Day 5
The Big Idea: Once we encounter Christ, we have a choice to make.
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, “Letʼs go to Bethlehem and see
this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the
baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen
him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them
about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what
the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these
things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had
heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
–Luke 2:15-20
The shepherds saw something they werenʼt expecting. They had an
encounter with Godʼs Kingdom in an amazing way. And afterwards, they
were left with a choice.
What were they to do with the information they just heard?
The truth is that once we encounter Christ, each of us, you included, has a
choice to make. When people hear the Gospel, or have a chance to
encounter Christ through the Bible, there is a choice to be made. People
have to respond one way or another. They will either move on this
information, or they will not. They will either be compelled to know more, or
the will choose to walk away.
The shepherds had a choice. They made their choice and they made it
well.
The shepherds acted and they retold. They acted on the angelsʼ message.
Look in verse 15. They heard and they moved. They could have sat and
talked, or they could have gone home. But they didnʼt. They followed through
and they were rewarded by coming face-to-face with the Son of God.
But they didnʼt stop with simply acting. They retold. Verse 17 says that once
they were sure of the angelsʼ message, they couldnʼt contain themselves.
They started talking. They started spreading the word about Jesus. It was as
if they couldnʼt keep quiet.
Today, over two thousand years later, weʼre still expected to do the same. If
you know Christ, you should find yourself compelled to speak of His story. If
you have encountered God and His Kingdom, you know that you will find it
hard to keep your mouth shut.
You have to move. You have to act. And with God empowering you,
you will. And youʼll be awesome.
