Meditation

Hi there,

Today's passage, the seventh in the series of Nine from the "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols," follows directly on from the passage we copied yesterday.

Jesus' quiet, unassuming entry into the world was set against the backdrop of a busy, un-noticing, vibrant Bethlehem. The scene now immediately shifts to the dark, quiet hills outside the city, where the Shepherds are urgently called to be the first witnesses to worship him.

The first question of the Westminster Catechisms asks;

Q. What is the chief and highest end of man?

A. Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever.

It is, thus, both urgent, inevitable, natural, and necessary that the first event after Jesus' birth was for men to be called to worship him.

Luke carefully described these events to highlight the fulfillment of the prophecy of Micah and the instant call to worship Jesus as the promised Messiah.

The shepherds go on to declare the good news far and wide. The secret is out, and the world is forever changed.

Today's passage is Luke 2:8-16

Luke 2

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Encouragement

Today's Carol, "Hark The Herald Angels Sing," intimately connects us to that first worship service on the hills above Bethlehem two millennia ago.

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