Don't Let It Linger!

Shepherd’s Keeping Watch

In text— we find the Shepherds (working the night shift) keeping watch over their sheep.

Although it was an honorable profession, shepherds were considered to be second class citizens and in many ways were persona non grata.

They were seen but not seen or acknowledged by the powerful o.r rich.

And, literally, they were not seen because they were relegated to tending sheep in isolated places and spaces.

Therefore, at best, their existence, as shepherds was unpleasant. But, at worst, their existence was most likely miserable.

It was miserable because of their physical location (up in the hills and fields; dwelling with smelly sheep- 24/7)— that’s not pleasant!

As a result, I imagine the shepherds might haver been wrought with a myriad of underlying, negative emotions because of their station and situation in life.

Easily, they could have been skeptical, cynical, angry and dejected because they were disrespected because of their dismal circumstances and their station in society.

Therefore, although the place where they were keeping watch was quiet, I’m sure it was far from peaceful.

To add injury to insult, as they were most likely sitting there lamenting privately and collectively, all of sudden, they had to process an unexpected supernatural surprise that caused them to become instantly terrified.

Shepherd’s Fear

We know they were terrified because Luke 2:9 says:

English Standard Version Chapter 2

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

Let’s pause here for a minute so that I can define my terms.

In the Greek (Phobeo) Refers to the state of being afraid or the experience of becoming frightened.

It incorporates:

Fear of physical damage or harm.

Fear of social ramifications (embarrassment, ridicule, judgment, etc).

Note: another form of fear in the Greek is phobos which refers to the emotion elicited by a sense of alarm or anticipation of a negative experience. (Here, set forth by the supernatural surprise by The Angel of the Lord.

Note: this type of fear can be traumatizing and debilitating. And if not dealt with immediately or appropriately, that fear can get lodged in our spirits and as a result, we may find ourselves in bondage.

In this case, everything we do is driven or shall I say hindered by fear because we become wrought with it.

Perhaps, that’s what the Apostle Paul meant in Romans 8:14-15, when he said:

King James Version Chapter 8

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father

Shepherd’s Choice

What this infers is that we all have a choice to either be in bondage to fear, or to not be in bondage and instead, be free.

So it was with the Shepherds. After they had their supernatural surprise and encounter with the host of angels, they were forced to make a choice— to either hear, believe and receive the Good News that the angels came to provide, or let their fear and other negative emotions linger.

I’m pleased to announce that they chose the former and not the latter. They chose to hear, believe and receive the Good News which is found in vv. 10-11:

English Standard Version Chapter 2

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12

English Standard Version Chapter 2

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Let’s break this Good News down:

v10 Good News of Great Joy for ALL people

Not just rich and famous and powerful

But for ALL people (poor, brokenhearted, disinherited, disenfranchised, etc).

This joy was not an ordinary type of joy, instead it was a GREAT type of JOY— a joy that only God can give.

This type of joy can’t be purchased or even wrapped up in wrapping paper. It is a joy that can only received when we hear, believe and receive the Good News of Jesus Christ.

v11 Good News of a Savior

Let’s not forget, the shepherds were persona non grata— they were invisible and isolated from the rest of society.

Also, they were at the lowest rung of the economic strata which means they had little to no resources and that every day was an intense struggle.

Therefore, in a literal sense, they needed a Savior—someone to come and help them in their dismal situation.

Now, this Savior was not just for them. This Savior came to save the whole wide world.

We know this is true because in John 12:46-47, the Lord Jesus Christ said:

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.”

That said, yes, ,Christmas is about the birth of Baby Jesus, but more importantly, it is about the birth of a Savior who came to save us all from the darkness of this age. Isn’t that Good News?

v11 Good News of a Deliverer

Yes, a Savior but also a Deliverer…Christ the Lord!

Christ is interpreted as Christos (the anointed one who can remove every burden and destroy every yoke). That means the Lord Jesus came to deliver us from whatever has us wound or bound. Now, Isn’t that Good News?

So then, with all of this Good News, we would think that making the right choice— to hear, believe and receive the Good News is a relatively easy choice for us to make. Right?

Well if so, then why do we let negativity to include fear, cynicism,skepticism, anger and bitterness linger and then become lodged in our hearts. minds and souls?

Well, my theory is, we let things linger in us not because we can’t hear the Good News, or that we can’t receive the Good News. However, I believe we don’t wholeheartedly believe the Good News because as bad as things are in our lives, this Good News is almost unbelievable.

However, we’ve got to purpose in our hearts to “let all of that bad stuff go, and then let the Good News of God’s Salvation and Deliverance begin to work in our lives.

In other words, we have a choice to either Let Negativity Go or Let Negativity Linger in our lives.

They Chose to not let Fear and everything else they may have been holding onto go.

They listened and then positively responded to the angel’s instruction in verse 10 when the angel of the Lord said, Fear Not! for behold, I bring you good news of great joy.

I believe they were able to positively respond to the Good News, again because they wholeheartedly believed in the report of the Lord.

That’s where we go wrong. We believe but we don’t wholeheartedly believe that God can save and deliver us from ALL of our concerns.

Because of that, FEAR creeps in and wreaks havoc in our lives.

However, when we do let that stuff go, God’s great joy and the peace of God comes in takes the place of ALL the negative stuff that lingers deep down inside of our souls.

First, we know this because the angel of the Lord was bringing good news of great joy.

Also, we know this because in verses 13-14, it says, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Now, for the shepherds, after they let their fears go, they then said, Let us God…In other words, they went from Let It Go to Let Us Go!

v. 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

Let Us Go!

It is important to note that the Shepherds really got it. They did exactly what they were supposed to do. They let go of their fears because of the Good News of Salvation and Deliverance, and then they Took Action!

That’s what the Good News of Jesus Christ is all about. We are supposed to hear, understand, believe and then receive the Good News by taking action to continuously come into God’s presence and then tell the rest of world what we experienced when we were there.