Luke 2:8-20 "The Angels & The Shepherds"

Let’s Pray!

Good Morning, Calvary Chapel Lake City!

I hope you enjoyed the Missions update from Ethan.

With missions in mind… if you’re not aware… as a Church we support:

Right to Life of Northern Indiana

Behold Israel / Amir Tsarfati

I wanted to let you all know of a new missionary we are supporting as a church…

Annalise Harstine (Julie’s daughter) who is doing some great Bible translating work with Pioneer Bible Translators.

You can find out more info about Annalise and Pioneer over at the info table.

Well, let’s open our Bibles to Luke2. Luke 2:8-20 today.

Thus far in Luke, we have seen the Angel Gabriel appear to Zacharias… then to Mary…

Foretelling of two miraculous births…

Elizabeth who was barren and advanced in years… would miraculously bear the forerunner to Christ, John the Baptist…

And, Mary who was a young virgin… would give birth to Jesus the Messiah.

And filled with the Holy Spirit… they sang songs of praise to God.

We left off where Joseph and Mary, travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem…

In adherence to the decree from Caesar Augustus… for everyone to return to their city of origin for a tax census.

And to fulfill the prophecy of Mic 5:2 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea.

God’s Sovereign will be done… and historically… He has stirred the hearts of even pagan kings… to accomplish His purposes…

… working in the natural realm… to fulfill His supernatural purposes.

Today, we pick up looking the account of “The Angels & The Shepherds”… our message title today.

It’s a glorious account where the birth of the Savior is announced… good news is proclaimed… angels burst into song… and God is praised and glorified.

Well… let’s take a look at this passage, and in reverence for God’s word, if you are able, please stand as I read.

Luke 2:8–20 “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

Praise God for His word. Please be seated.

Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem of Judea at this time according to V4…

Where Jesus was born to humble parents… a carpenter and his young betrothed…

And entered the world humbly… there was no room for them in the inn… so Mary gave birth to Jesus… possibly in the lower level of a home where animals were kept at night…

… and “laid him in a manger” (a feeding through for animals).

And Luke takes his narrative from one humble scene to the next…

From the manger of the Lord… to the Shepherds in the field.

And, this is thematic in Luke’s Gospel… Luke draws attention to the humble and the lowly… because the good news is for all… not just the societal elite or the religious authorities.

When God choses people… He looks NOT at outward appearance, but on the heart…

He chooses foolish things of the world…

Mary sang in Luke 1:52 “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.”

Thus… it’s not surprising that Shepherds… of all people… would be visited by the heavenly.

V8 states “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields”…

In this same hill country of Judea… somewhere near Bethlehem… after the birth of Christ…

… the scene shifts to those who would care for the flock… Shepherds.

Humble men… low in the societal rankings… poor.

Looked down upon as ceremonially unclean for all the time they spent working with animals…

The Jewish Talmud Sanhedrin 25b… lists shepherds as potentially being disqualified from bearing legal witness… even “considered like robbers.”

If there were anyone in the Christmas story that we should relate to… it’s these shepherds… lowly, unclean, looked down upon… and yet the Gospel first goes to these.

Now these shepherds, because of their close proximity to the Temple in Jerusalem… were thought to have cared for the Temple flock.

The Jewish Mishnah Shekalim 7:4 states, “Most of the animals in Jerusalem were designated for offerings...”

So, there’s a strong possibility these shepherds cared for lambs used in Temple sacrifices… even Passover Lambs.

And, perhaps some of you are thinking of symbolic parallels…

Jesus, the Lamb of God… our Passover Lamb… will be first visited by shepherds who care for the Temple flock.

Is that just coincidence? Or is there a connection?

I see a connection… as God identifies with the role of the Shepherd.

There is an interesting thread woven through scripture… connecting the role of the Shepherd from David… to Jesus… to leaders of the Church… and to Yahweh God Himself.

And, David serves as a typology… a ‘type’ of Christ… foreshadows Jesus in significant ways:

David was a humble shepherd boy…from Bethlehem… the “City of David”… where Jesus was born.

David was a good shepherd who cared for his flock… even willing to lay down his life from dangers of the lion and bear (1 Sam 17:34-36).

Just as Jesus, THE Good Shepherd truly laid down His life for His sheep… to save them from the penalty and power of sin.

