Morning Coffee with Pastor Terry

Many of us have enjoyed the YouTube postings of an activity called a “flash mob”. Some of the videos show a group of people, often in a mall, suddenly singing a song.  The expressions on the faces of the unsuspecting shoppers are a mix of bewilderment, shock, and even joy.

Following the performance, the shopping audience often claps as the singing group disperses. Many times those who witnessed the activity continue to comment or reflect on what they observed and heard.

Although our culture has experienced this for only seven or eight years, the Lord of the universe conducted His own “flash mob” over two thousand years ago.

In the Gospel according to Luke we see:

⁸In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²“This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2:8-14 ( NASB )

 In what the bible teaches to be the first public birth announcement of the Messiah/Savior, God sends an angel declaring the good news (gospel) of Jesus to a group of shepherds. In addition, this message included instructions on how to find this baby. And if that were not amazing enough, God’s flash mob of angels appear and begin saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

I try to imagine being a shepherd on duty that night and experiencing this explosion of sight and sound. How would I react? I hope it would be like the shepherds.

 ¹⁵When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. Luke 2:15-20 ( NASB )

May you find yourself “glorifying and praising God” for His love and grace. In so doing, make known the good news of the baby who became the Savior.