The Characters of Christmas- Shepherds y Angels

Introduction:

Imagine with me. It is the end of summer the sheep have been placed in the corral and the shepherds have made a fire and are now laying down by the gate to keep the sheep safe.

Yet here on this quiet night we see an army of angles coming to bring news of the Savior being born first to these poor shepherds!

Let’s take a look at this passage of Scripture and see what God has for us today!

Luke 2:8–20 NKJV

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 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. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 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.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

1. The appearance of the angles to the shepherds. (vv. 8-12)

Explanation:

Shepherds spent most of their time in the fields with the sheep taking care of them and making sure they are safe. The shepherds are considered the outcast of society.

As a matter of fact if someone was walking by a pit and there was a shepherd that had fallen into the pit, the religious leaders said it was acceptable to ignore the shepherd and leave him in the pit.

They were not even welcome to worship in the temple with the rest of the people. Because they could not keep the ceremonial laws of washing. Their flocks keep them too busy.

Augustine once said “If you believe what you like in the gospel and reject what you don’t like; it’s not the gospel you believe, but yourself”

Application:

God gave the first message of the birth of his son to common shepherds. Many people would look at these men as sinners.

What a great picture this is of the salvation to come! Christ came to call sinners to repentance, It is perfect that the first announcement that was given was to sinners!

Luke 5:31–32 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 NKJV

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Next, number 2

2. The praising army (vv13-14)

Explanation:

This had to of been an amazing sight! We see an entire army of angles, ten thousand times ten thousand, appearing too these shepherds! no wonder they were afraid!

Notice tho that the angels did two things here in these verses.

They cried out for glory to be given to God

Who is the highest possible being.

Who lives in the heavens and the spiritual realm!

They cried peace, and good will toward men!

The word “peace” means reconciliation between God and man! Christ was born to die so we may be reconciled through the blood of Christ with God the father! The angles were praising God that now the separation between God and man can be fixed by the birth of the “Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Other translations say “... and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

With who is God please? Those that have place their trust in the blood of Jesus Christ for salvation!

God is pleased with us and we have peace or reconciliation with God because Christ was born to die!

Colossians 1:20 NKJV

and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

What great news this is to all people everywhere!

Next, number 3

3. The haste of the Shepherds (vv15-18)

Explanation:

Can you imagine the energy they must of had after this encounter with this army of angels bringing them, poor shepherds, the news of the savior being born! Notice their excitement!

They left immediately to visit Christ.

it says “the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go...”

They rushed to see the Savior for themselves! (maybe they thought they had better hurry before the religious leaders get there or they would be allowed to enter)

They didn’t waist any time it says “they came with haste” and in the NASB it says “they came in a hurry”

They caused a disturbance among the people.

Notice that the hearers’ never looked for Christ themselves. they just wondered about what they heard, they never responded to the call.

Illustration:

God said to speak to men in “a still small voice”(1 Kings 19:12), which may partially explain why we find it hard to hear him when we speak. It’s like receiving a phone call with the T.V. on and a group of people taking loudly in the room. To understand the caller we must turn off the T.V. and ask the people to be quiet.

So it is with hearing God. It may require us to remove the distractions, those areas of sin that deafen our hearts to the voice of the Lord.

Application:

Maybe you are here today and you have heard this story every year. Maybe you can eve tell this story yourself. But you are like these people who recieved the news of Christ. You have heard the good news of the Gospel but you have failed to act on it and make Christ your personal savior!

Or you are a Christian and you have acted on that news but you have failed to follow the example to the shepherds and share that news with others in your daily life!

On Friday I gave a tract to a man and shared the gospel with him and he said this was the second time I had talked to him. the first time was in Monterrey and this was the second!

Christians, we have a job to do!

Next, number 4

4. The humility of Mary (v19)

Explanation:

Think for a moment all Mary has been through up until this point. she has been pregnant outside of marriage. she has tried to keep it a secret and dealt with all the rumors that people had been saying about her and Joseph. She was exhausted from the long trip from Nazareth. She just gave birth without modern medicine to help her. In addition to all that she gave birth in a smelly barn, and now stinky shepherds are there with a crazy story wanting to see Jesus!

Mary could only do one thing continue in her humble sweetness, bow in reverence to the King and quietly trust God will take care of everything.

Illustration:

One day a single friend asked a father of four, “Why do you love your children?” The father thought for a minute, but the only answer he could come up with was, “Because they are mine.”

They Children had no need to do anything to prove themselves to this father. He took them just as they were. So it is with God’s love for us. He loves us as we are, and it is his love that motivates us to trust and obey him in return.

Application:

Church, God loves us! he wants to bless us and use us. That should motivate us to trust Him like Mary did! with a heart full of humility and confidence that he has our best interests in mind!

Next, Number 5

5. Going away glorifying (v20)

Explanation:

There they were walking away worshiping the King of kings! what a joy that must of been for these shepherds! after all they were not allowed in the temple to worship but who needs a temple when Jesus is right in front of you!

I see two things about the shepherds here in this verse.

The shepherds had spread the good news!

But notice they are alone worshiping God. We don’t see anyone else praising God here.

Sometimes we go out and share the gospel with the lost but no one stops to listen to the good news and there isn’t another christian there to praise with you. But you can still end your day praising God because you were obedient in the command of God to share the Gospel!

They were praising God for what they had heard and seen.

God spoke to them, they obeyed the instruction of God, and as a result they saw the Messiah! Therefore they had a reason to praise God!

How many hear and see but never respond to the message of salvation? as a result they never have a real reason to praise God!

Jeremiah 29:11–13 NKJV

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Illustration:

Merlin Carothers, author of the book Prison to Praise, had firsthand experience of what it is like to be declared righteous. During World War II, he joined the army. Anxious to get into some action, Carothers went AWOL but was caught and sentenced to five years in prison. Instead of sending him to prison, the judge told him he could serve his term by staying in the army for five years. The judge told him if he left the army before the five years ended, he would have to spend the rest of his term in prison. Carothers was released from the army before the five-year term had passed, so he returned to the prosecutor’s office to find out where he would be spending the remainder of his sentence. To his surprise and delight, Carothers was told that he had received a full pardon from President Truman. The prosecutor explained: “That means your record is completely clear. Just as if you had never gotten involved with the law.”

Application:

The word Justification means “Just as if I’d never sinned.” This is the whole reason Christ cam to be born of a virgin. so we can be justified with God. we can have perfect peace with the father and never have to suffer his wrath.

Christ took on the full wrath of God the father there in the cross shed his blood as the perfect sacrifice for our sins and the third day conquered death by raising from the dead! Now he offers salvation to us if we repent and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross. I don’t know about you but this is worthy of praise by me!

Do you have a reason to praise God?

Conclusion:

The angels described the birth of Jesus as good news of great joy, and the book of Luke in particular shows that from the very beginning, Christ came to redeem people from all levels of society. This is the good news of Christmas: that no matter what season of life you find yourself in, you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are loved by God and that he delights in you. Whether you’re in your twilight years or are young and unsure of the future, God still can and will use you for eternal purposes.

And If you are not part of the family of God that is you have never been born again then the birth of Jesus is great news for you and you can be forgiven of your sins if you will repent of your sins and trust in the Savior alone for salvation! Then you to can partake in this great family of God!

Let’s pray:

Father, thank you for the story of the birth of your son. It truly is good news to us all no matter where we are in life! Thank you for all you do for us in our lives! in the name of Jesus, amen.