An Angel Appeared, Shepherds Quaked, and Jesus Upheld

What Did Jesus Do?

...and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
Luke 2.9

Shepherds, at least good shepherds, were not the sort to frighten easily. Armed with nothing more than a staff, and maybe a slingshot, shepherds routinely ran off thieves, faced down ravenous wolves, and generally stood their ground boldly in defense of their flocks. Shepherds were pretty tough guys. I certainly wouldn't want to tangle with them. Yet an entire band of shepherds was nearly routed one winter's night on a plain just below the little sleeping village of Bethlehem. It wasn't that the shepherds were a little nervous, they were scared to death! What could have so filled them with awe and terror? Glory.

I don't know about you, but I have been kind of looking forward to beholding the glory of God. But upon reading Luke 2.9 again, I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, I desperately long for the day when I will be with the Lord. But there's a reason Jude 24 talks of one who is able to keep us from falling “before the presence of his glory”—like the shepherds outside of Bethlehem, our first impulse when we are confronted with Glory will be to collapse in fear. And rightly so. I mean, the blinding brilliance of the Sun is barely a nightlight compared to the Glory of God.

Nothing so reveals the thoroughgoing depravity and corruption of fallen human beings as the Glory of God. In the presence of the Glory there is no place to run, no place to hide; just and inescapable doom about to consume us, what else could we do but quake in fear; were it not for the One who is able. And so it was that the angel dispelled the fear of the shepherds with “good news of great joy,” and the announcement that the One who could and would keep them from stumbling, and present them without blemish before the presence of Glory, was born that very night in Bethlehem.

Now, most of us spare little time for contemplating the Glory, much less fearing it. Most of us have more than enough fears in the here and now, so that we give little thought to the hereafter. Most people, though they're likely not to admit it, go through life afraid of all sorts of things. Schoolchildren fear their teacher won't approve of their work. Adolescents fear not being noticed (And then do everything they can to look like everyone else!). Workers are afraid of losing their jobs. Owners are afraid of losing their businesses. Everyone worries about losing their health. Many are plagued throughout life with a fear of death. So, as I said, few spend much time dwelling on the Glory.

But, here's the thing, Jesus, the One who is able to keep us from falling, is the One who can and will uphold us no matter what we face. And, best of all, he will be with us at that most critical moment, just when we go weak in the knees and start to drop in the presence of the Glory, to support us, even to present us spotless with great rejoicing! We all need to hear the angel's words this Christmas, and believe them every day, “fear not...for unto you is born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” For the perfect love of the Father, come to us in and through the Son, alone casts out all fears, that we should go through life unafraid, and, on the day of the Lord, stand and not fall.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4