And there were shepherds living in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:8-11
So, when was the last time someone texted, called, or appeared atyour door and said, “I bring you good tidings.” It’s an easy guess to saynever. And why would they? First of all, it’s archaic. And at this particularjuncture in history as 2020 winds down, it’s tough to find anything that risesto the level of good or joyful. That’s so first century.
Or is it? Consider to whom the angel brought this message. Not to aCEO from Jerusalem. Or to a designer from Damascus. Shepherds, the lowest rungof social status in ancient Judea, received these words. They were unwashed, illiterate,and isolated from polite society. And what a society. God’s chosen people wereliving in poverty, persecution, and panic. They had been looking for someone tosave them for millennia; that person resided solely in the writings of theprophets and in longing hearts.
When the time had come for the Savior to be born, those to whom thebirth announcement was first delivered seemed the least likely choice. What didthese men think when they were confronted with the reality of the angelGabriel’s words? After the angel left, the shepherds hurried off and foundMary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. If they werefamiliar with prophecy and awaiting salvation, it must have been a startlingsight. The promised One had no power. No station in life. No home. No wealth. Wrappedin cloths and nestled in hay, he looked vulnerable, not invincible. And yet,after the shepherds spread the word, they returned, glorifying and praisingGod for all the things they had heard and seen were just as they had been told.They trusted prophecy. They trusted God. They trusted and welcomed theirSavior.
What, exactly, are good tidings? The King James translation of theBible uses this phrase. Others read good news; to tell good news; to preach thegospel. Isaiah, in chapter 61, stated, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord ison me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor.” Sevenhundred years later, Jesus would apply these verses to himself in the synagoguein Nazareth. Jesus IS the essence and substance of good tidings.
Gabriel’s words to the shepherds, I bring you good tidings ofgreat joy that will be for all the people, continue to resonate today. Theworld has passed through wars and peace, pandemic and discovery, death andlife, despair and contentment in the ensuing centuries. Everything has changedsince that night eons ago. And yet the most important things have not changed.
People continue to suffer. Governments disappoint. Jobs are lost.Pandemics rage. Hate boils over. The enemy flexes his muscles and his minionsdo his bidding. But as in ancient days, these things will all pass away in duetime, God’s time. Jesus tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, butmy words will never pass away. And his words are good tidings of great joyfor us as much as they were when the angel first brought news of his birth tothe shepherds.
It’s what we do with these good tidings that’s important. We canrelegate them to Christmas cards. Or we can live them. In living good tidings,we become present-day shepherds. Joy is meant to be shared—with all people,for all time. Scripture says it. We do it. In Romans, our call is affirmed. Andhow shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful arethe feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings ofgood things!”
Secularization of Christmas doesn’t have to mean hiding baby Jesusunder the manger. His light is meant to shine. We are to tell the world thegood tidings. We are to share the great joy. We are to preach the good newsto the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for thecaptives and release from darkness for the prisoners as we proclaim theyear of the Lord’s favor.
Maybe it’s time we leave greetings such as hey, yo, s’up, hi, and everything else that’s meaningless behind. Not just at this season, but in every season, as we share the who of Jesus, the what of his actions, the where it happened, the how it relates to each person, and the when of his salvation to all who call upon his name. With the unknowing, it may require more than one detailed conversation. But God can and will work within our efforts to complete the process.
And perhaps we should just keep it simple. The next time youcontact someone, greet them with, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Ifthat doesn’t start a dialogue, nothing will.