Response

Over the past few weeks we have been talking about how the shepherds responded to the coming of God to the earth in the form of a baby. Last week we saw that when they got the news, they went directly to find Jesus and worship. But what I find interesting is that the Bible doesn’t leave them at the manger worshipping. This is what we read a few verses later, “After seeing them (Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus), they reported the message they were told about this child…The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told” (Luke 2:17,20 CSB). Did you notice what they did? They went back to their work. But they did not go back the same as they left; they had been changed by their meeting with Jesus. We are told that their response had two parts, first they told everyone what they had seen and experienced. Second they went back to work “glorifying and praising God.” You see, that is what happens to us when we meet Jesus. We are changed! We go from just living life to living life with purpose. The shepherds no longer just cared for lambs, they now knew the Lamb who would take away their sins and the sins of the whole world.
Have you met Jesus? Have you experienced the change he offers? If not you can, he is offering you the same invitation he offered the shepherds, “Come and meet me.” Meet Jesus who has paid the price for your sins and the sins of the whole world. If you have met him, have you been changed by him? Are you telling everyone what he has done in you? Have you returned to your family and job praising and glorifying God for all He has done in you?

-Pastor Tim