“WHAT THE SHEPHERDS SAID” Luke 2:15-20
FBCF – 12/27/20
Jon Daniels
INTRO – At some point in the last few days, you’ve probably said or heard these words: “This one is for you.” You said those words as you gave a gift to someone. Or someone said that to you as you received a Christmas gift from them. Those words meant that that gift was meant especially for the recipient from the giver. It has that person’s name on it. And when it was given, it became that person’s possession.
Think about these 3 words that the shepherds heard from the angel: “For unto you” (Luke 2:11). They were saying, “This one is for YOU!” Those words said to the shepherds that there was a special Gift that had been given to them & for them.
- Personal words – “For unto YOU”
- Pointed words – Angel speaking directed to those shepherds
- Powerful words – Life-changing words straight from the throne room of God the Father through His messenger
Today, on this last Sunday of 2020, let’s focus on the amazing Gift that was given to the shepherds & to us on that first Christmas. Let’s not focus on all the heaviness of this year & the struggles that it has brought to us in so many ways. I’m not minimizing those things or saying that we ought to just pretend like they didn’t happen or aren’t happening right now. That would be an uncompassionate, foolish thing to do.
But let’s choose today to rejoice. One writer said this: “…there are things that are always true that Christians should celebrate even in the tough times. Jesus remains king. Our sins are paid for if we trust in Jesus. We have a local church family that loves us. We have a glorious inheritance. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even disease or death. We can have confidence in the future, even if the COVID rules change all the time.
God is always good. There are always positive things to see. Make sure you don’t just wallow in the bad times of 2020 this reflective time of year; there are many things to thank God for if you look for them.” (https://writtenforourinstruction.com/seeing-the-good-and-not-just-the-bad/)
Today, let’s choose to celebrate. Let’s choose to be jubilant. Let’s choose to appropriate the joy that is within our hearts today b/c of Jesus being in our hearts. The great Puritan theologian, John Owen, said, “Think greatly of the greatness of God.” Let’s choose to do that. Let’s think greatly about His greatness & the greatness of the coming of Jesus into the world.
- That’s what we’ve been going over the last few weeks in this sermon series.
o Think about the greatness of the fulfillment of the OT prophecies about Jesus.
o Think about the greatness of the angels’ proclamation to the shepherds.
o And now, think about the greatness of the shepherds’ response to the words of the angels.
EXPLANATION – Luke 2:15-20
Max Lucado: “God goes to those who have time to hear Him – so on this cloudless night He went to simple shepherds” (God Came Near, p. 10) Aren’t you glad? The very fact that the first people to hear about the birth of Jesus were these ordinary, dirty, ceremonially unclean shepherds ought to speak volumes to us about His coming to us. We, too, are dirty, unclean, & unacceptable due to our sin.
But He comes to us nonetheless, offering us the gift of eternal life & the unbelievable opportunity to know Him, love Him, serve Him, & worship Him in this life, & the promise of heaven in the life to come! What an offer! What a gift! What a Savior! And what a message to tell to others!
APPLICATION – The shepherds’ example of witnessing & worshiping is one that we need to follow today.
THEIR DECISION – v. 15 – This amazing event drew the shepherds away from their flocks in the field. They made the intentional decision when they said, “Let us go now even unto Bethlehem” (KJV) – “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem” (CSB). The magnitude of what they had been told & the magnificence of what had happened impacted them deeply. Why? B/c the LORD had spoken to them – “…which the LORD has made known to us.” Yes, the words had actually come from the mouth of the angel, but they knew that before they came from the angel, those words had come from the mouth of God!
The point: When God speaks, you move! The time for making a decision is right then, not later at a more convenient time.
- “What are we going to do w/ our sheep?”
- “I’m so tired. I’ve been out here in the field working hard. Let’s go later after we get some rest.”
- “I’ve got to stay out here & make sure that I make the money that I need.”
Nothing kept these shepherds from going to see Jesus. God had spoken to them & they immediately responded. What’s keeping YOU from making the decision God wants you to make?
- Are you making some excuses?
- Are you waiting for a more convenient time?
- Are you putting off what you KNOW God wants you to do NOW?
THEIR DISCOVERY – v. 16 – The found Him, just like the angel said. The word for “found” means “found after a search.” They knew what to look for: a newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes & lying in a manger. And that’s exactly who & what they found!
The point: God always keeps His promises.
- He promised that Jesus would come & He did
- He promised that Jesus would be born to a virgin & He was
- He promised that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem & He was
- He promised that Jesus would be wrapped in swaddling clothes & lying in a manger & He was
What promise from God means the most to you?
- Promise of heaven?
- Promise of seeing loved ones again?
- Promise of His presence w/ you whatever you’re going through?
- Promise of His faithfulness to provide for every need you have?
THEIR DECLARATION – v. 17-18 – The first thing the shepherds said in v. 15 was, “Let’s go & see.” The next thing they said in v. 17-18 was, “Let’s go & tell.” While we don’t see those exact words, we do see the evidence that this is exactly what they did – “they made known the saying that had been told them about this child” (v. 17).
- NIV – “…they spread the word…”
- NLT – “…the shepherds told everyone…”
They could have run back out into their field w/ their sheep, gone back to “business as usual,” & kept this crazy story to themselves. Would have been great conversation around the campfire for a long time.
But that’s not what they did. They told everyone they saw about this Jesus!
- “For some reason, shepherds were not permitted to testify in court, but God used some humble shepherds to be the first human witnesses that prophecy had been fulfilled & the Messiah had been born.” (Wiersbe)
- And now, you & I have been commissioned by God to do the same thing – be His witnesses to the world that Jesus is the Savior. We need to follow the shepherds’ example & “spread the word” about Jesus. We need to tell this story over & over & over again to as many people as we possibly can.
As we get ready to move into 2021, we are going to ramp up our mission of “Making Much of Jesus.” One of the primary ways we will do that is to provide training for you to be able to tell someone about Jesus.
THEIR DELIGHT – v. 20 – The last thing we see & hear the shepherds saying was words of praise expressing their delight in God & in His wonderful plan for the redemption & salvation of the world!
Songs of praise surrounded Jesus’ advent into the world:
- Mary – Luke 1:46-55 – “My soul magnifies the Lord & my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…”
- Zechariah – Luke 1:67-79 – “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited & redeemed His people…”
- Angels – Luke 2:13-14 – “Glory to God in the highest…”
- Shepherds - Luke 2:20 - "The shepherds returned praising God..."
- Simeon – Luke 2:28-32 – “[Simeon] took [Jesus] up in his arms & praised God…”
- Anna – Luke 2:38 – “…she gave thanks to God & spoke about the child…”
CONCLUSION – So, as we end this series & end this year, let me challenge you to do as the shepherds did. But start w/ verses v. 18-20. Start with worship!
- Wonder at His birth!
- Ponder all that it means for you & for the world!
- Praise God for sending Jesus! Praise Him for the gift of salvation that you have!
- Then commit yourself afresh & anew to go & tell others about this wonderful Savior!