In John 10:11 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

Jesus guides, protects, and gave all for the flock as a Good Shepherd does.

David was also anointed as king of Israel.

Samuel was directed by God in 1 Sam 16… to anoint a king over Israel to replace Saul.

So David was anointed as king over Israel… but the ultimate Anointed One would come 1,000 years after David… the Christ born in Bethlehem.

The Hebrew word for “anointed” is the root word for “Messiah” Heb. mashiach “The Anointed One.”

And, Peter preached in Acts 10:38 that “… God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power...”

Further, the LORD said to David in 2 Sam 5:2, “You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’”

And David became the shepherd-king over Israel… anointed to rule with justice and righteousness…

But one was prophesied to come after David. God made a covenant with David… promising, “I will set up your seed after you… I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever...” (2 Sam 7)

And, of Jesus Gabriel prophesied in Luke 1:32-33 “… the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Partially fulfilling the David Covenant promised in 2 Sam 7 in Jesus First Coming…

Ultimately fulfilled in Jesus’ Second Coming as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16) who will establish His eternal kingdom.

David also faced various trials, suffering, and persecution at the hand of Saul, but was victorious… foreshadowing Jesus’ suffering at the cross and victory over sin and death.

But David was not perfect… he was only a shadow of perfection to come…

David was tempted and sinned… but David knew to look to the LORD… who was even David’s Shepherd.

David wrote in Psalm 23:1-3 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

David wrote that Psalm possibly when his son Absalom rebelled… and David… in his time of despair looked to the Shepherd over all to provide rest and guidance… protection… food… and fellowship.… all reflected in that Psalm.

Even as the shepherd-king… David recognized that he personally needed to look to the LORD as his shepherd.

Some 400 years after David’s death… Ezekiel prophesied of a shepherd who will rule over Israel during the Millennium.

Ezekiel 34:23 declares, “I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.”

With David already being dead, some think this points to One from the line of David… Jesus… the Messianic “Son of David”… who would be established as this “Good Shepherd” who would feed the flock of God… and be their “prince.”

Others, like Amir Tsarfati, hold that during the millennium… when all saints are resurrected to reign with Christ (the first resurrection mentioned in Rev 20:4-6)…

At that time… OT king David will be resurrected to rule over Israel again as their shepherd-king… of course serving and submitting to the King of KINGS… Jesus Christ… who rules over the entire earth… who is, as Ezk 34:31 states, God… and the flock is His.

Either way… David the “shepherd-king” stand as a shadow of the One to come… the Ultimate Shepherd-King.

And, Jesus is He. The King who delivers those who come to Him in faith… first saving from sin.

“The Good Shepherd” as identified in Ezk 34:23… fulfilled in Jesus Christ… The good shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.

Perhaps this week study Ezekiel Chapter 34… which contrasts False Shepherds to God… and tells of the True and Good Shepherd.

Amir Tsarfati titles Ezk Chapter 34 as “There’s a New Shepherd in Town”!

Because, as he put it... the amateur shepherds really botched things up… and He was stepping in and taking over.

Moody, in Ezk 34, outlined the “I will’s” of God, the Good Shepherd on behalf of His sheep.

From vv 11-16 God declares: I will search them and seek them out. … I will deliver them. … I will bring them out. … I will gather them together. … I will bring them in. … I will feed them. … I will cause them to lie down. … I will bind up the broken. … I will strengthen the sick.

And, this is the God of the OT… NOT a harsh and unloving God… but a Good Shepherd.

As is Jesus… seen in His declaration “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”

And right after Jesus declared that… in Matt 18:12-14, Jesus gave the Parable of the Lost Sheep:

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

And, is it therefore any surprise that Jesus would expect the leaders of His church to also Shepherd His flock?… to seek and save the lost… to rejoice over the one who has gone astray who is returned to the fold?

This calling to Shepherd… is seen in the words of Christ when restoring Peter… “Feed My lambs”… “Tend My sheep”… “Feed My sheep”…

The Gk word for Shepherd is poimēn used 18x in the New Testament… 17x translated as “shepherd” (one who tends flocks or herds)… and 1x translated as “Pastor” (one who spiritually tends to God’s flock).

That 1x appears in Ephesians 4:11–12 and reads, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…”

After Jesus ascended He gave to the church gifts… and some gifts were the calling He placed upon some to lead His people…

And, the role of Pastor-Teacher… is to Shepherd and to instruct… to feed and to lead spiritually.

