THE GREATEST GIFT FOR THE LOWLIEST SERVANTS (Shepherds)
(LUKE 2:8-20)
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REBOUND
Jesus Himself tells us in John 8:31-32:
31 "... If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " NAS
In John 15:7, He also tells us:
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. NAS
Let’s take a moment to quietly confess our sins to God, so that we are in fellowship with Him and led by the Holy Spirit when we study God’s word. 1 John 1:9 promises us, that if we name our known sins to God, He always forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness, even from the unknown sins we forgot, or didn’t even realize we committed. Let’s pray.
Thank you, Father, for always restoring your children when we admit our sins to you. May your Holy Spirit teach us your Word as we study it now. We ask these things in Jesus Name. Amen.
INTRODUCTION
One of the things I like doing the most when I teach God’s word, is to take some familiar verses from the Bible that we think we already know, and to dig out some of the rich spiritual treasures buried there. I think that too often, we read the Bible casually, like we do the newspaper, or a novel, or the TV Guide. But if we slow down and re-read many of these same verses, if we take a few moments to meditate upon the words there, we can usually discover a lot more of the meaning that God has for us there.
Now I’m not talking about studying the verses in the original languages, or using Bible dictionaries or encyclopedias, or reading the commentaries of some famous Bible teachers. These are all study tools that responsible pastor-teachers are supposed to use, and which I normally utilize. But what I’m talking about right now, is how much more we can learn about God from the Bible, if we just slow down and spend more time reading and thinking about the words that are right there on the page in front of us. That’s what I want to do today with these verses about the shepherds.
We’ve all read and heard these Bible verses before, taught by pastors and Sunday School teachers at Christmas time. We can even hear these verses on TV each year if we watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Charlie Brown spends the show as so many people do today, looking in all the wrong places for the true meaning of Christmas. He thinks that maybe it’s putting on a Christmas play, or finding just the right tree to decorate. But the other kids all argue over the details of the play, and call him “stupid” for the scrawny little tree he buys. In the end, his friend Linus tells Charlie Brown the true meaning of Christmas by reciting the Bible verses about the shepherds, and about Jesus’ birth.
I usually get choked up at that part, and even more so when the kids stand around the Christmas tree at the end of the show and sing, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” That’s one of the few times that I think it’s OK for a guy to cry.
Most of what I’m going to highlight in this incident from Luke Chapter 2, other than some background about shepherding, is there in the verses themselves, and only requires some reflection upon the words in order to see. Let’s look at Luke 2:8.
Luke 2:8-20
8 And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
These humble shepherds were about to become the first people to hear the announcement of Jesus Christ’s birth, to go quickly to Bethlehem, and to be the first to see Him.
God came to them while they were in the most desolate of locations, doing the humblest of tasks. They were in the last place that human viewpoint would have expected God to be. However, these men were in God’s place, at God’s time. They were faithfully performing their duties as shepherds, using the talents that God had freely given to them. That’s what God wants all of us to do, to faithfully utilize the talents He’s given to us, in the places He puts us.
God didn’t appear to the self-righteous religious leaders, to the “celebrities” of that day. He appeared to humble men, in a despised profession, and in a dark and lonely location. These shepherds were symbolic of Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, who would also humbly follow God’s will. Their sheep represent us as believers, in several ways:
- Sheep cannot clean themselves. Some animals such as a cat can do that, but not sheep. Likewise, we as unbelievers were not able to clean ourselves from the filthiness of sin;
- Sheep cannot defend themselves from predators. Many animals have a defense system, such as skunks and blowfish, but sheep do not. We as believers are protected from the evil one, Satan, ultimately by the power of God, and as a local church congregation by our pastor-teacher;
- Sheep cannot find food and water for themselves. They depend upon the shepherd to lead them to water and green pastures, as stated in Psalm 23. We as believers depend upon the Lord for our spiritual food and water, as well as on our daily physical needs;
- Sheep are not intelligent. As believers, neither are we when it comes to the things of God. That’s why our salvation, eternal security, and rewards depend entirely upon the work of Our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We have the Holy Spirit who makes spiritual things understandable to us (2 Cor. 2)
Let’s look at the next two verses, Luke 2:9-10:
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;
An angel sent from God as a messenger, suddenly appears to these simple shepherds. As human beings often do, they became “frightened”. Actually, they were not just “frightened”, but verse 9 says they were “TERRIBLY frightened.” However, the angel immediately tells them in verse 10, “Do not be afraid.” The King James Bible tells us 63 times to “fear not,” and over a dozen times not to be “anxious.” For example, we are told in Philippians 4:6-7:
Phil 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NAS
But how are we supposed to NOT be fearful or anxious in certain situations? It’s a normal emotional response, designed to protect us from harm. Based on our own human abilities, it’s NOT possible to be “anxious for nothing.” However, we have ways to do this that unbelievers don’t have. We have Jesus Himself and the Holy Spirit living inside us. We have God’s Word in written form available to us. As we take in God’s Word and it “transforms” us by “renewing our minds” (Rom.12:2), our emotions come under control of our minds as we grow spiritually. With our minds in control and our emotions governed by Bible doctrine, we become able to control our fear and anxiety. We rest more and more in faith on God and His Word.
