And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them,
"Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
Luke 2:8-14
Just a few days ago I was driving to work listening to some audiobook or news program. In one of those dramatic moments of sudden decisiveness, I resolutely killed the power to the radio and determined to turn my heart and mind to Jesus. Immediately I was reciting Luke 2 ... "and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night..." And as I continued to mediate on this momentous occasion recorded in Scripture, I was filled with overwhelming emotion - joy and excitement and gratitude and worship. Tears began coming and I literally said to myself, "Chris, what's going on? You're crying in the car thinking of a passage you've heard and read a hundred times?" But deep inside, I didn't really care that I was falling apart - it's a beautiful thing to have your heart tenderized by the Word of God.
I imagine a handful of men scattered among flocks of sheep. They are tired, but they are determined to stay vigilant. They must keep watch. No thief or wolf is going to get to one of their sheep on their shift. It's probably a quiet night. Quiet except for the chorus of bleating sheep that seem to want the wolves to know exactly where they are. The shepherds love their sheep, to be sure, knowing each of them by name and by the slight variations in their coats, and how they walk and stumble about, even the different looks in their eyes, but I imagine in their hearts they'd rather be home with their families. But this is how life is and they are determined to love, protect and serve these sheep that are under their care.
Then erupting out of this mundane night, an explosion of light! Shielding their eyes and confused, they fall down. As their eyes begin to adjust to the brilliant light they realize that a human figure is suspended in the sky exploding with light and glory. "And they were terrified."
But who do you think was most excited about this encounter? Although I have usually read this from the shepherds' perspective, during this recitation, I was emotionally moved as I took that of the angel's.
This angel of the Lord has lived in the presence of God. He knows the heart of God - a heart full of love and compassion and wisdom. He loves God with his whole being. He has seen the broken heart of God over his people - over all people - who have been stolen and placed into the captivity of sin. This angel has seen the glory of the Garden of Eden and the effects of the curse that have lasted 4,000 years - destroying, ravaging, murdering, lying, hating. He has seen constant betrayal and pain and bloodshed and known for centuries that it is just not right. Not only has the angel's heart grieved over the plight of man, but he aches with God the Father because he knows that God's heart is so much greater than his own and so it has suffered even more than his own. It has been too long. Too many years. Too much pain. The ache over the broken relationship between God the Father and his children has not let up in all these years. I believe this is the context of the angel's message. And I imagine the brilliance and glory was not merely a dramatic effect, but may have come out of the angel's own 'bursting at the seams' joy over the announcement he was about to give.
"Do not be afraid!!! I bring you GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY that will be for ALL THE PEOPLE!!!"
I imagine the shepherds are a bit like us - so caught up in the spectacle that the words almost fly over their heads. To the angel, on the other hand, it's all about the words. He lives in glory and light. He's probably not even trying to be impressive. All he wants to do is communicate a message - the greatest message he has ever given - a message he has waited thousands of years to give, or hear, or whatever - just to know that TODAY, NOW, there is GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY that is for ALL THE PEOPLE!... A SAVIOR has been born to YOU and HE is CHRIST THE LORD!
The angel still cannot even believe his own words. He is exploding with emotion and joy. This is the most thrilling message that has been given since God said, "Let there be..." The Father has revealed his heart again in a most astounding way. "...a SAVIOR has been born to YOU..." To these shepherds, to all people, to Herod, to all the wicked, fallen people, bound by death and sin, in relentless bondage and captivity to evil, to all who have been led astray... A SAVIOR... God has given you a SAVIOR!
The angel is reeling. "A Savior! A Savior! God is going to save his people!" It's all he can do to just stick to the script.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Heaven explodes. The other angels have been trembling in the background with excitement as the message has been given, and now they cannot contain their joy and praise. Their glory bursts forth in the dark night as they proclaim:
"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!
AND ON EARTH PEACE TO MEN ON WHOM HIS FAVOR RESTS!"
God has done it. The prophesies have come to pass. The Redeemer is here. The baby. Jesus, the promised Messiah. What a glorious announcement.
Obviously, I'm using my imagination to fill in some of the spaces left in the Scripture. But as I recited this passage to myself in my car that day, I was overwhelmed with that sense of joy that I believe all the angels of heaven were experiencing.
I hope each of us can really feel the joy knowing that "A SAVIOR has been born... He is CHRIST THE LORD."
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