Come and See, Go and Tell

by Skip Heitzig | December 20, 2024

There's a legend—and it's just a legend—that forty years after the birth of Jesus, the shepherds from Luke 2 gathered together and reminisced about that night. Their grandchildren were listening, and one said, "Grandpa, is it true? Did that really happen?" His grandfather hung his head and admitted, "I don't really know. I never went to see."

But what did the shepherds in Luke 2 do with this experience? They weren't told what to do, they were simply told what had happened.

We read in Luke 2:15-18, "So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds."

So the shepherds did three things. First, they believed what the angels told them about Jesus. They believed it by faith.

Second, they went to check it out. They responded quickly. After you hear a message about Christ, if indeed you believe it, the next step is to come to Christ.

Third, they told people. After finding Jesus, they went to tell others.

So it's "Come, see, go, tell." That's the natural response. If you're saved from sin and have experienced supernatural change, you'll want to tell people about it.

Sadly, this passion to tell others tends to diminish over time. Newly saved people are the ones who want to tell people about what happened to them when they got saved. But as we get older, we lose our zeal. It's like a slow leak in a tire.

It's not enough to hear about Jesus—it's not enough to just peek inside the manger and get a warm feeling about Christmas. We need to believe in Him, come to Him, and experience that life change. A lot of people hear sermons, watch as others' lives are changed, and hear their stories—but they don't come to Christ themselves.

I want you to know this: The angel could have come to many people with the announcement of the most important event in history—the birth of God in human flesh. But he didn't come to the elite. He came to those that nobody really cared much about, to demonstrate that God cared about them. Jesus hung out with such people—tax collectors and sinners, marginalized people—because they needed Him, knew they needed Him, and were willing to admit it. That was His whole life.

God wants all to be saved, from the wealthy and powerful to the poor, meek, and lowly.

So, if this annual celebration has never been real, or personal, or deep and meaningful—if you've never personally come to Christ and said, "Jesus, be my Lord, be my Savior, forgive me of my sins"—let this be the year you come and check it out—and then respond. This Christmas, let the Son of God enter your life.

Or if you've made a commitment in the past, but you're not walking in obedience to Christ right now, today He is drawing you back to Himself, back to your first love.

For the rest of us: You've come. You've seen. Now go and tell.

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