Why Shepherds?
Luke 2:8-20
Introduction
The birth of Jesus Christ was not revealed to kings or rulers. It was not revealed to the religious elite. When God came to earth, He let the world know by announcing the birth of His Son to lowly shepherds. Why? Perhaps He wanted the poor and outcast of society to know that they were important too. It may have been that God wanted the lowliest of humanity to realize that His love included them, especially in a world where they were normally excluded. Moreover, it seems to me that He wanted all of us to understand that the qualities of love, mercy, and compassion were to be extended to everyone regardless of their social standing.
I. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE LOWLIEST OF HUMANITY. Luke 2:8-10
Note: Among Jews at the time of Christ’s birth, shepherds were held in very low esteem. In the Talmud it is written that shepherds were not allowed in the courts to be witnesses. In fact the Talmud instructs that no help be given to heathens or to shepherds. Shepherds were despised because they were unable to attend temple services and to keep the rituals and ceremonial laws as their flocks kept them from practicing their religion. (see "The Pulpit Commentary" on Luke 2:8-20)
A. Jesus Identifies With The Meek And Lowly. Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Corinthians 1:26-30; 1 Peter 5:5
Illustration: Poverty Perspective
In Hollywood there is an exclusive school attended by children of movie stars, producers, and directors. Asked to write a composition on the subject of poverty, one little girl started her literary piece: "Once there was a poor little girl. Her father was poor, her mother was poor, her governess was poor, her chauffeur was poor, her butler was poor. In fact, everybody in the house was very, very poor. (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988), p. 371.)
1. He identifies with those who are weary. (Matthew 11:28-30)
2. He identifies with those who are unwise (unlearned in the ways of the world). (1 Corinthians 1:26-30)
a. If God were revealed in the wisdom of man, only wise men could know Him.
b. If God were revealed in the strength of man, only strong men could know Him.
c. If God were revealed in the accomplishments of man, only the proud could know Him.
d. If God were revealed in the wealth of man, only the rich could know Him.
e. God chooses to reveal Himself in those who are despised in the world so that when the miracle of salvation is wrought in them, God alone receives the glory.
3. He identifies with those who are humble. (1 Peter 5:5)
4. He identifies with those who are tempted. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
a. Jesus endured the same temptations we all face, but remained sinless because it was impossible for Him to sin.
b. Being tempted as we are, He sympathizes with our weaknesses. (Psalm 103:13-14)
c. He knows the struggle with temptation because He faced the full weight of temptation.
d. When we are tempted, we eventually reach a breaking point where we give in to the temptation.
e. At that point, the temptation stops ecause we sin.
f. We are never fully tempted, because in our weakness, we eventually crumble under the strain.
g. But because Jesus could not sin, He was forced to bear the full weight of temptation with no possibility of relief.
h. Our only escape from temptation is to come boldly to the throne of grace.
i. Here we find our escap route. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
B. Jesus Cares For Me As A Shepherd Tending His Flock. John 10:11-16
Illustration: Leading The Way
Dr. Marion Anderson relates this story:
I was riding in a tour bus from Jerusalem to Jericho, sitting in the front seat, since I was leading a group, and about half asleep, having made the same trip many, many times. Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop, waking me up. There in the middle of the street was a Shepherd. Now, with a 48-passenger bus running straight at me, I wouldn’t be out there, but there he was. And the sheep started to cross the road. Not all at once, but in twos and threes and ones. But the shepherd never shooed them, or hurried them, he just stood his ground until the last sheep was safely off the road. Then he followed them, and threaded his way through the flock until he was back up front again, leading the way. (Source unknown).
