Encountering faith...
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Luke 2:8-18 NIV
Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.
Oliver Wendell Holmes
As we near the end of this Christmas series, we transition from the theme of “doubt” to “belief”. Building on last week’s discussion of the shepherds, we now see their hope turn into belief after their remarkable angelic encounter – an experience that left little room for doubt.
After the angels departed, the shepherds “hurried” to find the infant. They found Mary and Joseph; the newborn baby Jesus is the manger, just as the angels had told them. Experiencing the angelic encounter, then finding the baby just as foretold must have sparked an extraordinary faith. They were so excited about it all that they had to tell everyone.
Since shepherds were largely looked down on by society at that time, most dismissed their account as a wild tale to draw attention and seem important. Yet the shepherds were so excited that they had to share that their story of faith with everyone. I can imagine them tripping over their words to share the experience so fresh in their minds and unlike anything they (or anyone) had ever known. So joyous and effusive that even the skeptical looks and words of others couldn’t stem their enthusiasm to share that the Messiah had come to earth!
Sometimes when people first come to faith in Jesus, they are eager to share their faith with everyone but may be hesitant to talk about the experience even in church. Often, though, people are more reticent, even in a church setting. Society condones open celebration for events like graduations, new jobs, weddings, and births or even a sports team winning, a politician getting elected to office, a movie or celebrity getting recognition through an award. Yet enthusiasm about faith is rarely encouraged, leaving many to hold back.