Good News of Great Joy

Di shepherds dey for ground, dem dey shake. Light dey everywhere. And then one voice, strong and kind at di same time. No fear.

For di hills near Bethlehem, one group of shepherds dey keep watch over dia sheep for night. Then, without any warning, one angel of di Lord stand for dia front, and di glory of di Lord shine everywhere around dem. Fear catch dem well well. E go catch anybody. But di angel no come to frighten dem. E come with message. And na message wey people for di whole world still dey read out every Christmas.

No fear, di angel talk. Because see, I bring una good news of great joy, wey go be for all di people. No be just good news. Good news of great joy. And no be only for di priests for di temple, or di rich people for Jerusalem, or di people wey sabi book and di big men. Na for all di people. Dat one include few shepherds for one field. Imagine as dem dey slowly raise dia head. Joy? For us? Di fear begin loose im hand. Dem listen.

Because today, for di town of David, dem don born Saviour for una, wey be Christ di Lord. Every word get meaning. For una: dis baby na for dem. Today: no be one day for future, na tonight. For di town of David: Bethlehem, just down di hill, King David town, where God promise say new king go comot. Saviour: person wey dey rescue. Christ: di Greek word for Messiah, di anointed king wey God don promise for many hundred years. And Lord: one title wey di scriptures use for God imself. Three big big names, wey dem give to one baby wey dem born just few minutes waka from there.

And then di angel tell dem how to find am. See your sign. Una go find baby wey dem wrap with swaddling cloth, wey dey lie down inside manger. After all dose big titles, see small humble clue. No be for palace. No be behind guards. Na inside manger, where dem dey put food for animals. Di shepherds no go need servant to invite dem enter. Dem go know manger when dem see am. Di Saviour, Christ di Lord, dey wait for dem for di kind place where shepherds belong.

Di words good news and saviour no be only church words. Few years before dem born Jesus, cities for di Roman province of Asia set up one stone inscription wey dey praise di emperor Augustus. One copy wey dem find for Priene, for di country wey we dey call Turkey today, call Augustus saviour and talk say im birthday na di beginning of good news for di world. So when Luke angel announce good news and saviour, di first people wey read Luke go hear one quiet contrast with Caesar.

Di angel message dey Luke chapter two, verse ten reach twelve. Good news of great joy, for all di people, and one baby inside manger as di sign. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Who you know wey need to hear say dis good news na for dem too?