Good morning,
It was a little over 2000 years ago that while shepherds watched their flocks at night they were probably talking about all the Roman soldiers that were flooding their towns and demanding that the conquered Jews pay them money to keep their corrupt Roman leaders living high and happy. Ordinary poor people were traveling long distances to get back to their birth homes and then lining up to pay their hard earned money or else. There weren't enough places to stay and there were a lot of resentful people who were really wishing that their promised Messiah would show up and get rid of these corrupt people once and for all. Suddenly the night turned really bright and when their eyes got adjusted, there was a terrifying angel standing there. The rest of their life they would never forget what he said. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Then he went on to say, “you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”(Luke 2:10-12) As if that wasn’t enough, the sky was full of angels, the armies of heaven, praising God. It was too good to be true, but they were saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”(v.14)
Those shepherds that night were the first of untold millions of people who would discover that when the Messiah showed up he would bring peace with him that was more powerful than any set of negative circumstances. When Jesus the Messiah began his ministry to the Jews 30 years later, one of his often used greetings was, “Don’t be afraid.” When Jesus was getting close to the end of his earthly ministry he had to keep his followers focused on His Father and doing His will instead of allowing their circumstances to control what they did in life. When Jesus was getting ready to suffer and die on the cross he told them, "I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.(John14:27) He also told them, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”(John16:33) The Jesus who said that died and rose again to prove to all of us that we can trust our God to carry out his plans no matter what we face. Jesus wasn’t just talking to his disciples and the godly people of his day. He is telling those of us in his eternal family today the same truth to steady our hearts and minds as we go through the challenges we face day by day. Dear Lord, please help us to listen to what you have said.
Luke 2:13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others–the armies of heaven–praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
Roy Wisner
