ADVENT IV
December 22, 2024
“Unlikely Evangelists”
. . . there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over the flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
When the angels had left them, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see what has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” (Luke 2:8-11; 15)
The story of Jesus’ birth isn’t as neatly put together as we might find convenient, but it’s interesting to read accounts from the four Gospels, each with its own emphasis. It’s not that difficult, we just need to go through the beginning chapters of each, and we’ll easily find the unique events and lessons that each gives us.
The first chapter of Matthew meticulously lists the entire genealogical line from which Jesus descended, followed by one paragraph describing the birth of the Christ child. The arrival of the wise men begins chapter two, with details of their visit and the aftermath.
Mark has no account at all of the nativity; rather, this Gospel focuses on Jesus’ ministry, beginning with the proclamation by John the Baptist that Jesus is the Promised One of God.
Luke is our meticulous historian, as he begins with a whole backstory on John the Baptist and his family, the appearance of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, announcing that she will bear God’s son, and the beautiful, poetic song of praise that she was God’s chosen. The second chapter describes the trek to Bethlehem for the census, the child’s birth, the shepherd’s arrival, (only in Luke) the parents presenting their son in the temple, and their return to Nazareth.
And then we come to John, who speaks of the arrival of Christ in human form with poetic terminology. It’s beautifully written, inspirational in its imagery, but it’s not a story with charming visuals of a young couple, a newborn baby, and adoring shepherds and wise men. It’s theology, declaring immediately that Jesus is one with God, and it immediately identifies with Isaiah’s prophecy (Ch. 9:2), declaring Christ as a light shining in the darkness.
So our four Gospels provide us with interestingly different emphases as they introduce us to the promised son of God, and the miraculous events surrounding his birth. I’ll admit to partiality for Luke’s account, as it includes a great deal of background, creating a sense of Mary and Joseph as very real and human.
I also love Luke’s depiction of the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem who listened, believed, and didn’t hesitate to go find this child. They did hard, dirty work, and were pretty rough around the edges, and yet as soon as they’d seen Jesus, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. (v. 17-18). They weren’t important or influential, but people listened because their message had a power of its own. What a wonderful gift we have in these stories, as we learn of these events, and how God worked through them to bring his message of love, forgiveness, and salvation to all people through his Son, Jesus, Messiah, our Savior.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers