Today’s window on our Advent Calendar takes us to the hills surrounding Bethlehem – to shepherds looking after their sheep. Read: Luke 2: 8-16
Shepherds were men who knew how to protect themselves – they were used to spending time in a dangerous environment (perhaps think of a rougher version of Bear Grylls), but these tuff men were terrified when this messenger from God suddenly appeared to them, although perhaps the angel was not what made them afraid, but with the angel’s appearance we are told that the ‘Glory of the Lord’ shone all around them.
I looked-up the dictionary definition of ‘glory’ - Resplendent majesty; splendour; brilliance; but then discovered this definition of Glory:
‘the awesome light which radiates from God with his acts of power.’
Has it ever occurred to you that at any time he wanted to God could just over-ride our free-will and make us to worship him and do his will? But what would that worship be worth? It would be hollow, not real worship– if we had no choice there would be no real love.
So, God waits for us to choose to worship him – to love him – and do his will. To help us to make this choice God reveals himself to us – He shows us his glory – the awesome light which radiates from him with his acts of power, and God waits for us to recognise that he alone is worth worshipping. God waits for us to choose to respond to his glory and worship him - love him, with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, to do everything we can to please him.
Looking at the main picture on our advent calendar where do we see God’s glory being revealed? We perhaps look at the angels, they keep appearing throughout the events, but they are only messengers from God. Their message to the shepherds was that the glory of God would be found in Bethlehem (v.11) where they would find a baby – the Messiah – the Lord.
The awesome light which radiates from God with his acts of power is most clearly seen in a baby, laid in a manger – the angel called him the Messiah. This is the Hebrew word for ‘Anointed One’ whereas the Greek word for ‘Anointed One’ is Christ. Both words have the same meaning - Jesus the Christ – Jesus the Messiah - the Anointed One.
This baby who the angels told the shepherds about is the ‘Anointed One’ the one God had appointed, the one who God had chosen to be the saviour of mankind. Jesus the one anointed (appointed) to show us God’s glory.
God shows his awesome light (his glory), by giving us an amazing act of power – a child who is wonderful councillor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.
I’ve already said that shepherds were tuff, rugged men, but shepherds were also men who no one looked up to. They were regarded as uncouth, bawdy – even godless (they couldn’t get along regularly to synagogue and temple because of their commitment to look after the sheep). Yet God arranges that they are the first people to hear that God’s Anointed One – the Messiah had arrived. From the moment God became human, the message was that the Saviour had come for the whole of humanity – no one was beyond his reach – not even shepherds.
30 years later Jesus shows the light which radiates from God with his acts of power and he shows them to ordinary people – to people who were despised, ignored, people who didn’t belong - we thought about 3 of them last month. God’s glory isn’t just for some people - not just for the nice people, God wants his light to radiate from him to all people - even those who feel they don’t fit-in.
But then after 3 years of Jesus showing God’s glory, darkness covered the land. The anointed one was nailed to a cross and it seemed as though God’s Glory was gone, but then 3 days later, the awesome light which radiates from God was shown through the power of resurrection. A power greater than death!
And today – we continue to know God’s glory. Unlike the shepherds we aren’t surrounded by God’s glory, instead we have God’s glory in us! The Spirit of our Holy God in us enables us to recognise the awesome light which radiates from God with his acts of power. God’s glory enabled us to know that we have been saved, redeemed, washed clean. The light radiating from God shows us his power which gives us new life – everlasting life.
Use these lyrics to thank God for showing us his glory:
From heaven you came helpless babe,
entered our world, Your glory veiled, not to be served but to serve,
and give Your life that we might live,
This is our God, the Servant King, He calls us now to follow Him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant King
(Graham Kendrick © 1983 ThankYou Music)