'And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.' The first ministers of the Gospel, the shepherds, demonstrated the most necessary characteristics of those who would spread the message of the good news. First of all there was UNITY among the shepherds. This all important characteristic must be evident in the local church if the Gospel is to be proclaimed. Paul spent the first five chapters of I Corinthians teaching and preaching the necessity of unity in the local church, for without unity among the members of the local church body there will be no presence nor power from the Holy Spirit of God.
Secondly, there was an URGENCY evident as the shepherds said 'Let us now...' The Scripture says clearly 'Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation' (II Corinthians 6:2). Therefore, without a certain urgency to bring the all important Gospel message to those who have not heard, the message loses it's sense of value.
There also was a definite UNDERSTANDING involved with the shepherds as the word 'go' was employed. The all-important word 'go' is used by the Lord when He commanded the disciples to 'Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with your always, even unto the end of the world'(Matthew 28:19,20) ; again 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.' (Mark 16:15); and again 'Ye have not chosen Me but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name He may give it you.' (John 15:16)
This great undertaking of the shepherds required them to go and take the Gospel message to others! And, this is the very purpose of the life of a born-again child of God as the Lord Jesus Christ clearly commanded His followers on the day of His ascension: 'But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem and Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.' (Acts 1:8)
In addition, the shepherds had a clear understanding of what had taken place in their midst. They believed what they had heard for they exercised their faith in the statement of (v.15) 'Let us now go and see this thing which is come to pass�' They also knew that what they had seen and heard was from God: 'Which the Lord hath made known unto us.' These first ministers of the Gospel message turned their understanding into action by going and not only investigating the message, but they also proclaimed the message of the Gospel to others.
In (v.16) they 'Came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in the manger.' They found the newborn Baby, the Savior, which is Christ the Lord, just as the angel had told them 'lying in a manger'. Here was the Lord of glory, the King of kings in a lowly animal shelter, cradled in a feeding trough. His entrance into the realm of mankind was indeed 'a sign' to the shepherds that they truly had found the promised Messiah of Israel!
(v.17) shows their immediate response: 'And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child.' The good news was instantly spread to all those they came in contact with that night and I'm sure into the next days and weeks and months and throughout the rest of their lives. These men were the first soulwinners and ministers of the Gospel message and their response provides us with the clear example to follow�'Go tell it on the mountains, that Jesus Christ is born.'
'And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.'(v.18,19) The response of the hearers was one of amazement and marveling as they heard the miraculous Gospel message of the shepherds. However, Mary's reaction was one of bringing all the events of the last nine months together in her mind. She considered the full impact of what she heard from Gabriel on the day the Holy Spirit came upon her and the power of the Highest overshadowed her, when she was told 'That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God'(Luke 1:35). Her recollection of Joseph's account to her when he was visited by the angel of the Lord in a dream telling him to 'Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS; for He shall save His people from their sins' (Matthew 1:20,21).
'And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.' The definition of a witness is given here, for these faithful men testified to all the things that they had seen and heard, both of the angel's miraculous visitation in the field and their witnessing the Child and His mother at the place in the manger where the angel told them. They also communicated the Gospel message to those who would hear and now, after performing their soulwinning ministry, they come back, giving glory to the God of heaven, praising Him for His great work among the children of men!
Are your saved today? Have you received the Gift of God which is eternal life found only in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, are you actively witnessing for Him, telling others of the Gospel message which you have seen effectively in your own life and heard from the Holy Spirit Who lives within you? If not now is the accepted time to receive Him by faith, 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
