Messiah in a covered stall used for draft animals.
The New Messengers
Do you think the shepherds told anyone what they had heard and seen? The scripture says they went out and told everyone. The angel came with heaven’s glory to share the message with shepherds reeking of sheep. Then the newly minted messengers went out and told the world.
I guess God decides what makes a man special.
To Close
Being milk monitor was pretty good. But not as good as seeing the infant Messiah and getting to share the news. I think the shepherds turned out to be pretty awesome messengers. Theirs was the message of angels, the message of God.
“Today, a Savior has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord.”
