Advent Week 4: The Shepherds
FROM THE DESK OF TL1 ASSISTANT FACILITATOR, TESS CRICK
This Advent reflection is part four of our four-part Advent reflection series for 2025 written by one of our four assistant facilitators. We invited each facilitator to choose a character from the story of Jesus’ birth that they resonated with on the journey. We hope each one provides you with beautiful starting points for reflecting with God in this season & perhaps encourages you to ponder which character in the Nativity story you feel drawn to as well.
P.S. If you are finding these outside of the Advent season, enjoy! They are wonderful reflections in all times of the year.
God Revealed to the Unexpected
For many Christmas seasons, usually while still eating leftovers from Thanksgiving, the Charlie Brown Christmas special would draw us all in the living room to smush together on the couch. With the iconic Charlie Brown theme song playing, all eyes were glued on the TV.
A part of me identifies with Charlie Brown; the one whose path wasn’t as smooth or traditional as others. Charlie struggles to fit in, even with his friend group. He’s been labeled with expectations to fail and has a low view of himself. Even his dog Snoopy seemed smarter and more successful than Charlie!
In the Charlie Brown Christmas story, he picks a tree for the Christmas pageant only to have the tree wilt and drop its pine needles. At his wits' end, and in frustration and resignation, Charlie groans to his friend Linus, “what is Christmas all about anyway!!”. Linus calmly takes the center of the pageant stage and caringly answers his friend by reciting from the gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, vs 8-14.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were sore afraid (terrified).
But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today, in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’
Suddenly, a great multitude of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom his favor rests,’”
It’s intriguing to me that God chose to make this monumental announcement, the birth of the Messiah, to a group of shepherds.
The shepherds were likely young men with little to no education and meager economic means. In the culture of Jesus’ time, shepherds were essential yet also regarded as being of low status. Shepherds would likely be considered “unclean” because of their contact with animals, animal waste, blood, bugs, etc.
I imagine the scene to be something like this…on the night of the Messiah’s birth, the night sky broad and star-filled, the shepherds were sitting around a camp fire, talking about the work of the day, how that one persistent sheep veered away from the flock again and almost got picked off by a wolf, and boasting about the pretty girls they saw at the well.
Suddenly, the night sky becomes as bright as day and an angel the likes of nothing they have ever seen before appears, proclaiming magnificent news, news that will change everything! Afterall, haven’t they and all of Israel been waiting for the day when the Messiah would finally come and deliver them from all their troubles?
Good news of great joy that will be for all people … even people like us, they may have wondered? “We are the least of all people in Israel! Is this good news for us too?”
God chose the shepherds, the humble ones in the field, the ‘unchosen’ of society, and welcomed them into His story of redemption before anyone else in Bethlehem, except Joseph and Mary.
The shepherds are seen, selected, spoken to, entrusted to tell what they heard, carriers of the message, heralds to divine prophecy that was now fulfilled!
Would the people in the village believe them? Could the more honored and respected in society receive the Holy news from a lowly shepherd?
We get a clue from Scripture as Luke’s gospel continues, saying, “ … and all who heard it (the shepherds’ news) were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
When the message of the Messiah’s birth made it’s way into the shepherd’s hearts, their joy and hope couldn’t be contained. The quiet, star-filled night suddenly split open with the thousands of angels singing and praising God, and everything changed. Hope permeated the air, even as the newborn Christ-child laid in a humble feeding trough. God the Son, fully human, born of Mary, and also fully God, was among us. Emmanuel, God with us.
I adore this name for God, Emmanuel. Like the shepherds, I’m afraid sometimes. Not because an angel is in front of me, as was their case. Rather, anxious about what the future might bring, and hoping I get things “right”. I feel vulnerable, and I need God to be with me, helping me identify the source of my fear. There, in the middle of the angel’s announcement, are the words from God I need: “Do not be afraid.”
I need Emmanuel to pour His love and presence into my heart and mind and give me courage, and a deeply rooted knowing that He sees me, and with Him, I’m enough. I’m not forgotten, outcast, less than, or unable. No, I am seen, known, and loved.
Spoken by the cartoon hearld Linus to his friend Charlie Brown, “This is what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown,” God with us, Emmanuel, always with us and for us. Any defeat Charlie Brown was feeling up to that point in his story melts away and Charlie is renewed with hope, that indeed Christmas does mean more than his culture was telling him.
Space for Reflection:
What do you imagine the shepherds experienced when God ‘sees’ them and sends God’s angel to them?
What does it feel like for you when someone really sees you, listens, and wants to understand?
What might God want to show you as God looks upon you with eyes of love?
A Blessing:
May you, like the shepherds, find anew the humble, holy Christ child and spend some time reflecting on the Good News of who He is and His love for you.
(As a P.S. in additional to watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special, if you are looking for portrayals of God’s heart to enhance your advent reflections, there is an 18 minute “short” from The Chosen TV series called The Shepherd that might be worth a watch!)
Looking for more spiritual formation in the New Year? Explore our Contemplative Prayer Journey beginning in February!