Beyond all of these ideas, however, is something even greater, that should cause every believer to become giddy with excitement. Think about that very first Christmas! The Angels announce the birth to the Shepherds with no small ceremony! They were excited! The Shepherds responded with “Let’s go see this thing!” So, they left their flock and went!
After the Shepherds found the tiny Babe, just as the Angels described, they shared with others as they returned to their home, what they had seen. They were giddy about their news! They wanted everyone to know the message of hope they witnessed in the least likely place; Bethlehem and in a very humble bed, a stable with animals. They had seen the Savior! The glory of God came and they were invited to celebrate! In essence, the Shepherds were the very first evangelists!
The Shepherds also demonstrated that God can use the poor and weak to be strong and wise. What a great lesson for us. We get so tangled up in the things we don’t feel qualified to do, we lose opportunities to do great things.
Simeon who saw the tiny child only eight days later, was also excited. He knew when he saw this little one, that He was the Messiah! Simeon was so excited he even said he was ready to leave this earth. He had witnessed the coming of the Savior. Luke 2 describes Simeon as giving a message of praise after seeing the child. He was celebrating!
Still another who recognized the significance of the Jesus, was Anna, the Prophetess. She knew that this baby, which Mary held close, was the Savior. She, was also excited! What a gift both she and Simeon were able to receive, but also proclaimed.
Are we any different? Should we be any different? Christmas is all about hope and joy, love and gifts, celebration and obedience, sharing and sacrifice. We should all have a message of praise! The gift Simeon and Anna recognized, should be even more evident to us. We have God’s Holy Word to confirm what they just “knew!” We have written scriptures and the Holy Spirit to guide us, give us purpose and the supernatural gift of Salvation!
As the time creeps closer to Christmas day, remember the gifts we give to each other are in celebration of the Christ Child. We are sharing with those we love the tradition of gift giving, with Jesus being the Greatest Gift ever given. When we sing Christmas carols, we should sing with great praise in our hearts, not only through a pattern of habit. When we read the scriptures of Jesus’ birth, we should remember that little baby was the ultimate sacrifice who came to give his life for our sins. What an amazing and life changing gift.
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