Continue Telling It on the Mountain

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Luke 2:8-20

 

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be ^[a]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

(NKJV)

 

The Bible has many examples of Jesus using ordinary people, and even people viewed as outcasts, to accomplish his purpose. A young shepherd boy becomes King of Israel and part of the lineage of the Messiah. A Samaritan woman, people viewed as outcasts by the Jews, meets Jesus, and there is a revival in her town. At the Savior’s birth, God chose to announce the birth to a group of shepherds, people few wanted to associate with. God does not choose the strongest, most attractive, or the most popular to conduct His work, just those who are willing.

 

Just outside of Bethlehem are grassy fields known as the shepherds’ fields where shepherds allow their flocks to graze even today so it would not be unusual for a group of shepherds to be out there at night (Luke 2:8). However, on the night of Jesus’ birth, the unusual happened with an angel of the Lord appearing to shepherds causing them to fear (Luke 2:9). The angel quickly relieves their fears by announcing the birth of Jesus with them the first, besides Mary and Joseph, to know of the birth (Luke 2:10-11). The angel also gives the shepherds a detailed description of the baby so they can go there and find Him (Luke 2:12). Then the night turns even more unusual with a heavenly choir singing and praising God (Luke 2:13-14).

 

Knowing they had just experienced something divine and miraculous, the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see what had happened (Luke 2:15). They found that what the angel told them was true, and upon seeing Jesus do not hesitate to tell everyone about it (Luke 2:16-17). Everyone marveled at what they heard from the Shepherds with Mary still pondering it in her heart (Luke 2:18-19). The shepherds return from telling everyone and go back to tending their sheep glorifying and praising God (Luke 2:20).

 

The high priest and Jewish religious leaders at the time were only five miles away in Jerusalem, so the angel could have announced Jesus’ birth to them. However, as we would find out during the ministry of Jesus, these men would not have believed their Messiah would come in such a manner, seeking a sign (Matthew 12:38-42). Instead, God has an angel of the Lord make a grand entrance and announce the birth of the Messiah to shepherds who do not seek a sign but come to Jesus and believe (Luke 2:15-18). God can and will use anyone willing to go.

 

A new year begins tomorrow, and as with any new year, it brings both hope and uncertainty. Unfortunately, the problems of the old year do not end with the start of the new year but carry forward. The hope is that solutions for these problems may be found. For those of us having faith in Jesus Christ as our savior, with hope found in the truth of God’s Word, promising the return of Jesus to establish His kingdom on earth. However, until that time occurs, Jesus commanded His Church to do as the shepherds did and tell everyone about Him (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). There is a ripe harvest field of lost souls waiting for workers to go in (Matthew 9:37-38) and bring in the harvest by sharing Jesus as the shepherds did. The question is, will you be one of them?

 

Perhaps you are reading this and are one of those lost souls who are seeking answers in the coming year. The good news is that you can make this next year a year of change in your life by praying to profess your belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10). If that is you, I invite you to pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Let someone know of your profession of faith or comment on this post. I also urge you to find a church teaching from the Bible so you can grow in your faith. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.