This is the calling placed on my life… and I take it very seriously.

James 3:1 warns “My brethren let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”

I take that to heart… I study to show myself approved unto God… rightly dividing the word of truth…

… To feed and guide the flock…

As opposed to the false shepherd and false teacher… who seeks to fleece the flock and lead it astray.

Which goes as far back as the OT.

Zechariah 11:17 declared, “Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.”

So… if you’re feeling called to Shepherd… do understand there is a higher expectation… and a stricter judgment…

For the words you say… and for how you care for God’s flock.

For the role of the Pastor… is as of a Shepherd…

One God personally identifies with… and has used repeatedly in Scripture to point to the Coming One… the Good Shepherd… Jesus Christ.

So… is it just a coincidence that Angels in Luke 2… visits the Shepherds in the field… to declare the good news of the birth of the Savior…?

I think not. I think this was very symbolic…

Shepherds will visit the Lamb of God who would become our Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd who would seek and save those of low origin and reputation… just as these Shepherds in the field were.

Just as He did for each and every one of us sitting here… lost sheep who needed a Shepherd… a guide to the wells of salvation.

Praise God for His grace.

Well… back in Luke… these Shepherds in V8… one thing that could be said of them is they were faithful to watch their flock.

We read they were “… living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

They were not sleeping. They were keeping watch. They were living out in the fields.

We read nothing that would indicate they were untrustworthy… as some in the culture may think of them.

Some use the Shepherds being in the fields at night as a proof text against December 25th being the date of the birth of Christ.

They say it was too cold in Judea in December for Shepherds to be watching the flock at night.

And, while we don’t know exactly when Jesus was born… you can look up the average temperature in Bethlehem in December and the lows are around 47 degrees…

Which was tolerable for hardy Shepherds.

Now… the thought of shepherds watching the flock at night… may draw your mind to imagery of an ancient practice…

… where the sheep were brought into the sheepfold at night… which was a walled enclosure with a single entrance…

And, the Shepherd would position himself across the entrance… literally becoming the door… to protect the sheep from predators and thieves.

And… in John 10:7 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

Jesus used this familiar image as a metaphor… to teach about His identity and mission.

He is the Good Shepherd who guides, nurtures and protects His followers… His flock

And, He is the “door”… the only means by which one can enter His sheepfold… He is the only way to salvation.

Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved...” John 10:9

So, again… lot’s of symbolism and connection… God could have sent the angels to anyone…

To one of the main Jewish sects… the Pharisees (the religious elite)… or the Sadducees (the aristocrats)… or even the High Priest Himself…

But He didn’t… He very intentionally chooses shepherds… who were more faithful in watching their sheep at night…

Then the religious Pharisees of the day. In fact in Matt 23… Jesus pronounced Seven Woes upon the teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees…

And the first woe was Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

These priests and teachers were blind guides who professed to teach God’s will, but they were far from it.

They believed in strict adherence to mosaic law to earn salvation by good works and self-righteousness… essentially faith in themselves.

And, by doing so they misled the people from entering into the kingdom of God through faith in the Messiah… the door to the sheepfold.

They were false shepherds… not worthy to receive the prophetic message from on high.

God instead chooses the Shepherds in the field… to receive the visitation from the Angel of the Lord.

Look again at vv V9 “And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.”

Often when God sends His angels… of when God appears as a theophany or in some form like a “cloud by day” and “fire by night”…

The human response is fear. Which is understandable… most of us would respond with some sense of reverential awe mingled with a fearful emotion…

And, when this happens to those God is visiting with a message of peace… or a calling upon their lives…

The common instruction from God or an angel is “Do not be afraid”… or “Fear not.”

It’s greatly comforting that this message is repeated so often in scripture… that God desires for us to hear His message… or behold what we can handle of His veiled presence.

If fear is a struggle in your life… I encourage you to be in His presence as often as you can… in the presence of His word… in His presence during prayer… in His presence as you worship Him…

… for He is the one who tells us, “Do not fear.”

These Shepherds… in the midst of the night… as they faithfully watched over their sheep… are at first visited by a single Angel.

This angel is not named by Luke. Perhaps the shepherds were not given a name… or did not relay that information to Mary…

… who is likely Luke’s source for this account. The shepherds, for that matter, are not named either.

