THE PEOPLE GOD CHOSE TO BE PART OF

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

THE SHEPHERDS

Simple - ignored - despised

(Luke 2:8 NKJV) "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night." NOTE (About 3/4 mile from Jerusalem)

Various ideas abound as to what time of the year it was when Jesus was born. Some say Winter - some say early Spring. There is really no way for us to know so that is a sort of moot issue. According to history commentators, no one knows why the early church chose December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

But, the Bible does give us a glimpse of a group of men who were directly involved in the event. Their record is noted in the Gospel of Luke. Their story is important because it tells us several truths about the way God chose to send His Son.

Let's look at some interesting history.

Shepherds were not members of the hierarchy. In fact, they were not even members of the aristocracy. Furthermore, they were not members of the Temple officiates. Nor were they part of the religious leadership. They didn't qualify for the "Man of the Year" award. They were not welcome at the big shindigs in town - their invitations never made it to the sheepfold. They were despised - looked upon as always being dirty - and generally left out of social events. They could never keep up with the ceremonial laws of hand washings and cleanliness. They were at the bottom of the social pecking-order.

Yet - God sent the angels and the heavenly choir to them. What was He thinking of? How could He ignore the elite and announce the birth of the Son of God to shepherds?

 

 

 

Might Luke 4:18 give us a hint? Jesus said ….

(Luke 4:18 NKJV) ""The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;"

  1. The Lord cares about the castaways. Those on the lower rungs of the ladder of life.
  1. Many people are always on the outer edges of blessings and privileges in life. They are never quite able to meet the expectations of the important people.
  2. Although they are diligent about their duties and responsibilities, they are never quite pretty enough, clean enough, wealthy enough, or good enough to be in the club. The membership requirements are simply too high.
  1. God destroys that elitism by making these shepherds a part of the grandest event in history - up to that time.
  1. He sends His angelic messenger to proclaim God's plan. That's pretty high ranking positioning in my eyes.
  2. I have never seen an angel - I have never heard an angel - Have you? (Don't answer out loud. You'll only make me fell bad.)
  3. The angel actually reveals what God is doing. I wish I could have such personal assurances as to what God is doing.
  4. Listen to the plan.

(Luke 2:9 NKJV) "And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid."

(Luke 2:10 NKJV) "Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people."

(Luke 2:11 NKJV) ""For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

(Luke 2:12 NKJV) ""And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.""

 

  1. Then, as if that's not enough, the choir shows up.

(Luke 2:13 NKJV) "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:"

(Luke 2:14 NKJV) ""Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!""

    1. These shepherds, who are never invited to the Temple concerts are serenaded by angels. (Which would you rather enjoy?)
    2. These shepherds who often looked up at the heavens and most surely wondered about God and all things heavenly were now front seat center to a personal concert by a multitude of the heavenly host. (Bill Gaither, eat your heart out!)
  1. Their get up - got up. "Let's go," they shouted. "Let's see this thing that the Lord has made known to us."
    1. They were not casual in their actions. This was the most exciting event of their lives. This trumped everything. They were in a state of acute awareness. All their faculties had been sensitized. They were on red alert. Their hearts were palpitating, their respiration rate was through the roof. If paramedics had been on the scene they would have prepped they for an emergency visit to Jerusalem General.
    2. How do I know they were so overwhelmed and excited.? Because they left their sheep alone in the stalls. No shepherd would desert his sheep unless extreme circumstances provoked him.
  1. They found Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Just like the angel said. They told them everything that had happened. They told everyone everything that had happened.
    1. Mary pondered these things in her heart.
    2. Everybody else marveled. It isn't completely clear what the extent of their marveling was. I think they were incredulous. I think they were suspicious, doubtful, disbelieving, and suspicious.
    3. After all, why would anyone believe what shepherds had to say. What kind of pasture grass were they smoking?
    4. Usually, if the messenger doesn't suit the hearer, the message is generally rejected.
    5. The Bible does not tell us that the multitudes came rushing to the stable to find this new born King. In fact, all indications are that Joseph and Mary and Jesus were pretty much ignored by the crowd. Everyone had their own agenda. It was tax time in the big city and you know how people get around tax time!!

 

  1. Listen to the shepherds response as they returned to their lowly job.

(Luke 2:20 NKJV) "Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them."

    1. When you have a genuine encounter with God, you are not affected by how others respond.
    2. They went back to their duties but their lives were forever changed.
    3. Circumstances of life may not change after a heavenly encounter but life changes.
    4. You will never be the same as before. Your outlook, attitude and response to life will be different.
    5. There is no evidence that these men were ever looked upon as special couriers of the message and thereby accorded honor and recognition by their peers. In fact, their names are not even recorded in the Bible.
    6. I believe that God used them to show all who would see that He loves even the least of mankind.

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:16 and 17 ..

(John 3:16 NKJV) ""For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

(John 3:17 NKJV) ""For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."