17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. – Luke 2: 17-18

The announcement of the birth of Jesus was not sent out on gold embossed stationary. In fact, the crowd that would have appreciated such niceties were not even invited to the manger. Of all people, the host of angels who were tasked to herald the Lord’s birth, came from on high to the lowest among men. These angels made a command appearance before a few shepherds as they watched their flocks by night.

Suddenly a bright light appeared in the midnight sky and the shepherds heard the angels say: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

When the angels had gone away, the shepherds raced to Bethlehem and found that all was as the angels had said. They found Mary, Joseph and Jesus. They worshiped Him and praised Him there. What they did next is quite instructive for us.

“And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.” If the birth of Jesus was a secret, you couldn’t prove it by the shepherds because they went everywhere telling everybody everything they knew about Jesus. Their testimony was such that “all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”

Here is the test of Christmas. Can you see Christ and keep quiet? Can you be in His presence for only a moment and hold your peace? Can you grasp who He is and what His birth means without shouting it to the world?

Our Christmas is not over until we tell somebody what we got for Christmas – i.e. Jesus. That is miraculous.