The First to be Told
“The Saviour, yes, the Messiah, the Lord, has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” Luke 2:11 (NLT)
Okay, yes, it’s Christmas Eve so we might be getting a little ahead of ourselves, but take a moment to consider what it must’ve been like to be one of those shepherds, guarding the sheep by night
Break It Down
This single verse carries extraordinary weight.
It is not merely an announcement of a birth, it is a compressed theological declaration, spoken by heaven itself.
In one sentence, the angels proclaim:
• David, the covenant God made long ago
• Savior, the One who delivers
• Messiah, the promised King
• Lord, divine authority and sovereignty
• to you, the inclusion of the lowly and overlooked
Nothing here is accidental. Every word is chosen. Every title is intentional.
God’s Intention
God could have announced the arrival of His Son anywhere, and to anyone.
Yet He chose shepherds, not rulers. A hillside, not a palace. The night watch, not the temple courts.
This tells us something vital about the heart of God. He does not reveal His greatest work first to those with status, but to those who are watchful and faithful in ordinary obedience.
Our God is a God of order, and this moment fits the pattern woven throughout Scripture.
Weave in the Passage
Picture the scene.
It is evening outside Bethlehem, David’s town. The sun has set. A fire glows low. The sheep are settled.
These shepherds are doing what they do every night, keeping watch, guarding what has been entrusted to them.
They know the stories. They know David was once a shepherd here. They have heard the promises, a king from David’s line, a deliverer to come.
They may not know every detail, but they know enough.
And then heaven breaks in.
Angels appear, not to explain everything, but to declare what matters most. The Savior has come. The Messiah is born. The Lord has entered the world.
And He has come for you.
Related Scripture
2 Samuel 7:12–13 — God’s covenant with David
Isaiah 9:6 — A child, a son, a ruler
Jeremiah 23:5 — A righteous Branch from David
Micah 5:2 — Bethlehem named long before
Application for Today
On Christmas Eve, we stand where the shepherds stood.
Between promise and fulfilment. Between announcement and incarnation. Between night and dawn.
This moment reminds us that God often speaks before we see, invites us to respond before we fully understand, and reveals Himself to those who are already listening.
You do not need position to receive the good news. You need openness. You need attentiveness. You need a heart willing to go and see.
Prayer
Faithful God, thank You for the way You keep Your promises.
Thank You that You chose to reveal Your Son not with spectacle, but with humility and grace.
Teach me to recognise Your voice in the quiet moments of my life. Help me to stay watchful, ready, and willing to respond when You speak.
As the shepherds did, may I hear Your word with wonder and move in faith toward what You are revealing.
Amen.
Closing Reflection
God has spoken through His prophets for generations.
What was promised is now about to be revealed in Jesus the Messiah.
God is coming near, and everything is about to change.