Atlanta Daily World

Sunday
School
Lesson

By REV
PHILIP BRYANT

LESSON XI - Sharing the
Shepherds' Joy
Christmas Lesson Luke 2:8-20
Golden Text: "Glory to God
in the highest, and on earth peace,
goodwill toward men"

And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in
the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night. And, the
angel of the Lord came upon them, and the
ingel said unto them "Fear
not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy which
shall be to all people. For un-
to you is born this day in the
city of David, a Savior, which
is Christ the Lord."

Oh God! Now all glory and
praise to Thee for sending Thy
Son Jesus, the Blessed Messiah,
the Savior of the World. This glorious
message came not to persons
who regarded themselves their responsibility, their time and
wealth to be so important
that they could not carry it but to a
group of lowly, waiting, watchful
shepherds who knew that they
were responsible for the safety of
their flock. Therefore it was with
care which they had developed,
well as a duty which they performed
to act as guard for the sheep
and watch for the sign of any
returning enemy on the hill. When
the angel of the Lord came
upon them and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them and
they were sore afraid.

The beautiful heavenly messenger
with his magnificent illuminated
apparel coming as he did
with the glory of the Lord to reward
them for their long cherished
expectation, and for the care which
they shared as a responsibility, for
that which was entrusted to them.
"Fear not," said the angel. Be-
hold I bring you good tidings
of great joy, which shall be to all
people. It was a night in
which every heart should be filled
with gladness. Then the angel made
known the glorious news that the
long cherished one is born
in the city of David. He gave them
a sign by which they would know
the blessed Messiah from any of
the babies that might be found in
that immediate vicinity.

And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God.

The angels praised Jehovah for
His most precious Gift, that of
His Son Jesus the Messiah, to all
people who were expecting Him
and to a world that burdened with
sin, who greatly needs His guiding
principles of righteousness.

The angels then extolled the
precious name of Jehovah because
they knew that He had given His
only begotten Son to all people of
every nation to establish a kingdom
of Peace and Goodwill for
mankind. Every man who enters
peace and shares the spirit of good-
will with every person whom he
can contact into the kingdom of God is at
peace with every person.

The shepherds said to one another,
"Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing which
has come to pass, which the Lord
has made known to us."

The shepherds might deem the
heavenly visitor's message
which he entrusted to their care to
be so important that they hasten to
act upon it and see the young
child, Jesus. They made their
way to the inn of Bethlehem they
found Mary and Joseph, and the
babe lying in the manger.

And when they had seen it,
they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning
this child.

The shepherds knew the young
child by the sign (swaddling
clothes) which had been given
them. They were so overcome with
joy that they shared it with others.

When the shepherds told the
good news to men, they wondered
at what had taken place. But Mary
kept all these things, and pondered
them in her heart. Moreover, this marvelous
statement as well as the
beautiful lesson seems to have come
from the Virgin Mary
herself.

Meanwhile, others might wonder,
but in her all wonder was lost
in the overwhelming revelation-
the one absorbing consciousness.
Of such things she could not lightly
speak; she kept all these things
and pondered them in her heart.

The angel had come and shared
their joy with the shepherds and
returned to our heavenly Father.
The shepherds returned glorifying
and praising God for all things
that they had heard and seen, as
it was told to them. Let us carry
the good news to others that Christ
is born for He is the source of
their salvation. Share that
joy with others. Amen