Characters of Christmas 3 Shepherds and Wisemen
- Read Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12
In these passages new find the accounts of 2 different groups of people, first the shepherds and second the wise men. These are very different groups of people, from very different backgrounds.
I. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROUPS
1. They come from different backgrounds
One of the first occupations mentioned in the Bible was that of shepherd. “In the ancient days of the Old Testament, working as a shepherd was a respectable career. The social status of a shepherds declined when Israel ceased living as nomads and became more accustomed to farming. For a short time, King David's rise to power raised the shepherd status, but it didn't take long for shepherds to lose social acceptability once again. Some earned their poor reputation by making senseless choices of lawlessness, but many were only victims of a harsh stereotype. Randy Alcorn says, "In general, they were considered second-class and untrustworthy." Jeremias, the prophet who authored the book of Jeremiah, documented that shepherds were deprived of all civil rights. They could not fulfill judicial offices or be admitted in court as witnesses. However, the temple still needed them, ironically. Pharisees needed shepherds to raise spotless lambs for sacrificial sin offerings.
The Mishnah are documents that recorded Jewish oral traditions--like laws, they governed the Israelites during the time of the Pharisees. One of its regulations states, "it forbids the keeping of flocks throughout the land of Israel except in the wilderness, "... only flocks otherwise kept would be those for temple services." (Bab K.7:7; 80a).
So, the shepherds we read about it Luke 2, were actually fulfilling temple duties. They were not quite second-class or untrustworthy. They were shepherds appointed by the temple for the temple. The only ones who could carry out temple duties were these shepherd-priests. They served in the fields on the outskirts of Bethlehem at a place called Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2). This is where the sacrificial lambs for the Passover Festival and Feast were cared for. (Exodus 12:1-30). “ (How Were Shepherds Viewed at the Time of Jesus’ Birth? Amber Backus, Dec 7, 2019, online)
So the first to hear about Jesus’ birth, other than Joseph and Mary, were some in society that many in society looked down on. They were largely uneducated, or minimally educated, with very menial jobs.
The second group we find in the account of the birth of Jesus were the wisemen or Magi. These were learners. They were scholars. They were advisors to their king.
“The story of the Magi began centuries before Christ’s birth. Since the beginning of kingdoms, kings have sought advice from their advisors and prophets. Babylon, however, perfected a council of advisors. It included well-trained “magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers” (Daniel 2:2). This council became known as the Magi.
As the Babylonian Empire grew in power, they laid siege to Jerusalem (2 Kings 25). The Lord delivered Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Among the first group of Israelites deported to Babylon included “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” (Daniel 1:4). These men were trained for three years in the language and literature of the Babylonians. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among the young men chosen.
In the mighty city of Babylon, the young Israelites found themselves thrust into a world far removed from the familiar hills of their homeland. Babylon was steeped in mysticism and the occult. In contrast, Daniel and his friends were men of profound faith and unwavering devotion to God.
Daniel and his friends remained obedient to their faith. God blessed them and they excelled in their studies. “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Daniel 1:20).
As a result, “the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court” (Daniel 2:48-49).
While serving as chief of the Magi, Daniel received prophecies from God concerning the coming Messiah. Daniel wrote about his activities and the prophecies he received, including the time frame the Messiah would arrive in Daniel chapter 9.
These writings, along with the prophecies of Isaiah and other Scriptures, would be added to the Magi’s library of ancient writings. Under Daniel’s guidance, the Magi were more than mere practitioners of the occult. They became devoted seekers of truth. Daniel, firmly rooted in his faith, taught the Magi to recognize the God of Israel as the one true God.
Years passed, and the mantle of leadership passed down through the generations of Magi. These wise men included three groups of men:
Scholars who sought truth from the ancient writings, including the prophets of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Astrologers who studied the heavens seeking signs of things to be.
Sorcerers who studied science and occult practices.
Together, their knowledge and understanding provided wise counsel and guidance to kings and leaders across the land.”
(Who Were the Magi in the Christmas Story? Brad Simon UPDATED November 28, 2023)
So, the second group of people we find in the Gospel account of the birth of Jesus were well educated, respected members of society. They were held in such esteem, and their learning so recognized that when they asked, “Where is He, born, king of the Jews?”, that their question carried weight and they were ushered into the presence of King Herod.
