"Tis The Season"

This is the season of the year that always brings out the true heart of people in a way that the rest of the year should be like, but sometimes gets lost in the sauce. Why is this? Because Christmas is a time of reflection about the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether people want to admit it or not, just the thought of the innocence of a baby laying in a manger so many years ago in Bethlehem, can bring softness to the hardest skeptic.  

This article is dedicated to the Shepherds that were there that night out in the field watching their sheep. The scripture reference is Luke 2:8-20. It reads as follows; "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was, when the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them."

The first people to be informed of the birth of Jesus Christ were the shepherds or better known today as Pastors, were living in the pasture along with their sheep, better known as people. The shepherds were watching or praying for the sheep at night, that is the time the enemy usually tries to attack the sheep. Good shepherds are aware of that and keep a close watch during those times.  

Then the angel of God came to the shepherds that were awake at night and the glory of the Lord was around them. The glory of God is coming to the Leader that is in their place. A reverent fear in their heart will be present as they humble themselves in the presence of the Lord. "The word of God, is born to you this day, in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." The shepherds were given divine instructions pertaining to where and how to find Jesus. Because they were going to be a witness of the birth of Jesus Christ. This in turn, was to tell people who they found, that they found the savior of the soul of man. As shepherds today, we are still proclaiming the same message that these shepherds did. The message has not changed from the angels that brought them from the field to the manger, to find the Christ child. 

We need as Pastors to evangelize our sheep to tell the world Christ has come. His name must be heard from our pulpits to the people of our flock, to be a witness in the earth of freedom. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son into the world, to save the world." God only has one begotten Son, that's why it is always in season to spread the good news and to remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He fully paid for us to be free and we must teach our people to communicate to a lost world this love that sets men & women free from all burdens of life. So this year, let us herald the message of life from our pulpits, our homes and our communities. Jesus Christ is our answer to every situation of life. Happy New Year -