The Shepherds' Response To The Christ Child Series

THE SHEPHERDS’ RESPONSE TO THE CHRIST CHILD

A. As of today, there is only 17 days left before Christmas.

1. By this time people are in HIGH GEER getting everything READY for all the FESTIVITIES.

2. And, as I said last Sunday, this time of year can become so HECTIC that we forget about the JOY that

this SEASON is supposed to bring.

ILLUSTRATION:

A MOTHER preparing for a large Christmas Eve family gathering, had been giving out orders like

a drill sergeant: “Pick up your things! Don’t get your clothes dirty! Put away those toys.”

Well, her 4-year-old daughter had been UNDERFOOT all day long, so she sent her to the LIVING

ROOM to PLAY with their wooden NATIVITY SET that was displayed under the Christmas Tree.

As the mother SCURRIED around setting the Dining Room Table and BARKING out even more orders to the older children, she OVERHEARD her 4-year-old TALKING to the CHARACTERS in the

NATIVITY in the same TONE of VOICE her mother had been using all day.

The MOTHER made her way to the LIVING ROOM just in time to HEAR her daughter say, “And Baby Jesus, I don’t care WHO you are. Get those SHEEP out of my KITCHEN!"

B. Today I want us to PAUSE for a moment and think about what it must have been like to be the first people

INVITED, by ANGELS no less, to see God in the FLESH born in a BARN.

1. Luke 2:8-20 (READ)

2. It’s interesting that God sent the BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT of His Son to lowly SHEPHERDS.

a. Throughout the history of Israel, SHEPHERDING was a noble PROFESSION.

COMMENT:

Abel, the son of Adam and Eve, was the first to have this job, followed by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and of course, David. God calls himself a shepherd—“The Lord is my Shepherd”- Psalm 23. And we are compared to SHEEP, which is . . . anything but a COMPLIMENT.

b. By the time we come to the FIRST CENTURY, however, SHEPHERDING had lost its LUSTER.

c. Shepherds made up the LOWEST CLASS of people, coming in just ahead of the LEPERS.

COMMENT:

According to the ancient Talmud, which is a collection of interpretations and insight from the Jewish rabbis, we read these words: “No help is to be given to heathens or shepherds.”

3. In order to understand how UNUSUAL it was to have ANGELS appear to these SHEPHERDS, let’s learn

a little bit about them:

a. Considered ceremonially unclean. Because of the nature of their work they were unable to attend

any religious services.

b. Isolated and forgotten. Because their FLOCKS needed to MOVE around to find new grass and fresh

water, they never STAYED in one place for long. They were NOMADS—wanderers.

c. Treated with contempt and mistrust. They were known for STEALING from others, and their

TESTIMONY was never allowed in COURT because they were UNRELIABLE.

d. Known to be brash and bold. They had no social skills, and were always ready for a fight.

C. Yet, it was to these OUTCASTS that received a PERSONAL INVITATION from God delivered by a CHORUS of ANGELS to be the first to WORSHIP the Christ Child.

MESSAGE:

ILLUSTRATION:

The Scripture says that “the shepherds were living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their sheep.” This is what SHEPHERDS do. They were with their SHEEP around the clock PROTECTING them from robbers and wolves, CARING for their every need, TREATING their wounds, SEARCHING for them when they wandered off.

This night is just like a thousand other nights. The SHEPHERDS are sleeping under the STARS among their FLOCKS. Their STAFF is by their side just in case they need it to FEND OFF a PREDATOR that sneaks in under the CLOAK of DARKNESS. You can hear the CHIRP of the CRICKETS and the SOOTHING sound of the running STREAM.

Then all of a sudden, they are awaked by an ANGEL and the GLORY of the Lord shining around them. So how do the Shepherds RESPOND?

I. THEY RESPOND IN TERROR- v. 9

A. Now, understand that these are TOUGH guys.

1. There are no WIMPY shepherds.

a. Even when “David was a teenage shepherd boy; he was able to kill a LION and a BEAR that

dared to attack his SHEEP”- 1 Samuel 17:34-35.

b. These guys don’t SCARE easily.

2. But when an ANGEL of the Lord shows up, these TOUGH GUYS melt in FEAR.

a. What do you think is RUNNING through their MINDS?

b. I think they are experiencing the same FEAR that the Prophet Isaiah had when he was CONFRONTED by ANGELS in Isaiah 6, and even YOU and I would have if an ANGEL of the Lord suddenly appeared to US this morning: EXPOSURE!

B. When we are CONFRONTED with the HOLINESS and GLORY of God, we become painfully aware