Why Shepherds?

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• When we start to dig into the event of Jesus’ birth there are a lot of interesting issues that are recorded in the birth story.

• The circumstance of His birth was unusual. . Usually a King would come with great pomp and circumstance but this was not so with Jesus.

• His place of birth was unusual. Last week we saw how Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room for Him in the Inn.

• As we travel a little further into Luke 2, we see the announcement of His birth was a little unusual.

• When the birth happened, God sent an angel of heaven to appear on CNN and Fox news to announce the birth. NO

• He then went to the kings of the known world to let them know the Jesus had entered the building! NO.

• No, God being God did the unexpected. He sent an angel to a group of lowly, smelly, bottom of the barrel Shepherds?

• So the question one might ask is Why Shepherds? Why not the religious leaders of the time? Why not the government officials? Why not the wealthy and connected?

• No God chose to go to the trouble of sending an angel from heaven to earth to announce the birth to the shepherds?

• I wonder how that went down. God- Hey angel, I have a job for you. The ANGEL. What do you want us to do?

• I want you to announce the birth of the savior of the world! OK, we will head to the temple.

• GOD- Not I want you to go to the field and make the announcement to the Shepherds! ?????

• The truth of the matter is until God tells us so, we will not know exactly why God chose to make this important, history changing announcement to a group of lowly shepherds, but today I want to us to look what the shepherds did with this all-important announcement!

• Let’s begin with Luke 2:15-16

• SLIDE #2

• Luke 2:15–16 (HCSB) 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough.

• The first thing the shepherds did with the good news was…

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. The Shepherds investigated what they were told. 15-16

• The angel appeared to the shepherds as they were tending to their flocks in the fields.

• SLIDE #4

• Luke 2:10–12 (HCSB) 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

• The angel told the shepherd to not be afraid! I WONDER WHY?

• The angel; after he calmed the shepherds down gave them a message.

• I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

• The shepherds were not sophisticated people. They were usually pretty simple people who were doing a job that not too many people aspired to, but these simple shepherds were sophisticated enough to investigate the message they received.

• Now this investigation was not one done out of disbelief, but rather out of belief and obedience.

• If and angel of the Lord shared something with you wouldn’t you want to investigate it?

• Besides, if the shepherds did not believe the message why would they take the trip into Bethlehem?

• They went on the trip because they were going to share the message given but to also give the message more power, they wanted to be able to say, the angel told us such and we saw what the angel told us with our very own eyes!

• It does not appear as though the angel commanded the shepherds to go to Bethlehem, but rather these shepherds wanted to see what was happening for themselves.

• After the angel left, the shepherds apparently left their flocks to the care of God and made a bee line to Bethlehem. The original text indicates they wasted NO time in going!