Sermon Tone Analysis

SHEPHERDS

Luke 2:8-18 will be read by young man in church…

THAT NIGHT… it was shepherds that God chose to announce His Son’s birth to!

TODAY: is the first in a three part series I have titled, “A Christmas Focus… shepherds, sheep, & THE LAMB!

We will consider several things as we embark on this study...

We will look at God as our Shepherd

We will consider the sheep He came to bring Light to

We will Rejoice together over the Lamb of God who takes away our sin, & gives the greatest gift ever!

Christmas morning as we gather together as a family we will celebrate His birth together and remember Him together as we partake in communion.

WHY SHEPHERDS?

God’s Heart to care for sheep… shepherds and sheep have been an ongoing image God has used from the beginning.

Shepherds were lowly in status… these were NOT the religious leaders, law makers, influential people in the world

Yet by God beginning with them the message was clear… this is a MESSIAH for ALL PEOPLE!!!

These shepherds were carefully caring for the sheep, most likely the ones used for the temple sacrifices in Jerusalem just about 5 miles away

As keepers of sheep, watchful, careful,

God would give them first the responsibility to be KEEPERS OF THE MESSAGE OF THE MESSIAH!

Shepherds still declare this message

Shepherds are still serving and caring for His sheep

These shepherds were willing to search for Jesus...

Shepherds would often need to search and find lost lambs

These were willing to look for Jesus… so many today are unwilling to look

Because like in their day… people don’t like what they find

Jesus is not what they expected or want

Before we look closer at the baby Jesus… I want us to consider God as our shepherd… the Psalmist David in Psalm 23

PSALM 23

What an amazing picture of God David paints for us here...

In the word shepherd, David uses the most comprehensive and intimate metaphor yet encountered in the Psalms, preferring usually the more distant ‘king’ or ‘deliverer’, or the impersonal ‘rock’, ‘shield’, etc.; whereas the shepherd lives with his flock and is everything to it: guide, physician and protector

“MY SHEPHERD”… gives the inference that we belong to Him!

We are His! as such He...

Feeds, cares, restores, guides,

His presence eliminates fear, comforts, enriches

The presence and protection of the shepherd God was very real and intimate to David

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (23:1)

The prophecy of the coming Messiah incorporated the same imagery of “shepherd”… (Isa.

40:11 ),

He is also called the “Great Shepherd” (Heb.

13:20) and “the Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4).

Because the Lord was David’s Shepherd, his needs were met and …

Jesus himself “God in the flesh” would identified Himself as that expected “Good Shepherd” John 10:1-18

The Good Shepherd

Wow what a God that He would come in flesh… to shepherd His sheep…

Did you notice the I AM STATEMENTS…

I am the DOOR… passage to safety, security, life sustaining

I am LIFE… abundantly what care and passion

I am the good shepherd… Psalm 23 summarized in a word

I am willing to die “lay down life”

You see… God as a shepherd of His own is able and capable of being that perfect shepherd from His throne in heaven… YET!!!

He shows us He cares for us IN PERSON

He showed us the way IN PERSON

He showed us how to live IN PERSON

God would come IN PERSON (a baby) to show us IN PERSON

Because as sheep we were lost, and in need of a shepherd to SEARCH for us, find us lost in our sin, and DIE FOR US!

He did this in person, the Shepherd, would come for His sheep… more of that as we celebrate our candlelight service Christmas Eve at 5pm