I can’t help but think of the made for TV movie A Charlie Brown Christmas when I read this passage. Charlie is fed up with all the focus on flashy decorations and expensive presents and exclaims “isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about”? His young friend Linus says he does, and he reads Luke 2.6-14. Let’s imagine what it must have been like that first Christmas Eve and see how we would answer Charlie Brown’s very profound question.

[Luke 2.1-20]

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ I am going to forgo my regular practice of asking questions and just list some things I learned delving into this very familiar section of Scripture that I hope you find helpful:

+ Luke states in the opening verses of his gospel that his goal was to write “an orderly account” of the life of Jesus. Naming people like Caesar Augustus and Quirinius, the governor of Syria, Luke clearly shows that what he is about to write REALLY happened at a particular place and time in human history. Luke also mentions “those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us”. The details he lays out here in this passage most likely came from his interview(s) with Mary herself, who “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”.

+ Angel comes from the Greek word “aggelos” meaning messenger. In the New Testament, angel occurs more often than the words love and sin. The best definition I found for angels are “benevolent celestial intermediaries between God and humanity”. In almost every case, the Bible records the first words out of their mouth when meeting with humans is “do not be afraid”, meaning they must be awe inspiring in appearance!!! Imagine a time in your life when you had great view of the night sky, away from city lights, buildings, and tall trees. Now imagine that sky FILLED with these heavenly beings. Now you know why the shepherds were filled with “great fear”.

+ Both Moses and David started their “careers” as shepherds; however, this occupation was very much maligned at the time of Jesus. It is thought that the sheep used for sacrifices in the Temple of Jerusalem came from the fields in Bethlehem, yet the shepherds were barred from participating in the worship there as they were considered unclean. Their transient lifestyle led legal experts at that time to exclude them as reliable witnesses in court cases. They were religious and social outcasts, yet these were the people God chose to first hear this “good news of great joy”. Imagine what the shepherds felt when they were told their long-awaited Messiah was going to be born that night and they would be the first to see him. Imagine how they felt when He turned out to be like them in appearance, poor and humble in estate. Now you know why they “returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them”.

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Jesus is called a Savior in v. 11. But a Savior from what? The belief was that Israel’s Messiah would save them from their enemies and return the nation to the greatness it had under David. But in Matthew’s account of the Christmas story, we are told of another angelic visitation, this one with Joseph as he was contemplating divorcing Mary because she was with child not of his doing.

[Matthew 1.20-21] 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

At its heart, Christmas should be a celebration of God providing a way for humanity to be saved from the just penalty of sin. Jesus lived a perfect life under the Law and then offered Himself as the spotless lamb; as our substitute, a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to the Father.

[2 Corinthians 5.19, 21] 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

A Charlie Brown Christmas ends with Charlie and all his friends singing the beloved hymn “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”

Quoting Linus, “and that, Charlie Brown, is what Christmas is all about”!!!

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?