A revelation of the person of Jesus as the Messiah is a personal experience. We all lack understanding to some degree. But the Holy Spirit will open our minds and hearts and assist us in receiving His revelation of Jesus Christ. We are then left with the decision to accept or reject this revelation from God!
The revelation of Jesus as the Messiah will immediately impact us personally. However, God’s revelation of the Messiah will impact great numbers of people and even generations of people. Like a pebble thrown into a still body of water, the ripple effect extends much farther than the original area of impact.
When the angel of the Lord announced the birth of the Messiah to lowly shepherds in Luke 2, they were alone in a rural area and the message was for them. Luke 2:8, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” They were in a field, apart from the traffic of nearby Bethlehem. The angel of the Lord spoke directly to these few shepherds alone in the countryside. His message was a message to them first and then meant to be shared with the world. First, the revelation was a personal experience. They had a supernatural experience and it had a lasting effect on them.
“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid,” Luke 2:9. This experience was accompanied by awe and reverence. When God reveals Himself to us, we respond will respond in awe and reverence This scene causes my heart to proclaim, “You are awesome, O God.”
How did the messenger from God respond to the fear of the shepherds? Luke:210, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,” God's revelation brought good tidings personally and “which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” These were glad tidings. The promise was not only to the shepherds but to ALL people.
The shepherds pursued after the revelation the angels delivered. “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger,” Luke 2:16. They were able to observe confirmation of the angels' announcement. When God confirms his Truth, there is always an expected result. Luke 2:17, “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” The revelation was a personal experience for the shepherds. The encounter compelled them to seek the truth of the revelation.
Their experience compelled them to tell others about what they had seen. The greater circle or larger group that heard the message “wondered at those things which were told them.” We can conclude with certainty that those who pursued the truth experienced revelation. “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” I am convinced that “wondering” takes place in the mind but “pondering” takes place in the heart. The wonder of the many was a transient emotion; this recollecting and brooding of Mary was an abiding habit. Revelation is a heart thing! A Revelation Of Our Messiah is an individual experience of the heart!
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