The angels left.

The days of Christmastide mean we get to keep thinking about the arrival of the Christ child. We don't just stop because we've thrown away all of the boxes and gift wrap. This has been the moment I have pondered a good bit over the last week. What did the sky look like when the shepherds encountered the heavenly host. The Word in the bible book of Luke tells us that "a great company of the heavenly host appeared". I like thinking about what that looked like in the night sky to the shepherds. I think I would have been blown away. I read these Christmas narratives with monotone voice while in reality I think the shepherds are just absolutely freaking out, dumbfounded, instant stimulation, unparalleled experience.

And then, no sooner had the GREAT COMPANY, HEAVENLY HOST had appeared.....They left. The angels left. The sky is empty. From the height of heavenly stimulation (sight, sound, experience) to an immediate drop off, left hanging, a flickering, fading buzz. The angels left. I spent time imagining what this moment could have been like for the shepherds. I imagined them standing there looking at each other, stunned. One slowly peels his eyes to the side at one of his friends and finally says, "Did you see that too? I just want to check." "Did that just actually happen?"

So what did happen?

I notice 4 things that I learn from God's word in the bible book of Luke, chapter 2, verses 13 through 20.

1. The supernatural power of God moves the hearts of men and women.

We won’t naturally move and act on our own. We are too affected by the grip of sin apart from the power of God, but in the presence of the supernatural power of God our hearts can respond. Any person that has entered into relationship with the living God is proof that this is real and true. Anyone reading these words can humble themselves before God, seek forgiveness for their sin and receive new life in Jesus Christ and this shows that this power of God is real. Only God can transform the hearts of men and women. Have you been aware of that supernatural power at work in your life? Are you currently aware of it? If you are, don’t resist it! Welcome the

supernatural power of God into your life.

So how did the shepherds respond? They encountered the supernatural power of the Almighty God right there in the field. Did they resist or welcome the power of God? The angels have all gone. The special, supernatural, specific moment has ended. What will happen?

Verse 15 tells us they say, Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about. So they HURRIED (with eagerness) and they found Joseph and Mary and the baby who was lying in a manger. Their hearts are moved.

2. The supernatural power of God moves the hearts of men and women to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Verses 17-18 tell us that the shepherds spread the word about what they had been told about this child and all who heard it were amazed. The angels have left, but the shepherds lives are not primarily impacted by the angels, their lives have been primarily impacted by the arrival of Jesus. What is your life primarily impacted by in these current days?

3. The supernatural power of God moves the hearts of men and women to consider their own hearts.

Don’t miss this one. While the shepherds have encountered the heavenly host, Mary has encountered an angel herself, but now

currently she has encountered the arrival of the Savior of the world intimately. And verse 19 says that Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. She took stock of what was happening within her own heart and life. Have you recently, privately thought about how Jesus is impacting your life?

4. The supernatural power of God moves the hearts of men and women to praise God.

Verse 20 tells us as the shepherds returned they were glorifying and praising God for all they had encountered. Wow. What a night.

Their response was worship and praise. Is your mouth loosed to praise God or are you stingy with your praise to Him?

Those in the story encountered the supernatural power of God. They shared about the power of God with others. They pondered the power of God in their own hearts. They praised God in response to encountering His power.

I'm struck that most of us are seeing a sky not filled with a visible heavenly host today. And so we're also invited to ponder how we will respond to the supernatural power of God in the absence of visible, supernatural reinforcement. Perhaps one of the great intersections of today will be saying, "Somehow God, whether I can see it plainly or not, You're changing me. I know you are, I just know you are."

And out of that I say....

Therefore, I can.....

Therefore, I will....

Therefore, I am.....

And maybe then those thoughts will shift to....

Therefore, You can....

Therefore, You will....

Therefore, You are....

Therefore....

There's more.