Obscure to us, but no doubt known to God.

But, more important then the names of either angel or shepherds… was the message.

Luke draws focus to the message which points to the Christ.

“Suddenly” an Angel appears… with the glory of the Lord shining around them.

The dark of the night is now illuminated by God’s glory… which sometimes, but not always happens, when angels visit people.

Interesting, Luke did not write of a glorious light in chapter 1 when Gabriel visited Zacharias or Mary.

Nor to Abraham when the LORD and two angels visited him in Gen 18.

But, light indeed shone at this announcement of Christ’s birth… when the gospel is shared…

And, two more times in the New Testament…

At Jesus’ resurrection at the empty tomb… the Angel of the Lord’s appearance was “like lightning” and declares “He is risen.”

Which is important to the Gospel… as the resurrection is the proof of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

And, in Acts 12… when Peter was in prison “an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison.”

Which would allow for Peter’s release to continue his ministry of proclaiming the Gospel.

And, certainly the proclaiming of the Gospel is worthy of the “glory of the Lord" shining during these significant moments.

Then… in V10… the angel provides comfort… we read again in V10 “Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”

The angel first ministers to these shepherds…… first easing their fears… telling them, “Do not be afraid...”

This was a time for rejoicing, not a time for fear.

Then he ministers to them spiritually to bring them “good tidings of great joy”…

“Good tidings” in Gk is “yoo-ang-ghel-id´-zo [ĕuaggĕlizō]… meaning “to announce good news”…

This is the root word for “the gospel”… from which we get our english word “evangelize.”

And the angel states brings a message of good news “for all people”…

And vv 10-11 will serve as a foundational message for the entirety of Luke’s gospel… as he will show many accounts of the good news message going out to Jew and Gentile alike… for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

So what was this good news message?

V11 “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Born on this day… in the City of David (Bethlehem of Judea)…

… a birthplace that fulfilled the Messianic expectations of Mic 5:2.

V11 is a abbreviated study on “theology”… the study of God.

As this verse proclaims that Jesus is “Savior, Christ, and Lord.”

The Savior, Gk sōtēr - a deliverer… has entered the world.

And, “Savior” reflects upon His name “Jesus” which means “Jehovah is salvation.”

He is “Christ the Lord”… which surprising is a phrase that only appears here in the entirety of the NT.

It gives the sense that Jesus is “Messiah God.”

“Christ” Gk. Christos… meaning “the anointed One” or “Messiah”… the One foretold by the Prophets sent to redeem all who believe in Him.

And He is “Lord”… Gk kuriŏs… meaning “master” pointing to His supreme authority as God… who was born… therefore He is God manifest in flesh.

The “angel of the Lord” was sent… the “glory of the Lord shone”… for “Christ the Lord” was born.

Jesus is Lord over all creation… and the Good News is He stepped into His creation… to save His creation from sin… and to redeem His creation back into relationship with God.

And the really Good News is that this comes by faith… and not by the impossibility of good works through law keeping as the people had been misled to believe.

And, it may be that God’s choice of the shepherds as the first recipients of the Gospel… may be Luke’s way of showing God’s mind… of favoring the humble… even those outcasted.

Jesus opened the Sermon on the mount teaching, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:3)

Would the religious prideful had any room in their heart to receive the Good News of the Messiah’s birth? Probably not.

But… Shepherds who were outcasts would easily recognized their lack of worth to stand in God’s presence… they were poor in spirit…

Yet because of God’s grace… and their lack of spiritual pride… they were blessed with the Good News.

And, in V12 the angel continues, “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Just as we read in V7 last week… Jesus was born in a stable for animals… some think a cave… some think the first floor of a Jewish home (which was reserved for animals).

And there was nothing glamourous about this setting…

He was wrapped in strips of cloth and was lying in a manger…

Jews also wrapped their dead in “strips of cloth”… perhaps even in His birth… His death was foreshadowed.

And, He was lying in a feeding trough. A very humble beginning.

These things would serve as a sign… for everything about this scene was unusual…

They would not expect the all powerful “Savior, Christ, the Lord” to come in the form of a baby.

Most Jews expected a conquering King… who we expect in Jesus Second Coming… riding a white horse… eyes like a flame of fire… on His head many crowns… in righteousness Judging and making war… wear a robe dipped in blood… coming with His armies in heaven… Rev 19

So… it was a sign to look for a “babe wrapped in swaddling cloths” … lying in a manger… an unusual place to find a newborn child indeed.

