And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

— Luke 2.8-11 —

Every maternity ward in every hospital has a space labeled, “Family Waiting Room.”

This is the place that smiling sisters, beaming brothers, grinning grandparents, anxious aunts and overjoyed uncles, wait with expectation for the doctor to bring the good news of great joy, “For unto you this day, a baby has been born into your family.”

In the same way that sisters, brothers, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, wait for a new life to be brought into their family, the shepherds out in the field, around 2000 years ago, were also waiting for a new life to be brought into a family—God’s family.  They were waiting for God’s promise of a Savior to be fulfilled.

However, on this particular night, the wait was over. 

Just as a doctor comes bursting in with the good news of a baby’s birth, God sent angels to burst into the lives of these men working with their sheep.  On this night, the angels proclaimed that a baby had been born and that baby was Christ the Lord. 

This was good news because for thousands of years, people waited, watched and kept their ears close to the ground to pick up on any murmuring that would let them know that God was doing what He said He would do.  What did God say He would do? God said that He would provide a way for sins to be forgiven, eternal life to given, and righteousness to be imputed.

God promised that sinners would be made into saints.

When Jesus was born and God’s promise was fulfilled there was great joy because salvation was now possible.  Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, sins would be forgiven once for all. There would be no more working for or sacrificing to earn God’s love. Through faith in Jesus, the gifts of peace, hope, and great joy are freely given.

Jesus has been born and He is the one that will save men and women from their sins (Matthew 1.21). He is the Christ. He is the Messiah.  He is the Chosen and Anointed One.

We are saved by the first Advent, the first coming of Jesus.

But, now we continue to wait for the second Advent when Jesus will return one final time to make all things right and new for us.

As we wait, like the shepherds in the field, let us count the Lord’s patience as our salvation (2 Peter 3.15).

Amen.

Pastor Fred.

December 9, 2019