Good News of Great Joy

Meditate. When was the last time you received a joyful message?

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Luke 2:8-11

Sheep grazing in Israel.
Do they bring their Shepherds great joy? 

The stars were shining brightly—glimmering in the cold night air. The shepherds may have been sitting around a fire—keeping warm while watching and guarding their flock that evening. That was their job to guard the sheep against prowling wild beasts. Tradition says that these were Temple sheep that were being guarded and watched from a traditional shepherding tower. The shepherds would keep the sheep safe not only from beasts but from falling and hurting themselves. These lambs to be offered in the Temple as sacrifices had to be pure—no blemishes—no broken bones.

Then the sky opened up revealing a glowing, radiate angel who gave them a message of hope. I imagine they were shaking in their sandals—overcome with fear! At least, they must have felt a little overwhelmed seeing and hearing an angel speak to them—but they were receiving Good News. The shepherds were not well respected in society, but they were devoted Jewish men who knew the scripture and the hope of the Messiah. How privileged they were! Here was the Messiah—born just a couple of miles away. Then there were more angels. Wow-what an evening! This was the greatest event of their lifetime! Possibly the greatest event of all of human history.

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:13-15

This was something they wanted to see with their own eyes. The Savior. The Messiah. Would you personally want to see this event? I certainly would. That night of Good News brought great joy!

Prayer ~ For my fellow believers…I pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:11-14

Verse of Salvation ~ As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation--a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

© 2021 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT).

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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