Do you see what I see?
Luke 2:8-20
Most of you will recall that during the last few weeks, we are looking at Christmas perspectives of some of the Biblical characters. Let me state that a Christmas perspective for most of our culture is something that awakens for only a month or two each year. However, for Christians, it is something that we will use all year long.
So the goal of using the views of the biblical characters and seeing events through their eyes, their views, their fears and emotions is to help us to break away from some of the views of our culture.
All this is to help us to hear the Christmas story, that we know so well, in a way that will help to give it new life, and to reawaken the wonder and meaning of the event in our lives today.
We have looked through the eyes of Mary and Joseph. And how people have normal expectations about life and in their situations. We noticed how God, changed their direction and in a way unsettled everything that seemed certain about life. He even changed how this young couple would respond to the way people would look down their noses at them over their poor judgment and choices.
Then we looked at two sisters Martha and Mary. The perspective that was important last week was God’s view of how they and we celebrate the coming of the king into our homes and world. And we attempted to adapt our perspective of what is really important in this season. What is most important and pleasing to God as we celebrate Jesus Birth and our families.
This series of sermons is meant to help us to notice how our personal perspectives have been influenced by our culture. Without even noticing, we see events and circumstances through filters that we never even knew were there. That affects how we judge situations, and ultimately control how we will respond to or ignore what we see.
A pastor was visiting one of his parishioners, and as they were talking the conversation began to lag. The lady of the house, not wanting too much silence, pointed out her window to her neighbor’s yard where the wash was hanging on the line. She said: "See that lady next door and the wash she hangs out, see how dirty it is, she never hangs out a clean wash!" The pastor felt somewhat uncomfortable and tried to change the subject and quickly drew the visit to a close. As he was departing from the house the lady of the house walked out on the front porch with him and again the wash next door was clearly visible to them. They both realized at the same time that this wash was sparkling white, just as white as any wash could ever be. The truth began to dawn on them that it was not the neighbor’s wash which was dirty, rather it was the window through which they viewed the wash.
Perspective is how we see things. It is the window that we use to view everything we experience.
Let’s read our scripture this morning:
Luke 2:1-6 - 7-20 (NKJV)
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
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. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 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!”
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. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Let me start by making a few small points clear.
-- A Census is called by the Emperor. Do you think they want statistical data about the empire? No!
What a census means is that there is going to be a new flat tax coming. They wanted to count the people so that you know how much you are going to bring in. How much you can spend….Good News, Right?
But the census does seem to be a way to move Joseph and Mary to the prophesied site for the birth of the messiah. Joseph is a descendant of King David. He is in the royal line of succession. No one knows how far down the list his name would appear. There are a lot of decendants.
The couple travels the 60 or so miles on foot and by donkey. Can you imagine the ride on the All Terrain Vehicle of the day. Rocking along on dusty roads for 3 or more days. Sleeping under the stars with no rest stops along the way.
Man, that would be living, and a pregnant woman would not have trouble on that kind of a trip.
---- I guess women were tougher back then…?
We won’t even go into what the discussion might have been like when there was no room in the inn. You know, it seems like a relative could take them in…except they were all relatives. The town was packed with relatives from all over the Roman Empire.
So the trip was tough. The conditions were bad. Many people would have traveled days or weeks to reach Bethlehem.
Do ya’ll remember what was like around here when the Olympics came to Atlanta? All the hotel rooms all around Atlanta were filled. People rented their homes out for visitors to use. Lake houses even at Lake Weiss were rented out. And visitors even stayed in Rome and went back and forth each day.
The restaurants around here had customers speaking foreign languages.
I picture the Olympics as a sort of modern equivalent to the short term gathering that happened when the census was called way back then.
So the census is being taken and a young man and woman found themselves in a stable where they experienced the birth of a child.
A very special child, a child that had been prophesied to be the Messiah, the coming King, the Savior, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Son of God, Immanuel, God with us. Lots of titles and not much pull, because there is no comfortable place in town.
And then God announced the birth of His son! All of a sudden there were fireworks all over the sky – gold and silver sparks, reds and green lights. Angels were sent to every household announcing the arrival of God’s son. There was much cheering and celebration….
Did this happen? NO, but I am sure it could have.
Surely, the creator of the Universe would be capable of accomplishing a glorious entrance into the world?
But this was not the way the birth of Jesus was announced.
Instead an angel went to a bunch of anonymous shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem and said, “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.”
The people in Bethlehem were unaware of the event in the fields outside of the city – they were also unaware of the events taking place in their own back yard.
There were bunches of people that were closer to the stable. I am sure that plenty of them were good and righteous people.
-- Why go to the people working the night shift outside of town?
I wonder if the shepherds had the same question.
