The Shepherds: A Call to Praise
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Can you imagine what it must have been like? Can you imagine the angel appearing, then a whole host of angels appearing? I cannot imagine how great it must have been. Wow. That an angel would come to them with good news.
Over the past weeks we have been looking at how God sent angels to bring His call to certain individuals.
God had spoken to people in the past, but for the most part, the people did not want to hear from Him. They did not believe Him, they did not worship Him. They turned their backs on Him. So, He warned them, that there would be a time He would not speak. But, He also gave promises. Promises to show His love. Promises to restore His people. Promises to save them. This would begin with a new prophet who would prepare the people for the Lord. Then the Messiah, the chosen one, the promised savior would come.
It had been 400 years since the last prophet. Now God sent His angel to tell some of those who still believed His word, some who were waiting what He was about to do.
He was going to give His Call to them. The Call was both:
An announcement of what He was doing, and
an invitation to be a part of His work.
Zechariah: A Call to Prepare
Zechariah: A Call to Prepare
The first call was to Zechariah, one of the thousands of priests of His day. One who was not highly regarded because he and his wife were without children. His was a Call to Prepare.
God was preparing the people for His Chosen One, the Messiah, the Savior, Jesus Christ. To do this, God promised to send one like Elijah who would prepare people for Jesus' coming. Clear the obstacles! Clear away the things that come between you and God. God invited Zechariah to be a part of this, by giving him a son who would be this one who would call out in the wilderness like Elijah. But Zechariah did not believe. God worked anyway, and eventually Zechariah was able to share this great news with others.
Are we clearing away the obstacles that distract us from God?
Mary: A Call to Provide
Mary: A Call to Provide
The second call went to an ordinary girl in a small, unimportant town of bad reputation.
God was going to at last provide the savior He had planned for before the creation of the world. And, He was going to do this through Mary. Not because she was so special in herself. No, because God gave her great grace! An undeserved gift! She responded in faith, believing God, and prepared to serve Him.
Are we willing to be His servants to be a part of His providing salvation to the world?
Joseph: A Call to Protect
Joseph: A Call to Protect
The next Calls given by God through angels went to Joseph. God was going to protect His Character, and show Himself faithful to all the promises. God was going to Protect His Plan to provide the savior. God was going to protect His Purpose to be with mankind. He wanted Joseph to be a part of this work of Protecting. It was not an easy life. Joseph had a lot of hardships as he followed God. However, he did get to see God's Faithfulness to His promises... A son of David, born in Bethlehem, born of a virgin, called out of Egypt, called a Nazarene. God was Faithful to His promises, and Joseph got to be a part of that! Wow!
Are we ready to walk with God, and declare His Faithfulness as Joseph did, no matter the cost? Will we keep our eyes on Him? Will we share His faithfulness and help others see it? Or, will we impune His character, grumbling about the hardships of life and ignoring His Faithfulness as the Israelites did?
All of these people were ordinary people. What set them apart was not their wealth, the wisdom, their power, their status or importance. What set them apart was the grace of God. God gave them a precious gift, to be with them, and to use them as His servants.
The same is true of the next ones to receive a call from God. The Shepherds.
The Shepherds: A Call to Praise
The Shepherds: A Call to Praise
Today, we are going to consider four questions.
Why Shepherds?
What was God doing that He was announcing to the Shepherds, and in which He was inviting them to be a part?
What was the proper response?
What about me? Or, How does this apply to me?
First,
Why Shepherds?
Why Shepherds?
Shepherds were looked down upon even in that culture where sheep were so important. Shepherds were away from society. They smelled bad. They were perpetually unclean, and often unable to get to the temple to be purified. For some reason, they were not allowed to give testimony in court. Yet, it was to these outcasts of society to whom God gave His next call. Why?
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
God uses the Humble
God uses the Humble
Why Shepherds? God has a habit of revealing Himself and His salvation to the humble, ordinary people. Not the so-called wise, or religious. He looks for those who simply believe Him, and take Him at His word.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
God uses the Humble who will believe Him, taking Him at His word, and seek Him.