And though unusual… this was a very natural sign… supernatural glory was not shining on the manger… Jesus was not glowing… angels were not visible…

And often God gives us supernatural signs in very natural ways.

I remember the signs He gave me… the first time I prayed… when He told me to give away my car… when He stirred our hearts to plant this church… very natural signs that I did not dismiss.

Pay attention to signs… they guide our way.

And, as much as this was a sign for them… it also testifies to the world that Jesus came for all… humbly He came…

He’s not out of reach… He stooped down to us… entering creation… NOT at first as King on the throne, but as a Babe in a Manger.

This is a great sign for all mankind that your social status… your religious good works… your prosperity… NONE of these are of any concern…

… to the Babe in the Manger who was first testified of to the Shepherds in the field.

He came for all who have room for Him… in the inn of their hearts.

For all who are not so full of themselves… who can humble themselves before Him to recognize they need a Savior… and trust in Him to save them from sin.

Spurgeon wrote: “If Jesus Christ was born in a manger in a rock, why should he not come and live in our rocky hearts? If he was born in a stable, why should not the stable of our souls be made into a habitation for him? If he was born in poverty, may not the poor in spirit expect that he will be their Friend?”

And upon the good news being proclaimed to the Shepherds… suddenly… as one scholar put it… “heaven’s pent-up ecstasy broke forth” as we read in vv 13-14…

vv 13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

What a glorious scene. At this point I’m sure several of the shepherds were so overwhelmed by all they were beholding…

It’s a rare occurrence in scripture to read about angels praising God is what we take as song.

Isaiah is the only one in the OT to have heard such song.

Isaiah 6:3 “And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”

These Shepherds are the only one’s to have this rare privilege in the Gospels… to hear an angelic song.

And it won’t until the heavenly scene of Revelation 5… a new song is sang worshipping the Lamb who alone is worthy to take the scroll…

Rev 5:11–12 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

And We… the church will have the privilege to join in that Revelation song.

These shepherds… see “a multitude” of angels… is that “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands”?

A vast number… perhaps even innumerable… of “heavenly hosts”… enter our world from heaven… and become visible to the Shepherds…

And they burst forth into song… and this “song of the angels” is often referred to as "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" which is an Latin phrase meaning "Glory to God in the highest."

Further they proclaim “peace, goodwill toward men!”

“Peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

At the end of Luke chapter 1… as Zacharias closed out his song… he too sang of peace that was purposed in Messiah’s visitation.

Luke 1:79 “To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

There remain many people today who are spiritually dead… they are seated in darkness…

They have been misled by any number of messages from the world and the enemy… they are on a broad way leading to destruction…

In Zacharias’ song, he referred to Messiah as the “Dayspring”… Lit. the “Dawn”…

Because Christ’s coming is likened to the dawn… the sunrise… the first light of day that breaks the darkness.

And Messiah… the dayspring has come as a guide… as a Good Shepherd… guiding the feet of many… to the narrow way… which is the way of peace.

With Messiah now being born… there was a way to have peace with God… and to know the peace of God… through trusting in Jesus Christ.

The way of peace is available for all people, but it must be received as a gift through faith.

Continuing in V15 “So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

The angels depart… returning to heaven… what a fascinating detail…

Angel in Gk. is aggelos, and it means “a messenger”… and the Shepherds recognize the angels as just that… “as messengers”… for they state the “Lord has made known to us.”

The angel brought forth the message of Good News… and the Shepherds with great insight recognize the message is from the Lord.

And they unanimously agree to go to Bethlehem…

As “good shepherds”… one of them, I’m sure, had to stay behind to watch the flock…

I’d hate to be that one… who drew the short straw!

But the rest, they hurried to go… “with haste” V16 states…

They were excited to behold for themselves… the Messiah born as a babe… wrapped in swaddling cloths… lying in a manger.

And, considering the signs… How could you not make haste and go to Bethlehem to see for yourself?

If you were raised in a culture that lived in expectation of Messiah’s return… whom OT prophets foretold of… and now a sign was staring you at the face that He had come…

How could you NOT go investigate?

Easy. Complacency. Comfort in religion. Self-righteousness.

