Read Luke 2:10-11  

Christ-Messiah

On 17 December 1903, 6 kilometres south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina at the appropriately named Kill Devil Hills, Wilbur and Orville Wright became the first men to successfully fly an airplane. This was momentous news and following their achievement they sent a telegram to their sister, Katherine. The message simply said, “We have actually flown 120 feet (36.5 metres). We will be home for Christmas.”

Understandably excited by the news and knowing it needed to be broadcast far and wide, Katherine raced to the local newspaper editor with the telegram and handed it to him. As he read it over, she waited expectantly for his response. When he finished reading, he looked up at her with a smile and said, “Well, well! The boys will be home for Christmas!”

I don’t know if that editor kept his job, but I do know that he completely missed the significance of the news he was holding in his hand!

It’s often pointed out that Jesus, the King of the world was born in extremely humble circumstances, and its right we are made aware of this. It reminds us of the wonderful truth that “Christ became poor for our sake.”

Nevertheless, when the angel comes to the shepherds with the momentous news that the “Christ has been born” after thousands of years of waiting he ensures they don’t miss the news because Heaven erupts in a song of joy and the place where they guard their sheep is flooded with light.

Christ is the Greek word for Messiah, and both mean “the Anointed (or set apart One) of God.”

Jesus might be a humble baby in a manger, but Heaven made sure that the news of the arrival of the Messiah was announced with fanfare and pomp!

The shepherds didn’t miss the news – make sure you don’t either!