The Shocking Story of the Shepherds

Good morning, everyone and welcome to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Still got 50 50. Ask the audience or found a friend. So here's your question for 500,000 pounds. To which of the following did the angel announce the greatest news in human history the birth of God's son. Was it a senator's living in Rome? Be priests living in Jerusalem. See philosophers living in Athens or D Shepherds living out in the fails. So let's ask the audience.

Enough. We haven't yet and still touchpads. We will go by the ancient method of raising your hand.

So if you think the answer the question these Senators living in Rome, please raise your hand.

1 young men down here. Thank you.

If you think it's priests living in Jerusalem.

Same one again, you go stuff that you only have one choice urine went. All right, if you think it's philosophers living in Athens.

Okay, if you think it Shepherds living out in the fields. Wow, we have a majority opinion. Yes, the correct answer is Shepherds living out in the fails as almost everyone knows. We already read the record of the story. If you're listening carefully in the Gospel of Luke what you'll find in the Bible is one of four accounts of the life of Jesus that are a little copies of it on your face, but you're welcome to take away like that. If you want to follow where we going. It's page 7 in the little book here you go into the big Bibles beige page 102 7. This is just an exit Luke's gospel familiar Christmas carols while Shepherds watched their flocks by night or all the funny version 3 transfer has a child repeat Familia pictures on Christmas cards. The ones that at least have anything to do with the Christmas story, But in fact the story of the shepherd's he's actually a shocking story. It's the shocking story of the Shepherds if you never heard this story before

Or if you lived in Israel 2000 years ago when it happened you would have never chosen D Shepherds living out in the field. And if you've been God, you would never have chosen Shepherds living out in the field. Not because Shepherds were less important then send it to switch they were. Or less religious than priests which they were all less smart than philosophers.

Note for another reason which is kind of nice to us today because of popular mythology portrayed in paintings and Christmas cards with Shepherd's on them and Ro ho view Shepherds in our culture is colored by things like countryfile, but you have nice cuddly Shepherds holding not cuddly Lambs. If you know the Bible story The Bible you may recall that King David the greatest king of Israel started Life as a Shepherd boy, but over the thousand years since he left the reputation of taking it down to end badly in need of a makeover. You see the very nature of the outdoor Work men. They never got along to the temple in Jerusalem never went to the synagogue. That's such a dubious reputation that are rightfully Bantu giving evidence in court in his real because that would was so unreliable one ride to Cummins. They one lowlife uneducated types. You may know that lovely poem Christmas Carol by Christina Rossetti In The Bleak Midwinter and she poses a question. What should I give him poor as I am if I were a Shepherd, I would bring a lamb. It's a nice to it, but the answer probably was if I were a Shepherd I would steal alarm.

Yet we learned that it was Shepherds living out in the field to whom the Angelic choir around whom the glory of the Lord Shone here. We read on in the story that's not an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord Shone around them again with confused by puppy list ideas of angels Festival. We think Angels around every page in the Bible. They actually could very infrequently usually at times of great importance. After a 400-year. Of Silence will end up one Angel Gabriel by name appear to two people to it preschool Zechariah and the temple and its me bread to a young girl call Mary cell phone and that reaction is not what we might think we kind of think if you still remains that you probably go wow, can I get a selfie?

But whenever you see a real angel and sometimes I confuse cuz it could appear in human form fit when they appear in full Glory. The answer always is absolutely afraid and so we read about the Shepherds and a what terrified.

Surely there's been a serious slip up somewhere in the Heavenly flight control. They got the coordinates mixed up but there is no mistake. That's never any mistake an angel the Petrified Shepherds what the angel said to them do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause me great. Joy for all people good news, great. Joy for all people all people including people like Shepherds who are not very important. Not very religious. Not very bright. Not very good. So he's what we meant to take from this story. If it's good news for shepherd's it's good news for everyone of us here today. It's good news. For those of us who feel were unimportant. We kind of don't really care very much. It's good news to those West were frankly. I'm believing. Maybe if don't darken the door of the church, except for weddings and funerals and maybe something like a car was there was like today and you're very welcome news for those who get about get past a hundred pounds on millionaire and we never get past the auditions for Britain's Got Talent. I need good news for all of us. Everyone of us who are undeserving. The ones we really know in your heart of hearts with them things. Better wrong and semi with messed up our lives as we look back. So what is the good news the angel numbers 11, the angel says good news today in the town of David a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah the Lord I save you a rescuer. That's what we need someone to come and rescue is from the mess. We're in someone to forgive him put his right with God back in the relationship. We were made for the Shepherds find this savior this Messiah this Lord verse 12 this this will be assigned to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a Manger. The savior of The Rescuer has come from Earth to heaven in human form born as a tiny baby Emmanuel God With Us bone-in ham list of circumstances for the homeless people. No wonder the Heavenly Choir that gives full voice s13 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 on those on whom his favor rests on the bright lights of dimmed and the strength of Glory to God have died away. The shepherd's to determine to go and see Best 15 Wendy angels that left him and gone into heaven the shepherd set. The one in the lights go to Bethlehem. See this thing that has happened which the Lotus child is so they heard of the best. We have just a few miles down the road less sixteen. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby. He was lying in the manger. You see how the King of Kings been born in the palace that never got past the world had he been born

