BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” – Luke 2:17
The First Time Shepherds Heard about Jesus (Luke 2:17)
by Lynette Kittle
Do you remember the first heard time you heard about Jesus? If so, what was your initial response? Did you want to run and go tell everyone you knew about Him?
Scripture describes how the shepherds in the fields reacted after being told about Jesus’ birth, “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about’” (Luke 2:15).
Luke 2:16 records what happened next “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”
After seeing Jesus, the shepherds didn’t contain their excitement but starting telling everyone they knew about Him. Luke 2:18 describes how those they told received the news, “and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
Yet, so many in the culture today leave Jesus out of their Christmas celebrations. 2 Corinthians 4:4 explains why, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that display the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
However, because your mind has been opened to see Jesus, like the shepherds did on the night of his birth, you have the opportunity to tell everyone around you about Him.
And what better time to tell others about Jesus than at Christmas?
Decide to look at your neighbors, co-workers, family members, and others who seem oblivious to the true meaning of Christmas with compassion, realizing they are blinded to seeing Jesus as the true reason for the season.
Reach out to them in love, like God did to you. “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”(John 3:16).
Choose to tell those you love, and those you meet along your way, how God gave the very first Christmas gift.
As Acts 10:35 reminds us, “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”
Ask God to give you the kind of joy and enthusiasm the shepherds had, to spread the Good News of Jesus’ birth to everyone you know and meet.
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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