The Journey Of The Shepherds Series

After several weeks of asking his dad if they could play together after dinner, he grew weary of the same response: "I’m sorry, buddy, I have a briefcase full of work I have to do." One day he simply said, "Well, Dad, can’t they just put you in a slower class too?"

Point: If we are going to keep from missing Christmas . . . we are going to have to get into a slower class. Someone has tragically observed that our generation worships our work, works at our play, and plays at our worship. Is it any wonder then that our lives are often spiritually empty? We’re not hearing a word from the Lord – one that brings courage, joy, & hope.

But let’s be realistic . . . a good many of our commitments are important. Much of what we do is necessary. Making time for listening to God sounds good but is a lot easier said than done. So how do we find time to hear? The answer is to intentionally build margins into our lives. We plan to find time to hear from God.

We find time for recreation, for shopping, for other things we want to do . . . . we must be intentional about making time for God. God still speaks but we have to stop long enough to hear Him.

Possible Solutions: So, how are we to respond to a word from the Lord?

1. Fear it – The shepherds were terrified, but the angels said, “Do not be afraid.”

Are we afraid of what others will say?

Are we afraid that what God has told us might not work?

Are we afraid we might have been wrong?

2. Doubt it – The shepherds could have doubted their eyes and ears – their senses. They could have said, “I don’t believe it!”

People hear a word from the Lord and they often doubt it.

3. Ignore it – The shepherds could have let any number of things keep them from checking out the story they had just heard.

What about us? Do we get sidetracked?

Do we get off on some tangent and miss the point. How many people go through the Christmas season celebrating the celebration and not the Savior? How many of you are doing that?

4. Debate it – They could have sat around the campfire debating the issue. (We’ve been debated to death in this presidential election!)

We probably would have debated! Could we really afford to leave the sheep. What if the owner of the sheep found out? What if something happened to them while we were gone? What if we were mistaken about what we thought we heard? In other words, much of the time we talk ourselves out of acting in faith.

5. Reject it – They could have rejected it saying, “It’s not for me. This is not my thing.”

We often reject the word because we don’t like what God is telling us. We don’t like it because it means change. Or it means doing something that is new or awkward. Or it means not doing something we like doing.

Illustration: Imaginary Conversation between One of the Shepherds and his grandson

the Shepherds and his grandson

Dr. Clovis Chappell imagines one of the shepherds who had been a youth on the first Christmas night and has now become old. His grandson sits on his knee as he recalls: "A long, long time ago, when I was little more than a boy, I was out on the Judean hills, one night with some other shepherds, keeping watch over the flock. And the angel of the Lord came upon us and the glory of the Lord shone roundabout us. And we were sore afraid, But the angel said, ’Fear not . . .for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. . . .You shall find the babe in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.