On the 25th Day of December…MoSop wishes you a Merry Christmas! As we pause to celebrate, rejoice, and remember.

The night of Jesus’ birth, shepherds near Bethlehem were tending their sheep. Suddenly the skies became bright:

 “And the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid… Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

As the angel spoke, a large Chorus of Angels appeared, praising God:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”. – Luke 2:14

I love to think about those shepherds. The most miraculous and significant event yet to happen on earth would receive an official heavenly announcement! Who would God choose to hear His marvelous and important proclamation? Surely, there were so many to consider: The countless religious scholars who had studied the prophesies since youth. The faithful rabbi’s who taught their followers of the coming of the Messiah. And, the devout followers themselves, who had heard the prophesies and had been strictly keeping the Law of Moses.

However, our Father in Heaven looked down, and chose to send his Angel Messanger to the most unlikely recipients. A few humble men and women, who lived simple lives, and cared for sheep. These were people most often overlooked [and generally avoided] by society. However, social status has never been a requirement for revelation. God knew these shepherds. He knew their hearts, and must have known that he was choosing individuals willing to drop everything they were doing when they heard the clarion call. They would go ”with haste“ to Bethlehem to see “this great thing“. These shepherds would become sincere, life-long witnesses of Christ. They would eagerly proclaim what they had heard, and seen, and felt that night. In fact, they would do so with such simplicity, and power, and conviction, that “all that heard them would wonder at those things that were told them“.

The apostle Luke gives us a glimpse into the attitude of those chosen:

“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them”.

The shepherd’s experience and testimony is still as relevant today as over 2000 years ago. It is now our opportunity to hear the shepherds story, and follow. We can hear the message of Jesus Christ proclaimed by the angel, and invitation to ”come and see“. Like them, we are urged to take action, and hasten to be near the Lord. We have the opportunity to rejoice in the birth,  life, and sacrifice of our Savior. And, like the shepherds, we can choose to recognize the blessings which we have recieved because of it, and “noise it all abroad“!

It is my prayer on this Christmas day that we will have cause to rejoice and glorify our God just like the shepherds of old! In celebration of this day, I have created a new MoSop Movie which illustrates a beautiful song by Jaroslav Vajda and Carl Schalk. (Close Captioning may be turned on or off)

“Where Shepherds Lately Knelt”

Where Shepherds Lately Knelt

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This video is also available on MormonSoprano YouTube, with Closed Captioning

Where Shepherds Lately Knelt Lyrics

1.
Where shepherds lately knelt and kept the angel’s word,
I come in half-belief, a pilgrim strangely stirred;
But there is room and welcome there for me,
But there is room and welcome there for me.

2.
In that unlikely place I find him as they said:
Sweet newborn Babe, how frail! And in a manger bed,
A still small voice to cry one day for me,
A still small voice to cry one day for me.

3.
How should I not have known Isaiah would be there,
His prophecies fulfilled? With pounding heart I stare:
A child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me,
A child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.

4.
Can I, will I, forget how Love was born, and burned
It’s way into my heart unasked, unforced, unearned?
To die, to live, and not alone for me,
To die, to live, and not alone for me.