When God Calls (Shepherds)

Well we don’t know what happened to the shepherds days or even weeks after their encounter with one born King of the Jews, but it’s easy to imagine that their experience could have brought them through seasons of both fear and faith, doubt and belief. The video began with the shepherds questioning what they had seen that night. And that is something that we do know something about. Reading from the 2nd chapter of Luke we find the story… ‌

Luke 2:8–14 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

It is not a familiar scene for us today, but that night the shepherds were simply doing what shepherds do. Living out among their sheep. Watching out for those in their care. Just like they did every night… and then something happened that changed everything. An angel of the Lord appeared with an announcement.

How do you imagine that scene unfolding.

Let’s try something. Close your eyes for just a moment. Now imagine it’s 2000 years ago and there you are dressed up in warm woolen garments, leaning on your staff and warming yourself by a small fire out on a hillside. It’s the dead of night and as the fire flickers you catch glimpses of your flock all around you. You can clearly hear their bleating and smell their… well you can smell them. Are you there? Can you picture it.

In the distance you see the dim lights of a sleepy little no-big-deal town called Bethlehem. As one of the other shepherds comments on how dark the sky looks tonight you notice that even the stars seem to struggle to push through the dark canopy that surrounds you.

And then in the stillness of that moment, as you take in another crisp breath.... BAM!.... The glory of the Lord knocks you to your feet and an angel starts talking to you.

You can open your eyes now. How did you picture that angel? Was he blindingly bright or did you see the detail of his form? Was he just a burst of unapproachable light or was he a dazzling mix of distinct color? Could you make out any of his figure? any of his face?

The Bible doesn’t give us much detail on what the angel looked like, only that the angel carried with him the glory of the Lord and so the initial response of the shepherds was great fear. That is always the human response when encountering the glory of the Lord. Not fear in the sense of something is about to destroy us, but fear in the sense that we are in the presence of something more powerful and glorious than we even know what to do with. God’s glory is always more than we can handle, at least in these bodies.

But what the Bible does give us great detail on is the content of the message. These angels were messengers. They were sent to deliver a message and they were very good at their job. So even though the initial response of the Shepherds was fear, that was not their only response.

Luke 2:15–20 (ESV)

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

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. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them

‌And that is the long and short of their story. No proper names are given. No updates on their lives found later in Scripture. Even though countless songs and stories have been loosely based on their role, these shepherds have just this one dazzling scene in the Advent story.

So what can we take from the Biblical record of these shepherds story? Well I’m glad you asked! This Christmas Eve we are going to look at three simple ways in which these shepherds can serve as examples in how to respond to the message of Advent, the arrival of Jesus.

The first one is to remember that…

When God Calls, Listen Up!

Luke 2:10 (ESV)

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Hearing vs. Listening

I don’t know about you but I remember my mother often accusing me of something called “selective hearing” when I was young. Anyone else struggle with this disability? Somehow my ears could never hear statements like “take out the trash” or “clean your room” but I could be three rooms away and hear clearly “dinner’s ready”.

Because “hearing” is the passive, involuntary process of perceiving sound while “listening” is an active, intentional effort to understand and interpret those sounds. Listening requires focused attention and engagement, making it a skill that can be developed over time. So “listening” is not less than “hearing”, it is more. It making sense of what you have heard and then acting on it.

This is what we see these shepherds doing. They heard, they understood (as best they could), and they responded. No selective hearing there.

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We see other examples in the New Testament of ones who “listened” (heard, understood, and responded) to Jesus. Many of Jesus’ first disciples are great examples of this, I think especially of Matthew. ‌In his Gospel account he recorded their first encounter with these brief words...

Matthew 9:9 (ESV)

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

A Roman tax collector was considered a traitor to the Jewish community. They likely treated him as an outcast, much like people might have treated the smelly ole’ shepherds. And Matthew also did more than just hear Jesus’ words. He“listened”. We know this because it caused him to make a very important choice.

He, like the shepherds before him, got up and went. Not to see the one laying in a manger, but to follow Him in an entirely new way to be human. Many people heard the voice of Jesus, but Matthew “listened”… and it changed the course of his life.

‌The theme of a shepherd with his sheep is very prominent throughout Scripture and specifically Jesus is called “the good shepherd” and at one point his detractors were questioning his authority and in response he said:

John 10:27 (ESV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Whatever your situation today, with whatever challenges you face this Christmas season, let me ask you to do this. Listen for the voice of God. This is not just about having good hearing, but about “listening” for his calling and responding by following Him wherever He leads.

When God calls, listen up and secondly tonight…

2. When God Calls, Saddle Up!

“Saddle Up!” It sounds like something you might have heard in a Western movie long ago. Or something your Dad announced when it was finally time to get in the car for a road trip. The imagery is simple, “It’s time to GO!” And that’s exactly what the shepherds did following that angelic choir concert! They “saddled up.”

