By Rupert Shelley, Director of Mission Partnerships
Luke 2:15-21
2023 saw the coronation of King Charles III, here in the UK. A time of pomp and ceremony, pageantry and celebration, the great and the good took their seats in Westminster Abbey and millions (if not billions?) watched on from their homes.
In Luke 2:1-21 we read of an even greater global event. The angels announced the arrival of King Jesus (v8-12). Surely the fanfare and singing that followed (v13-14) was more impressive than the Coronation Concert that took place outside of Buckingham Palace? Yet what’s striking is that ‘the good news of great joy that is for all people’ was first announced to the shepherds. These agricultural field dwellers (v8) of lowly status are mentioned here four times; Luke is clear. Divine Royalty, God’s promised Saviour King had come for all… even shepherds.
Several years ago, we kept sheep. Looking after orphan lambs, bottle feeding them, keeping them warm, ensuring they had good pasture, looking out for the dreaded flystrike; it was a steep learning curve! We loved our lambs – but they weren’t glamorous. Ordinary, smelly, decidedly stubborn, a challenge to look after… the life of a shepherd, we decided, was not for us.
How wonderful at Christmas time to be reminded that the God of all the universe displays that he is for all sorts of people as he announces the arrival of his King first to the shepherds. Not to priests, rulers, scribes or Pharisees, but to those who had little, offered less and looked unlikely. And what did those of lowly nature do with this momentous news? ‘When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.’ (v17-18).
The shepherds spoke. They spread the word. They sang with delight (v20). Praise God that the weak of the world are seen and valued by him, that the first are last and that the last are first, and that the insignificant are significant.