Of all the people God could have announced the birth of Jesus to, he chose to announce it to shepherds.  Shepherds watching sheep that would probably be used as sacrifices at the temple.  Even as Jesus would one day offer himself as a sacrifice.

The angel appears and announces good news of great joy.  What is this good news?  A Savior has been born!  We sin and sin and sin and sin, and Jesus was born to save us from our sins.  Again and again, the people would sacrifice the shepherd’s lambs for their sins, but Jesus came to save us from our sins once for all.  A Savior has been born.  Indeed this is good news of great joy!

Notice the response of the shepherds.  First they went to investigate.  They wanted to see this Savior.  Do we have the same desire?  To see our Savior.  To know him better?  To investigate further and deeper the glorious good news of great joy?

Second, they went about proclaiming the good news that they had heard and seen for themselves.  Do we have that same tendency?  No one told the shepherds to witness.  They just naturally did.  Are we so excited about our Savior that we just naturally tell others?

Third, they went home praising God for the good news they had heard and seen and proclaimed.  The good news of great joy filled them with joy.  Do we have the praises of God on our hearts and in our mouths?

Father, thank you for the good news of a Savior.  Grant us the desire to investigate, the passion to proclaim, and the joy to praise you.  Amen.

(Taken from Luke 2:1-20)