Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

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 2:16-20 

 

Remember the stunned shepherds?  They made their way into Jerusalem and found the child that the angel told them would be there.  In case you were wondering, "Manger" is another word for "feed trough."  It's where the hay was put so the animals could eat.  This is the lowly start of our Messiah.  Think about this, had Jesus been born in a palace with a silver spoon and all the trappings of immense wealth, people would have followed Him hoping for a hand out.  But because Jesus was born in such low circumstances, people followed His message instead of His money.

 

When the Shepherds had seen the promised Messiah child, they went back to the fields to their flocks and they told whoever would listen about what they had seen.  They shared the Good News AS THEY WERE GOING!  Reminiscent of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19: "Therefore, as you are going, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

 

And guess what?  The shepherds returned to their flocks.  Apparently, their flocks had not moved and no predators came to steal any of the sheep!