Salvation For All People
The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds, 1833-1834 oil painting, by American artist Thomas Cole.
Who would you exclude from receiving God’s greatest gift ever given? Is there anyone outside the goodness, grace, mercy, and salvation of our God?
When Jesus, the savior of the world, was born into this world, he came in great humility and revealed himself first to lowly and despised shepherds abiding in the fields at night.
Luke’s gospel account tells us, “There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” (Luke 2:8-9, ESV).
These faithful shepherds had never encountered anything like this before and were filled with paralyzing fear. God chose to reveal himself to these shepherds first—even though they were thought of as destitute, impure, dirty, and were despised by the culture.
Luke tells us that the angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12, ESV).
The angel wanted these shepherds to hear this joyful good news of salvation for ALL people—even humble shepherds.
No matter who we are, we do not need to be afraid. Jesus—the Good Shepherd of the sheep—revealed himself to humble, destitute, impure, dirty, and despised shepherds first. Saint Athanasius said, “Christ became what we are so that He might make us like Him.”
King Jesus was born in king David’s town of Bethlehem, known as the House of Bread, to rule over his people as their Shepherd King—The Messiah. The Good Shepherd—The Bread of Life—is born among shepherds and sheep and is placed in a manger, a feeding trough, to shepherd his people, to save them from their sin, to sustain them, and to give them his life.
This good news excludes no one. This salvation is for ALL people.
No matter who we are, or what we have done, or left undone, may we not be afraid, and may we receive this joyful good news of salvation for ALL people this Christmas.
In Christ alone, Robbie
A Collect For Christmas Day: “Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds, 1833-1834 oil painting by American artist Thomas Cole, https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/.../File:The_Angel...