The Second Question:
What was God Doing?
What was God Doing?
So, God sends His Call to the Shepherds. Let's read again how this Call came about.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
This week, one phrase stood out to me as I pondered, "What was God Doing?" I have always focused on the Angel of the Lord appearing to them, and I think that improper focus is what kept me from seeing this before. Seeing what? What is the next phrase?
The Glory of the Lord Shone Around Them
What was God doing?
God was revealing Himself!
God was revealing Himself!
Think with me, what is the glory of the Lord? When do you see or hear of the glory of the Lord in the scriptures?
Exodus 16:7,10 when God revealed Himself to Israel in the cloud
Exodus 24:16-17 when God revealed Himself and His glory to Israel on Sinai
Exodus 40:34-35 when God revealed Himself and filled the tabernacle
Leviticus 9:6, 21; Numbers 14:10, 21; 16:19, 42; 20:6.
Later, when Solomon built the temple, the glory of the Lord filled the temple: 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 5:14; 7:1-3.
A passage which speaks of the glory of the Lord which I found especially interesting is Isaiah 40. Please turn in your bibles to that passage.
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
“In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
This is a passage we referred to a few weeks ago as we looked at God's Call to Zechariah, a Call to Prepare. This passage is speaking of Jesus' coming. Now, look at the next verse:
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the
LORD has spoken.”
At the coming of the Lord our savior, God's glory was to be revealed, and it was to be for all people.
Isn't hat the message the angel gave?
But the angel said to them, “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. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
This was not about the angel. This was not about the multitude of angels! As great as it would be, as beautiful and awe-inspiring that would be, it is not about that!! It is all about God's glory!
God is revealing His glory, and the proper response of angels and men is to worship!
Glory to God in the Highest!
So, how was God revealing His glory? Well, he specifically showed His glory to the Shepherds. Being at night, I believe it was likely a pillar of fire, like it was for the Israelites.
However, God was revealing His glory in another way. God was revealing His glory in a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger.
As I pondered this, I thought of something that was interesting to me.
I tend to think of God's glory being revealed in Creation.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
Creation shows His greatness, but that pales in comparison to the Incarnation
Creation precedes our rebellion
Incarnation follows our sin
Incarnation shows forth God's glory!
Incarnation shows forth God's attributes
Wisdom
Mercy
Grace
Love
Faithfulness
Justice
Power
Peace on Earth!
to Men on whom His favor rests!
God was revealing Himself, His glory to the Shepherds in the field, but to all the world, through this babe wrapped in swaddling clothes!
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
Jesus is the glory of the Lord! Jesus makes known to us, the glory of the Lord!
What is the Proper Response?
What is the Proper Response?
After the fired in the sky stopped, and the angels returned to heaven, what was the Shepherds' response?
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
The Proper Response is Seeking and Praising Him!
The Proper Response is Seeking and Praising Him!
The Shepherds sought for the glory revealed in the babe. They hurried and Sought!
Once they found Him, they praised God! They praised God and told others.
So, let's look back at our question and answers.
Why Shepherds? God uses the Humble
Why Shepherds? God uses the Humble
Why Shepherds? God uses the Humble who will simply believe Him, and Seek Him. That is exactly what they did.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
What was God doing? Revealing Himself
What was God doing? Revealing Himself
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the
LORD has spoken.”
What is the proper response? Seeking and Praising Him!
What is the proper response? Seeking and Praising Him!
What about me?
What about me?
God is revealing Himself still today. God is revealing Himself through Jesus, through the Word, through His Spirit who speaks to our hearts.
Seek out Him!
Seek His glory, not your own. Seek after Him, and His Kingdom
Seek His Peace. Nothing in this world will give you peace. He gives peace and rest for the weary.
Seek Him who gives you favor. In spite of who you are, in spite of all you have done, He takes pleasure in you, His creation, for whom He came.