It Is Christmas: The Journey of the NativitySample

Day 5: The Angels – A Message That Transforms Hearts
Reading: Luke 2:8-14

It was an ordinary night for the shepherds. They were out in the fields, watching over their sheep under the glow of the stars. Perhaps they were talking, sharing stories, or simply sitting in silence, listening to the sounds of the night. Then, the heavens opened, the glory of God shone, and an angel proclaimed a message that would change the world: “Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Why the shepherds? They weren’t noble or influential religious leaders. They were simple workers, often looked down upon by society. Yet God chose these humble men to be the first to hear the good news. This reveals one of the greatest mysteries of the Gospel: God does not only speak to the powerful but reaches out to the forgotten, the simple, the ordinary.

John Stott once wrote: “The Gospel is good news for the humble because God stoops down to those the world overlooks.” The choice of the shepherds shows that the birth of Jesus is not about human merit but divine grace.

The angelic announcement also carries a clear message: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:14). This peace is not merely the absence of conflict; it is the deep peace that can only come from reconciliation with God. As Tim Keller explains: “God’s peace is more than a feeling; it is the restoration of all things to the way they were meant to be.”

The angels remind us that Christmas is an invitation to glorify God. It is a celebration of His goodness and the recognition that He has come to us. They also challenge us to be bearers of this peace. Just as the shepherds shared the good news, we are called to bring the message of hope and salvation to the world.

C.S. Lewis described Christmas as the moment when “the Divine invaded our rebel territory to rescue us.” May we respond like the shepherds—with joy, worship, and a heart ready to share.

Prayer:
“Lord, help me to glorify You as the angels did and to live as a bearer of Your peace in this world. May my life proclaim the hope and love that came into the world through the birth of Jesus. Amen.”