God with the Shepherds and the Dismissed

Focus Statement

The seasons of Advent and Christmas show us that God takes side characters

and transforms them into main characters.

The shepherds who were often dismissed

play a prominent role in proclaiming the message of Emmanuel, God with us.

Point of Relation

In the world of sports, when an underdog is victorious it’s known as an upset. Here is a list of 5 of sport’s biggest upsets.

1980 Olympics-Lake Placid: USA defeats Russia in hockey 4-3. Ragtag group of Americans defeats the Russian team that had dominated the sport for 15 years.

1990 Heavyweight title match-Buster Douglas defeats Mike Tyson: 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas dominates the undefeated Mike Tyson and knocks him out in the 10th round.

2000 Olympics-Sydney: American farm boy Rulan Gardener defeats Russian Alexander Karelin in wrestling 1-0. Karelin hadn’t lost a match in 13 years and no one had scored a point on him in 6 years.

2008-Giants beat Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl 42. Patriots were looking to become the only team to go 19-0. In facing the wildcard Giants, it looked like it was going to happen. In the end, the Patriots had 18 wins and one giant loss.

Horse racing- Man-O-War loses his first race. Man-O-War was 20-0. In his 21st race, a 100-1 underdog beat him. The name of the horse that beat him-‘Upset’.

And that is just in the world of sports. UNDERDOG stories are the greatest!

Things to Consider

We have all seen those stories about

when an undiscovered athlete wins a competition or the game for their team,

or when the small-town singer makes it big.

But there are more than just those opportunities for us...

as most of us are aware that we probably will never make it big or famous.

We have an opportunity to do something even more significant and with more import…than anything this world has to offer.

We, who are not known or famous…we who are seemingly unknown to most and are seemingly insignificant...

We have an opportunity to be a part of the most awesome revolution the world has seen...

And that is the DIVINE revolution that started with Jesus Christ…the Son of the Living God…who is God himself in the flesh...

and his campaign to bring heaven on earth for all ETERNITY.

What Scripture Says

The Christmas story moves the shepherds from the outskirts

to the center of the story.

Shepherds in ancient Palestine had a bad reputation.

They were rough men and sometimes thieves.

They were not your temple-going kind of guys.

Because they lived outside with the sheep,

they likely wouldn’t even be able to go to the temple as they would have been considered “unclean.”

Yet, the shepherds did essential work as sheep were important sources of milk, meat, and wool

and also an essential part of Jewish worship at the temple in Jerusalem.

Despite their lowliness, God chooses to send the message of the birth of the king of heaven on earth to

and through the shepherds and not to elite religious or political rulers.

No one is too lowly, too insignificant, too powerless, too forgotten, or too anything for God to love

or for God to include in doing the important work of sharing God’s message.

The shepherds only receive a small glimpse of what Jesus will bring.

They didn’t know about his teaching, miracles, or the death and resurrection.

But they responded when God called them to go share the news of the baby’s birth.

This was a first step into deeper relationship with God and those they would share the message with,

like Mary who “treasured” their words and pondered them.

The shepherds, filled with hope from their encounter with Jesus,

went back into the dark night, rejoicing and praising God.

They returned to the place they had started.

That special night did not end their experience of darkness or take away their troubles.

It was all still there, waiting for them the next night.

But the shepherds had received an invitation to seek out Jesus and encounter him.

This encounter changed them, and in turn changed those with whom they shared this news

who in turn stepped out to find Jesus for themselves.

What This Means For You

We, like the shepherds, are offered the same message that God is near.

How are we taking part in sharing the good news of Christmas?

Maybe you think you are too old, or young or shy or not religious enough,

but God invites you to seek out Jesus and share him with others too.

Think about the ways in which we can invite people to Jesus...

We could invite folks to church, we could visit people who we know are lonely or in need

That’s not ONLY the pastor’s job…in fact, it is just as much, if not more so, the church members’ responsibility...

We could step up and volunteer at Treasures of Hope, at Manna House, or at Benny’s Bodega.

We could actively look for missional opportunities around our community.

Consider also how God might be working through those you have dismissed

to show you something about who God is and where God is with you.

What This Means For Us

As a church, we can learn something valuable from the shepherds’ experience.

What would it look like if everyone said yes to God’s invitation to share the good news,

without worrying about whether they are (powerful, smart, important, etc.) enough?

How can we and are we listening to and empowering the dismissed among us and in our community?

Let us, like the Shepherds, SHOW UP to God’s invitation to witness the Lord of Lords, King of Kings