Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth Peace to men on whom His favor rests.
The words of the great company of angels, to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem.
God chose angels to announce the birth of Jesus. To a bunch of rough, unsocialized, outcasts. They were the lowest of society. Not even allowed to testify in a court of law because they were not thought to be reliable. They lived outside the city with the sheep, and were known to not follow the Mosaic Law very well. Kind of old fashioned renegades. But God didn't care.
God chose for Jesus to be born in a manger. We all know why, because there was no room for them in the inn. Bethlehem was a small town, but was crowded due to the census. But it was time for His Birth as well, despite what else was going on. The place was a stable, a barn. Horses, goats, chickens, cows, whatever. It was noisy, smelly, and dusty. The only place to lay the Baby was in a feed trough. But God didn't care.
The Jews were looking for a King to rescue them. They thought they would be freed from their captivity. They thought their idea of the King was right. They thought they knew how this was supposed to work. But God didn't care.
After the angels left, the shepherds went into the city to find the Baby. No, they didn't follow a star, that was the Magi from the east (who were probably Gentiles, by the way, since they came from the east). The shepherds were curious. They weren't sure what was going on, but a voice inside them said to go check out what the angels said. So they did. Don't know what happened to the sheep, maybe some stayed behind, maybe they just locked 'em up in a corral for a few hours.
The angels described their news as great, and of great joy. It was for all the people, so it was the shepherds job to go check it out and tell others about it. The Baby was referred to as from the house of David, and a Saviour, who was born to you. God didn't care about all the circustances. The time had come, not because there had been a delay, but just because God decided we were ready.
God did care. He chose a certain place, time, and group of people to orchestrate this event. I do not believe that any of these details were random or coincidental. God uses people to do His work. Could He just make it happen? Of Course. But He wants to use us, to give us some skin in the game, and to help make it believable to some others
You may be a doubter, or you may be a shepherd. You may be tuned in to society, you may think you are an outcast. God doesn't care about that. He only cares that you believe, like Mary did when she first found out she would be Jesus' mother, and tell it to others, like the shepherds did.
God did care, and He still does. Today. Right now. For you and me. There is no doubt. Because the Bible tells me so. And the rest of the story comes in the spring.
Merry Christmas to you and yours. Peace on Earth, Goodwill Towards All Men.
