What the Shepherds Saw
Luke 2:1-18
That night was unlike any other in all of history. The shepherds had bedded down their sheep for the night and began their vigil guarding their sheep. I came imagine as they watched over their flocks that they gazed into the splendor of the starry sky thinking how this was night was going to be uneventful and business as usual. Little did they know the miracles that they would see that glorious night. I wonder if the shepherds ever fully comprehended just what it was that they saw that night. For on that night...
I. They saw Heaven’s host in celebration of a promise fulfilled
A. Luke 2:10-14 “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.”
B. This was the fulfillment of a 700-year old prophecy found in Micah 5:2.
• Micah 5:2 " But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."
C. Again we have the celebration of the fulfillment of another prophecy given by the prophet Isaiah.
• Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
D. "No one has ever MADE more promises than God, no one has ever KEPT more promises than God, and no one has ever been more FAITHFUL than God." - Ronnie Floyd, "The Power of Prayer and Fasting," p. 132
E. A promise from God is a statement we can depend on with absolute confidence. In fact the Bible tells us in II Corinthians 1:20 “...all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us".
F. The word "amen" is a most remarkable word. It was transliterated directly from the Hebrew into the Koine Greek of the New Testament, then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically a universal word. It has been called the best-known word in human speech. The word is directly related--in fact, almost identical--to the Hebrew word for "believe" (aman), or "faithful." Thus, it came to mean "sure" or truly," an expression of absolute trust and confidence. When one believes God, he indicates his faith by an "amen." When God makes a promise, the believer's response is "amen" - "so it will be!" – copied
II. They saw Royalty wrapped in rags and lying in a manger
A. The angels told the shepherds that when they saw the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes they would be looking at Christ the Lord - that is the Messiah, Christos - the anointed one, the King.
B. He is God's King. He is in the line of David, we've already learned that when Gabriel came to Mary and said you're going to have a baby. She was told that the baby would be the Son of the Most High, that is to say the Son of God, but the Son of David also. He would sit on David's throne and He would establish a Kingdom and then He would reign forever and ever. He is the ultimate King. He is the eternal King. He is the King of kings.
C. No king of royal blood and right ever had such a birth in Israel.
D. The shepherds saw Him wrapped like any other baby. There was nothing to indicate that He was royalty. Instead He was lying lowly in a feeding trough.
E. 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
F. None of us can ever begin to grasp what it means for God to be born in a manger. That God would stoop down to become a baby in a manger. All because He loves you.
G. Philippians 2:5-8, " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
III. They saw a little Lamb in a manger that would carry the sin of the world.
A. This baby in Bethlehem was born to die on the cross.
B. Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
C. John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
D. In Germany many years ago a man was working high up on the steeple of a church. Suddenly he lost his footing and fell headlong to the ground beneath. Grazing on the grass in the churchyard was a lamb. The body of the man fell on the lamb, and thus, his fall was broken. The lamb perished, but the man was saved. As a token of his gratitude he carved in one of the stones over the doorway of the church the figure of a lamb. Every true believer of Christ has that lamb, as it were, carved in the on the walls of their heart. "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29.) – adadpted
E. Mary Had The Little Lamb, who lived before His birth;
Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. (Micah 5:2)
Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall --
Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the fall. (Isaiah 7:14)
Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God;
Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod. (John 6:38)
Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree
The rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. (1 Peter 1:18)
Mary had the little Lamb - men placed Him in the grave,
Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave! (Matt 28:6)
Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He;
All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Mary had the little Lamb -- mystery to behold!
From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold. (Revelation 5:5-6)
When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure:
It won't be Lamb-like silence, but with the Lion's roar. (Psalm 2:12
Revelation 19:11-16) - Marv & Marbeth Rosenthal
F. As the Lamb of God, it was fitting for the Lord to be born in a sheep's manger.
IV. They saw God Incarnate
A. Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
B. Understand that this baby was fully human was clear to all who saw Him. His mother, Mary obviously had just given birth. Christ was born just as any other baby is born.
C. But the angel said that this human baby was not just another baby. He was also “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The Calling Him “Lord” was declaring that this baby was God Incarnate.
D. The child that was lying before them was the anointed One of God, the King of kings, God robed in flesh. They saw the very face of God.
E. John 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacle) among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
F. In Colossians 1:15-18 and 2:9-10, Jesus’ deity is encapsulated in the fact that He is the image of the invisible God.
• Colossians 2:1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God”
• Colossians 2:9 “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily...”
G. A belief in the reality of the deity of Christ is necessary for salvation. If you want to be saved, Romans 10:9 says, you must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
H. One day each of us will see the face of God. One day the whole world will give acknowledgement to this truth that the Jesus is God Incarnate – the Sovereign Savior, the Lord of Eternity.
I. Philippians 2:10-11 “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
