The shepherds heard the news
As they plied their trade,
Watching sheep was their job
They did both night and day.
Tidings of great joy
The angels said to them
And this the shepherds understood
Was in the town of Bethlehem.
They didn’t worship the angels
When they saw them appear
But as the Bible shows us clearly,
They were sore afraid.
The Bible does not say
They worshipped the baby Jesus
But we can assume that this occurred
Without unnecessary fuss.
The angel had said to them
“Which is Christ, the Lord,”
This in referencing the baby Jesus,
Who came to be the Saviour.
The wisemen saw a star
That was unlike any other,
Unlike the others it was slowly moving
And they decided to follow.
They didn’t worship the star
But merely followed its trail,
And the fact it led to Herod’s palace
Says it’s not a fairy tale.
Their worship was reserved
For the baby Jesus
And having left the palace they discovered
Herod they could not trust.
His worship was a setup
The baby Jesus to destroy
But rather than return to Herod
Another way they employed.
All of this is to say to us
Christmas need not be pagan,
Surely it isn’t so for the born again
Who worship Christ, God’s Son.
For he is Christ the Lord
Just as the angel said
And rather than worship Christmas
Worship Christ instead.
Use the opportunity, I plead,
To follow the shepherds’ lead
And spread this Gospel message
With like fervour and zeal.
For unto us was born that day
A Saviour, Christ the Lord,
And to God, the Son and Holy Spirit,
Worship we should accord.
And not to another:
We should worship the Lord God only
And Him only
Should we serve.
Stewart Russell © December 17, 2024
