The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Thursday, 25 December 2014 “Wonderful, joyous news for all people”Daily Scripture: Luke 2: An Event for Everyone
8-12 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”
13-14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
15-18 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
19-20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!
Reflection Questions:
We’re used to seeing dignified, noble shepherds in manger scenes, Christmas pageants and paintings. Yet when Jesus was born, most people looked down on shepherds. Most priests shunned them because, caring for flocks, they couldn’t carefully observe all the rituals it took to be “holy.” But God loved them, and made these shepherds the first to hear the “wonderful joyous news for all people.”
• Was Jesus born on December 25? Probably not. “Flocks in pasture at night show that this was a warmer season, not winter (when they would graze more in the day)” (The IVP Bible Background Commentary). How can the story of the shepherds watching their flocks outdoors on a warmer night remind you that the good news of Jesus’ birth applies all year, and not just for a few wintry nights?
• In verses 9-10, the shepherds were terrified, and the angel told them, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you.” Have you ever felt fear when you faced something unexpected or unexplainable? In what parts of your life do you need to hear anew the wonderful, joyous news of Jesus, and to take in the message “Don’t be afraid”?
Prayer: Lord, by my world’s standards, it was odd that you’d declare the good news first to shepherds. But you chose well—the shepherds listened, and worshipped. This Christmas day I join the shepherds in worshipping you. Amen.
Insight From Dr. Amy Oden
Dr. Amy Oden is Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality at Saint Paul School of Theology at OCU. Teaching is her calling, and she looks forward to every day with students. For 25 years, Amy has taught theology and history, pursuing scholarship in service of the church.
Merry Christmas! The Christmas story is full of God breaking into the lives of everyday people. Maybe you are not a religious person, or don’t think of yourself as very religious. Neither were Mary and Joseph. Neither were the shepherds in today’s scripture. In fact, shepherds couldn’t keep all the religious rules about purity, so religious people looked down on them. None of the main characters in the Christmas story were very religious people. God did not choose the most spectacular or impressive people as avenues for his message of love. He chose people like you and like the others you gather with today—regular, maybe not-so-religious people.
Sometimes I am tempted to want the god of the special and the spectacular. I want God to be spectacular, do spectacular things through exceptional people. Sometimes I don’t know how to even see or believe God is doing anything at all unless it is spectacular.
The Christmas story tells me that the key here is to not look for the spectacular, but to look for the ordinary. Look deeply into the ordinary, for that is where God is doing extraordinary things. Ordinary field workers are made into cosmic messengers. A lowly young woman becomes bearer of the Light of the world. A vulnerable baby in a manger is the Savior of all people.
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