Luke 2:8-20

We read, in these verses, how the birth of the Lord Jesus was first announced to the children of men. The birth of a king’s son is generally made an occasion of public revelling and rejoicing. The announcement of the birth of the Prince of Peace was made privately, at midnight, and without anything of worldly pomp and ostentation.

Let us mark who they were to whom the tidings first came that Christ was born. They were “shepherds abiding in the field near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks by night.” To shepherds,–not to priests and rulers,–to shepherds–not to Scribes and Pharisees, an angel appeared, proclaiming, “unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

The saying of James should come into our mind, as we read these words: “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to those who love him.” (James 2:5) The want of money debars no one from spiritual privileges. The things of God’s kingdom are often hidden from the great and noble, and revealed to the poor. The busy labour of the hands need not prevent a man being favoured with special communion with God. Moses was keeping sheep,–Gideon was threshing wheat,–Elisha was ploughing, when they were severally honoured by direct calls and revelations from God. Let us resist the suggestion of Satan, that religion is not for the working man. The weak of the world are often called before the mighty. The last are often first, and the first last.

Let us mark, secondly, the language used by the angel in announcing Christ’s birth to the shepherds. He said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

We need not wonder at these words. The spiritual darkness which had covered the earth for four thousand years, was about to be rolled away. The way to pardon and peace with God was about to be thrown open to all mankind. The head of Satan was about to be bruised. Liberty was about to be proclaimed to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind. The mighty truth was about to be proclaimed that God could be just, and yet, for Christ’s sake, justify the ungodly. Salvation was no longer to be seen through types and figures, but openly, and face to face. The knowledge of God was no longer to be confined to the Jews, but to be offered to the whole Gentile world. The days of heathenism were numbered. The first stone of God’s kingdom was about to be set up. If this was not “good tidings,” there never were tidings that deserved the name.

Let us mark, thirdly, who they were that first praised God, when Christ was born. They were angels, and not men,–angels who had never sinned, and needed no Saviour,–angels who had not fallen, and required no redeemer, and no atoning blood. The first hymn to the honour of “God manifest in the flesh,” was sung by “a multitude of the heavenly host.”

Let us note this fact. It is full of deep spiritual lessons. It shows us what good servants the angels are. All that their heavenly Master does pleases and interests them.–It shows us what clear knowledge they have. They know what misery sin has brought into creation. They know the blessedness of heaven, and the privilege of an open door into it.–Above all, it shows us the deep love and compassion which the angels feel towards poor lost man. They rejoice in the glorious prospect of many souls being saved, and many brands plucked from the burning.

Let us strive to be more like-minded with the angels. Our spiritual ignorance and deadness appear most painfully in our inability to enter into the joy which we see them here expressing. Surely if we hope to dwell with them forever in heaven, we ought to share something of their feelings while we are here upon earth. Let us seek a more deep sense of the sinfulness and misery of sin, and then we shall have a more deep sense of thankfulness for redemption.

Let us mark, fourthly, the hymn of praise which the heavenly host sung in the hearing of the shepherds. They said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.”

These famous words are variously interpreted. Man is by nature so dull in spiritual things, that it seems as if he cannot understand a sentence of heavenly language when he hears it. Yet a meaning may be drawn from the words which is free from any objection, and is not only good sense, but excellent theology.

“Glory to God in the highest!” the song begins. Now is come the highest degree of glory to God, by the appearing of His Son Jesus Christ in the world. He by His life and death on the cross will glorify God’s attributes,–justice, holiness, mercy, and wisdom,–as they never were glorified before. Creation glorified God, but not so much as redemption.

“Peace on earth!” the song goes on. Now is come to earth the peace of God which passeth all understanding,–the perfect peace between a holy God and sinful man, which Christ was to purchase with His own blood,–the peace which is offered freely to all mankind,–the peace which, once admitted into the heart, makes men live at peace one with another, and will one day overspread the whole world.

“Good will towards men!” the song concludes. Now is come the time when God’s kindness and good will towards guilty man is to be fully made known. His power was seen in creation. His justice was seen in the flood. But His mercy remained to be fully revealed by the appearing and atonement of Jesus Christ.

Such was the purport of the angels’ song. Happy are they that can enter into its meaning, and with their hearts subscribe to its contents. The man who hopes to dwell in heaven, should have some experimental acquaintance with the language of its inhabitants.

Let us mark, ere we leave the passage, the prompt obedience to the heavenly vision displayed by the shepherds. We see in them no doubts, or questionings, or hesitation. Strange and improbable as the tidings might seem, they at once act upon them. They went to Bethlehem in haste. They found everything exactly as it had been told them. Their simple faith received a rich reward. They had the mighty privilege of being the first of all mankind, after Mary and Joseph, who saw with believing eyes the new-born Messiah. They soon returned, “glorifying and praising God” for what they had seen.

May our spirit be like theirs! May we ever believe implicitly, act promptly, and wait for nothing, when the path of duty is clear! So doing, we shall have a reward like that of the shepherds. The journey that is begun in faith, will generally end in praise.