Casting the Shepherds

I don't know how your high school was, but I went to public school and there was definitely a hierarchy of popularity in the school. At the top was where you would find the football players and the cheerleaders — I did not have the luxury of being part of that group. — I don't really know what I was. I was a long hair guitar playing fan of grunge music, who incidentally was a Boy Scout and on the wrestling team. I don't know exactly where that put me on the hierarchy of popularity but I can assure you that it was nowhere near the top.

We are in our second message of a series entitled casting the nativity. Last week we considered the magi, those wise man who came from afar bearing frankincense gold in Myrrh. And I told you last week that there is traditions saying that these are kinks. There are some old testament illusions to kings bringing the Messiah gifts that started off this thinking. Well we don't know if the magi were in fact kings what we do know is that they were held in high regard. First of all they were wealthy enough that they could come bearing gifts of great value, second they were able to gain audience with Herod, the man given the title King of Judea by the Roman Senate.

And Luke chapter 2 we come to a different group of people that couldn't be more different than these magi. We read of the shepherds. Likely, the first people outside of Joseph and Mary to lay eyes upon the new born Messiah.

If you have your Bible please turn with me as we read Luke 2:8-20

Luke 2:8–20 KJV 1900

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Our message this morning is entitled Casting the Shepherds

Let’s Pray

A Shepherd’s Reputation

Very much like the magi, we really don't know much about these shepherds outside of what we read in Luke 2, but a lot can be inferred.

Eusebius, a church leader in the fourth century pointed out in his writings that Migdal Eder was located roughly a Roman mile (roughly 1,000 paces) east of Bethlehem. Migdal Eder translates to “Tower of the Flock” and we read about it first in Gen 35:19-21

Genesis 35:19–21 KJV 1900

19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem. 20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. 21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.

It is the place of Rachel’s burial.

But check out this prophecy in Micah 4:8

Micah 4:8 KJV 1900

8 And thou, O tower of the flock, The strong hold of the daughter of Zion, Unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; The kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

and in Micah 5:2

Micah 5:2 KJV 1900

2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

We read in the Mishnah, which is the codification of the Jewish oral law, that this Tower of the Flock or Migdal Edar was an area expected to be used for for pasturing sheep where we find it written:

If an animal that is fit for the altar was found straying, from Jerusalem and as far as Migdal Eder, and similarly if it was found within that distance from Jerusalem in any other direction, it is presumed that the animal came from Jerusalem. Most of the animals in Jerusalem were designated for offerings, and presumably this one was as well.

So it is very likely the shepherds were in the vicinity of Bethlehem raising lambs that would be used in the temple sacrifice and it is these passages in Micah that Chief Priests and Scribes used to identify the Messiah as being born in Bethlehem.

Not Well Regarded

What is ironic is that people who had such an important role to the temple were themselves were ceremonially unclean. The work they did had dirty with sheep feces and blood and the work kept them away from temple so they could make themselves clean through the purification rituals.

In general, shepherds were not well regarded. RC Sproll put it this way:

Shepherds were not even allowed to give testimony in court because they were considered utterly untrustworthy, the dregs of society. In other words, the shepherd was seen as just a bit above a slave. He was a lowly servant. That is why it was so significant that the first announcement of the birth of Jesus was given to shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem. Those shepherds had the lowest status in the culture of that time.

In fact the Mishna speaks so poorly of shepherds that it says:

One may purchase from shepherds neither goats, nor kids, nor fleeces, nor torn pieces of wool, but one may purchase sewn garments from them, because they are presumed to be theirs. And one may purchase milk and cheese from them in an unsettled area, but not in a settled area.

You get what this is saying right, if you buy something nice from a shepherd it is probably stolen. If the garment you buy from them is sown back together then you are probably OK. That junk was probably theirs!

Again in the Mishnah, in tractate Sanhedrin we read of those who are disqualified to give testimony in court. Among gamblers and those who lend money with interest (so essentially anyone that works for Visa or Master Card) we read this:

in an ordinary case, the court proclaims about him that he is disqualified for having engaged in shepherding. If the court discovers that he regularly engages in this trade, it proclaims immediately that he is disqualified, and the court does not need to prove that he shepherds his flock in the fields of others.

A Shepherd’s Worth

I find it very interesting that news of the resurrection came from women. And because that the news of the resurrection came from women it wouldn't have been acceptable as testimony by the Sanhedrin. And here looking at the birth of Christ we find that the first people to get to see the newborn savior, the people that went out and told everybody that they could about the Savior born in Bethlehem were also unfit to give legal testimony in the highest Jewish court. — So, these religious leaders were so high and mighty that they made laws, laws that looked down their noses at regular people, and laws that caused them to miss both the birth and the resurrection of the Messiah.

I can't but wonder how many of our church's today, If the shepherds came in declaring the good news. I wonder how many people would turn their noses to them. They're unclean. They’re rough around the edges. They have a job that isn’t quote-unquote respectable. God told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 says

1 Samuel 16:7b (KJV 1900)

man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

A Shepherds Job

I've had an interesting that in the Bible we find two words predominantly used for the leader of a church. In a King James Bible they are the words Pastor and the Bishop. These are terribly helpful words and I wish that they would've selected different words but when they were making the translation they brought over Latin words that were commonly understood in the words Bishop and Pastor were in fact commonly understood words. Pastor is just Latin for shepherd and bishop religious means someone that oversees something, and we find the word shepherd use this way far more often than Bishop.

That sets a tone. The leader of a church isn't referred to as a master or a lord but a shepherd. One who watches out for the flock one that brings food to the flock and cares about the flock.

1 Peter 5:2-5 gives what I think is the most important instruction a Pastor can have for his job:

1 Peter 5:2–5 KJV 1900

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

It's not the job with Pastor to brow beat people into doing what is right. We are to Lord over the people of God but instead to be an example. As a pastor I can't force you to live a holy life. I can't threaten you into godliness. But what I can hope to do is bring out the word of God and feed you. And to live a life that is an example for you to follow. I don’t always live up to that, nobody really does, but that is the standard.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1

1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV 1900

1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

That is not an order that is a plea.

Just as these shepherds had an occupation where they cared for the sheep and they wanted the best for the sheep and they did everything that they could to keep the sheep safe. They are given this message by the angel of the Lord which we find vv 10-11

Luke 2:10–11 KJV 1900

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And the shepherds went out telling everybody that they knew. They were doing what they always did. Instead of looking after sheep they were looking after people they were trying to bring water but living water to everybody that they could.

But who would hear. Not those clothed in the garments of a King, Or those wearing the robes of the Shanhedrin, or of the chief priests. — Who would hear would be as Paul writes, those clothed with humility.

Charge

Everyone about their heads and close your eyes for just a moment. I truly believe that the church is diseased by the influence of our modern American culture. Everybody is right in their own eyes. This month I am seeing Pastors all over Facebook practically begging Christians to come to church — on Christmas. Shepherds just trying to bring sheep to water, trying to get people excited about the birth of Christ.

We're gonna close in prayer in just a moment but before I do I want you to consider this question. What is more attractive to you? a savior in a manger being declared by a dirty shepherd the superficial trappings of a holiday that's been distorted by consumerism. If it's not celebrating the birth of Christ then maybe you should join the cashiers at the big box store in saying happy holidays instead of merry Christmas.

Let’s Pray