In verse 10, the angel continues his message to the shepherds. He assures them that he brings “good news”, that it means “great joy”, and that it will be for “all people”. The shepherds themselves will become messengers of this good news by later telling others about what they will see in Bethlehem.
But for now, let’s continue with Luke 2:11:
Luke 2:
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
The angel tells the shepherds where this great joy is to occur. It is in “the city of David”, which is Bethlehem. Their Savior, the promised Messiah, Christ the Lord, is to be born that very night. This event was prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures, in Micah 5:2:
Micah 5:2
2"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity." NAS
The fact that this prophesy specifically refers to Jesus is verified for us by another gospel writer, in Matthew 2:1-6:
Matt 2:1-6
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
2 "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."
3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet,
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler, Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ "
NAS
I believe that these simple shepherds knew the Scriptures and the prophecy concerning the Messiah, Jesus Christ. They didn’t question anything the angel told them, not the city where it was to happen, nor the event the angel said would occur there. The angel then tells the shepherds how they will recognize the newborn baby:
12 "And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger."
I think it’s safe to assume that there weren’t any other babies born that night, who were staying in a stable, wrapped in simple cloths, and lying in a manger for a crib. The angel gave them a definite sign to insure that they would recognize the right child. As they did with everything else the angel told them, the shepherds believed the message in faith. Then something else unexpected happens, in verses 13 and 14:
13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
What an amazing and glorious thing that must have been to see and hear! An angelic choir lights up the nighttime air, singing and praising God for the grace He was showing to mankind this evening, for the miracle God was performing. Who among us wouldn’t have liked to witness that, to have been there with them? We can get excited just lighting candles and singing Christmas carols. Imagine being a part of that event! And after centuries of waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled, this was the very night!
Then in Luke 2:15, we read:
Luke 2:
15 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."
The shepherds heard the angels’ message, and in faith, they believed it. They didn’t show doubt or question it at all. Their words to go see “this thing that HAS HAPPENED”, not “this thing that the angels SAY HAS HAPPENED”, show that they firmly believed the message they had been given. They also recognize the message as one “WHICH THE LORD HAS MADE KNOWN TO US.” They believed in faith that the message was from the Lord God.
We don’t know how many shepherds were there, but a simple reading of Luke 2:15 suggests that they all agreed and went. Perhaps one or two did stay behind to watch the sheep, but there is no suggestion in the verse that anyone doubted what they had heard, that any shepherds did not WANT to go to Bethlehem. This too shows their strong faith.
Luke 2:
16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
The shepherds didn’t just slowly get their gear together and then casually proceed. Luke 2:16 says that they “came in haste” to find Joseph, Mary, and the baby in the manger. They knew something great had occurred, and they were excited to get there and see.
I have a funny story to share about this verse, and my daughter Sara said that it’s all right if I tell it. Sara was about 3 years old, and one night at bedtime, I was reading these verses about the shepherds to her. I was using the King James Version, and when I got to Luke 2:16, I read, “And they came WITH HASTE, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” When Sara heard me read, “And they came WITH HASTE,” she stopped me and asked, “Dad, who’s HASTE?” Well, after I managed to stop laughing, I explained to her what it meant. I wonder what she might have asked had I been teaching her Gen. 3:24, where God "DROVE the man out" of the Garden of Eden.
