Shouting With The Shepherds

Shouting with the shepherds

Luke 2:1-20

Introduction-

Luke 2:1-7 (1-20 in sections)

We live in a day and age that people say happy holidays instead of merry Christmas.

It is a time of presents and a time of personal pleasures.

We struggle to have time with family and friends.

We spend more than we should to keep up with the Jones of the world.

Illustration

Christmas according to the public schools:

To avoid offending anybody, most schools dropped religion altogether and started singing about the weather. At school, they now hold the winter program instead of Christmas program in December and sing songs such as winter wonderland, frosty the snowman, and a crazy song, Suzy the snowflake. A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged to the church of Meteorology.

Here’s one

Typical of the last minute Christmas shoppers, a mother was running furiously from store to store. Suddenly she became aware that the pudgy little hand of her three year old son was no longer clutched in hers. In a panic she retracted her steps and found him standing with his little nose pressed flatly against a frosty window. He was gazing at a manger scene. Hearing his mother’s near hysterical call, he turned and shouted with innocent glee, look mommy, it’s Jesus- baby Jesus in the hay. With obvious indifference to his joy and wonder, she impatiently jerked him away saying “we don’t have time for that”

Most people are familiar with this passage, even if they don’t read their Bible.

It is the Christmas story, recorded in the gospels.

It is like watching “It’s a wonderful life, The Christmas story, The Christmas carol, Charlie Brown’s Christmas. They are classics! They are familiar. George Bailey saving the angel Clarence, Herbie the elf that wants to be a dentist, The Grinch that slithers around Whoville, all remind us of Christmas, but they are not Christmas.

God decides to announce the birth of His son Jesus, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer of mankind, and he uses the shepherds to be the first to hear and see, and the first to go and tell.

The shepherds were not exactly the ones I would have used to carry and spread the good news.

A dirty bunch of smelly shepherds. God entrusted them with the greatest message ever sent from heaven.

(V8-12) “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Shepherds doing what shepherds do...watching and living amongst the sheep.

Angel of the Lord shows up in the field, lights up the sky, the glory of God all around them. “Don’t be afraid, I bring you good news. Today a savior has been born to you.”

Like gypsies, carnival workers, circus workers, all those who’s testimony would not hold up in court because they are so unworthy. Angel shows up and acknowledges God has sent his son Jesus into the world.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Question-

So why would God send the angel first to the shepherds?

He wanted to show that His love does not discriminate on class, wealth, or job title.

He does not love kings more than laborers

He does not love pastors, priest, more than the ones in the pew.

God does not show favoritism.

God likes humble, He uses humble people, and his love is available to all that put their faith and trust in Jesus alone.

The shepherds had a choice that night.

Life was usual and God shows up.

He reveals himself to them and brings them the good news. The birth of the King.

They have a choice to check it out for themselves or do nothing and keep doing their jobs.

Some I’m sure were too busy to check it out

Preoccupied with other things (schedule problems)

This baby is the Son of God.

Savior of mankind

Redeemer for a dying world

Offering us eternal life

Be our light in a dark world

I am sure that not all the shepherds went to look

I am sure that not all of them were excited

I am sure that all were not wanting to worship Him.