It was a dark and starlit night when Joy entered the world.
The gray forms of the sheep, outlined by the flickering light of the shepherds’ campfire, lay quietly in the sheepfold, interrupted only by the occasional bleat of a uncooperative lamb. It was where the shepherds lived, Luke 2:8 tells us, and so they were accustomed to the sights and sounds of the open field. The night shift was a normal part of their life too as they they kept their flocks safe from intruders—human and otherwise. But job training and experience had not prepared them for what was about to happen.
Without warning, light ripped apart the darkness. The glory of the Lord surrounded them. A blazing figure stood in their midst. And they were terrified.
Would you be frightened?
I would be. Wouldn’t you? If no one had sent you an advanced memo about the arrival of an unexpected guest and you didn’t know the source of the light, wouldn’t the sudden appearance of a non-earthly being rattle you a bit?
The sound of an angel’s voice spoke to them and addressed their fear. “Don’t be afraid.” Not a command, but a reassurance. The reason quickly followed. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Good news. Great joy. All people.
The glory of the Lord that surrounded them revealed this message contained far more than a glimmer of hope. Before that moment, hope and joy were scarce commodities in the little land of Palestine. The long arm of Roman rule had reached its grip into even remote villages like nearby Bethlehem that teemed with crowds registering for Caesar’s census. Despair that believed there was no way out filled their lives like the dark gloom of a midnight fog. Hope had left long ago.
Yet, now, this angel from heaven announced the arrival of the Anointed One whom their synagogue rabbis had told them about for centuries, ever since the great prophet Isaiah. The angel told them, “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” God’s glory no longer lived only in the heavens. The earthly sky filled with the presence of the angelic chorus singing, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth, good will to men.”
Convinced and daring to hope, the shepherds left the sheep fold to go see this thing that had happened. Did they leave the sheep? Latch the gate as they left? Does it matter? Something far greater than sheep security was happening and they were on their way to see it.
It was true!
They found the baby just as the angel had told them. That God moment was so impressionable, Mary treasured the memories in her heart. And the shepherds? They couldn’t keep quiet. They told everyone on the way home what had happened and what they had seen.
Messiah has come. The Savior. The Anointed One we’ve been waiting for. The one the prophets spoke about, the one whose coming would replace despair with hope as dramatically as light can replace darkness-He was here.
That’s the good news we celebrate at Christmas.
Christmas Today
You and I know the Christmas story. Most of us have heard it every year since we were children. It’s become so familiar that sometimes a surprise gift from a loved one placed under a fake tree by the ubiquitous Santa Claus seems to hold more magic than a story about some fieldhands. Yet, the story of the shepherds contain the hope and joy we’re all craving. Jesus took off His robes of royalty, became a baby, grew up to be a man, and died so we could live.
I love stories of hope. I love stories that tell me I can get through the worst of times. Because of Jesus, I can walk through those dark moments that threaten my life, sanity, emotional stability, and yes, my faith. Now, with the promise of Christmas, I can be confident there will be a way out, for Jesus provides the way to a land where life will never end.
It’s a Better Than Ever Kind of Good News
As Christians, we have every reason in the book to celebrate Christmas well, for we have the best hope-filled story of all time. It’s not just a story. It’s real. We don’t have to settle for a second-best celebration; we get to openly commemorate the coming of Jesus and the phenomenal change He has made in our lives. No matter how tough life has been in the past year, we still have Jesus and Jesus means hope. Our valley might be dark, but with Jesus, the light has dawned and we fear the darkness no longer. And because the world makes a feeble effort to celebrate, those around us are watching our joy and authenticity.
Let’s show our corner of the world why Christmas is worth celebrating.
How will you celebrate Christmas this year? Share your creative Christmas celebration ideas with us in the comments.
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