in the place of important said never got past the security guards, but he is in the Humble Home. And so they came and saw and they wish you the baby who they learn is cool Jesus meaning Savior and rescue and what did they do? Then? They went to open told everybody in this town the 17th, when they'd seen him. They spread the word concerning what I've been told him about this child and all of her they were amazed at what the shepherd center than the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that hurt and see which would just as that being told. She left to Shepherds. The Christmas invitation is for us to come and see to come and experience the good news or do use the Bible with gospel. Good news. Great. Joy for all people and the amazing thing is this is not this is not the end of the story. This is just the beginning of the Gospel good news the babies no longer in the manger the baby grew up to become a man. Actually a man who described himself as a shepherd. Come to seek and save the lost sheep. The rescue Las people like as an ancient Hebrew Prophet. I put it this way 700 years before he said we all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. In one of the stories those stories you told Parables Jesus describe the shepherd who lost one of his sheep and went and searched everywhere until he found it. Finally bring it home on your shoulders and calling all his name is to journeyman celebrating Rejoice with me. I found my lost sheep. But Jesus did more than just speak like sheep. He said of himself. I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And that's what the baby in Bethlehem did when he grew up and became a man. Dying on the cross outside the city of Jerusalem dying in our place to bring it back to God on The Darkest Day in human history, which reproduction equal Good Friday.

I'm going to declare this mission accomplished by raising him from the dead in the most amazing day in human history, which we call Easter Sunday. So not through Jesus God of his his forgiveness reconciliation with him. The office is life. It continues forever and your relationship which begins here on Earth. I'm not even in destroyed but continues in heaven forever. This really is good news the greatest possible news. It's an affected by political turmoil or financial crises, whatever happens with brexit. They won't affect this. Is good news of great joy not happiness happiness depends on what happens.

It's good news of great. Joy, which depends? Oh my God, it's 10 for Joy here enjoying the life to come and it is good news of great. Joy for all people all of us are included in this good news. No matter who we are no matter what you may have done in your life in the woods of the best-known verse in the Bible John 3:16 for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Is he hits The Ultimate Christmas gift the gift of God's son the Savior Messiah and Lord because he's a gift we can refuse A Christmas gift we can reject. He is the gift that we can reject as his own people did when he came to us. We already read the verse is in another account of the life of Jesus in The Gospel of John. It says he was in the world and though the world was made through him. The will did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own. But they did not receive him. Get to those who accept the gift. Black septum the wheel welcomes made members of God's family yet to all who received him to those who believed in his name. He gave the right to become children of God children born Add natural descent or human decision or husband's will but bone of God. So he's the final ultimate question but 1 million pounds. And you come phone to friend or ask the audience. Is it 50/50 choice will make will you reject him? but when you receive him at the end of after a few months when we've had some questions we going to sing out final Christmas Carol the elephant how it puts it the story. It says how silently how silently the wondrous gift is given. So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his Heaven. No EMA hear his coming but in this world of sin whammy Souls will receive him still the day Christ and his in the challenge is having heard. We remain with the without sheet. with us in but what do we Covenant count to the Savior? Who is Christ the lord the finals us to the Carol is really a prayer. Oh, holy child of Bethlehem descend to as we pray cast out Austin and entering be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings. Cello come to us about ride with us our Lord Emmanuel. What we sing this if you've never done it before. Why not make this your prayer. Thank you. I'm going to head back to David now.

Thank you again, Peter. nice-looking weather time so