SHEPHERDS? (Luke 2:8-11)

The passage of Scripture that was read from Luke is one that is familiar. Many of you have heard the story of the shepherds so often that you know it by heart. You know that they were out in the fields watching the flocks, you know that the angels came with the announcement of Christ's birth. Perhaps you have seen pictures of this scene or have seen these events depicted on TV or on the stage during a Christmas program or school play. But who were these shepherds? In most of the depictions that I have seen, they are presented as neatly dressed men, somewhat cultured with trimmed beards and shepherd's crooks. They are seen setting on a hillside, some asleep, some watching, but all waiting for the angels to come with their special announcement. Basically they are seen as nice, gentle men who have a love for the flocks and for the outdoor life. This picture fits in well with the picture that is put forth on Christmas with its innocent baby, its young innocent parents, a stable with fresh clean straw. Into all of the “sweetness” of this manger scene comes the shepherds, fresh from their angelic visitation.

As I was doing my preparation for this message, I decided to take a little side trip and do a little research on shepherds. The first thing that I noticed was that not too many people mention shepherds in their writings. Of the multiple resources that I have in my library, only a handful had any mention of shepherds. As I began to read what I could find, it wasn't long before I discovered the reason.

You see, shepherds were not very high on the Jewish social ladder. Judaism, by it’s vary nature, is a very structured religious system. Every aspect of life is legislated by the law as it is interpreted by the religious leaders of the time. If you wanted to discover just where you stood in society, all you would have to do is get your hands on the List of Occupations and there you would find your answer. The occupation of shepherd is listed on just such a list, under the heading of, "Thieving and Cheating Occupations." Not exactly a list that would have people lining up to get their names on.

In the minds of the religious leaders, it was thought that since the life of the shepherd was a solitary life, there was great opportunity for thieving and cheating to occur. There was even a law that forbid anyone from buying wool or milk from a shepherd because in all likelihood they were probably stolen. Not only was the job of shepherd despised by society, but because of the job, the shepherd was also despised. Like publicans and tax-collectors, shepherds were deprived of practically all of their social rights. This meant that shepherds could not serve as a judge nor could they be used as a witness in court.

So, what we have presented to us in this portion of Luke's Gospel are a group of men, maybe as few as two or as many as twenty, rejected by their society because of their occupation. We have presented to us men whose only companionship are each other and their sheep. We have here men who have no house to return home to, no permanent shelter from the elements, no direction in life other than to wander from one place to the next, wherever the flocks could find grass to eat and water to drink. If there were ever a group that was apt to be forgotten or overlooked by their society, it was the shepherds.

And yet, it was the shepherds who received heavens first birth announcement. God Himself had come to earth and it was the despised and rejected of society who first received the news that the Messiah had come.

If you woke up tomorrow morning and found Jesus Christ sitting at your breakfast table, who would be the first person that you would call? If Jesus were to say to you, "I have come that all might have life more abundantly," with whom would you first share the news? Would you call your Christian friend down the street? Would you call me? Perhaps in your excitement you would place a call to the Mayor, sharing the good news with him and urging him to quickly get a message out on social media, announcing that Jesus Christ is here. You say that you wouldn't do that, well, maybe you would run right out and share this news with the town drunk. Perhaps the first person you would share with would be the murderer in the county jail, or perhaps the homeless person in the shelter trying to keep his mind off of his hunger. What about the drug addict or the prostitute, the homosexual or the mentally handicapped? Would they be the first to hear the good news, or would it be better if we just allow these people to go about their business, just as long as they don't get in the way.

When we read Luke 2, we see the message being given, not to the political or religious leaders, not to the Scribes or the Pharisees, not in the synagogue or the palace, but out in a field, to men whom society would rather not think about. The first to receive the news were those whom society would have left for last, if they would have received the news at all. But why? Did an announcement to the shepherds fit well with a stable birth? Did the fact that the birth took place in the city of David, and the fact that David was a shepherd, have anything to do with the selection of the recipients of the announcement of the birth of Messiah? The answer to our question lies in the announcement itself.

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."

The message that the angle brought was to be for all the people. It was not reserved for high-society only. It was not reserved for pastors only. It was not reserved for church leaders or even church-goers. The good news of great joy is for all people. The good news is for the sinner, as well as for the saint. The good news is for the person who is in the pew every Sunday as well as for the person who doesn't know what a pew is.

In my mind, I have come up with two reasons for why the shepherds were the first to receive the news. The first reason is because they were keeping watch. Scripture tells us that the angelic announcement happened at night, that time when most of us are sleeping. The shepherds were awake, watching the flocks so that no harm would come to them. When Christ was born and the announcement was to be made, it was the shepherds who were there to hear it.

The second reason that I feel it was appropriate for the shepherds to be the first to receive the news is because of their place in society. If the announcement had been made to a Pharisee or a Scribe, it would probably have been announced as the next morning worship service and there it would have stayed. The good news would probably not have gotten too far past the doors of the synagogue and it probably would have taken a long time before those of the shepherd class would have heard it.

But the angel says that the joy is for all people, for a Savior has been born to you. This is the content of the good news and the reason for the great joy. To you a Savior has been born! In the Greek text, the pronoun "you" is expressed as a true dative, which means that it is of personal interest to the recipient. How true! Who would have thought that a Savoir would have come for shepherds? Who could have guessed that shepherds would be the first to receive the good news of great joy which is to be for all people?

As the days march on toward Christmas, we will hear a lot about the baby Jesus, the one born in the city of David. It won't be long and we will be exchanging gifts with each other and speaking about the greatest gift of all. And so I leave you with this question, Who received the greatest gift on that first Christmas? Was it Mary and Joseph who gave birth to Jesus? Was it the shepherds who were privileged to see the multitude of angels praising in the heavens? Was it the Magi, following a star until they were able to look at the child?

The answer is that they all did for you see, Jesus is the gift that lasts forever. Give the gift of Jesus this year. Give the gift everyone needs, the good news of great joy, for a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord!