We are entering into the beautiful time of year when we focus our attention on the first coming (advent) of Jesus Christ into the world. Amazingly, even though everything about His coming was predicted, it was still surprising in almost every way. One of the more surprising things was how the announcement of his arrival into this world was actually delivered.

When a big event happens, or when someone is going to make a dramatic entrance, you want to broadcast it to the world! Sometimes at grand openings they have spotlights, inflatable gorillas, bands, and fanfare. There certainly was a bit of excitement and drama concerning the initial events that surrounded the incarnation. But they are only truly dramatic from the eyes of faith, and from hindsight. All the goings on at the Temple with Zachariah (John the Baptists dad) and his barren wife were no doubt a considerable topic of conversation in certain circles. But I dare say, the emperor didn’t hear of it, and in reality probably not many people out side of the priestly caste did either. I am sure it was a conversation among his family, but ultimately it was just someone getting surprisingly pregnant, and dad had nothing to say about it until later. Not exactly a direct mailer to all the people of Jerusalem and I don’t think that Elizabeth even had a t-shirt printed, at least it is not mentioned.   Then you have Mary, a virgin who becomes pregnant by a miracle, an act of creation by the Holy Spirit. Thing is, that is tough to prove. Joseph believed her (after the angel in the dream), and no doubt Elizabeth did too. But others? That Joseph took her to be his wife, and thus adopted and legally made Jesus his son, probably did not really change the thoughts that no doubt went through many heads. So all things considered, there is barely a ripple in the everyday life of people alive at the time.

 9 months later, at the moment of His arrival into the world, you might think that this would be the time to let all of Israel know that Messiah had come! But curiously, (at least by our reckoning) the angel hosts did not appear over Jerusalem, Rome, and Alexandria, all proclaiming at once the Messiah was here. There were not peals of thunder and lightning, or trumpet blasts, turns out that those come with the next advent! Instead the angel host appeared and announced the savior being born to two shepherds in a field. These two shepherds were the first ones to know what had really taken place, and were given an incredible opportunity, the were the first ones to be able to say, “Have you heard the good news about Jesus?”

For the next 4 weeks we will look at Christmas from the eyes of these two shepherds.

Come be encouraged to hear the good news about Jesus!

See you at church.

Pastor Chris