THE SHEPHERDS Luke 2:8-20 I. INTRODUCTION- a. Not many celebrities politicians intellectuals the rich and powerful and the elite of this world recognize their spiritual poverty and embrace the simple gospel message. b. To them the gospel message of our lostness and need of a Savior is foolishness. c. So it was fitting that on the night that Jesus was born the first people on earth who were invited to greet Him were not emperors, kings, rulers, conquerors or people from the elite class of this world. d. The first people on earth who were honored with an invitation to meet and greet the newborn King were people who were considered in the day of Jesus to be the lowest of the low in Jewish society shepherds. II. LOWLY SHEPHERDS- a. In the day of Jesus shepherds were not well thought of by the social and religious elite of Israel. b. Though the work of a shepherd was important to life in Israel. c. The nature of their work meant that shepherds were continually coming in contact with things that rendered them ritualistically unclean in the eyes of the religious authorities of that day. d. This meant that in that day shepherds were most often unable to participate in the organized religious life of Israel. e. Because of this, shepherds were generally despised and held in derision by the religious and social elite of that day.
f. Most often shepherds were shepherds because they did not have the education, skill or opportunity to do anything else for a living. g. And for the most part shepherds in the day of Jesus lived up to a reputation of being uneducated, ill-mannered, rough, uncouthed, irreligious, low-moral, minimum wage-earners whose language would be unfit for the ears of children. h. Shepherds would never be admitted to any respectable group, gathering or establishment in the day of Jesus. i. If a shepherd was going to be a worshipper of God he would have to do so by himself outside of the Temple and the religious life of Israel. j. Yet, on the night Jesus was born it was shepherds who were out in the fields keeping watching over their flocks by night. k. Who received the first invitation extended by angels sent by God from Heaven to meet and greet the promised Messiah the newborn King of Israel God-incarnate the Savior of the world. l. It could be that these shepherds were different from other shepherds in Israel it could be that they were devout and devoted to God. m. We know the sheep they were watching were most likely different from other sheep in Israel. n. Hebrew scholar Alfred Edersheim records that the flocks near Bethlehem were no ordinary sheep these were special sheep being raised specifically to be used as sacrifices in the temple in nearby Jerusalem. III. THE MESSAGE THE SHEPHERDS RECEIVED- a. Luke 2:8-11 (NKJV) Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 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. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. b. It was probably a night like any other night the sheep were bed down for the night and the shepherds were taking turns keep watch over their flock. c. Some of the shepherds who were not on guard duty were probably gathered around a fire to keep warm talking and joking with one another as men do maybe some of the men were sleeping. d. When suddenly the night sky was lit up by a blazing, brilliant and blinding light and what had to be an angel a heavenly being appeared before them. e. Not surprisingly, the Bible says the shepherds were terrified. f. The first words the angel spoke were words of comfort Do not be afraid. g. And then the angel delivered the most astounding message the world had ever heard. h. In its history God had sent human saviors human helpers to help Israel in times of national need. i. But the angel announced that this time God had sent a Savior from Heaven a special Savior a Savior not just for the Jews but for all people. IV. THE MESSAGE OF A HELPLESS SAVIOR- a. 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. b. No one in Israel thought that the Messiah the Savior would come as a baby.
c. The Jews were looking for a strong, mighty and powerful Messiah to come and free them from the bonds of Roman slavery. d. But the angel announced that the long awaited Messiah had finally come not as a strong conqueror with an army but as a baby. e. Is there anything more helpless and fragile in this world than a newborn baby? f. As only he can Max Lucado described the helplessness of the newborn Savior when he wrote. g. He looked anything but a King. His face was the pink face of a baby. His cry, although strong and healthy, was still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby and He was absolutely dependent upon Mary for His well-being. Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter. This baby had once overlooked the entire universe. The rags keeping Him warm were now the robes of eternity. His golden throne room had been abandoned in favor of a dirty sheep pen and worshipping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds. Helpless V. THE MESSAGE OF THE HUMBLE SAVIOR- a. In Luke 2:12 the angel told the shepherds that Jesus the Messiah the Savior could be found... lying in a manger the most humble of cribs. b. The word manger means feed trough the angel told the shepherds that they could find the Messiah not sitting on a golden throne not commanding a mighty army not being attended to by quick and ready servants. c. The angel told the shepherds they could find the Messiah as a baby lying in an animal feed trough.
d. 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. e. Philippians 2:7-8 says that when Jesus came into the world He made Himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men He humbled Himself. f. Because Jesus came into the world in the most helpless and humble way because Jesus lived in this world as a humble Servant because Jesus died a humble death on the cross for our sins. g. No one can ever say I cannot come to Him I am too sinful I am too small I am too insignificant. h. By His humble birth, life and death Jesus has left the door open for all. VI. i. The high and mighty of the world like the Wise Men can come to Him and so can the lowly and left out like the Shepherds. Helpless Humble THE MESSAGE OF A HEAVENLY SAVIOR- a. When the announcing angel finished telling the shepherds of the good news of great joy of the birth of the Savior. b. A choir of angels appeared and sang the first hallelujah chorus. c. Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men! d. This time Heaven did not send just a human savior to provide temporary help for the moment. e. This time Heaven sent a Heavenly Savior this time God Himself came down to earth in human flesh to provide the salvation from sin that we all so desperately need.
VII. THE SHEPHERDS RESPONDED TO THE MESSAGE- a. Luke 2:15-16 (NKJV) So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. b. The shepherds followed the angel s simple instructions and made hast to Bethlehem where they found Mary and Joseph and the baby. c. I believe the shepherds were the first people to receive Jesus as their Savior. d. I believe they told Mary and Joseph what had happened and then they bowed before the manger and they believed what they had been told and what they knew about this child and God changed their lives forever. e. The person who refuses to believe in Jesus the person who refuses to bow before Him the person who refuses to receive Him as their Savior and Lord the One who lived, died and rose again to make their salvation possible will never be saved. f. Some people would say they would believe if angels appeared to them but we have a more sure witness of who Jesus is than even the words of angels we have the Word of God which declares the truth of Jesus and what we must do to be saved. g. If a person will not believe the Word of God they would not believe the message of an angel. VIII. THE SHEPHERDS RETOLD THE MESSAGE- a. Luke 2:17 (NKJV) Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
b. As the shepherds left the manger they couldn't keep quiet about what they had seen they told everybody their lives would never again be the same. c. Witnessing simply means you tell somebody else what has happened to you you tell somebody else what Jesus has done for you every Christian can do that. d. Every time we get a chance we ought to do what the shepherds did tell others what Jesus has done for us. IX. THE SHEPHERDS REJOICED AT THE MESSAGE- a. 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. b. Jesus may not have been born on December 25 He most likely was not but it is right that Christians celebrate the birth of Christ the Savior the Son of God into this world. c. The world tries desperately to take Christ out of Christmas and make Christmas a purely secular celebration but to take Christ out of Christmas is to rob Christmas of its true meaning. d. While the world in its commercialism and cynicism has obscured the true meaning of Christmas Jesus still offers Himself to those who will receive Him as their own personal Savior. X. CONCLUSION- a. Have you trusted Jesus to forgive your sin and give you His gift of eternal life?