The Wonder Of the Arrival: The Shepherds
Notes
Transcript
I remember the summers of my youth taking the long family road trip from Snow Hill to to Western North Carolina - riding in the backseat with my little brother as we made our way through Asheville, then Sylva and Dillsboro, until finally turning onto the winding road named after the creek it followed - East Fork. This is where my maternal great grandparents, great aunts and uncles, and several cousins lived. I cherish the memories of those homecomings - surrounded by family, hiking up the mountains and finding my pop pop’s cows up on the mountainside, floating wooden boats down the creek, and the great picnics we would enjoy together sitting in lawn chairs or on the porch steps. I would listen attentively as Pop-Pop Hall (my great grandfather) and Uncle Hampton, his brother, would share stories of their life in East Fork. Their story-telling provided a window to the past - listening helped me to understand where I came from. The stories were always interesting and full of wonder for us young ones. The stories told were of a tight knit clan who made it through hard times together, there were moments of tragedy, but more often then not, there were funny moments that had us all laughing. One thing that was for certain - what was said was true. It all happened as told. Those gathered around, those old enough to remember, would add to the stories some missing details or correct when some detail wasn’t quite right. This was our family history and whether they realized it at the time or not, this passing it along to the next generation was sacred work.
You may have similar memories sitting around the dinner table with your family and hearing the stories from those who came before you.
The writer of today’s gospel listened to the stories told of Jesus from those who were there throughout his life and captured them for us to hear so that we would know what happened, that what we have been told is true, and to help us understand who we now are as children of God.
Luke was not an apostle, he was not one of the twelve, he did not walk with Jesus during his time here on earth.
He was a physician who came to know Jesus through the teachings of the Apostle Paul. Luke had taken it upon himself to gather the truth of Jesus from those who were eyewitnesses to His life and teachings and he is accredited with writing both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.
Luke was Paul’s traveling companion and he was there when Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and jailed for two years in Caesarea. (Acts 21-26) - this is likely the time period that Luke wrote his two great works.
Luke tells us his purpose for writing the gospel in…
Many people have already applied themselves to the task of compiling an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used what the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed down to us. Now, after having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, I have also decided to write a carefully ordered account for you, most honorable Theophilus. I want you to have confidence in the soundness of the instruction you have received.
Luke conducted a careful investigation. He spent two years in Jerusalem and throughout Palestine - sitting down with those who knew the story - people like Peter and James, Jesus’ brother, and it is highly plausible that he spend considerable time interviewing Mary, the mother of Jesus.
It makes sense when we consider the personal details that he includes in his gospel, the insight into Mary’s thoughts, like after the Shepherds visited the baby as we heard in today’s scripture reading, we are told in Luke 2:18-19
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
If Luke spent time with Mary, again, it would unlikely he didn’t given the proximity, timeline and details recorded, imagine the stories of Jesus’ childhood he would have heard. While he tells us about some of the extraordinary moments - how much of what Mary shared with him fell into the category of ordinary everyday life? Jesus playing with his childhood friends. Jesus doing his chores. Jesus working with his father building homes. Jesus turning water into beer at a high school party…ok - that didn’t happen.
Ordinary life with Jesus. The most important person in history - the one whose arrival was highly anticipated among the Jewish people - the Messiah who would deliver his people, the one the prophets said would come - and as the resurrection would confirm - the actual Son of God - was present in the ordinary day to day life of real people.
Do you recognize Jesus’ presence in your everyday, ordinary life?
If so, how does that effect your day?
Do you see the wonder in each moment?
Life is not just to be a lived as checklist - things that you have to get done before bedtime. God created you, gave you life, and provided you with the means by which to live with joy and purpose. Look for Jesus in each moment. How can the ordinary moments of each day bring him glory?
