Luke 2:8-9

⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

Leviticus 4 is full of the repeated slaughter of bulls, goats, and lambs for the atonement and forgiveness of sin for the people.  Upon first read, this sounds incredibly unfair for these innocent animals.  These animals didn’t do anything wrong.  Yet, they were born to die. 

The shepherds near Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth were no doubt very familiar with this process.  They too were tending to a flock that had likely been ‘born to die.’  How fitting then that these shepherds are witness to the ‘glory of the Lord’ as an angel appears to them to bring such incredible news: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  

Baby Jesus in the manger, he too was born to die. 

In the gospel of John (John 1:29), John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  There’s mention of that global purpose again.  This IS good news, for ‘all the people.’  God’s global redemption plan, fulfilled in Jesus, who was born to die, includes both Jews and Gentiles, both the rich and the poor, both the foreign, pagan astrologers from the east and the shepherds nearby.

• In Romans 10, Paul echoes the prophet Isaiah’s words, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Like the angel was to the shepherds nearby, who can you be ‘beautiful feet’ to this Christmas season and proclaim good news of great joy? 

• In what ways might this passage change how you view and respond to sin in your own life?