The scriptures record that when the angel appeared to the shepherds they were terrified. Who knows what was running through their minds.
The angel tells them, "Do not be afraid.”
I wonder if that statement ever works. And the hearers just calm down and listen quietly.
The angel continues, “I bring you good news…"
We like good news don’t we? We certainly don’t like bad news.
I would think that the shepherds would love to hear some good news.
I doubt that they were normally on the good news hotline from the village. By the time they got any news, it was old news and they did not expect anything more.
You see they knew their place. They lived the life of outcast. They were no-bodies.
A shepherd normally did not own anything except the clothes on his back and his staff. Many times they were boys hired to do the work. Mom and Dad got the payment and they got the staff … the work.
Some were children of the sheep owners and may have had a few extra privileges, but is not likely. Everyone had job to do and when they were old enough they were given their place.
Sheppard’s were not considered trustworthy and most were considered to be dishonest and just plain thieves. It is said that they often had a problem keeping up with who’s sheep were who’s.
The “general” reputation of a shepherd made them ineligible to give evidence in court.
They were not welcome in the synagogue or the temple because they rarely had the opportunity to go through the purification rituals.
They lived outside of normal society, separated by location and reputation.
In this scripture God sends the messengers to announce the arrival of His Son to these shepherds. *** I want you to file that away as being important.
God did not send the messengers to the kings, the rich merchants, the synagogue leaders. He sent them to Sheppard’s.
What good is it for these men and boys to be the first witnesses of the arrival for the messiah? They have a reputation problem, who is going to believe them?
-- The shepherd’s perspective is one the originates from their lowly place in society.
They have no power or influence.
They have a thankless job with no perks or benefits.
And yet, God sends a messenger to them.
What are they going to do with the information? They are told how to recognize the child… “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
That does not exactly sound like a command to go, but it could be.
But, it sounds like more of an invitation.
-What do you do with and invitation from God?
The shepherds decided to accept the invitation. They ran into town and looked for the child.
Then the scripture says that after they had seen the child, they shared with the people of the town what they had heard. They told people about the messenger, the heavenly host and the good news of fulfilled prophesy.
But you know what shepherds are like who is going to believe them?
Who will place any value on the message that they are shareing?
The scripture gives us a surprising detail, instead of saying that these men were liars, or nuts or untrustworthy. It tells us, “And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”
The people of the town “marveled” and what they were told.
Marveled, not necessarily believed, but, far less than discounting or ignoring.
For some reason, the community, the culture that knows what Shepherds are like, takes time to let the message sink in.
So how should we view this event?
Can we find wonder in the story that will allow us to be open to a fresh understanding of God sending His Son into the world?
Can we embrace the faithfulness of God to keep his promises to mankind in that event and in future events?
The Shepherd’s got a surprise that night. Holy messengers told them about the arrival of the messiah. They could have ignored it. It would be easy to have the perspective that the message was not for them. That somehow it was a mistake or that they just over heard it. After all, who were they to receive an invitation from God? Everyone, I mean everyone, especially shepherds knows what shepherds are like!
Who were they to share the Good News?
You know, it seems like all through scripture God Chooses unlikely people for important jobs. People with poor or no qualifications. Carpenters, farmers, shepherds….people with one thing in common. They respond to the message and that talk about what happened to them. What they saw and heard.
In our busy culture most are getting ready for Christmas. Too many have lost the real reason for the celebration and see the momentary happiness of stuff. The real disappointment is that they may not hear the message over all the noise of life. They are looking to the earthly proof of personal worth. And they believe this is found when you measure the worldly things.
God’s message about Christmas is just the opposite.
It is not what you can give but what you receive!
What you are willing to receive.
The Shepard’s believed that if they went into town they would find this baby, wrapped in cloths and laying in a manger. The king of the Jews the messiah had come.
They responded with excitement and wonder and I would only guess that later they ended up wondering “why Us?”
Why tell us with all the good people around?
Are you keeping watch over the important things this year? Are you too busy to listen to the Good news that is mixed in all the noise and danger of the world?
Does your perspective let you go through the rituals but not look for the gift of Jesus?
I hope you are not too prosperous. I hope you have needs that you can’t find a way to fix. I hope that you are searching for something and you are delighted when you find it or more likely when it finds you.
The shepherds demonstrate that if you are invited, you need to respond. If you are invited you need to go ad see for yourself.
If you do that, if you examine the good news, you will be filled with a real joy that can only come from receiving the good news for yourself.
God does not sent his word or gifts or blessing so that we can be happy and not share what is going on. What does your experience and place in this world let you believe about Jesus Christ.
What will you share about Jesus this year?
All Glory be to God!
Holy Communion
