Imagine yourself on a dark hillside one cold winter’s night. Your sheep have all settled down for the night and you’re warming yourself by the fire along with other shepherds. All is quiet except for the whispering winds and an occasional bleat from the sheep. SUDDENLY, a DAZZLING bright light appears above you, blinding your eyes. You are terrified! What is this? It could only be from God above!
At the same time a voice from above calls out to you, “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all people!” You shield your eyes and peer into the brightness. A human-like figure seems to be floating in the light. It could only be an angel. Speaking to you from heaven! Surprise! Amazement! Wonder all blur together.
The angel continues: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born for you: He is your Messiah!” The angel gives directions as to how you’ll know where to find him.
But then more angels suddenly appear! And they’re singing! “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to people on whom His favor rests.” What joy is on their faces as they lift their arms and voices to heaven. You are filled with wonder and praise and joy! How glorious! Then the praise choir slowly fades away, and behind them the twinkling stars reappear.
You look at the other shepherds in amazement. “Did you see…did you hear that?” You know by the look on their faces that they are as excited as you. Your Messiah is here. Let’s go and see Him!
In this story there’s a key word that appears three times. The book of Luke tells us that when the angel first appeared to the shepherds, the “GLORY of the Lord shone around them.”
What does the word GLORY mean? God’s glory is majesty, power, awesomeness, magnificence, excellence, splendor, brilliance! When God’s glory shone down from heaven all around the shepherds, at first they were overwhelmed by reverent fear. But when the angels sang, it was about praising and GLORFYING God. To GLORIFY someone means to pay them recognition, honor, praise, to worship. The Hebrew word for Praise is halal from which we get the word, “Hallelujah” which means “give glory to God.”
GLORY appears one more time: after the shepherds saw Baby Jesus, their Messiah, they spread the word of what they had been told, and everyone who heard it was amazed. Then the shepherds returned, GLORIFYING and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Do you see how the glory spread? First from God to the shepherds. Then the angels lifted the glory in their praise back to God. This filled the shepherds with awe, and they were anxious to go and find their Messiah. But then they spread the glory of God to other people around them, who in turn were amazed.
When we praise and glorify God, it brings us joy and peace. God gets the glory, we get peace, peace on earth, goodwill to all people.
Now it’s our turn to spread the glory of God, the glory of Christmas!