Tag: shepherds

Categories
Luke Devotionals

True peace

Angelic army

Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13-14, NET)

As I read those words, I was thinking about my pastor’s message last Sunday. He talked about how the peace Jesus came to bring is different from the peace people often seek.

With a vast heavenly army appearing, the shepherds might have thought that they came to wipe out Roman oppression.

A scarier thought might have been that the angels came to wipe out the shepherds themselves. God’s glory tends to reveal to us our own sinfulness.

But instead, this army proclaims peace, not just to the shepherds, not just to the Jews, but to all people. (Luke 2:10)

But again, what kind of peace?

Peace with God.

A peace where he breaks into our lives and says, “You don’t have to be afraid of me anymore because of your sin. My Son came to pay the price for your sin.

“And now, my favor is on you. Just as it was on Elizabeth (Luke 1:25). Just like it was on Mary (Luke 1:28-30). My favor rests on you.”

That’s something to treasure in your heart and meditate on. (Luke 2:19)

Categories
Isaiah Devotionals

Shepherds’ song?

Shepherds

I was reading a Christmas advent devotional today and thinking about the shepherds. I was thinking about how they felt when they saw the angel.

Luke tells us they were terrified. Why?

God had been silent for 400 years. Now he was breaking that silence. For what? To bring judgment on his people?

No. To bring good news.

His anger was ended. And now he was bringing salvation through his Son.

Did the shepherds think of Isaiah 12 when they heard the angels?

Probably not. But if they had, I think they would have been singing it.

I will give thanks to you, Lord,
although you were angry with me.

Your anger has turned away,
and you have comforted me.

Indeed, God is my salvation;
I will trust him and not be afraid,
for the Lord, the Lord himself,
is my strength and my song.
He has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:1-2)

Jesus, the root of Jesse had come. (Isaiah 11:1-5, 10)

And after seeing Jesus, the shepherds went and told everyone what they had seen and heard. (Luke 2:16-18)

Cry out and sing, citizen of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel is among you
in his greatness. (Isaiah 12:6)

Categories
Isaiah Devotionals

Take me back Tuesday — For you

A little something I wrote a few years ago, but seems appropriate to bring back as we start approaching the Christmas season.

You may feel like the shepherds. You may feel insignificant. Unimportant.

But Jesus was born for you.

For you.

For you (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:11)
Categories
Judges Devotionals

The Lord is peace

Judges

I’ve been preparing a message on Luke 2 for my church, so I couldn’t help but notice some parallels between this story and the story of the shepherds.

As with Gideon, the shepherds must have been wondering why God had abandoned Israel. They were under Roman occupation, and even worse, God had not spoken to them in over 400 years.

But just as the angel told Gideon, “God is with you,” the angel told the shepherds, “Immanuel is born! God is truly with you!”

Gideon and the shepherds are also both told, “Do not be afraid.”

The angels also gave both of them a sign showing God’s favor to them.

Most importantly, in both cases, God then proclaims peace to his people.

Gideon, in fact, says, “Yahweh is peace.”

Hundreds of years later, the prophet Micah would say of Messiah, “He is our peace.”  (Micah 5:5)

So this Christmas season, whatever trials you may be facing, remember:

Don’t be afraid. God has shown his favor to us in his Son. And through his Son, we now have peace with God.

More than that, Jesus himself is our peace.

Categories
Isaiah Devotionals Luke Devotionals

For you

For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on his shoulders.

He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

“A child will be born for us.”

As I reflected on those words, I thought about what the angels said to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth.

Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

I can’t help but wonder. Did the angel say what he did with Isaiah’s words in mind? I think he did.

He could have simply said, “A Savior was born.”

Or, “A Savior was born for Israel.”

But he says, “A Savior has been born for you all. Not just for the influential and powerful. But for the ordinary person as well. He is born for you.”

And then he invites these shepherds to be the first visitors to the newborn King.

This King was not in a palace surrounded by soldiers. He was accessible to even the shepherds, lying in a manger in Bethlehem, surrounded only by his father, his mother, and perhaps some animals.

A Savior has been born for you.

You may feel like the shepherds. You may feel insignificant. Unimportant.

But Jesus was born for you.

For you.

Categories
Luke Luke 2

Spreading the Joy

Luke

Merry Christmas all! I trust you’ll forgive this short, but sweet blog on this Christmas day (in Japan).

When the shepherds heard the news that a Savior was born, they immediately raced down to Bethlehem to find him. And when they found Him, they rejoiced greatly.

It says that after they returned, they were glorifying and praising God. To be honest, I think that was an understatement for the joy they felt.

But it was a joy that they could not hold to themselves, for it says in verse 17, that they spread the news to anyone that would listen.

It says that the people were amazed at what the shepherds told them. What it doesn’t say is how they responded after that.

Did they truly believe the shepherds and go see the child themselves? Somehow, I get the impression that they didn’t. Some may have, but if they did, it’s recorded nowhere in scripture.

But to the shepherds, it didn’t matter whether or not the people believed them. They were so filled with joy that they HAD to tell others about it or they’d burst.

How about you? Are you so filled with the joy of the Lord that you’ll just burst if you don’t tell them?

We can’t control how people will respond to the good news about Jesus. What’s more, that’s not our responsibility.

But if we truly love Jesus, if we are truly filled with his joy, we should be telling people about him so that they can know that same joy in their lives too.

How much joy are you spreading?

Categories
Luke Luke 2

When Joy came

Shepherds

As I write this, it is Christmas Eve. And as I reflect on that first Christmas night, it’s hard to truly fathom. For it was on that day that joy truly did come to the world.

When the angel appeared to the shepherds, he said,

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. (Luke 2:10-11)

As I read this, and think of the feelings of the shepherds, I think of the old carol that says,

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

Ever since Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, the world had lived under the shadow of death. We were dying because of our sin. Without hope, and without God in the world.

And particularly for Israel at that time, they may have started to wonder if God had abandoned them. Though God had appeared to their forefathers and revealed himself to them, they hadn’t heard from him for 400 years.

But then, for the first time in centuries, God spoke, and said, “I am here.”

Literally. “Emmanuel” had come. And by his birth he said, “I not only care about you, but I have come to walk among you. To be a light in your darkness. To bring you hope. To bring you salvation.”

And when he sent angels to announce this, he didn’t send them to the priests who were supposed to be closest to God. Nor did he send them to the teachers of the law or any of the “religious” folk.

He came to ordinary folk. To shepherds. People, who in those days, were despised among the general Jewish population.

And by coming to them, God let them know that he truly had come for everyone. That this good news was truly for all people from the greatest to the least.

And because he came, the barrier between God and man came crumbling down. Peace between God and man became possible.

Not because of anything we had done. But because of what Jesus did, not on that Christmas night, but on the cross years later, when the curtain that stood between God and us was torn in two forever.

I pray that you may know that peace this Christmas. And may the joy the shepherds felt that night, fill your heart as well.

Joy to the World! The Lord is come!