“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’” -Luke 2:9-14

Joy is contagious. 

A laugh, a light-hearted spirit, a smile—it has an affect on others when a person is filled with joy! The shepherds’ quiet night was interrupted by one of the most joyful expressions of glory and praise ever recorded, and it was all about the birth of Jesus.

The angels’ visit to the shepherds was filled with joy and celebration—both in the good news the angel brought and in the multitude of angels that joined in singing praises to God. The news of Jesus’s birth was not only good, it was happy news! The angel told the shepherds that this was news of great joy. The keeping of a promise, the arrival of a savior: He was here—God in flesh. There was much to celebrate.

As the angel finished telling the shepherds just where to find the newborn savior, the sky was suddenly filled with angels celebrating and rejoicing in praises to God. The angels worshipped God for the wonderful thing He was doing and offering peace to all of mankind. Just imagine the excitement and joy that must have filled the shepherds as they experienced this with their own eyes and ears! 

As we look to heaven and remember the miracle of Jesus coming to earth all those years ago, may our souls be filled with praise and rejoicing! May the joy of the Lord overflow from our mouths as we celebrate the miracle of Christmas. After all, Christmas means the Celebration (mass) of Jesus (the Christ). We have much to celebrate!

If you are enjoying this Advent Devotional, you can pick up a copy of the book at our Sunday Services during the month of December or purchase your own keepsake copy of this published book by clicking below. We would also love to have you join us for our Christmas series at Redemption Church on Sunday mornings at 10am! For more information, click the links below.