Advent Reading for Friday, Dec. 23

 

The Season of Advent prepares us for Christ's coming--both on Christmas Day and when we comes again in glory.  This year, we will spend each week exploring a different way we can prepare ourselves.  The post for each day will include a scripture, a song, a few brief questions to reflect upon, and a prayer. 

 

Week 4 Reminder

As we enter into the 4th week of Advent, the time has come to proclaim that our Savior is about to arrive.  The Hebrew and Greek words for "proclaim"  give us a variety of ways to share the Good News.  For a more in-depth introduction to the idea of proclamation, please refer back to our post for Sunday, Dec. 18.

Scripture

Luke 2:8-15

⁸ Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”   (NRSVUE)

 

Hymn

Questions

The shepherds of Jesus's day had important jobs, but they were also pretty rough around the edges.  They were usually thought to be poor, uncouth, and untrustworthy.

• Why might the angels have chosen to proclaim the Messiah's birth to lowly shepherds instead of to powerful kings or wealthy merchants?
• How do you think the shepherds felt after receiving the news?
• If you were an angel called to proclaim the Messiah's birth today, who would the shepherds be?  Where would you find them?

 

Prayer

Christ, may we proclaim the Good News of your salvation to all who are lowly, downtrodden, distrusted, or at the fringes of society.