Monday 21st December

Read : Matthew 2v1 –12  & Luke 2 v 8–1

New born babies cause such a stir in a family don’t they? People come from far and near to see this new child. But no baby caused such a stir as did the arrival of that special baby on that first Christmas morning centuries ago.  When Jesus arrived, there was a stir in heaven and in the sky; a stir in the fields and in the East and a stir in government circles.
There are three groups of people who I especially want to look at today who were brought out, as it were, to mark that special birth. 

First of all His birth brought out the Angels from Heaven. A whole host of them! Angels play a pivotal part as God’s heralds.  They praised Him at creation Job 38 v7 tells us they sang with the morning star and shouted for joy. We are told in many places were they were sent to help Gods people. Two were sent to urge Lot to flee from Sodom and Gomorrah; Daniel in the lions’ den, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It should be no great shock that He should send His messengers to herald the birth of His only Son. The bible reading today tells us they caused a great stir that morning. Did you know that, if you are a child of God, they also sang for joy at our new birth (Luke 15 v 10 )

Secondly His birth brought the shepherds from the fields. The first announcement of Jesus birth was given to shepherds sleeping in the fields. We aren’t told their names so why lowly Shepherds? Why not priests or scribes or Pharisees? By visiting the shepherds the angels revealed that Jesus was for everyone. At the time of Jesus, shepherds were regarded as outcasts and people of low profile not to be trusted, they weren’t even allowed into the temple. In God’s eyes all men are equal and he chose the shepherds and our passage tells us they hurried to see this event the angels had told them about and they went home rejoicing. I wonder do we hurry to find the Lord Jesus and find ourselves rejoicing.

Thirdly he brought the wise men from the east. Bible scholars today will tell you that they came from a land that was opposed to God. The gentiles from Babylon and Persia it is modern day Iraq. It reminds us what the angels said “ Good news of great joy for ALL THE PEOPLE “  that’s wonderful news because even today God chooses people from every nation east ,west, north, south. No one is too high or too low. Every one of them bowed down to Him and every one of them rejoiced.

At Jesus birth God sent the angels from heaven, He brought the shepherds from the fields and He brought the wise men from the east. I trust He will bring us closer to Him at this Christmas time.