Welcome back to our visit with some of the supporting cast of the Christmas story. Thus far we have considered Caesar Augustus and the Inn Keeper who turned Joseph and Mary away. Today we visit with the shepherds who were the startled recipients of the angelic announcement that the Messiah had been born. Join me for our time with these men.
If I were God (and we can all be profoundly thankful that I am not), I probably would not have chosen a bunch of smelly, rough-around-the-edges shepherds to be the first to know about the birth of my only Son, the long awaited Messiah. Heavens no! I would have announced it to kings and presidents; rulers and royalty. Shepherds? Good heavens, no!
Today we are in the fields of Bethlehem for a visit with a group of nameless, faceless shepherds who were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2: 8-9: 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.
Lest we think these shepherds were wimps for being frightened by the angelic visitation, it is important to note that shepherds were usually manly men. They had to be. A shepherd had to live outside, find water and food for his sheep, and protect them from wild animals, so these men were accustomed to a rugged way of life. But, when an angel of the Lord stood before them, they were greatly afraid. It is a safe bet that none of them had ever been visited by an angel. Their response to this heavenly visitor is consistent with the reaction of the majority of people who had an angel burst on the scene of their lives.
Luke 2: 15 – 18: 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.
What I find so wonderful is that these shepherds were twice moved to immediate action. They did not form a committee to decide what to do, nor did they take a vote. There was none of the kind of mental gymnastics we so often find ourselves engaging in when faced with a decision about obeying God:
Gosh, what will we do with the animals?
It’s the middle of the night. I’d rather sleep.
It’s a long way into town.
That baby will still be there tomorrow, or next week. We can go then.
None of that. They were moved to immediate action. It seems that they knew the Messianic prophecies, and their hearts were compelled to go seek out the long-awaited Messiah.
Once they saw Jesus, they became the first missionaries. They went out and told everyone they met that the Messiah that Israel had been looking for had arrived, and could be found sleeping in a feed trough in Bethlehem. They couldn’t keep quiet about it, although there was great danger in their proclamation. Their very lives could be taken by Rome for proclaiming a king other than Caesar.
Messiah had come. The prophecies had promised, and now God had sent Him.
These rough, smelly shepherds obviously had hearts that were tender toward the Lord and His Christ. Their tender, submissive hearts bless me so much.
Ask yourself three questions as you ponder the shepherds:
Is your heart tender toward Jesus?
Have you sought Him out and worshipped Him recently?
How many people have you shared Jesus with lately?
Let’s allow these Christmas shepherds to set an example that we will follow…an example of sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus to lost and dying world.
