??? Shepherds???

Keep Them Away

The Shepherds at the time of Jesus were...

the low life's bottom of the social ladder- above the lepers

they were untrustworthy- not allowed to testify

they were not spiritually clean — so keep them away from the temple

they smelled like sheep

it’s better off if they stayed out in the fields

considered uneducated, unskilled

regarded as thieves, outcasts, snubbed by the religious people

so why would the Angels go to these people and declare to them the good news?

why would God even bother with these outcasts?

why not someone more worthy?

some of these men, their life would change

Read Luke 2 8-20

Pray

Some Shepherds

historically there has been shepherds called

Moses and the burning bush

David called to be king

Jesus is the Good shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd

Who else would you announce, the birth of the Lamb

V 8 it was night time like any other probably one man was circling the herd looking for strays and newborns

Suddenly

V 9 the Shekainah Glory the same as the wilderness wanderings

the same light Saul would see on the road to Damascus

Solomon’s temple

And an angel, not The Angel of the Lord

Probably Gabriel the Arch Angel

SO the night was lit up and an angel was with them

you could say the fear of God was in them

V 10 don’t be afraid

Good News The Gospel of Great Joy

V 11 Bethlehem

A Savior the outcasts of society have a savior

The angel appeared to the ones unworthy to go into the temple

to give them new lives, hope, joy, salvation from the penalty of their sin

the long looked for messiah was here

not only was the glory shown to them

but the announcement of the messiah was born

these shepherds were the chosen ones to receive this announcement

God’s grace is given to whom He will

not to the most worthy

not to the ones seeking it

not to the ones who is most likely to accept it

Romans 9:15–16 LSB

For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.

God chose Abraham, Moses, Noah, David, Solomon, etc.

not because they were worthy but because God is sovereign

so God has chosen these societal outcasts

V 12 the sign a baby in a manger, in Bethlehem

V 13 a Singing Multitude

A Bright Light In A Dark World

the Shepherds night was exploded with Light, angels singing

the revelation of the messiah being born

a savior has come to planet earth

John 1:4–5 LSB

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

this world was demon possessed

had not heard from God in 400 years

John 3:19–20 LSB

“And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed.

Not unlike today

A dark world in need of the light of the gospel

V 11 a savior

The temple could not save

the sacrifices were not able to save

Doing good deeds does not save

being the chosen nation of God does not save

having the law does not save

we need to be saved us from ourselves- we are born in sin, with no hope of heaven

we are born with the curse of Adam and deserve death

Turn to Romans 5 12- 19.

Let’s Go Check It Out

V 15-16

go to Bethlehem to find the Messiah

V 17 they made known

would the scribes, and Pharisees have made it known?

would Herod, or Pilate have made it known?

But the shepherds did

and when they told others they marveled over the news

The Shepherds

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 (LSB)

For consider your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may abolish the things that are, so that no flesh may boast before God.

the shepherds are the type of people that God chooses

Ephesians 2:9 LSB

not of works, so that no one may boast.

God is the one doing all of salvation

no on can proudly say “I did this now I,m saved”

we like the woman with the bleeding issue, by faith reached out to the Savior

The woman could not boast at her cure

she could only point to the one who cured her

we were incapable of saving our selves, we were like the shepherds outcasts from Heaven, and God

under a curse, condemned to Hell, and the lake of fire

But the Glory God came to us one day out of the blue

our sky was lit up

He opened our eyes to the light

our angel told us about the Messiah who came to redeem us on the cross

the Holy Spirit convicted us of our sin, and judgement

we were shown our need of righteousness

and we reached out to Jesus by faith

And Jesus saved us, a lowly shepherd

And we have nothing to boast in. except in our Savior Jesus

Maybe you are listening and the light of God is shining on you

But

you are still in your sin

still on your way to Hell

still have not found the Savior

still have not reached out to Him by faith to be healed

John 3:16 LSB

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8–9 LSB

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.