Luke gathered a lot of stories. More than he could include in his gospel. And while we would probably love to have access to more of Jesus’ childhood stories - Luke wrote with purpose and his aim was both historical and theological. Luke was writing to persuade readers to know who Jesus is and to receive him as Lord and Savior. Luke’s main message was Jesus is God’s Son and he loves you. He came to Save you.
Jerusalem did not have a Staples or Walmart at that time. Parchment and ink was not something to be wasted - which means Luke needed to use his words as economically as possible to make the most impact and get the story across.
So of all the stories, Luke strategically picks three childhood stories in Chapter 2 before moving onto Jesus’ adult ministry.
Story #1 - the angelic pronouncement to shepherds watching their flocks by night that “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Story #2 - 40 days after his birth, being a devout Jewish family, Joseph and Mary followed the purification ritual as instructed in the book of Leviticus and went to the Temple to make a sacrifice. The sacrifice was supposed to be a lamb, unless you were poor, then you could sacrifice two turtledoves - which is in fact what Mary and Joseph did. While they were there, two elderly people approached them. One was named Simeon and he was described as devout and “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” The other was a prophetess named Anna who was 84 years old and she worshipped at the temple day and night most of her adult life. Two life long devout believers of God waiting for His promises to be fulfilled. Both had been waiting for the Lord to reveal to them the Messiah - and when they saw the baby Jesus - they could not contain their joy. Simeon sang out loud this prophecy:
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
And we are told this of Anna:
And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Story #3 - when Jesus was 12, the family made their way up to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When it was over, they headed out of town with a caravan of extended family members and friends. A day into their travel home - Mary asked Joseph - “where’s Jesus?” and Joseph replied “I thought he was with you?” - the same dialogue I had with Krista at the Annapolis Mall once regarding my own kids. So they rush back to Jerusalem, and after frantically searching - they find him sitting among the teachers in the Temple listening and asking questions. When confronted about his absence, Jesus replied:
Luke 2:49 (ESV)
“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Of all the stories he heard, why did Luke choose these three? What did he want to communicate?
In each story, God reveals who Jesus is by spoken words.
Through the shouts and praises of angelic messengers, Jesus is called Savior and Lord.
Through the tongues of the prophets Simeon and Anna, we are told that salvation and redemption will come from Him.
And through Jesus’ very own mouth, we hear that he is the Son of God who must be in His Father’s house.
Angels say he is the One. Prophets say he is the One. Jesus says He is the One.
Who do you say He is?
Do you believe He is the Lord, the Savior of the world?
If no, what are you possibly allowing to stand in the way? What excuse are you allowing to prevent you from fully experiencing God’s love? He is knocking on the door of your heart - do you hear it? Are you ready to let him in?
If you do believe He is the Lord, the Savior of the world - who have you told?
Who have you shared this amazing news with?
I’m pretty sure if you asked first century Shepherds what they were really good at doing - none would say public speaking. They would likely not be very comfortable debating atheist on the existence of God. They were not known for having a platform - they were considered outsiders to polite society. In fact, people had trust issues with Shepherds - the stereotype at the time was that many were thieves. No one wanted to hear from a shepherd.
Until they encountered Jesus. Until they saw God’s promise for themselves - swaddled in the cloth and laying in a manger.
After that, we read in Luke 2:17-18
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
You could not shut them up. They did not care if people believed them or not - this was news that had to be shared. They did not worry about what they would say if someone asked a hard question. They simply shared what they heard and what they experienced. Glorifying and Praising God together.
When you share the gospel, you are not doing so solo. What I mean by that is this - what the Shepherds said out loud fell on listening ears because of what God was actively doing. People wondered and pondered what they heard because God was at work on their hearts.
When you share your story with others - know that God is already at work on their hearts. The Holy Spirit has already been tilling the soil. What you plant may bud immediately - or it may just fertilize the soil. Doesn’t matter - this is God’s work, you are commissioned to witness to what He is doing.
So again I ask you - who have you shared the gospel with?
This is the Christmas season - people want good news, they want to experience joy— the time is now. Be bold!
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Amen.
