23rd December 2025
Do not be afraid – God brings good news
Part of a series for Advent
And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’
Luke 2:8-11 (NIVUK)
On the night Jesus was born, before there were carols, before there was worship, before there was celebration, there was fear. Luke tells us that when the angel appeared to the shepherds, ‘they were terrified’ (Luke 2:9). These were not timid men. They were used to long nights, wild animals, and loneliness. And yet, the moment the glory of God shone around them, courage melted, and fear took over. But fear was not the end of their story – and it doesn’t have to be the end of ours.
The shepherds weren’t looking for God that night. They weren’t in the Temple. They weren’t praying or fasting. They were simply doing their job – watching sheep. Then, without warning, the darkness exploded with light, and they were terrified. Fear is often the first reaction to God’s presence. That was the case with Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-5), with Peter (Luke 5:1-8), and with John (Revelation 1:12-17). God’s holiness exposes our sinfulness, and when the light of God shines into our lives, either through conviction, calling, or unexpected circumstances, it can feel frightening.
But the exciting thing is that when God breaks into our lives, he meets our fear with good news, not condemnation. The first words of the angel to the shepherds are words of comfort:
‘Do not be afraid’ (v.10). Why? Because the message is good news (v.10). God’s answer to human fear is not human courage – it is divine intervention. Not try harder, but a Saviour has been born. Not fix yourself, but Christ the Lord has come. Not you’re in trouble, but God is with you. Fear says, ‘something terrible is going to happen.’ The gospel says, ‘something wonderful has already happened.’
When the shepherds heard this news, they could have stayed in the fields. They could have said, ‘maybe later’, or ‘we’re busy’, or ‘this is unbelievable’. They didn’t; they went with haste (vv.15-16). They moved from fear to obedience, teaching us an important lesson: fear turns into faith when we move towards Jesus. Faith is not the absence of fear – it is movement towards Jesus in the midst of it. When we take steps of obedience in seeking, trusting, and following him, fear begins to lose its power.
After seeing Jesus, the shepherds’ fear is turned into worship and witness. They become the first evangelists of the New Testament. The same men who trembled in terror now proclaimed with boldness (vv.18-20). Why? Because encountering Jesus transforms people: fear becomes joy, and silent shepherds become joyful messengers.
Luke ends the scene with these words: ‘The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God…’ (v.20). They returned to the same fields, the same sheep, the same life, but not as the same people. As we encounter Jesus this Christmas season, may our lives never be the same again – now that would be good news.
Prayer
Loving Father, the shepherds’ story is our story. We fear. Jesus comes. We tremble. He speaks peace into our hearts. We go to him. He changes us. We return to our lives with worship and witness on our lips. This Christmas, may we hear the angel’s words again as a message for us: ‘Do not be afraid. A Saviour has been born for you.’ In Jesus’s name, Amen.
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Study by: Barry Robinson About the author: |
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Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA
Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm
Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church