Shout With The Shepherds

Shout with the shepherds

Luke 2:1-20

Disclaimer:

This was prepared from resources from Sermon Central and private study.

Introduction-

Luke 2:1-20

Most people are familiar with this passage, even if they don’t read their Bible. It is the Christmas story, recorded in one of the gospels. It is like seeing “It’s a wonderful life, The Christmas story, The Christmas carol, Charlie Brown’s Christmas. These are classics They are familiar. George Bailey saving the angel Clarence, Herbie the elf that wants to be a dentist, the Grinch that slithers around Whoville, all remind us of Christmas, but they are not Christmas.

God decides to announce the birth of His son Jesus, the savior of the world, the redeemer of mankind, and he uses the shepherds to be the first to hear and see, and the first to go and tell. The shepherds were not exactly the ones if I was God would have used to carry and spread the good news. A dirty bunch of smelly shepherds. God entrusted them with the greatest message ever sent from heaven.

(V8-12) “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Shepherds doing what shepherds do...watching and living amongst the sheep. Angel of the Lord shows up in the field, lights up the sky, the glory of God all around them. Don’t be afraid, I bring you good news. Today a savior has been born to you. Like the gypsies, carnival workers, circus workers, all those who’s testimony would not hold up in court because they are so unworthy. Angel shows up and acknowledges God has sent his son Jesus into the world.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Question-

So why would God send the angel first to the shepherds?

I think he wanted to show that His love does not discriminate on class, wealth, and job title.

- He does not love kings more than laborers

- he does not love pastors, priest, more than ones in the pew.

- God does not show favoritism.

God likes humble, He uses humble people, and his love is available to all that put their faith and trust in Jesus alone.

The shepherds had a choice that night.

Life was usual and God shows up. He reveals himself to them and brings them the good news. The birth of the King. They have a choice to check it out for themselves or do nothing and keep doing their jobs.

- to busy to check it out

- preoccupied with other things (schedule problems)

This baby is the son of God.

Savior of mankind

redeemer for a dying world

offering us eternal life

be our light in a dark world

I am sure that not all the shepherds went to look

I am sure that not all of them were excited

I am sure that all were not wanting to worship.

They became the first evangelist

testimony

I was doing my thing.

God showed up.

God gave me some good news.

He showed me that there was a better way.

I decided that I could not keep it to my self, I must not let others perish, but want them to know.

Illustration:

I have a piece of paper that says that I am an ordained minister with the Church of the Nazarene. I worked hard to get it, long hours, lots of money and a lot of effort. That does not make me a minister.

A minister spreads the good news. Takes what God gives him/her and tell others. Shepherds that night were ministers.

-They did not wait for the big ministries

- They did not look up into heaven and wait till God shows them who to go to.

-Needs are all around us, you don’t have to look around.

Don’t wait- be a blessing now

Wise men and women still seek him

Wise men/women still serve him

Wise men/women still worship him

Don’t flatter yourself this morning: most of us know Christ because we were born is the right country, right time, privileged to have someone be a shepherd and spread the good news so we could hear the gospel and respond. Privileged and blessed. Because someone reached out to us, not the other way around. Jesus was born in a manger, physically as a child, but He always was, He was before the foundations of the Earth. All the things that needed to happen, happened. All the things that couldn’t happen, did not happen. Jesus the son of the living God in the flesh shows up. You cannot kill God. You cannot outsmart God. You cannot stop the plan of God. Christ birth was profound. It was wonderful. It is an opportunity for eternal life.