Good morning,
This week we are continuing our look at those famous shepherds of the Christmas story, found in Luke 2:8-20. Luke tells us that the shepherds are watching their flocks at night when all of a sudden, the heavens fill with angels declaring that the “Messiah God” had come! The unusual phrase “Christ the Lord” (which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament) probably means “Messiah God.” The angels also declare that the effect of Jesus’ coming on humankind is “peace.” The biblical concept of peace, which is rooted in the Hebrew “shalom,” includes the sum of God’s blessings, not just the cessation of hostility. Those on whom God bestows His favor are those who experience His peace. And God’s favor rests on those who believe in Jesus as the Messiah!
Now, let’s look at the shepherds’ response to the appearance and the message of the angels. At first, they were astonished (v9). While they were being attentive to the responsibilities they were given, they were suddenly awed by an angelic announcement. And notice how the shepherds didn’t have to go anywhere…God came to them! See, God meets us where we are, but then He brings us to our knees.
But a lot of people are astonished by acts of God, even if they don’t acknowledge that it is God who is behind them. If the Christmas story ended here, well then there would be nothing noteworthy about the shepherds. It’s what comes next that is important!
The shepherds accepted the message of the angels (v10-15). The attentive shepherds are filled with awe and now they accept the message of good news of great joy. You see, its’ not enough to be amazed by God. We have to accept the message that Jesus is Messiah…that believing in Him is the only way to have eternal life. We know that they accepted this message because in verse 15 we read, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see…”
Then the shepherds acted and adored (v16). These shepherds didn’t just accept and enjoy the message they received, they acted upon it. The word “hurried off” means they left in haste. The idea is “come on, hurry up, let’s go!” This is pretty amazing in and of itself because shepherds normally did nothing quickly. They were patient men, accustomed to moving slowly through the pastures. The first thing they did was rush to Bethlehem. They wanted to see the baby with their own eyes. A baby born in a smelly manger would not have been a problem to men who were used to the scent of sheep! Many commentators point out the possibility that they were taking care of sheep that were going to be sacrificed in Jerusalem’s Temple. So, the same shepherds who raise the lambs to be sacrificed are the first people to see the Lamb of God who will become the ultimate sacrifice!
That brings us to their final response – the shepherds announced (v17-20). They left and shared. What had been announced to them by the heavenly choir they announced to others. The birth of Christ became a call to action for them. Now think about this…here are these men whose word wasn’t considered trustworthy in court and who were shunned by much of the society. And yet something had happened that compelled them to tell others about Jesus. Why weren’t they afraid of what others might think or do?
Here’s the deal – they didn’t have anything to lose! Think about it…why did God choose to make the ONE announcement about the birth of Christ to a ragtag bunch of shepherds? There are many reasons I suppose, but I think God chose the shepherds because a lot of people would have felt that going around and telling everyone about a baby born to a virgin and placed in a manger who was the long-awaited Messiah would have been too wild a story to tell. There would have been too great a cost in doing so.
Now here is what’s really cool – the shepherds apparently went back to their same boring jobs. They leave the pages of history after verse 20. We never learn their names or what happened to them. Can you imagine if this happened today? They would be on talk shows and doing book tours. Eventually some of them would be the “celebrities” on reality shows!
You know, some might look at the shepherds and think “Jesus didn’t changed anything.” They were lowly shepherds before he came, and they are lowly shepherds after he came! And it’s true that nothing changed in their EXTERNAL situation. They didn’t become priests or missionaries. They didn’t enroll in seminary or quit their jobs. They just told whoever God placed in their path about Jesus.
But everything changed in their INTERNAL spirit. So, their ETERNAL destination was secured! That’s what God wants for us. But this is where so many Christians falter…they keep their faith private. They are amazed, they accept the message, they act, and they adore. But they don’t announce. They are afraid to announce to others who Jesus is. They fear rejection, ridicule, and persecution. Friends, our faith is personal, but it can’t be private.
So, what is at stake if we give into our fear and not share the Good News of Jesus? We will look at that next week.
Here’s what’s happening:
- Don’t forget our Advent outreach project to help Solanco Neighborhood Ministries. We are collecting:
o Personal Care Items – Shampoo, toothpaste, facial tissues, and toilet tissue.
o Clothing – Socks and Underwear for all ages
o Household Goods – Laundry Detergent and Floor/Window/Surface cleaners
o Baby Items – Diapers (Size 4 and 5) and Wipes
- Senior High Youth meets again THIS SUNDAY, December 11, at 6:30 pm in the schoolhouse.
- Christmas Caroling is set for Friday, December 16 at 6:15 pm. We will be gathering at the Kreider home before heading out and returning for a time of fellowship. Bring along your favorite holiday treat to share!
- Christmas Services – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7pm on the 24th. We will be having shortened services on Christmas Day and on New Year’s Day, at our usual 10 am time. As a gift to our teachers, there will not be Sunday School either of those days.
- The 2023 church budget will be available at the church on 12/18. Please take some time to review it. Any questions or concerns should be communicated to the elders or myself before the next elders meeting, which is on 1/4/23. A vote of affirmation will be taken after the worship service on 1/15/23.
This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of Advent! Although we are in the midst of the most wonderful time of the year, perhaps life isn’t going well and you end most days feeling defeated, grumpy, and definitely NOT in the “Christmas spirit.” I can imagine that if that doesn’t describe you, it describes someone you care deeply about.
If that is the case, I want to encourage you to join us at 10:15 am on Sunday and invite your friends. We will be looking at Joseph’s terrible disappointment when he learns from Mary that she is expecting. We will look at Joseph’s options at that moment and learn why he chose the option he did. Then we will look at what God wants from us during our seasons of terrible disappointment and how we can worship Him even when we don’t want to deck the halls and spread Christmas cheer.
I hope that you can join us on Sunday.