When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.

Luke 2:15-20

We Have Come to Worship Him

God invites two groups of people to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Both are surprising, and both tell us something about God. The first invite goes to some local shepherds. An angel appears and tells them the good news. Then the shepherds go to worship Jesus. The second invite goes out to the world. After Jesus’ birth, a star rose over Bethlehem. A group of people from another part of the world saw the star and followed it. We don’t know much about them or how many made the journey. But they found Jesus and worshiped him with gifts. 

Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. 

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So what do we learn from these two sets of visitors being a part of the story? Among other things, it shows us how Jesus brings all kinds of people together. The shepherds were similar to Mary and Joseph. They were all ordinary people from a small village, making ends meet. But the foreign visitors couldn’t have been more different. They were from another country and likely had different beliefs. They also seem to have had wealth and influence, which Mary and Joseph lacked. 

We know that differences can divide people. We’ve all seen it, both in our personal relationships and in the lives of others. But the Christmas story creates connection for all people. God wants to include everyone in His family. So God invites people nearby and those from far away to celebrate Jesus.

Jesus’ birth brings diverse people together. We first see this in the Christmas story, but it’s a recurring theme in Jesus’ life. He built relationships with people of vastly differing backgrounds. And through those connections, he helped break down the social, economic, and political barriers that tend to divide us.  God is building a global family—so He leads us to let go of an “us versus them” mindset. And that’s one of the things we celebrate at Christmas: Jesus showing us the power of humility, connection, and empathy.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke 2:20