The Shepherds' Response

The Shepherds’ Response

 

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”  They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.  When the Shepherds saw Jesus, they told His parents what the angel had said about Him.  Everyone listened and was surprised.  But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.  As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about Him.  Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.-------Luke 2: 15-20

 

I think it’s interesting to note the REACTION of the shepherds to what they had just EXPERIENCED.  They didn’t seem to try to EXPLAIN it away, or to keep QUIET about their ENCOUNTER. 

They were EAGER to GO and find what the angel had told them about.  The Scripture says that they HURRIED off and FOUND what the angel had told them to look for.  In other words, they were ANXIOUS and DETERMINED to see for themselves this MIRACLE that had been proclaimed to them.

They FOUND Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who, sure enough, was lying on a bed of hay in a feeding trough or manger, just as the angel had said.  When they had seen Jesus, they told His parents ALL the angel had said about Him.  Everyone there LISTENED and was SURPRISED at what the shepherds reported.  But Mary kept ALL the things they had said and pondered them in her HEART, and wondering EXACTLY what it all meant. 

Now the shepherds returned to their flock and they were PRAISING GOD and GLORIFYING HIM for ALL they had SEEN and HEARD, and it ALL was EXACTLY as they were told.

What was YOUR reaction, when you first heard the GOOD NEWS, that Jesus came to earth to be a SACRIFICE for YOU?  Were you like the Shepherds, so EXCITED to come to Him and GIVE your HEART and LIFE to the ONE and ONLY ONE, who can GIVE you SALVATION, ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN with HIM, or were you like so many others, and turned away with an UNBELIEVING HEART?

If you are one who has been to the manger and gazed upon the SAVIOR of the world and rejected His gift to you.  You may have another opportunity to ACCEPT that gift of SALVATION, NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!