Called As Shepard

Intorduction

As we approach the Christmas season life again seems to become so busy doesn’t it? I am sure that most of you are doing shopping for relatives, or starting to plan for parties, or involved in different activities with family or the Church such as the Christmas play. It is a busy season we can all agree and sometimes it gets so busy that we just forget to stop breathe and say hello to Jesus and remember why we are celebrating this season in the first place.

Every year I tell myself and my wife. This year we are going to do a lot more Christmas activities and every year it seems as if the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas just flies by. You see if I want to take part in some Christmas festive activity there needs to be an effort made on my end to get up and go and do so. I cannot expect all the lights, candles, and fun activities to come to my doorstep whenever I give them a call.

There were some shepards who had to make the same decision. Let’s take a look at their story for a moment.

Luke 2:8–20 NIV

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 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. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

You see the shepards heard that a Savior had been born. The interesting is that the religious leaders knew, others knew. The high status people knew that Christ was to be born but they never took it upon themselves to go and see if the promise of the Messiah was true.

If I could give you a little background context on shepards it might change the way you look at this story. At one point in their lives shepards were regarded as higher status. The patriachs themselves would watch over their own flocks. As the Israelites were taking into captivity that view of shepards began to change. Farmers would look down on shepard and soon enough Israels view of was completely different. No longer was just anyone a shepard, but it was the lowly who would assume the position. The outcasts. It was not a saught after position.

]\…≥

־