The Shepherds’ Mission

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Luke 2:15-20

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. (Luke 2:15-20 NLT)

When the angel told the shepherds about the baby born in a manger and invited them to go and visit the newborn Messiah, they didn’t waste any time! They hurried to the village, and they saw Mary and Joseph and the baby just as the angel had said. Then  without realizing it they became the very first evangelists spreading the Good News! 

The shepherds told everyone they met in the village, on the road, and at the local supermarket, what had happened, what they had seen, and what the angel had told them about this child. Of all people, a ragged band of shepherds became the first evangelists of the birth of God’s Son the promised Messiah. Then they went back to their flocks full of praise and gratitude to God, talking to people about their experience.

I’m making some changes this year. I’ve begun meeting regularly with a couple of people who care about the things I care about, and we’re simply talking about our present experiences of faith. We talk about our questions, our doubts, our struggles. We talk about the things we’re each praying about and asking God to help us with.

I’ve also begun to talk with other folks in “non-religious” settings and contexts when it seems appropriate and to simply remark about things I’ve prayed about and felt God’s help and comfort with. And offered to pray for them about things. It’s not “witnessing” as an artificial, learned behavior. It’s being a witness, talking about the things I’m experiencing, learning, wondering about, doing. Do you have some sort of setting and practice of telling and asking and sharing what’s happening in your faith journey? Think about what you could do, and with whom, and then give it a shot!

Prayer:

Father, We’ve all got something to talk about, to tell, and to share. Some of it is from a while back and some of it is fresh (Or can be. I know that’s our choice). Please help us to be freer in talking about the spiritual part of our nature, our lives, and our experience. For your Kingdom’s sake, Amen!