The Shepherds
Have you ever stopped to think about how incomplete the Christmas story would feel without angels and shepherds? Take them out, and something essential is lost. The story would still be true, still powerful, but it wouldn’t have the same warmth, texture, or wonder. Angels and shepherds are not just background characters in the nativity. They are central to understanding the heart of God revealed at Christmas.
Luke chapter 2 places us in a quiet field outside Bethlehem, where shepherds are doing what they always did, keeping watch over their flocks at night. These were not influential people. Shepherds lived on the margins of society, often overlooked and undervalued. Yet it was to them that God chose to make the first public announcement of the birth of the Savior. An angel appeared, the glory of the Lord shone around them, and fear filled the night. Then came the words that changed everything: “Don’t be afraid… today in the city of David a Savior was born for you” (Luke 2:10–11, CSB).
That moment tells us something profound about how God works. He didn’t send angels to kings, priests, or religious leaders. He sent them to ordinary people doing ordinary work. The message of salvation did not begin in a palace or a temple, but in a field. From the very beginning, Christmas declares that the good news is for all people, especially those who feel unseen or unimportant.
When the angels finished their announcement and returned to heaven, the shepherds didn’t stay put. They said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened” (Luke 2:15, CSB). Their faith moved them to action. They hurried to the place God had revealed and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. Obedience didn’t require a full understanding, only trust in what God had said.
There is also something deeply fitting about shepherds being present at the birth of Jesus. Throughout Scripture, shepherding is a powerful image tied to God’s care for His people. David was a shepherd before he was king. Psalm 23 paints a picture of the Lord as a shepherd who leads, restores, and protects. Jesus later made the connection unmistakable when He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, CSB).
Jesus did not come with status or comfort. He lived among the people, walked their roads, and shared their struggles. Like a shepherd, He stayed close to those He came to save. He knew their needs, their fears, and their failures. The manger points forward to the cross, where the Good Shepherd would lay down His life for the sheep.
The angels, on the other hand, represent the holiness and glory of heaven. When the heavenly host appeared, they filled the sky with praise, declaring, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors” (Luke 2:14, CSB). In that moment, heaven and earth met. Worship rose from above, while humility knelt below. Together, angels and shepherds framed the meaning of Christmas.
This is the beauty of the incarnation. The holy became lowly. The eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus humbled Himself, taking on human likeness, and was obedient even to death on a cross. Yet He did not remain in humility forever. God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name, so that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:8–11, CSB).
As we reflect on angels and shepherds, we are invited to respond in the same way they did. Like the shepherds, we come with humility and obedience, ready to act on what God has revealed. Like the angels, we lift our voices in praise, giving glory to God for the gift of His Son. Christmas is not just something to observe. It is something to receive, to respond to, and to worship.
This season, may we not rush past the fields or the songs of heaven. May we slow down enough to see the heart of God in the manger. And may our lives echo both the wonder of the angels and the worship of the shepherds as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.