Luke 2:8-12 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
Right after Jesus was born, angelic messengers were sent to make the first announcement of His birth to lowly shepherds out in the field. Shepherds were among the poorest people – and considered to be some of the lowest people on the rungs of society. They were often dirty, most likely did not smell very good, and were uneducated.
In spite of their clothes and rank in Jewish society, they were the first to hear the long awaited glad tidings of the heavenly messengers. The fact that God chose to make such an important announcement to seemingly insignificant shepherds sends a strong message to all. Their position in society did not matter and they would shortly be stepping into the presence of the King of kings.
These shepherds feared God and had a healthy respect for Him. When they saw the angel they were “sore afraid.” Because of this, the single angel’s first words were “Fear not.”
His glad tidings brought the announcement that the long awaited King had come – 700 years after Isaiah’s prophecy. The angel knew very well Who this Child was, and he called Him the Savior – and “Christ the Lord.”
The place where Christ lay – “lying in a manger“ – was a place that would likely make the shepherds feel right at home. Immediately after saying this, “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,” appeared and gave praise to God.
Upon hearing the news, it thrilled their hearts that God was inviting them to see the One Who would one day rule over Israel – forever. It had been over 400 years since the last message was heard from Heaven – and to think – it was sent to lowly shepherds! After they saw the Babe in the manger, they went and spread the news to everyone that they could.
The message behind this event is that Christ did not come just to call the rich or famous. He did not even come to call the religious people. He also did not care whether they were dressed well, were educated, or had a good reputation. To “Christ the Lord,” it did not matter if they were looking like shepherds who often slept in the fields watching sheep.
Because “Christ the Lord” is much more than just a Babe in a manger, it is important to remember that He came to die for our sins. As the Savior, He desires that people come to Him as they are – with their sin. He is not interested in people getting polished in their own righteousness and changing their sinful habits first. He is the Healer of souls, and as such He once said: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).
The Lord Jesus Christ invites all people to come to Him and be freed from sin, from the guilt of sin, and from the penalty of sin. It is a complete salvation. All anyone needs to do – no matter who they are or what they have done – is to call on the Lord Jesus Christ, tell Him that you need Him to become your only Savior and tell Him you want to serve Him – not yourself (“repentance”). Salvation is God’s Christmas present to mankind – but you must personally receive it.