Ponder to Proclaim

 

(13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, (14) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (15) When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” (16) And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (17) And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. (18) And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  (19) But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (20) And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:13-20

 

Are these familiar verses? We’ve heard the sermons year after year until they become so familiar that we drift off or lose interest. When we look closely we will see three ways we can please God in our response to the familiar truths about the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas.

In verse 15 after the angels had made an announcement to the shepherds about what had happened in Bethlehem. They said it was “good news of great joy that will be for all people” (verse 10). The shepherds had heard and believed it and went to see for themselves what “Christ the Lord lying in a manger” (verse 11-12) would look like. After seeing Him they made known what they had been told about Him.

All who have received this good news of Christ’s birth have this same message bringing great joy as the shepherds did. The people we meet need to hear it as much as those the shepherds told. Are you and I telling others about what we have heard about Christ the Lord?

Then the shepherds came to Mary and told her what they had heard and all about the angels who they had heard it from. “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”. (Verse 19)

Because you and I have heard these accounts of the birth, life, and even the death, of Jesus so often it seems that we fail to always see the importance, even the life changing nature of them. They are truly good news with great joy attached for the one who believes and follows Christ wholeheartedly.

Do you and I spend any time pondering these things in our hearts? How much time, especially as Christmas approaches, are we spending in our Bibles and talking to the Lord every day? Are we thankful for the joy? Are we acknowledging the birth of our Savior and the difference in the world since His coming? Or are we only trying to get everything earthly done so we can get it behind us for another year?

In these verses  the Shepherds left “glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had seen and heard which were just as they had been told.” (Verse 19)

When the Shepherds realized that what the angels had told them was just as they had said, they knew it was of the Lord, the Messiah had truly come! So they praised and glorified God – out loud!

Do our friends and family members know this truth? Each one of us can tell our own story of how God revealed these truths to us, how we pondered Christ in our hearts, and how we now praise and glorify God for His gift of grace in our lives as we serve him.

Pondering is a great spiritual exercise – but when the pondering turns to praising and proclaiming the Christ – God is glorified and we are satisfied in Him!