It all started when I saw the Unidentified Flying Object. It was a clear night and I was just minding my business, watching my sheep. But then, watching sheep is my business. I am a shepherd, you know.
Anyway, it appeared in the night sky. It got closer and closer. Then all of a sudden a bright light shone all around us. Lit up me and my buddies. Scared the sheep something terrible. I must say it scared me, too. I never saw a light quite like that.
Then there was this being. He spoke to us. Told us not to be afraid, but he was bringing "good news of great joy to all people." Those were his exact words. I thought, "Yeah, sure. What kind of good news? Couldn't be that mutton prices were going up. That would be great news for me, but maybe not for the buyers." But this person, or being, or whatever you want to call him, he went on. He said that King Messiah had been born that very day, and in Bet-lechem, no less. Said we could find Him swaddled and in a manger. Not in some fancy house in Jerusalem, mind you, but in a feed trough in our home town.
Then I thought, surely he isn't telling us to just waltz into town at this hour of night. What would the boss say? I might lose my job. But then, if it, he, was right, think of it—seeing the real Messiah! All of a sudden there were a whole bunch of these beings around us, praising God all at the same time. If I was scared before, now I was petrified. And those poor sheep must have lost ten pounds each. But that wasn't the worst of it. After they said the blessing, they started flying up into the sky. I don't know what they were, but Yakov figured they must be angels.
Well, we decided that if they were angels and if they told us to go find King Messiah in Bet-lechem, then we had best get going. Somebody said we should draw straws to see who would stay with the sheep, but nobody felt they should miss out on this; not if God sent word to us about it. So we all left the sheep and went into town. If God was sending us here, then He could watch the sheep.
The inn had a good stable with a large manger, so we tried there. Sure enough, there was this man and woman and a newborn baby. He didn't look different from any other baby I've seen, but if God tells me that is the Messiah, then I believe that is the Messiah.
Since They said this was going to be the proof that King Messiah was born that night, then it was proven. Naturally we told everybody about what happened. Even the boss. I guess that is how you heard about it, Doc. And that's the story. They say you may even put this in a book. You say he really did turn out to be the Messiah. Well, what do you think of that!
(As told by a shepherd of Bet-lechem to Dr. Lucas. This interview was transcribed in chapter 2 of the doctor's Letter to Theophilus.)