Today, we will look at some events that occurred shortly after the birth of Jesus.  Luke 2:15 says, 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.  The shepherds were in agreement after the angels went back into heaven.  They said that they would go to Bethlehem and see this thing that had come to pass, which God had made known to them.  The angels had told them what had happened, but they wanted to see it for themselves.  We might have a multitude of angels proclaiming the truth about Christ to us today, but it would not bring us the promised salvation without seeing Jesus for ourselves, or having that personal encounter in other words.  The shepherds could have said that what they had seen was impressive and simply gone on their way, but instead they put going to see the truth about Jesus ahead of everything else.  We need to be the same way, putting Jesus first, especially at Christmas time.  Too often, Christ gets lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas.  Verse sixteen says, And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.  We are not told exactly how far the shepherds had to travel, but are told that they came as quickly as they could.  No matter how far a person may be spiritually from God, once hearing the good news of Christ, he or she should make haste to come to Him.  God will call all people to Him, but it is up to each individual to respond to that call, and there is never a good reason to delay.  The shepherds could have said that the announcement of the birth of Jesus was interesting or even exciting, but that they were too busy with too many responsibilities to let it affect them very much, but they didn't.  They took action, and so should we when we encounter Christ.  Verse seventeen says,  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  When the shepherds found Jesus, the told everyone about what they had seen and heard.  When we meet Jesus in a personal relationship, we need to make known what we know about Him.  The shepherds did not just see Jesus and go away quietly.  They had good news to share, and so do we.  Usually, today the day after Christmas is a day to return to our normal lives, but we should be even more ready to share the gospel of Christ.  Verse eighteen says, And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  What the shepherds told those that they encountered got people to thinking about Christ.  What we as followers of Christ tell people today should at least get them to thinking about Christ.  Verse nineteen says, But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.  I cannot imagine all the thoughts that were going through Mary's mind.  She had been told that she would give birth to the Messiah, and the shepherds confirmed that this was what had happened.  Though some would make Mary almost a god, she was but a young woman who had something miraculous happen in her life.  I believe that as she kept all these things in her heart that she most likely had many questions about her ability to be fulfill her calling.  If we are followers of Christ today, He has called us for a purpose, and we may at times question our ability to carry out our calling.  At these times, we need to keep our relationship to Christ at the center of our thoughts.  Verse twenty says, 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 returned to work, but they were changed.  They were glorifying and praising God for all they had seen.  The day after Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, we as His followers should glorify and praise God for what He did for the world when He sent Christ to live and die to redeem us.  Though we should do this every day, we should especially do so at Christmas time, so that Christ is not forgotten as we celebrate His birth.