Very different groups of people we find mentioned in the account of Jesus’ birth. So what we find recorded in Holy Scripture is true. In Romans 2:11 we read in the King James
> Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. Or in a more recent translation
> Romans 2:11 For there is no favoritism with God.
The Bible tells us in
> 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
I praise God, that He wants all people to be saved, that He does not show favoritism.
> Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Praise the Lord!
> John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believers on Him should not perish but hath everlasting life.
Whosoever surely meaneth me.
Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Turn to someone near you and tell them, God loves you and I didn’t get up and move when you sat down.
Oh my friend, it doesn’t matter what your family background is. It doesn’t matter where you have been, what you have done, how much education you’ve had. It doesn’t matter what your reputation is in the community, what your friends remember from the days of old or what your family saw you do this week, I want you to know that God loves you, and you are one of the reasons God sent His Son into the world in the first place. You are one of the reasons we celebrate Christmas today.
Join me - Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
They came from different backgrounds. There is a second item I notice about these folks, and that is that they heard of Jesu different ways.
2. They came in different ways
The wisemen, how did they hear about Jesus? They were scholars. They were learners. They followed in their dads’ footsteps. They were looking for a Savior, they were looking for a king, they were looking for a Messiah because of what they had been taught at home, because of their family background.
Praise God for godly homes, with God-fearing parents. Praise God, for godly heritages, and generations of relatives who pass down their love for the Lord and their priorities.
My friends, one of your greatest responsibilities, and one of your greatest honors is to pass on to those who follow behind you, a love for the Lord.
The Lord tells us in His 10 commandments, “
> Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments.
Parents, grandparents, one of the greatest things you can do for those who follow you, is to model for them what it means to walk with and obey the Lord.
The wisemen hard about the Lord from those who had gone before.
The shepherds? They grew up tending sheep, sheep who were used in worship in the temple, but for many of those folks, it was formality. It was going through the motions. If you remember, Jesus had to cleanse the temple. He had to drive out the money changers and those selling animals in the temple, and make it fit to worship there again.
To these God sent a special notice, a special invitation, a unique announcement. One of kind and out of this world.
I am so glad that God doesn’t have to work in everyone’s life the same way. I am so glad that He can and does work uniquely and in people’s lives some times, just to get their attention.
More than 90% of the people who become Christ-followers, do so before they grow out of their teens, because after a while, saying No to Jesus just becomes habit and we become hardened. But, every once in a while, the Lord works uniquely, and specially in someone’s life, and even later in life they become a follower of Jesus Christ.
The disciples were all grown men when they began following Jesus. I imagine that most of those that John baptized were grown adults, so never give up on someone. Don’t throw in the towel.
The first weekend of Christmas in the Country this year, a woman walked in to the prayer booth and asked Ron how to be saved. She said, “I was at the fair and someone began telling me how to be saved, but I didn’t want to hear it at the time, but I told them I would follow up, so can you tell me how to be saved?
The way you were saved, may not be the way the Lord works in someone else’s life. Don’t you look down on them. Don’t you judge them because God worked differently in their life than He did your’s.
Praise God, He works in different ways in different people’s lives. He sows His seed on the good ground, among the weeds, on the stony ground.
He’s not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
I remember when I was first talking to people about starting a new church in this area. I was often asked, “Why do we need a new church? There are churches all over the place.”
Let me tell you my friend, the more hooks you have in the water the more likely you are to catch a fish, and Jesus has called us to be fishers of men. Lives are at stake. Eternity for some, weighs in the balance. We may not be able to man a singing Christmas tree, and we may not put together a play or a cantata, but we can string some lights, and we can build some fires for marshmallows, and we can say, “Let me tell you about my Jesus. Let me tell you about a God Who loved you so much that He sent His Son. Let me tell you about the greatest present the world has ever received,”
Jesus promised, “I will build My church and the gates of Hell shall not stand against it.” And praise God, some times He uses chickens and rabbits and sword-fighting shepherds to beat against those gates.
These folks were different. They came from different backgrounds. They were saved in different ways. But notice if you will, there were some similarities when they were saved.
II. SIMILARITIES OF THE SAVED
1. When they heard, they checked it out.
The shepherds went to check out what they had heard. They went to see if it was true.
