Angels and Shepherds

Luke 2:8–14 NKJV

8 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!”

Series on the Birth of Christ

There were multiple accounts of Angels at the Birth of Christ

I. Introduction

A. Angels and the Birth of Christ

The appearance of Zacharias, father of John ()

The appearance to Mary ()

The appearance to Joseph ()

And here, the angels appear to shepherds in a field

The Shepherds on the Hillside the Night of Christ’s Birth

They expected nothing unusual

They were just being faithful in their duties

There was nothing particularly noteworthy about these shepherds

they were not holier than other shepherds

Their names are not mentioned

The encounter with angels:

it was the encounter that made them stand out

not what they did, but what they experienced

The Message of the Angels to the Shepherds

II. Body

The Message Was Personal (vv. 10–11)

Spoke immediately to the needs of their hearts

They were afraid

The angel said “Fear not” - He calmed their fears

God meets us where we are ()

In their fields

while they were working

In their fears

Galatians 4:4–5 NKJV

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

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“Unto you … is born a Savior”

This Savior was near … available: “in the city of David”

The all-sufficient Savior: “which is Christ the Lord”

A Savior for shepherds … and other sinners

It was a personal message for them

It was a message they could share with all people

it was a message for us today

and it is just as personal to each of us today as it was to each of them

A Message of Praise (v. 14)

“Glory to God in the highest”

Singing God’s praise was not new to the angels

They had lifted their voices at creation ()

Job 38:7 NKJV

7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

They had seen the universe declaring His glory ()

Isaiah witnessed it in a vision:

Isaiah 6:1–3 NKJV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”

Isaiah 1:6–10 NKJV

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9 Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:

Isaiah 6:1–12 NKJV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, 12 The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

Psalm 19:1–3 NKJV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.

These angels were here to declare the glory of God’s salvation for us!

These angels

This is something worthy of praise!!

God’s highest glory is declared in His salvation

God’s highest glory is declared in His salvation

You glorify God when you receive Christ as your Savior

This is still your greatest act of praise

5. Heaven rejoices over every person coming to Christ ()

More than over 100 people not needing to repent

A Message of Peace (v. 14)

“On earth peace”

There had not been peace on earth since the fall of man

Now people can find peace with God ()

Romans 5:1 NKJV

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Made possible by the One in the manger

Christ would make peace at the cross for us all ()

Ephesians 2:13–14 NKJV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

c. Christ would make peace at the cross for us all ()

He has become our peace ()

There is peace in any area of life where Christ is king

we can have peace through the storms of life

even in times of uncertainty and peril

One day He will bring peace to all the earth

What the Shepherds Learned from the Angels:

They could know the Savior personally

They could have a walk with Him that would glorify God

They could have personal peace

Would you Like to Have What the Shepherds Found at the Manger?

The same Christ invites you to Himself today

Respond to His love