The Greatest Night of All

Luke 2:8-14

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

This was the scene on the night of our Savior’s birth.

Here it was the pivot point in all of history; nothing would be the same from this point on. The kingdom of God had just established a beachhead in this world and the beginning of the end was at hand for the prince of this world. Until Christ returns to fully and completely establish His kingdom, the night that He was born stands alone as the most important night of all of human history. This is the moment that all of creation has been waiting for since the fall of man.  This is the night that had been prophesied all throughout the Old Testament. This night was the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Such was the stature and grandeur of this night.

And yet, how did God choose to announce this grand occasion? Did he send envoys to the kings and rulers of the time? Were messengers dispatched to the religious leaders? Was there a special function where all the rich and powerful could be informed?

No, He sent an angel to take His message of hope and redemption to those that needed it the most, the lowest of the low in society. The angel came to the shepherds who watched over their flocks while everyone else was securely and comfortably asleep.

They were terrified. First, because this was a messenger from God and second because God’s glory shone all around them. They were not priests, they were not Levites; they were simply shepherds. They must have thought their number was up.

Instead, the Angel of the Lord allays their fear and delivers the message of peace and hope that emanates from the throne itself. The Christ, the promised Messiah has been born.

I can imagine that if they were terrified at the sight of one angel, what it must have been like when a whole host of angels shows up and starts singing. Can you imagine the sound? They must have really been out there in the fields away from town, because no one but them heard it.

Then again, it wasn’t meant for anyone than them. Why was that?

We can only speculate of course, but I think it was because they were the only ones who would accept the message at face value.  Anyone else would have immediately questioned the fact that if this was truly the Messiah that was promised, what was He doing wrapped in rags in a manger, a feeding trough?

But these humble shepherds took the angel at his word, left their sheep unattended, and went into town to find their Savior and find Him they did, just as the angel had said.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times over the years I’ve listened to Handel’s Messiah. To this day it gives me Goosebumps.  As magnificent as that piece of music is, it must have paled in comparison with that heavenly choir singing, “Glory to God”.

He sent His angel to lowly shepherds. It was fitting then that Jesus’ ministry was focused on the poor, the sick; the disenfranchised.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

… even lowly shepherds… even me. What a night, a holy night.