What Is Missing From God's Appearance In Bethlehem?

The Christmas Story:  Luke 2:8-20  

(Can you tell what's missing?)

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

The shepherds are just ordinary men. Well, not quite ordinary. According to tradition, they would have been a little less than ordinary.  Especially if you are referring to their personal holiness, personal cleanliness, religious education, vocabulary or place in society.

The shepherds were sitting around after a days work. Picture the usual scene nowadays. Mechanics, labourers, hired hands - sitting around having a beer. "That was a f***'n close call today" "Next time the boss comes around, make sure someone a hell of a lot smarter than Joey explains what happened to his f***'n sheep."  Not the sort of conversation we usually insert into Sunday School Christmas plays.

Then suddenly God visits them in their ordinariness to inform them He had not forgotten them.  No wonder they were SORE AFRAID ! But the angel gives them a message that shall be for all people - even them! Then they are given instructions on how to find the Christ Child and after talking it over, they decide to go and visit the manger. They decide to approach the Holy Son of God - God incarnate, the fullness of the Godhead, dwelling in bodily form, the Word become flesh, Emmanuel - God with us. 

What is truly amazing is what is missing from their visit:

-  No instruction to remove footwear.

-  No requirement to wash up to the elbows, or cleanse themselves seven times before entering.

-  Not even a call to repentance!

-  No specific instructions to follow, on pain of death if the instructions are deviated from in the least.

-  No warning not to touch the Ark of the Messiah (the manger he is set in) on pain of INSTANT death.

-  No long list of who may and who may not enter the stable, but simply "which shall be for all people".

God the Son. Not a burning bush or a thundering mountain, but a little baby - The most express image of God He had ever revealed. As if to say: This is what I am really like - and I am here for all people.