Do You Know What I Know?

Big Idea: God uses ordinary people, in ordinary places, to spread extraordinary news. Text: Luke 2:8–20

INTRODUCTION — EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT CHRISTMAS… BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS JESUS.

What’s one of the greatest gifts you’ve ever been given?

Everybody knows something about Christmas—lights, trees, Elf on the Shelf, Mariah Carey’s daily royalty check—but not everyone knows the truth that changes lives.

I love Christmas. The lights, the food, my grandma’s toffee—seriously, if the FDA knew what was in that stuff it’d be locked behind the pharmacy counter. But behind all the sparkle and sugar is a story that didn’t start with influencers, kings, or religious experts.

It started with shepherds.

We know the Christmas story well… maybe too well. It becomes familiar. But tucked right inside that familiar story is something shocking—who God chose to tell first.

Luke 2:8–9 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 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.

GOD CHOSE THEM

Of all the people God could have announced the birth of Jesus to… He chose shepherds (like David) the last group anyone would expect to be invited to the most important birth announcement in history.

Biblically, shepherds weren’t just “blue collar”; they were often considered unclean, unreliable, ceremonially unfit, and socially unwanted.

They were necessary… yet ignored.

And yet God chose them on purpose.

Why?

God delights in elevating the overlooked.

God could have filled the palace… but instead He filled the pasture. He could have shown up in the Temple… but He showed up in the fields.

Why?

Because God wanted to make a statement:

“The good news of Jesus isn’t reserved for the spiritual elite. It’s for the broken, the tired, the unseen, and the ordinary.”

God wanted the first witnesses to understand the message.

These weren’t just random shepherds. They were Bethlehem shepherds—raising the sacrificial lambs used in the Temple.

God didn’t tell the kings about the King. He told the lamb-keepers about the Lamb.

They were the only ones who could fully understand the significance of a baby placed in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths—the same way their lambs were wrapped to keep them without blemish.

This wasn’t an accident. This was heavenly strategy.

God was modeling His Kingdom values.

The Kingdom of God moves from:

· low to high

· small to great

· ordinary to extraordinary

· the world’s “least likely” to God’s “exactly who I want.”

If you’ve ever felt overlooked, unseen, underestimated, or unqualified… Christmas is your story. God chose them — and He still chooses people like you.

The Lamb-keepers met the Lamb of God.

God chose them and He still chooses people like you.

GOD POSITIONED THEM

Luke 2:15–16 ESV

15 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.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

The shepherds weren’t just working — they were strategically placed.

Shepherd fields were the “crossroads” of the ancient world.

Travelers going to Jerusalem passed right through those fields. Merchants, families, religious pilgrims — everyone walked past the shepherds.

They were like the social network of the first century.

If you wanted information to spread fast, you told the shepherds.

God places His people where His message needs to go.

God doesn’t assign your relationships randomly. You are where you are on purpose:

· Your job

· Your family

· Your gym

· Your friend circle

· Your neighborhood

· Your classmates

· Your social feeds

You think you’re “just” working a job. You’re “just” going to school. You’re “just” raising kids. You’re “just” part of a group text.

But God sees you as positioned.

You have access and influence that no pastor on a stage has.

God uses relationship

This is His primary method of spreading the gospel.

The shepherds didn’t have microphones. They didn’t have buildings. They didn’t have an online strategy, lights, or music.

They had:

· their story

· their relationships

· their excitement

· their awe

· their everyday conversations

And that was enough.

The gospel has always moved fastest through ordinary people in ordinary places saying ordinary words about an extraordinary Savior.

GOD SENT THEM

Luke 2:17–18 ESV

17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

The gospel is meant to be experienced, then expressed.

Their order was:

1. Hear the message

2. See Jesus

3. Share the news

In that exact order.

You cannot give away what you haven’t experienced personally.

When Jesus becomes real to you, silence stops being an option.

The shepherds didn’t return to the fields saying:

· “Well… that was cool.”

· “We should form a committee about this.”

· “Let’s wait for someone more qualified.”

They returned glorifying and praising God, and “everyone who heard it was amazed.”

They weren’t trained. They weren’t polished. They weren’t theologians.

They were available. And God used their availability to spark awe in others.

God is still sending His people today.

You’re not just a Christian — you’re a carrier of hope. You’re a messenger of forgiveness. You’re an ambassador of grace.

You don’t have to preach a sermon. You just have to share what God has done in you — and extend an invitation.

God isn’t asking you to be impressive. He’s asking you to be obedient.

THE SHEPHERDS’ MESSAGE — WHAT WAS THE GOOD NEWS?

Luke 2:10–11 ESV

10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

We can’t talk about sharing the message unless we’re clear on what the message actually is.

The angel said: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people… A Savior has been born… Christ the Lord.”

Here’s the heart of it:

1. We needed a Savior.

2. God came to us. 3. Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn’t live. 4. He died the sacrificial death we deserved. 5. He rose from the dead to give us new life.

Anyone—no matter your past, background, mistakes, or questions—

That is the message the shepherds ran to tell. God has come near. Salvation is here. Hope has a name and His name is Jesus.

That same message is still changing lives today.

SO WHO WILL HE USE NOW?

How many of you first came to know Jesus because a friend or a family member invited you to church? (Observe the hands. Let it settle.) That is the power of an invitation.

God told the shepherds first because He knew they wouldn’t keep it to themselves. They were ordinary people with extraordinary news.

And so are we.

God has placed you in your field—your relationships—not by accident. There are people in your life who don’t know what you know… They don’t know the hope, peace, forgiveness, and freedom you’ve found.

One invitation could change someone’s eternity.

Some of you are here today because someone invited you… and that invitation changed your life.

Who needs that from you this week?

Update on seating

Church — I’ve got great news! Our Christmas services are filling up faster than ever before. That means more people hearing about Jesus. Come on — that’s worth celebrating!”

“With that incredible demand, we want to make sure every seat becomes a story God can use.”

“Some of us — totally understandable — reserved multiple service times because we weren’t sure which one we could attend.”

“If you already know which service you’re planning to attend… would you help us by canceling the others? It frees up room for more people to hear the message of hope this Christmas.”

“You can cancel right in the confirmation email or talk to our team in the lobby — and we’ll help you in about 20 seconds.”

“And if you haven’t reserved a seat yet — don’t panic! We have open seating at every service and historically a good number of no-shows.”

“The best way to secure your seat is simply to come early. Doors open ___ minutes before service — get here, grab a cocoa, and our team will take care of you.”

“As seats open up, we’re working to reopen additional reservations — so check social media and our website for the most up-to-date info.”

“Thank you for helping us make room for more people to encounter Jesus this Christmas!”

CONCLUSION — “LET’S GO AND see/tell

Luke 2:15–16 ESV

15 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.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

They didn’t wait. They went. And because they went, others heard.

This week thousands will walk through our doors for the Christmas production. Some are hurting. Some are searching. Some are hanging on by a thread. Some haven’t been in church in years. God may have placed you in their life for this exact moment.

So church, like the shepherds: Let’s go. Let’s tell. And let’s watch what God will do.

RESPONSE/Invitation

Pray for boldness to invite. Pray for one person by name to bring with you. And if you don’t know Christ—today, you can meet the Savior the shepherds met.