A Wonderful Night

God sent his son Jesus Christ as Savior even for unclean people like shepherds.

Continuing with our 2022 Advent theme, the Wonder of Jesus’ Birth, we’re going to look at the wonder of a very special night. Many of the ideas for this presentation came from another writer for Leadership Journal, Bryan Wilkerson.

There are several in our family that just thoroughly enjoys looking at the night sky. It’s fun identifying different constellations and maybe even see a shooting star. Some of us have tried to count the stars, but it's impossible. There are too many. King David spent a lot of time looking at the stars. Listen to part of one of his Psalms: Lord, when I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you should visit him?

When you look at the stars, you know there's a God. He created and He holds all these things in place. But could it be that that same God who created all this, could he know and care about us too?

Luke 2:1–20 (NASB95)

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, 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.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Shepherds were not well thought of by many and were often accused of a lot of things, which were not really true. They were mostly out with the sheep.

The thing about sheep is they need a shepherd, and people are a lot like sheep. Sheep are not the most noble of beasts, not like Arabian stallions. They can't pull their own weight like oxen. They're not the smartest of creatures either. Always wandering off, getting lost and in trouble. They're not too smart. They'll eat themselves sick if you let them stay in one place too long. They can be ornery creatures too when they don't want to do something. And sheep put off quite an odor.

The thing about sheep is they need a shepherd. As long as they've got a shepherd to watch over them, to lead them and to help them out of trouble, to show them where to go, they're okay. It might seem strange, but a true shepherd cares about the sheep. Every night, they would count them to make sure not one of them is missing. They would also know each one by name.

Most people say that shepherds are unclean, unacceptable. The shepherd would basically live with sheep all year carrying them on their shoulders, walk alongside them, just living with them. Thus, the shepherds would smell like sheep. You can imagine how others would try to avoid shepherds.

Other people would accuse shepherds of stealing something from their barns or their fields.

Shepherds were considered by the religious leaders as being unclean. In other words, they were unacceptable and could not participate in community worship. The Pharisees and other religious leaders came up with all kinds of non-biblical laws. Laws about what could be worn, what a person could eat, the method of how the meat was killed and how it was to be cooked, plus laws about special days, the Sabbath and other holy days, and washing your hands three times a day.

To expect a shepherd to keep all of those laws was ridiculous. Even if they left the sheep, which would be irresponsible, to go to the temple to worship, they would not be welcome or even allowed.

Interestingly, the sheep that the shepherds cared for were the ones used in the temple. They were used for offering sacrifices. That's why it was so important to take such good care of them, make sure they stay healthy, no cuts or bruises. The sheep could go into the temple, but the shepherds were not welcome.

It would make sense for a shepherd to feel closer to God out in the open than they would ever experience in Jerusalem. It would make sense that the shepherds would look up in the sky and think about God. You can't help but think about God out here. I wonder if that was the same kind of attraction for David.

You know what Isaiah says? He says God numbers the stars and calls each one by name. Think about that. God knows how many stars there are, and he's got a name for every one of them. That kind of makes me wonder. If God could care that much about all those stars, could God care about people like that? Could it be that God knows my name?

One night there was a glow in the air, like a shaft of light coming out of the sky. It was a census time. Caesar decided he wanted to count everybody in the empire, to get more tax money. So everybody had to go to their hometown to register, except shepherds, of course, because no one cared about shepherds.

The night started out like most nights, nice and quiet. Then there was something in the air. Right about that time the sheep probably woke up, possibly getting spooked by something.

Suddenly, right before the shepherds’ eyes a form began to take shape, taking the shape of a man, more perfect than any man most people have ever seen. The Bible says that they were terrified.

But then he spoke, and he said, "Don't be afraid." "I bring you good news of great joy for all people. Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." He told the shepherds they would find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Then suddenly with that angel there was a crowd of other angels filling the whole sky, too many to count. They began to sing. "Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest heavens."

"Unto you is born this day a Savior." Think about the fact that though they were despised shepherds, and considered unclean, they were still Jews. And every Jew knows about the Messiah. Messiah, the Deliverer that God would send, who would set His people free from their oppressors, who would make the Jews a great nation again and lead them back to God. They had been waiting hundreds of years for the Messiah.

Remember what the angel said about the city of David? The shepherd king.

Suddenly it appeared that the angels were gone. The shepherds knew what they had to do. They had to go down to Bethlehem and see if these things had really happened.

When the shepherds found them, the baby's father said, "His name is Jesus, the one who saves.” Eventually, out on the edge of town they found what they had been sent to see. It was kind of a cave cut into the rock, straw on the ground, and some animals off in the shadows. Sure enough, there was a man and a woman and a little baby wrapped up in cloths. They had laid him in a feed trough because they had no bed for him. Could this be the right place? God's Messiah born in a place like this? Where was everybody? Where were the angels and the priests?

The father of the baby said to the shepherds, "His name is Jesus, Jeshua, the one who saves." That's what the angel had said: "a Savior who is Messiah God." Consider this, friends; for the shepherds who were by the manger, it was like God was near, like God was with us, like God was in that child.

On the way out of town, the shepherds became evangelists in that they tried to tell everybody everything they had seen and heard.

Some time later, everyone else continued on with life. The census was over. Everybody had gone home. But I don’t believe those shepherds were ever the same. Consider the fact that these looked down upon shepherds were the first ones to know about it, except the parents. God sent angels to a bunch of shepherds, to announce that Messiah had come. It seems like maybe God doesn't care what you're wearing or if you smell kind of funny, if you're willing to listen and believe.

There's something else, too, something the angels said. "Unto you is born a Savior." That message was meant for everybody, for all of Israel. Yet, I believe that those shepherds knew that it was meant for them, as if God knew that they also needed a Savior. Maybe you feel like that. Sometimes you feel like a lost soul, like you need someone to watch over you, someone to save you from the evil all around and even inside of you, someone to show you how to live and where to go.

I wonder. David said that the Lord was his Shepherd. My friends, where ever you may be, you can belong to the Lord. You can simply say--God, would you be my shepherd? Would you save me? And would you lead me? If you do, I'll follow you. I will.

Like I said, David wrote all kinds of songs. Listen to the deep truth contained in this song.

O Lord, you have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down. You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, 0 God. You hem me in behind and before. Your hand is always upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, Too lofty to attain. For you created me in the inmost place. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, God. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you When I was formed in the secret place. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, 0 God. How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, They would outnumber the grains of sand. They would outnumber even the stars in the sky.