Pastor’s Notes Luke 2:14

Luke 2:14

I am so glad Christmas comes around every year and we can recall the story of Christ’s birth over again. Imagine how it must have been for the shepherds that first Christmas as they saw the glory of the Lord shining round about them and heard the angel saying: “…Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” How often did they tell and retell the story of their encounter with the angel of the Lord and with the baby Jesus and Joseph and Mary.

I expect the story of that night was told over and over again. On Christmas eve 1914, during The Great War, the guns fell silent along a 30 mile stretch of the Western Front. Soldiers peered cautiously over the tops of trenches. As darkness fell some German troops set out lanterns and sang Christmas carols, men on the British side applauded and shouted greetings back. The next day, German, French and British troops met in no man’s land to shake hands, share food and exchange gifts. The Christmas Truce, as it became known, didn’t last long for soon enough the noise of battle started up again. But who, amongst those who were there, could ever forget that special day? This was a day made possible because of the birth of Jesus Christ.

So many years have passed and the Christmas Truce is all but forgotten but how can we ever forget The Glory of God, the Angels, and the Shepherds who first heard the words: “for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”