(We have been working our way through the Christmas Story in Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1. Mary and Joseph have been visited by angels, endured very challenging circumstances, and finally watched the birth of the God of the Universe in a shelter for animals, before being visited by local shepherds who praised the baby.)
The Bible tells us that, “[T]here 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” (Luke 2:8-9 NIV). This ragtag group of livestock caretakers suddenly found themselves thrust into a new chapter of God’s cosmic story. Like Zechariah, Mary and Joseph – and later the Magi, each received messages from Gabriel, some in visions and some in dreams. Each human had to decide whether to doubt or believe the message. Each human faced challenging circumstances and had to choose whether to despair or whether to hope in God. And each had to make a decision of whether to stand in fear or faith.
When Mary was visited by Gabriel, the Bible tells us (depending on the translation) that she was “startled,” “troubled,” or “perplexed.” The shepherds were “terrified.” Do you notice pattern here? They were fearful. (I would have been, too.) But where does that feeling of fear come from? Where does any fear come from? Psalm 33:8 (NIV) tells us, “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.” THAT is a healthy fear of our holy God. After all, Psalm 34:7-8 (NIV) says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” When the angel of the Lord is encamped around us and delivers us who fear the Lord, we have no reason to fear the things of this world.
I believe that every other fear comes from the enemy of our souls, lurking in this world. Our world has lived through almost four years of fear-inducing circumstances. Disease, economic struggles, rising crime, elections, division and strife, loss and grief – all these can easily pull us into that place of fear. “What if I get sick? What if I lose my job? What if, what if, what if?” But God’s word is very clear. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” You’ve probably heard that verse before – but hear the first part again – GOD has not given us a spirit of fear. God is not the fear-giver. God gives us his power in the Holy Spirit. God gives us love. God gives us a sound mind. God says, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10 NIV). Any “news” that induces fear is not of God. Chaos is a mark of the enemy of our souls. I expect you can agree that the circumstances of the last four years have been marked by a fair amount of chaos. But, remember that chaos and fear are not from our God.
The shepherds must have overcome their (very normal) fear of interacting with angelic beings, because they searched and found the Messiah. We are told, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told” (Luke 2:20 NIV).
Several of our favorite Christmas carols tap into this excitement and joy, including “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” “Angels from the Realms of Glory,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High,” a French carol that is anonymous and has never been printed with any names for composer or lyrics. The first French publication was in 1855 and the English translation as we know it now was first published in 1916. The verses tell the story of the angels announcing Christ’s birth to the shepherds. The chorus of Latin words – Gloria! In excelsis Deo! which translates to “Glory to God in the highest” – represents the singing of the angelic armies. In this history-making moment a whole chorus of angels announced the birth of Messiah to some very, very lowly shepherds:
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing,
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
WOW! Can you imagine being one of those shepherds?!? With such an encounter, their fears quickly turned to faith. Of course, they then went to find the Baby Jesus and then spread the word about what they had seen!!
“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 2:15-18 NIV).
God in the Highest,
Thank you for the messages you send to your people. Thank you for the Good News of Great Joy that your angelic host shared with the shepherds. Thank you for helping us choose not to doubt but to believe your messengers, not to despair in our circumstances but to hope in your promises, and not to succumb to the fears of this world, but to stand in faith. Help us to spread the Good News that Jesus, our Savior Emmanuel invites all people to relationship with God. Glory to God in the Highest! Amen!