Faith of the Shepherds

Lately, I have been reading a daily devotion from Martin Luther - Here is the one from Dec 24th, enjoy. It is amazing that a man that lived hundreds of years ago, can write about issues that we are still dealing with today!

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:15

If these shepherds hadn't believed the angels, they wouldn't have gone to Bethlehem. Neither would they have done any of what is recorded in Luke. But when unbelievers say, "Yes, I would have certainly believe the message if an angel from heaven announced it to me," they don't know what they are saying. For whoever doesn't receive the Word on its account will never receive it no matter who preaches it - even if all the angels come and preach it to them. Moreover, those who believe the message on account of the one preaching it aren't believing the Word. Neither do they believe in God through the Word. Instead, they believe in the preacher. As a result, their faith doesn't endure.

But those who believe in Word overlook the one who is preaching it. They don't honor the Word because of the person. On the contrary, they honor the person because of the Word. They never place the person higher than the Word. If the preacher is ruined, falls from faith, or begins preaching a different message, the believers would rather let go of the preacher than give up the Word. They would stick with the Word regardless of the person involved or the situation.

This is the true difference between genuine and human faith. Human faith is always attached to the person. It believes, trusts, and honors the Word because of the one who speaks it. On the other hand, genuine faith clings to the Word, which is God himself. Genuine faith believes, trusts, and honors the Word because of what it is, not who said it. Faith so strongly senses that the Word is true that no one can tear it away - not even the same preacher who first brought it.