December 21, 2017
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.
“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Luke 2:8-20 (NLT)
What do you say after that? You can “drop the mic” and walk off …or you could write volumes of literature on the odds that hundreds of prophecies over thousands of years could all culminate in one miraculous night where “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee (Bethlehem) tonight.”
So, this year, don’t miss Christmas. See it, hear it, touch it, receive it – believe it. And don’t let anyone you know miss the miracle of Christmas!
Who will you invite to a Christmas Eve service? Who do you know that needs to hear Good News this season?
Our Christmas Eve service times are 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, and 4 pm. The whole family will enjoy “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, a moving and comical Christmas classic. We’ll have childcare for ages 5 and under. Come early with your guests because we’ll be showing a 15-minute pre-service video filled with stories of people whose lives have been changed by the Good News.
I’ll see you Christmas Eve!
Mike Lewis
Cathedral