Day 7 Christmas Countdown Devotional: the shepherds–go and tell the good news!

The shepherds were the first visitors to the manger scene. They were filled with such joy and wonder that they naturally became the first evangelists as well. The angels told the shepherds where to find Jesus; the shepherds checked it out for themselves and determined to tell others. In the text, notice the focus on the word “known.”

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.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them (Luke 2:15-18).

When the shepherds told others what they had seen, those who heard it “wondered” about what had been told them. The word “wonder” can be understood in two ways: (1) to be curious, to ponder, to puzzle over something; (2) to marvel, to be amazed, to be astonished, to stand in awe. The biblical text is best understood by the second definition. The people were astonished at what they heard.

It strikes me, though, that both definitions reveal how people often respond to the gospel. Sometimes people are puzzled by it. “Could it be true?” they ask. “Did Jesus really come as a baby and die in the place of sinners?” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Others will stand in awe of the message; astonished that the God of the universe would sacrifice his son for them. Whatever the response might have been, it doesn’t appear to have impacted the shepherds desire to tell the good news. They want to make known what God had made known to them.

One of the ways I’ve encouraged people to prepare to share the good news of Jesus, is to take a small Bible or New Testament and mark it up for the purpose of sharing the gospel. I’ve included a card with the instructions below. You can also watch the 30-minute explanation of how to mark your Bible and how to share the gospel here. This Christmas prepare to share and then–like the shepherds–go and tell!

PHIL MOSER is the author of the Biblical Strategies series, and the developer of 4M Training: a 13-week small group study for men. All of his resources can be found on amazon or at biblicalstrategies.com.