阅读经文 

你能想像自己是这个故事中的一个牧羊人吗？晚上，你在野外坐着，周围还有其他几个牧羊人。你看守着在附近睡觉的羊。你可能自己也想打瞌睡了。这时，突然有一位天使出现，主的荣光无处不在！在那一刻，你一定会有一种惧怕的感受。

天使以“不要惧怕”开始向牧羊人报告信息，这可能是一件好事。否则，牧羊人最初的反应可能是逃跑，或者用他们的手杖或棍棒向天使挥舞。惧怕会使人麻痹大意，以至于很难记住后面的事。在可怕的恐惧状态下，牧羊人甚至可能听不到天使将要带来的好消息。

恐惧往往也会使我们拒绝听见好消息。当我们被生活中那些令人恐惧的事情缠住时，我们往往会错过许多其他的信息和机会。

如果牧羊人一直处于恐惧状态，他们就不会听到关于耶稣诞生的信息。他们就不知道去找祂。他们也不会听到祂将带来的和平。

今天，你生活中的哪些恐惧可能会阻止你听到好消息呢？

Can you imagine being one of the shepherds in this story? You’re sitting in a field at night with a few other shepherds around. You’re watching over your sheep as they sleep nearby. You might be ready to doze off yourself. Then suddenly an angel appears, and the glory of the Lord is everywhere! Fear would be just one of the emotions you felt at that moment.

It’s probably a good thing that the angel began the message to the shepherds with “Do not be afraid.” The shepherds’ initial reaction might otherwise have been to either run away or take a swing at the angel with their staffs or clubs. Fear can be so paralyzing that it can make anything that comes after it hard to remember. In a state of terrifying fear the shepherds might not even have heard the great news that the angel had come to bring.

Fear can often cause us to stop hearing the good news as well. When we get so wrapped up in the things in our lives that make us afraid, we often miss many other messages and opportunities.

If the shepherds had remained in their state of terror, they wouldn’t have heard the message about the birth of Jesus. They wouldn’t have known to go and find him. And they wouldn’t have heard about the peace he would bring.

What fears in your life might be stopping you from hearing the good news today?