Christmas Morning: Son Rise on a New Dayනියැදිය

We have a tendency to prepare for the worst. If someone that we do not know comes up to us and says, “I’ve been looking for you,” we default to believing that the person wants to harm us … or serve us legal papers for a lawsuit … or punch us in the mouth! We walk around with this kind of negative bias. At some level it is because we carry a fair amount of guilt for our past or present behavior.

There is even an urban legend that the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once sent a note to a friend that said, “All is discovered.Flee at once!” Though the note provided no context, the friend took off immediately! Indeed we have a tendency to prepare for the worst!

When the angel appeared to the shepherds outside Bethlehem, the shepherds cowered in fear. As we saw yesterday, they were overcome by the glory of the Lord that shone around them. They also anticipated that the angel had come to announce to them bad news. They must be in trouble, otherwise why would God pay them a visit?

The angel clears up this misconception, telling them to “fear not” because it was good news, not bad news, that was being announced. The joyous reality is that the Savior had been born that night, and the shepherds were invited to the celebration.

Shepherds were considered religious outsiders in their day. By taking care of the animals they were considered unclean and unable to enter the Temple area for worship. Additionally, they were always working with these animals, so it seemed like they had no chance of redemption, cleansing, and access to God in worship. In order for them to be cleansed, the “Temple” had to come to them. And He did when Jesus was born. Through His eventual death on the cross, Jesus would make the way for the dirty to be forever cleansed.

Though our sin, if found out, would make us want to “flee at once,” before running, we need to remember the good news of Jesus Christ. For unto the dirty, was born that day in the city of David the Savior who is Christ the Lord. Let us flee to Him at once and find the forgiveness and cleansing we all need.

Now that is good news!