1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're so glad 2 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: to have you listening. I'm Lynette Kittle, and today's topic 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: is the Shepherd's Invitation Come and See. We'll be right 4 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: back after a brief message from our sponsor. The Shepherd's 5 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: Invitation Come and See, written and read by Lynette Kittle. 6 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 1: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, 7 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: keeping watch over their flocks. At night, an Angel of 8 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the 9 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,279 Speaker 1: Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the 10 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: Angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring 11 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: you good news that will cause great joy for all 12 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: the people. To day in the town of David, a 13 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, 14 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You 15 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in 16 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: a manger. Luke two nine through twelve. What a terrifying 17 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: yet amazing birth announcement to be awoken in the middle 18 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: of the night, greeted with a host of heavenly angels 19 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: filling and illuminating the dark sky to tell the shepherds 20 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: the good news of Jesus birth, inviting them to come 21 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: and see the new born King, as written in Luke 22 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: two thirteen through fourteen, Suddenly a great company of the 23 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: heavenly host appeared with the Angel, praising God and saying 24 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, 25 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: peace to those on whom His favor rest. If that 26 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: is an aurorial over the top fan fear invitation than 27 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: what is. Even though the invitations startled the shepherds awake, 28 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: once they recovered, they willingly accepted God's gracious, heavenly delivered 29 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: invitation to see the new born King, as Luke two 30 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: fifteen through sixteen describes, when the angels had left them 31 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: and gone into heaven, the shepherd said to one another, 32 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,959 Speaker 1: let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has 33 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: happened which the Lord has told us about. So they 34 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby 35 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: who was lying in the manger. After coming and seeing 36 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: Luke two seventeen through eighteen describes what happened next. When 37 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what 38 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: had been told them about this child, and all who 39 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them, 40 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: excepting the angel's invitation to coven' see Jesus led the 41 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: shepherds to spread the word by inviting everyone they met 42 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: to go and see him too. It was a divine 43 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: response from their hearts as well. Once we see Jesus 44 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: for ourselves, our hearts are moved to invite others to 45 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: come and see him too. Jesus entered the world with 46 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: an invitation, and he left us with one two. Some 47 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,119 Speaker 1: of jesus last words on earth are found in Mark 48 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: sixteen fifteen, where he said to his followers, go into 49 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. 50 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: The shepherds on that first Christmas night did just that, 51 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: spreading the word of his birth and coming to the earth. 52 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: They also told others how to find him. And as 53 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: they did, so are we all called to tell others too. 54 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: In school, I knew Jesus, but I didn't tell anyone, 55 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: so sadly I didn't lead anyone around me to faith 56 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: in him. Yet my future husband made sure to tell 57 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: everyone he met at school about Jesus, to the point 58 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: that some other students who had heard about him avoided him. 59 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: Even so, he still led more people to faith in 60 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: Jesus than his preaching scared them away. Doctor D. James Kennedy, 61 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: the Late and Great Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian 62 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: Church and founder of Evangelism Explosion, was known for his 63 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: tremendous boldness and fearless sharing of the Gospel with everyone 64 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: he met. He didn't second guest sharing his faith with 65 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:46,119 Speaker 1: individuals of other religious beliefs, or let people in high 66 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: profile positions in life keep him from sharing the good 67 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: news of Jesus Christ with them. Because of doctor Kennedy's fearlessness, 68 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: countless souls have been invited to meet Jesus as their savior, 69 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: and countless numbers continue to be saved through his ministries, 70 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: teaching others to be bold in sharing the Gospel with 71 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: those around them. Intersecting faith in life as Christians, are 72 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 1: we inviting individuals to come and see Jesus, our newborn 73 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: King at Christmas time in all year round, or are 74 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: we hesitating, not wanting to offend or have people shy 75 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: away from us. Are we, like the shepherds so many 76 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: years ago, willing to boldly tell others because we know 77 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: it is the good news of Christmas. Further reading the 78 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: first time shepherds heard about Jesus. The Crosswalk Devotional is 79 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you 80 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: liked what you heard today, please take a second to 81 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: rate and review this podcast in your favorite podcast app 82 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,679 Speaker 1: so that more listeners like you can find the show. 83 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio 84 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 1: dot com.