As we continue in Luke chapter 2, we read in verses 17 and 18:
17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
God brought the shepherds to the stable as witnesses of the supernatural events which happened that evening, and the shepherds did just that. They were excited concerning what they saw, and told others everything about it. Luke tells us that they “made known the statement” which the angel told them about the child. Luke also uses the phrases “all who heard it”, and refers to “the things which were told them by the shepherds.” The angel had told them back in verse 10 that this would be “good news” and “great joy” for “all the people,” and the shepherds told everyone they met.
Then Luke tells us something about Mary’s reaction, in verse 19:
Luke 2:
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
Unlike the role of the shepherds, Mary’s was different. She was now the mother of the Messiah, and she was “taking in God’s Word” as it happened. She was learning doctrine as she listened to the shepherds concerning what they saw and heard that evening. She took these events into her “heart” (“treasured up all these things”) and reflected upon them (“pondering them in her heart”). Now when the Bible uses the word “heart” in this way, it is not referring to the physical organ or to our emotions, but rather to the thinking part of our soul. We can be sure of such a meaning in this verse, because we’re told that Mary was “pondering”, was thinking about or reflecting upon, the things she had been told by the shepherds. Sometimes, God wants us to be excited and to tell others what we know about Him. At other times, He wants us to be silent and to take in His Word and “renew our minds” by it (Rom. 12:1-2).
Luke 2:
20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. NAS
They showed their faithfulness again by quickly returning to their duties (“the shepherds went back”). Their sheep still needed them. They didn’t “quit their jobs” to become celebrities and to exploit their divine experience for money or fame. They still humbly saw themselves as shepherds with an important job to do, despite how others might view them.
As they returned home, Luke tells us they were “glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen.” They were thankful and gave God the glory for what they had experienced. This is not always the way people respond to God’s amazing grace, even when He does a great miracle for them. For example, later in the gospel of Luke, in chapter 17, verses 11-19, we read:
Luke 17:11-19
12 And as He [Jesus] entered a certain village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him;
13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 And when He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And it came about that as they were going, they were cleansed.
15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,
16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?
18 “Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”
19 And He said to him, “Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well.” NAS
Jesus healed 10 leprous men, and only one, a despised Samaritan, gave glory to God. Likewise, the shepherds were men despised in Israel, but they too glorify God.
IN CONCLUSION
So in these verses of Luke concerning the birth of Christ, we see how the Lord God gives a great gift to the lowliest of servants. God announces the birth of Jesus the Messiah to humble shepherds, to men in a dark, desolate place, doing a despised task, but doing it faithfully. Because these men believed God, they went to Bethlehem and witnessed the greatest event in human history. God further blessed them by allowing them to be witnesses of this event to other people. The shepherds were in the right place at the right time to experience God’s faithfulness to mankind, as He fulfilled His promise of a Messiah. God had planned this for billions of years before human history even began, and He had the power to make it happen.
A perfectly just, good, and all-knowing God could do no less, not only for the shepherds, but for us as well. He personally created each of our souls in His image, with the ability to freely make decisions. He doesn’t force us to follow or worship Him, but allows us to exercise free will.
In the vastness of time and space, God personally knew and loved you billions of years before you were even created. At the right moment of human history, in the right place, to the right parents, into the right body made just for you, He created and placed your eternal soul. God knew billions of years before you were even born:
- the family and friends you would have;
- the neighborhoods where you would live;
- the talents you would need and freely receive from Him;
- the schools you would attend;
- the pains and joys you would face;
- the sins you would commit.
This is how God can give every person the same privileges and opportunities to be saved, and to grow spiritually. The Bible tells us that Jesus came “in the fullness of times”, that is, when it was the perfect time and place to happen. Likewise, just like the shepherds, we are all historically in the time and place that God wants each of us. With the free will He’s given us, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can experience our greatest blessings from God if we are faithful in the situations in which He’s placed us.
Let’s pray. Father, in this Christmas season and throughout the year, help us to fully experience the birth of your Son Jesus in our lives. Help us to know your will for our lives, give us the strength to make the right choices, and the wisdom to apply the doctrine we learn from your written Word. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to ultimately die on the cross for our sins, so that we can be part of your family through faith alone in Christ alone. We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.
Copyright (c) 2000, Frank J. Gallagher
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