"A Swaddled Sign..."

December 22, 2015

“A Swaddled Sign…”

Blessings folk!

The shepherds were encountering an angel.
An angel with good news…

Luk 2:8-18
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
But 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;
for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
“This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
When 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.”
So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.


Note what we learn about the “good news”…

  • it was for all people…not just for Israel…for all people/nations (Genesis 15)
  • it was great joy
  • it was about a baby born that day…in the city of David
  • it was about salvation…the baby was the Savior of all
  • the baby was Christ the Lord

The angel then told them where they would find the baby.
There was no command to seek Him out, though there is a strong inference. Happy
The angel knew that they would go.

They would receive a sign.
A baby wrapped in cloths…swaddled as the Authorized Version states…and lying in a manger.

This sign was not necessarily to designate from other babies born that night.
Bethlehem was not that populated.
Even with all the people arriving in town, there would not have been that many babies born that evening…if there were even any more.

The sign was a point of confirmation and affirmation that this truly was the baby they sought.

They were to let not their eyes deceive them.

The Savior of the world was born in a animal stall.
The Savior of the world was resting in a feeding trough.
The Savior of the world…the Creator of all….had taken on the from of flesh.
The Savior of the world would be raised by two humble and righteous people.

This One in the manger.

As if to punctuate the moment of insight/revelation/instruction for the shepherds, a multitude of the heavenly host broke forth in praise unto God declaring “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

May we continue to seek and rejoice in the One in the manger.

Be ready!

The next time He comes it will not be humbly in a manger…