^{Luke 2:15-16}

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

Wow! What an incredible, unexpected night these lowly shepherds were having. They had just received word that the long-awaited Messiah has appeared, and they had experienced the response of the heavenly hosts as the angels gave great glory to the Almighty God. Here, in Luke 2:15-16, we see their response to this angelic announcement – “let us go…and see this thing that has happened.”

This good news of great joy did not leave the shepherds unchanged; it demanded an immediate response. The great news about Jesus sparked the shepherds’ interests, and it compelled them to draw near to see this great act of God in history. And notice that these shepherds responded to the Lord’s declaration together. They did not merely go to see Jesus as individuals but invited one another to journey to Bethlehem collectively to see the miracle that had occurred. They responded to this good news with haste, recognizing that Jesus’ arrival was not an event to be missed. There were no better options on the horizon for these shepherds; they had to go quickly to witness the miraculous birth of Christ the Lord.

This season of Advent reminds us that the Lord has drawn near to us. The simple fact that He has drawn near invites us to respond to Him. Because Christ has revealed himself to us – we can approach Him with confidence, assured of the great love He has for His people. We do this, not only as individuals, but collectively as Christ’s church. Just as the shepherds together went with haste to see Jesus, we join our brothers and sisters in the faith as we together enjoy and respond to Jesus our King. This Christmas season, let us together turn to Christ as we worship Him for who He is and all that He has done for us.

• What is an example of good news you have received that you had to immediately share with others?
• What does it look like to draw near to Christ together during this season of Advent?