Which was exactly the state of the religious leaders. In Matthew chapter 2… when a great caravan of wise men came from the east… asking “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes… and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

And they didn’t skip a beat… they knew… “In Bethlehem of Judea” and they quoted Mic 5:2.

BUT… they… unlike the Shepherds… did not travel the short distance from Jerusalem to Bethlehem (5-6 miles) to investigate.

When all you have is knowledge of scripture and you use it as a tool… instead of allowing it to sanctify your soul…

… you miss the Messiah… pride doesn’t like to leave it’s high tower… to walk into the hill country of the Lord.

And, no doubt this is just one more reason the Shepherds were chosen over the religious elite for the visitation from the Angels… to hear the proclamation of the Gospel… and the song “Gloria” sung by them.

vv 16-17 “And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. [Just as declared by the angel] 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.”

To live in the day and age when Messiah was born on earth… what a privilege the eyes of these shepherds had to gaze upon the Coming One… the Dayspring… the Messiah.

And, they don’t keep this to themselves. They tell everyone of the events that happened that night.

“An angel came to us… and there was a light brighter than any light we’ve seen at night… and the angel told us a babe would be lying in a manger in Bethlehem… and He was the Savior… Christ the Lord.”

They “go tell it on the mountain… over the hills and everywhere… that Jesus Christ was born.”

You know… I suggested like three Christmas songs to my wife to sing that would have gone with this message…

... I think we got one to close, but not three.

She wasn’t feeling Christmas in October.

I like this reflection from Tom Constable… he wrote, “… these shepherds represent all people of lowly origin and reputation, who receive the gospel by God’s grace and proclaim it joyfully to others.”

When you’ve had an authentic encounter with God… how can you not go and tell everyone the good news of Jesus Christ?

I love the ending of the account with the Demonic in Gadara… who was delivered from a legion of demons…

The demons went into a herd of swine and they ran into the sea and drowned… making the people of that area asked Jesus to leave… remember that account?

The man who was delivered begged to follow Jesus… but we read in Mark 5:19–20 “However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.”

And the next time Jesus returned to that region… people were lining up to see Him.

There’s great power in the testimony of one who has been touched by the hand of the Lord and believes.

When I was baptized with the Holy Spirit in 2012… I was delivered from alcoholism… for the first time I really understood and had a passion for His word…

He gave me power to be a witness for Him… and I left my nets and followed Him… and I tell people about Him every chance I get.

And your testimony coupled with the gospel of Jesus Christ is a message that needs to be “made widely known”… just as the shepherds did in our scene today.

Don’t hide your light under a bushel.

vv 18-19, “And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” [just like they did at the testimony of the man healed in Decapolis] 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The people of Bethlehem hear the testimony of the Shepherds and marveled… they were amazed.

They probably wondered, “Has the Messiah really come? Is the long awaited time now?”

And, I love the verses about Mary… and how she takes in the amazing things she hears and sees… and treasures them and ponders them… in her heart…

Ponder means “to throw together” or “combine” and this is a great practice in discerning the will of God… and how He is leading.

Pay attention to and don’t write off themes and God stories.

Wait on the Lord and pay attention to how He moves. What doors does He open or close? How does He stir your heart?

How is the Holy Spirit leading you?

If He is silent, Wait. And, when He clearly opens a door, go.

And for Mary… she would need to store up all of these things… for they would also carry her through the hard times…

… and many were ahead as she would also behold the passion and cross of her Son… our Savior.

As Simeon would prophecy to her in V35 “… yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also…”

But, Mary’s practice of meditating upon these significant events would prepare her for what lie ahead… as it does for us too.

(Worship team please come).

Our scene today closes in V20 “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

As these Shepherds exit the scene, returning to their flock…

They are on a spiritual high… glorifying and praising God…

For unexpectedly… their ears had heard… and their eyes had seen many things this night…

… angels of course, but of most significance… the Messiah babe lying in a manger.

Psalm 19:14 reads, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

For these Shepherds… on this night… I’m sure their glory and praise to God was acceptable indeed.

Let it be said so for us as well.

Let’s Pray!

What a beautiful account and what a beautiful theme of shepherds woven through scripture… pointing to our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.

If you need to bring anything before Jesus in prayer… we will have men and women on the sides to pray with you before you go.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’

God bless you as you enter the week ahead.