11. The shepherds get a surprise!
Luke 2:8 That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. Can you imagine a cold winters night? Smell the smoke rising from the small fire. Smell the sheep in the pen next to you. Smelly? Feel the hard ground under you as you sit by the fire, the cold seeping in. Look up and see the stars shining brightly in the dark night sky, and in the distance you can see the faint lights of fires burning in the town of Bethlehem. Look around and see a bunch of young guys sitting with you. They look to be about 10 – 16 years old. These are shepherds. They have the important job of looking after these sheep. Here they are, on this hillside . But they are excited! They have such a story to share! Everyone is talking at once, the night air filled with laughter and joy and storytelling. And then, every so often they fall silent, and you can see on their faces that they are amazed. They are at peace. Something incredible has happened to them ...