VISITORS TO THE CHRIST CHILD

The shepherds
“hurried to the village
and found Mary and Joseph.
And there was the baby,
lying in the manger.”
Luke 2:16 NLT
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Though the birth of Jesus took place under such humble circumstances on earth; in heaven it was quite a different story. Angels of the Lord were dispatched to make the announcement and a special star appeared in the eastern sky.

On that historic night, hireling shepherds near Bethlehem were watching their sheep as usual; suddenly an angel of the Lord, in brilliant light, appeared to them. He announced “the Savior, Christ the Lord had just been born in Bethlehem.” He said they would recognize him when they saw a baby "wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." Then the whole sky filled with angels, who were praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels were gone, the shepherds said, “We’ve got to check this out!” They did - and found exactly what they were told. Just plain hireling shepherds doing their menial task, and God had shown them such amazing favor! They told everyone about it, and kept on praising God as they went back to work.
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The wise men
“entered the house and saw
the child with his mother, Mary,
and they bowed down
and worshiped him.”
Matthew 2:11 NLT
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The wise men came from the opposite spectrum of the social order. They were high ranking officials who studied the stars and advised the kings of the Medes. Somehow they came to know that a special star was announcing the birth of the Jewish messiah.

Two years after the star had first appeared they arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” They were told, “In Bethlehem in Judea.” Miraculously, the star reappeared over the house where the Christ Child now lived. “They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh…. they returned to their own country by another route.”

Whether we find ourselves at the top - at the bottom - or somewhere in between - on the social ladder of life, God wants us to follow his leading to “the Savior, Christ the Lord!” May our Christmas experience this year have been life changing as it was for the shepherds and wise men.