1. The Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
2. He watches for the wolf, and warns the sheep when he is near.
3. He searches for other sheep, which also become part of the fold.
II. GOD REVEALED HIMSELF AS THE LOWLIEST OF HUMANITY. Luke 2:11-12
A. Jesus Was Born In A Place Reserved For Animals.
1. Perhaps this was fitting for the One who was the Lamb of God.
2. An animal stall, smelling of old hay and manure, was a fitting picture of the world into which God had entered.
B. Jesus Was Born In The Depths Of Poverty.
1. Jesus was born in poverty so that He could reach those who were poor in spirit.
2. He was born in poverty so the poor would know they were welcome.
3. He was born in poverty to show that salvation was not a privilege reserved only for the fortunate few.
4. He was born in poverty to show that salvation could not be purchased at any price.
5. Jesus came the first time in poverty, but He will come again as King of Kings.
C. Jesus Was Born In Obscurity And Humility. Micah 5:2
1. Except for His earthly parents, He was born as He died – alone.
2. There was no hospital, no doctor, and no midwife.
3. He did not come with pomp and circumstance.
4. His mission was to die, not to be a king.
III. GOD IS REVEALED IN THE WORSHIP OF THE LOWLIEST OF HUMANITY. Luke 2:15-20
A. The Message Has Been Delivered – We Must Receive It. Luke 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; John 1:12
Illustration: Finding God’s Resources
The Amazon River is the largest river in the world. The mouth is 90 miles across. There is enough water to exceed the combined flow of the Yangtze, Mississippi, and Nile Rivers. So much water comes from the Amazon that they can detect its currents 200 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean. One irony of ancient navigation is that sailors in ancient times died for lack of water--caught in windless waters of the South Atlantic. They were adrift, helpless, dying of thirst. Sometimes other ships from South America who knew the area would come alongside and call out, "What is your problem?" And they would exclaim, "Can you spare us some water? Our sailors are dying of thirst!" And from the other ship would come the cry, "just lower your buckets. You are in the mouth of the mighty Amazon River." The irony of ancient Israel and the tragedy around us today is that God, the fountain of living water, is right here and people don’t recognize Him! (Earl Palmer. James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 242.)
1. As soon as the angels delivered the message, the shepherds set out for Bethlehem.
2. They went to Bethlehem to “see this thing that has come to pass,” not to “see if this thing has come to pass.”
3. They took God at His word, and believed. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
4. Likewise, when we take God at His word, and believe that Jesus Christ came to save us, we become children of God. (John 1:12)
B. The Message Has Been Delivered – We Must Act Upon It. Luke 2:16
1. Their actions proved the sincerity of their belief.
2. Because they believed God, they came with haste and found the newborn King.
3. What they did was founded upon their sincere belief that the Messiah had finally come.
C. The Message Has Been Delivered – We Must Share It. Luke 2:17-18
Illustration: Sharing Our Resources?
· Number of children who don’t get enough food to fully develop mentally and physically: 500,000,000.
· Number of hunger-related deaths every day: 40,000. (World Bank. Leadership, "To Verify.")
· Amount of money Americans spend annually on pet food: $3,000,000,000. (The Loose Change Newsletter (Nov.-Dec./95). Leadership, "To Verify.")
1. The fact that so many children are dying of starvation is tragic.
2. That this is happening in our day reveals a gross lack of compassion for our fellow man.
3. But even more tragic are the untold number of souls who enter eternity without Jesus Christ.
4. How many will die today without hearing the gospel?
5. How many will we meet today who have never heard the gospel?
6. How many will cross our paths that do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior?
7. We have a responsibility to tell others about Christ, how are we doing? (Matthew 28:19)
D. The Message Has Been Delivered – We Must Praise God For It. Luke 2:20
1. After sharing the good news, the shepherds returned to their fields and glorified God for what they had seen.
2. They didn’t take it for granted.
3. It wasn’t a passing fancy.
4. They had seen the Christ, and they gave God the glory He deserved.
Conclusion
Why shepherds? Being One with infinite knowledge, I am sure that God had many reasons why He revealed Himself to shepherds. In my opinion, His primary purpose was to convey the message that the gospel is open to anyone who is willing to believe. When Jesus commanded us to go into the entire world and preach the gospel, He never specified to whom we should go. In fact, when He told us to go to Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8), He eliminated any possibility of discrimination on our part. Practically speaking, however, we know that the poor are more easily satisfied with the simple message that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Unencumbered by wealth and overcome by poverty, the poor and needy seem to be more willing to look to Jesus Christ to supply all of their needs.
Of a certainty we are not to limit our presentation of the gospel to those who are poor. Everyone is in need of salvation regardless of his or her financial status or social standing. But consider the story of Jim Rhodes, and ask yourself what you have done for God lately.
Jim Rhodes: God’s Complainer
Driving through Mineral Wells, Texas, one afternoon in 1994, Jim Rhodes noticed many buildings standing vacant due to the shutdown of a local military base. "I always complain to God about things that bother me," says Rhodes, "so I asked him, ’Why aren’t these buildings being used to help the homeless?’"
A few days later an announcement appeared in the paper: one of the base buildings was available to any charitable organization that could put it to good use. More to appease his conscience than to make a serious inquiry, Rhodes sent a letter to city officials, suggesting his idea. The answer he wasn’t prepared for came back: "It’s yours."
"Never say ’God use me’ unless you really mean it," Rhodes says with a knowing smile. Decades earlier another complaint to God about abandoned children led him and his wife, Melinda, to adopt eight "special needs" children and be foster parents to hundreds more over the years. Soon Rhodes found himself also helping pregnant and battered women, which grew into New Haven Ministries in 1986.
"The next step was to begin helping homeless families," Rhodes says. After a chain of miracles, including more than 5,000 volunteer hours from plumbers, electricians, and painters who renovated the facility, New Haven Family Center opened its doors in September 1995.
Since then, the center has helped over 20 intact families get back on their feet. Families live at the center two or three months while they find employment. The center provides clothes, food, GED, and computer classes. "This is a totally Christian, totally donated, non-government funded ministry," says Rhodes. "Most of these folks just need a hand up instead of a hand out."
What’s next for Rhodes? "Only God knows," he chuckles, "but I’m sure he’ll let me know the next time I start complaining." (Tara Tremaine, Christian Reader, "Ordinary Heroes.")
