Luke 2:8-12 NIV
“And there 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. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’”
Can you hear Linus reciting this passage? I can. I hear him every time I read this.
Have you ever wondered why shepherds? Why would God choose to send angels to tell shepherds? Well, while preparing for today’s devotional, I read the commentary in my NIV Life Application Bible and the lightbulb came on.
In John 1:36, Jesus is called the “Lamb of God.” According to the Law, God’s people were required to sacrifice a lamb to cover their sins. These shepherds quite possibly could have been in the business of raising the very lambs that would be sacrificed. They may have had the responsibility of selecting the unblemished lambs.
And now, they are sitting under the night sky when it comes to life. Angels declaring the Messiah, the Lamb of God, was born. They, more than anyone else, understood what this meant. He would be perfect. He would take away the sins of the world forever. This was “good news that would cause great joy for all the people.”
