“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:8-9).

Gwen and I made one trip to the Holy Land early in our marriage. One of the many memorable moments on the trip was the evening when we went to the shepherd’s field outside Bethlehem. There are many reasons that this Christmas event occurred there but none more important than this. The sheep the shepherds were watching over were the Temple flock destined to be sacrificed at the Temple’s altar.

The angels were there to announce that the answer to all the sacrifices God required would be satisfied by the Child, Jesus, just born in nearby Bethlehem. With His death there would be no more need for a Temple flock, With His sacrifice no more animals would be offered for sin. More important, because of the Baby Jesus’ birth no one need ever die for sin again if they just believed in Him.

The world was changing in ways that few realized at the time but we can rejoice that it did. Because that Baby came and died the sacrifice for sin forever would be completed for all of us. Thank God for Christmas!! The announcement came where the sacrificial sheep were being kept.