The Shepherds Joyful Response

December 28, 2025 / No. 4330M

Dear Radio Friends,

First there was one angel who appeared to the lowly shepherds of Bethlehem announcing the gospel that the Savior, Christ the Lord, was born. But then we read of many joyful angels which filled the night sky. What a sight and sound that must have been:

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, good will toward men (Luke 2:13-14).

Heaven rejoiced!

The focus of this radio message, however, is on the joyful response of the shepherds. Having heard the gospel message from heaven, we read this:

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them (Luke 2:15-20).

Dear radio listeners, is there true joy in your heart? In this season there is a lot of what I would call an artificial joy. A jollyness, a lighthearted giddiness, created by merry tunes, presents, lights, food, drink, and fun that fill this time of year. But this is an artificial joy, short-term and shallow. The genuine joy that the angels and the shepherds had on the evening of Christ’s birth was deep and long lasting joy. A joy that powerfully worked deep in the heart to comfort, provide peace, and real purpose in a difficult life.

That joy is the Word of the gospel. In Luke 2:10, when the angel preached to the shepherds, he said literally, “I preach great joy [mega-joy] which shall be to all people.” Joy is the truth that is preached. Joy is not a light or high feeling first of all, but joy is the knowledge of good news of Christ worked deep in the soul.

When we read of the shepherds’ joy in Luke 2, we must realize that their joy was not due to a merry tune they had just heard. In fact, when we read about the angels praising God, the text does not say they sang “glory to God in the highest.” They may have, but the word of God is not telling us that it was the nice singing that made them glad. Neither was it the brightness of the angels that made them lighthearted. Their brightness actually had been the cause of fear earlier. It was the Word of truth, the gospel of the Savior arrival—truly good news, that rejoiced their hearts. If you want true joy, you need to put aside distractions of artificial joy, and focus on, listen to, the Word of God, the gospel of Christ. That He has come to suffer, already at his birth, through his whole life, and then at the cross—He has come to suffer the just judgment that sinners deserve. And because of this, all those who believe in Him may know that He has finished earning for you the forgiveness of all your sins, heaven is guaranteed, and this crucified, risen, and ascended Savior now reigns over all things in your life for your good, to sanctify you, and brings you to glory. Only the true gospel of Jesus brings genuine joy. If you have it, you have everything.

So when the shepherds heard and believed the gospel, they were filled with joy from heaven. It was not a giddy kind of joy which caused the shepherds to dance around mindlessly. It was a joy that stirred the shepherds unto three things: 1) Worship in the presence of their Savior, 2) Echoing the Word of God, 3) Diligence in their lowly vocation.

Let us see all of that in Luke 2. First, we find worship in the presence of the Savior. Verse 15: “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” True joy within does not lead people, first of all, to a celebration of feasting and drinking (though there is certainly a place for that). But true joy drives a sinner saved by grace to worship. “Let’s go!” the shepherds say. “Why are we still here outside the city. Let’s go in, let’s find that manger, and this gospel of the Lord, the Messiah, come to save us!” “And they came with haste.” They did not dally. They did not get distracted with other business. They came into the presence of the newborn King. The text does not describe exactly what the shepherds did when they found Christ. In the darkness of that animal stall perhaps they bowed, prayed, repeated the words of the angel, “Glory to God in the highest!” What is emphasized in this text, however, is this: They actually went to the place where Christ was, and there in His presence they worshiped Him.

And so you and I must ask: “Where is Christ present?” Certainly, by His Holy Spirit He is everywhere, omnipresent, so there is certainly opportunity to praise Him wherever you are. But Scripture speaks of a special presence of God among His people…in what we call church. Jesus Himself said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). And if you study that passage, you’ll see that Jesus is talking about two to three church leaders or elders who ensure that worship is conducted according to the Word of God. A church, where the Word of God is actually followed by leaders and members, there is where Christians not only must go, but joyfully desire to go! Not just once a year, but every week, to worship in Christ’s presence. 

We see the shepherds first of all worship in joy in the presence of the Savior. Secondly, they express their joy by echoing or witnessing the gospel that they had heard. Verse 17: “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.” These shepherds could not keep the word inside their hearts. They had to tell others. Notice that they did not go around telling others about what they saw with their eyes, but rather the message, the saying of the angel about this child. They did not go around telling people about how nice the stable was, how cute the baby was, or how beautiful Mary His mother looked. They went around echoing what the angel had preached, “Good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign—a wonder, a picture of His saving work to suffer for us, “we found the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger [animal’s feeding trough]. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” They echoed the gospel. First Thessalonians 1:8 is a good description of the shepherds: “For from you sounded out [echoed] the word of the Lord…also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad.” Joy produces evangelism. The gospel bubbled forth.

When you go to church to worship in joy, listen to the Word of the gospel there. Remember it. And then with joy, let it resound to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors. The word “confess” means, “say the same thing.” Confess your faith. Say the same thing as God. That is not just what we’re supposed to do. That is what Christians want to do with joy as the shepherds did.

 There is a contrast here, before I move on to the third joyful response of the shepherds. Verse 18 describes the people who heard the witness of the shepherds: “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” The people heard the gospel echoed by the shepherds. They understood what those shepherds were saying. And this was their response: “wonder.” In other words, they reacted with a “Wow! Amazing. Christ, the Lord, the Savior, has actually arrived? and into poverty, a manger? Shocking! Wow.” And that is all we read about the residents of Bethlehem. They do not go and worship. They do not tell others. Sadly, that is what most hearers of the gospel do. Say “Wow,” and then busy themselves with whatever else they were doing. The same people of Bethlehem who had no room for pregnant Mary the night before, had no room in their heart for the Savior.

Notice the contrast in verse 19: “But [unlike the people who wondered] Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” The believer who hears the gospel does not just say “Wow.” He or she ponders, thinks, and within the soul rejoices in Christ.

The shepherds worship in the presence of Christ, they echoed the gospel to others, and then, thirdly, they expressed their joy by returning to their earthly calling. Verse 20: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying, and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.” Do not miss this very ordinary but important point: the shepherds continued to rejoice and praise God, but they returned to their lowly occupation, their difficult life, taking care of sheep. They did not say, “Now that we have Christ, we’re all going to become full-time evangelists.” Such is the effect of the gospel upon believing hearts: not constant feasting, prolonged vacation, full-time ministry for everyone (though some might have that calling), but faithfulness in the ordinary and even lowly callings of life. The gospel gives purpose and meaning in life: every task, no matter how menial, is now for the King. True gospel joy deep within the soul makes a Christian thankful. And in thankfulness, he serves Christ in everything he does.

None, of course, respond perfectly in this way. The most joyful Christian still sins and fails in worship, witnessing, and faithfulness in his calling. Thankfully the gospel is not: do as the shepherds do. But it is that Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners who fail every day. May each listener repent and believe in Him alone for salvation.