Then Jesus Came #11

 

Luke 2:8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

We saw yesterday that Mary was a willing servant in accepting her role in God's plan to send His Son. The same could be said of these shepherds.  Though they were not asked to do anything as deep or lengthy as Mary was, they were being entrusted with a great message that needed to be shared.  Often it has been asked: "Why the shepherds?"  First, they were awake; they had to be because of their vocation.  Second, they were used to being entrusted with things not their own.  Their flocks may well have belonged to another. It has even been suggested that they were being raised for sacrifice in nearby Jerusalem. They knew what it was to take their trust seriously. They were not being given this announcement for their own ears only; it was a message that needed to be shared.  As with the message God had given Mary, there was a "sign" to attest to the truth contained.  When they found the baby lying in the manger, they would know that the other part was true: He was the long-awaited Messiah, their Savior.