If you were at WHCC on Christmas 
Sunday you heard our special guest speaker, Jesse Shepherd. Mr. Shepherd told us first-hand about the night the angels’ announcement led him and the other shepherds to Bethlehem to see the baby in the manger.
Afterwards, WHCC enews caught up with Jesse Shepherd at Starbucks for an exclusive interview. We thought you’d enjoy some excerpts from our conversation.
WHCC enews: Thanks for taking some time with us, Mr. Shepherd. Tell us, how readily did people believe your report of the angels’ announcement about the baby in the manger?
JS: It varied. Some did, some didn’t. The Pharisees didn’t. The religious lawyers didn’t. But some of our friends and neighbors did. The rulers wouldn’t even listen to the whole story. God-fearing people who tried to obey the Scriptures usually believed us. In general, average folk were more inclined to believe us; the upper crust–whether religious or political–were highly skeptical.
WHCC enews: Had you ever heard from angels before or seen a vision or anything?
JS: Never.
WHCC enews: Or since?
JS: Nope.
WHCC enews: Have you ever doubted your own story?
JS: Well, every now and then I hear myself telling the story and I think, “How crazy does this sound?!?” You know, angels in the sky and all that. But all I can say is it was as real as the nose on your face. I know what I saw and what I heard, even though it sounds crazy. And then, when we got to Bethlehem it all turned out exactly like the angel said–a baby born that very day had been wrapped in strips of cloth and was lying in a feeding trough. What are the chances?
WHCC enews: Why do you think the angel announced it to you shepherds but not to the religious leaders?
JS: Well, I’m not for sure about this, but I think one reason might be because we were willing to listen. You know, the religious leaders have been very opposed to our story because they don’t believe the Messiah would be born like this, you know, to poor people and in a manger and all that. And another reason the angel might have told us is so that it’d be clear the Messiah is for everyone–rich, poor; connected, disconnected; upper-crust, lower-crust; and everywhere in between.
WHCC enews: How has that night changed you?
JS: Well, you know, at first I used to be amazed that the angel told the message TO us. Kinda like you were just asking. But after a while it started to hit me that the angel told the message THROUGH us. That was like, whoa! Us?!? I mean, the angel told us so wecould get the word out! So if we just sit around and keep our mouths shut, well, I think we’re not doing what we’re supposed to. You know, it’s like the message about the Messiah isn’t just for us. We have to let everyone else know, too! And if we don’t, what might happen? I’ll tell you this. I really, really do not want that angel–much less, all those angels–showing up some night and asking me why I didn’t pass the news along. I would hate to get them upset! So I’m forever changed because I can’t keep quiet about the whole thing. I can’t just live my life for myself anymore.
WHCC enews: Anything else you want to add?
JS: Yeah. The irony. The irony of the whole things is that we were shepherds taking care of sheep. Sheep for the temple sacrifice. But the baby in the manger turns out to be the Messiah… who ends up being the Lamb of God… who was sacrificed to take away our sins once and for all. So no more daily sacrifices means no more sheep for the temple… which means no more shepherds are needed to take care of them. Do you see the irony? That angel was telling us we were going to be losing our jobs!
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Dear Friend,
Don’t you just wonder what else Jesse and the other shepherds would tell us about that night and how it changed them forever?
One of my takeaways from the interview with Jesse is that we dare not be silent either. Like he said, the message is meant to be THROUGH us, not just TO us!
Blessings for a Happy New Year,