The wisemen traveled from a distant land to check it out, to find out if it was true.
My friend, there is too much at stake to take anyone’s word about the Lord. Search the scriptures. Check it out for yourself.
In our denomination we believe in the priesthood of the believer. In other words, you don’t have to go through me to talk to God or to find out His will for your life. You have an individual and personal responsibility to approach God yourself.
> Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
When Jesus was crucified, the veil that separated the people from the holy of Holies was torn in 2. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus we now have access to the throne of Grace and each have an individual responsibility to work out your relationship with the Lord.
!
Over the years Drew has sometimes asked me what he should do in certain situations. Should I take this job, should I move here, etc.
Before I start to answer him anymore he says, “I know, I know. You can’t tell me God’s will for my life.”
And that is true. You need to check it out for yourself and see if I what I teach and what you’ve heard is true. David tells us in Psalm 34:8
> Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him.
When they heard, they checked it out.
2. When they were saved, they worshipped.
When these different groups were saved, they worshipped.
- Luke 2:20
And look there please at Matthew 2:9
- Read Matthew 2:9-11
“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.”; The wise men fell on their knees and worshipped Him.
One of the signs that a person is truly saved is that they worship.
> Zephaniah 3:17 says “The Lord your God is in your midst” and He will “rejoice over you with gladness.”
Such knowledge should overwhelm us. God is in our midst and will rejoice over us with gladness.”
Are you kidding me? It is amazing that God even knows who I am, and yet the Bible says He rejoices over me with gladness. The Bible says that He knows when I get up and when I lie down. He knows how many hairs i have on my head. God knows me and Jesus promised,
> Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Who wouldn’t worship such a God?
I read something last week that I thought was very profound. It said, “If you don’t worship alone, then all of this is just performance.”
Oh, to be so awestruck by the glory and grace and mercy of God that you can’t help but praise and worship God!
I know me. I know my failures and shortcomings. I know the areas where I don’t measure up to God’s standards and the areas where I don’t always practice what I preach. So often, I feel like the publican praying in the temple, Lord have mercy on me a sinful man.” And yet, inspite of what I know about myself, and in spite of how I am disappointed in myself, God still loves me. God still sent HIs Son for me!
> Matthew 1:23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”
How can I not worship God? How can I not praise Him?
Thank you Lord for saving my soul. Thank you Lord for making me whole. Thank you Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free.
When these very different people were saved, they worshipped.
Not only did they worship, but they witnessed.
3. When they were saved, they witnessed
- Luke 2:16-18
The wisemen had to wait until they got out of town to start telling people about Jesus, because of the angel’s warning, but the shepherds, they starting telling people immediately. They couldn’t wait to tell people. They were so excited.
And they didn’t worry that some of the people might think that those shepherds found some mushrooms while they were tending the sheep. Angels huh? Singing huh? Tell me again what ya’ll were doing when this happened.
No, they heard about a Savior. They checked it out and found out it was true, and they couldn’t help but tell people.
Oh my friend, one of the greatest things you can do for a person, one of the greatest things you can do for your friends and family is to tell them about Jesus. To tell them what God has done. Tell them how much He loves them, and tell when what God has done for you. You don’t have to know everything. You don’t have to know everything. You even have to know a lot. Just tell them what you have seen and heard and tell them what Jesus has done for you.
The blind man, after Jesus healed him, he couldn’t explain a lot. He didn’t know Who Jesus was. He told those asking him, “This I know. I was blind but now I see.”
My friends, God doesn’t send angels everywhere to announce the birth of His Son. He is giving some muslims visions of Jesus in their dreams overseas right now, and muslims are being saved in record numbers, but that is not how He usually works. Usually He works through you and me. That’s why Jesus told us in
> Matthew 28:19-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of[a] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Oh my friends, God has given us the greatest gift of all time, salvation through HIs Son Jesus Christ. Check it out. Taste and see if it is good. If it is, then tell others, because the news isn’t good if they don’t hear about it.
Christ*was born in a distant land Tell,
the good news tell, the good news Lived;
on earth for the good of man Tell,
the good news tell, the good news Chorus.
Tell the good news tell, the good news Tell,
the good news that Christ has come Tell;
the good news tell, the good news Tell,
the good news to everyone Christ.
