In the same region
The region surrounding the village of Bethlehem.
there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
It must not have been too cold for the shepherds to be outside in the fields with their sheep, instead of in a warm sheepcote.
In any case, shepherds were considered the lowest rung of the society of the day, as their work kept them outside and dirty, and unclean by Temple standards.
Shepherds symbolize those who care for God's people, like the Lord Himself; they are the common, ordinary folk, like many Christians today, who joyfully receive the Word of the Lord and proceed to pastor God's flock.
And an Angel of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
Angels are very impressive beings, and always frighten those they come to. The shepherds' terror reminds us of Zechariah. It was not only the Angel that terrified them, but also the manifestation of the Glory of God--something neither Zechariah nor Mary had seen. So the Angel spoke reassuringly.
but the Angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
The Angel announces "good news," the Gospel, that brings "great joy" to not just one group, but for "all people" everywhere. The whole human race.
"for today in the City of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
This is the most startlingly direct pronouncement possible. Christ the Lord has been born as a Baby this very night.
"This will be a sign for you: you will find a Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
The sign, what they will be looking for, is a newborn Baby that has been specially cared for, being wrapped in the swaddling clothes, but laying in an animal food trough, denoting poverty.
And suddenly there appeared with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly host
"Suddenly" denotes the unexpected nature of God's acts, especially of eschatological events. What appeared here was a throng of Angelic Armies from Heaven. This sounds like wave after wave of armies upon armies of Heavenly Angels.
praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."This reflects both Heaven and Earth. When God in Heaven receives the glory, then His peace is upon the Earth among those of Mankind with whom He is pleased.
When the Angels had gone away from them into Heaven,
The Angels didn't disappear, they went "away from them into Heaven," an expression that reveals Luke's awareness of spacial relationships. They went somewhere, they didn't just, "poof!" disappear!
the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."
When the shepherds finally closed their gaping mouths, they started to say, "What are we doing still here? Let's go see this thing they just told us about, it sounds fantastic!"
So they came in a hurry
They didn't dally or waste any time.
and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the Baby as He lay in the manger.
Bethlehem was a small village with a population of only about 300, so it was not difficult to find the Newborn who had been laid in a manger.
When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
Then they saw everything just as the Angel had told them, and they were so excited that they were telling everyone all the way back to the fields where they'd left the sheep.
And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
Everybody who heard them were scratching their heads, trying to figure out what these "liars" were talking about.
But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
And Mary just quietly watched everybody and how they reacted and responded to this Baby, and just thought about it all and treasured every moment in her heart. This precious Baby had a huge effect on everyone who came by, and He was still just an Infant.
The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
And the shepherds were giving God all the praise and glory for telling them, and they found everything just as they'd been told.
How often have I marveled at seeing what God said would happen, just the way He said it would? Or was surprised by the exact answer I had asked for? That's why I like to journal, so I can go back and see how faithful He is.
So why am I surprised? Don't I expect God to answer? Don't I trust Him to do what He said he would do? I say that I do. But do I really?
O my Father, You are so faithful to me, and I let You down so often. Please strengthen me, keep my eyes on You and Your ways; don't let the World pull me down to its level of chaos. Keep my feet securely planted on Your Rock of Salvation. Keep my hand in Yours as I follow Your every step on the road You set before me. Give me good success in accomplishing Your will for me, Father, and You will receive all the glory, because You are doing it all, not me.
Help me to keep my focus on Your eternal spiritual realities, instead of the temporary material World around me. Teach me to think Your thoughts, not mine; that I might be Christ to those around me who don't know You yet.
Let this Christmas season bring Your healing into our relationships and wounds. And draw to Yourself our loved ones who are yet to turn to You.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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