Luke 2:15–16 (ESV) When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

Did you notice that no where in the message of the Angels where the Shepherds told to go anywhere? They were not told to go “now.” Or “tonight.” Or to “hurry.” They took it upon themselves to go. They didn’t wait for daybreak. Or breakfast. Or an Uber.

The were simply told what had happened and what they would find if they went looking for it. And in the spirit of the old western, they saddled up. They were simply told how they could find the child but they were never even told to go looking for Him. And considering it was in the middle of the night isn’t it interesting that they immediately just took off to find it.

All of that initiative was in response to the good news that they had heard.

Luke 2:11 (ESV)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

There’s another story in the New Testament where God spoke and a person was faced with a “saddle up” decision. Like the Shepherds, he was told exactly what he would find, but unlike the Shepherds he was directly told to go.

Acts 9:10–11 (ESV)

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,

Then down in verse 17 it says...

Acts 9:17 (ESV) So Ananias departed and entered the house.

W‌hile this story is not as significant as the Advent of Jesus, it is the beginning point of the Apostle Paul’s ministry. This man called Saul here, eventually would become known Paul in the Gentile world and he is the Apostle wrote more books in the New Testament than anyone else.

But I did skip over a rather important part of this “saddle up”story. Unlike the Shepherds who left immediately and expectantly to see Jesus… Ananias initially wanted nothing to do with this Saul guy. It was well known that Saul had come to Damascus to arrest Christians like Ananias and so he was not very excited about this calling that God had given him to go seek this guy out.

Acts 9:15 (ESV)

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

As we saw earlier, despite Ananias reservations, he did go. And the ministry of Saul/Paul was set in motion. A ministry that would change the world.

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The shepherds teach us there is no need to hesitate when God calls. When He shows us something that He is doing the best thing that we can do is to get on board as quick as possible. To “Saddle up”.

But Ananias shows us that though we may initially hesitate… and some of us are natural hesitate-rs… if we keep seeking God, He will give us the courage to follow through on what He has called us to do.

Because God doesn’t have a plan “B”. He doesn’t need one. God’s perfect plan is to use His people to change the world through their living changed lives. Changed in that our priorities that have been re-calibrated and our lives have been re-launched or “born again” to use Jesus’ exact words.

How might God be wanting to use you this Christmas season to change a part of this world? How might he be calling you to be and do something that might change someone else’s life and in turn change how you see the purpose of your own?

To play a part in this ride we first have to “Listen up” then “Saddle up” and lastly tonight…

‌When God Calls, Speak Up

Luke 2:17–18 (ESV)

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.

These faithful shepherds didn’t stop at simply “hurrying to see this thing that had happened.” Having seen, they were compelled to speak up. To tell the story of a baby Messiah. A story seemingly unbelievable, yet those hearing it “were amazed!”

These shepherds, as far as we know, never changed vocations. But they had become something else. Something more. They were now evangelists. An “evangelist” is simply someone who comes to bring good news. That is what the Greek word means and it was often used of a herald or town crier who would go from city to city with a message from the King. This is the role that these Shepherds were now playing, they were sharing the good news of the arrival of the Messiah Jesus and the people hearing it were amazed.

In Acts, chapters 6 and 7, there’s the account of another who was faithful to tell the story of this Messiah. Not of a baby born in the manger but of a recently crucified and resurrected Jesus. This faithful evangelists name was Stephen, but instead of his hearers being “amazed,” they chose a different reaction.

Acts 7:54–60 (ESV)

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him.

Stephen is considered the first Christian martyr. Because the message of the Gospel is not always received as the “good news” that it is. Jesus said that his “sheep” hear his voice and follow him… which is a distinction meaning that not everyone will hear his voice and follow Him. Some will hear his voice and run the other way.

This is a painful reality, but God never wastes a hurt. In fact, the very next verse connects with a story we have already looked at. For it says…

And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

‌Stephen would “speak up”- even with his last breath – in order to ask forgiveness for those seeking to take his life. Speaking up with the same heart as the Lord Jesus when he was being crucified on the cross. For Jesus asked the Father to receive his spirit and to forgive those who were crucifying him.

When God calls, the faithful speak up. Not to condemn. Not to point fingers of judgment. But to share the supernatural grace, mercy and love that Jesus came to show us.

I love the true Christmas story with Mary, Joseph, the Wisemen and Shepherds… but the arrival of Jesus is only a small part of the “good news”. We don’t just worship a baby born in a manger, we worship a crucified, risen and reigning Savior. One who faithfully lived he perfect life and died in our place so that we could be forgiven of our Sin and spend eternity with God.

And so yeah, like the shepherds in the video we too might have times when we are hit with doubts or discouragement over what we know to be true about our Savior, but that is where we need each other. We need to come together and encourage one another with the truth of His story and how it has impacted our story. To join with those faithful shepherds from a long ago starry night and speak of the good news of our Messiah, Jesus.

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Luke 2:20 (ESV)

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

When God calls… Listen up... Saddle up and ...Speak Up

Let’s stop and pray.