Day 2301 – Characters of Christmas-6 The First to Know – Shepherds

Welcome to Day 2301 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Characters of Christmas-6 The First to Know - Shepherds – Daily Wisdom
Putnam Church Message – 12/03/2023

The Characters of Christmas – The First to Know: Shepherds

Last week, we focused on dealing with dilemmas as we saw how Paul found himself “Between a rock and a hard place.”

 

Today is the first message of Advent as we continue from last year and investigate some of the Characters of Christmas.  The First to Know: Shepherds.

 

Let’s read Luke 2:1-21, on page 1590, in your Pew Bibles.

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had...

Welcome to Day 2301 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Characters of Christmas-6 The First to Know - Shepherds – Daily Wisdom
Putnam Church Message – 12/03/2023

The Characters of Christmas – The First to Know: Shepherds

Last week, we focused on dealing with dilemmas as we saw how Paul found himself “Between a rock and a hard place.”

 

Today is the first message of Advent as we continue from last year and investigate some of the Characters of Christmas.  The First to Know: Shepherds.

 

Let’s read Luke 2:1-21, on page 1590, in your Pew Bibles.

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

 

Christmas is a time for reflecting on the years gone by. It causes me to reflect on the Christmases growing up with my parents and nine siblings in an old, run-down farmhouse. We never had much, but It was always a magical time of year. As we decorate The Big House, I reflect on the 120 other Christmases held there, all by the same family. Traditions are passed down from generation to generation. We are truly blessed, like the star that shines from the front of our house.

 

Well, on one chilly night in Bethlehem, a story was unfolding that would be not only the most significant event of that year for those who lived in Israel but also the most significant event in the history of the world. That's not hyperbole. This was the story the Jewish people eagerly awaited: the fulfillment of the promise delivered by the prophets and passed down from generation to generation.

 

God had issued an unconditional promise to the people of Israel. Out of their nation, out of the tribe of Judah, out of the family of their beloved King David, would come a Messiah. Then, after four hundred years of seeming silence, God spoke through an angel and informed a Jewish couple that the Christ child would be born into their family. Mary, a virgin, would conceive of the Holy Spirit and give birth to Jesus.

So you would think that when this story finally broke, when the baby Jesus finally broke free of Mary's womb and entered the world, the announcement would be rolled out, by the Almighty, with the most incredible fanfare. At least, this is what I would do. But this wasn't how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, made His appearance.

A Most Humble Entrance (Bulletin Insert)

During this time, a lot was happening on the world stage. The great-nephew of Julius Caesar, Octavian, had just been crowned the new Caesar. We know Octavian by the name “Augustus,” given to him by the Roman Senate as a way to confer godlike status.

 

Augustus was one of the first Roman monarchs to demand worship, and his people were not hesitant to offer it. After all, this was the ruler who had achieved world peace.

 

To most of the world, Caesar was god, life would forever be Roman, and for the Jewish people, the dream of a Messiah King was all but dead, except to the minority who actually read and studied and believed the ancient prophets.

 

Luke’s narrative begins with a call by Caesar for a census and a tax. Little did this now-forgotten ruler understand that God used his demand for a census to set in motion events that would ultimately lead to the birth of a King who, unlike Caesar, would have a throne that would never end.

 

Caesar's declaration forced an ordinary village carpenter and his pregnant, teenage bride to make the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This journey undoubtedly taxed the strength of this young woman.

What Caesar didn't know was that the baby in the womb of this peasant woman was the very Messiah the Jewish people had longed for, the One whose birth would truly change the world forever.

 

The most significant life in the history>of the world was in Mary's womb. This baby inside Mary was not a Caesar, who fashioned himself as a god, but Jesus was the very God of the universe, God in the flesh.

 

Where's the Celebration?

But when you think about what was happening that night when the mystery of God came down to dwell among His people, the mystery of Jesus being born as fully man and yet fully God, the long-awaited promised One finally broke free, where was the celebration?

In a small town, with poverty-stricken parents, born in a smelly cave, was the Son of God.

Caesar should have been there to worship Jesus, but he wasn't.

Herod should have been there to worship Jesus, but he wasn't.

The people of Israel should have been there to worship Jesus, but they weren't.

The nations of the world should have bowed down to this baby, but they didn't.

Later, the apostle John would say He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. (John 1:11).

This wasn't a big deal in most of the world, but it was a big deal in heaven. It was a big deal among the people of God, the true believers who anticipated Christ's coming. Christmas is a powerful reminder that what is important in heaven is often unimportant on earth.

 

While the world was sleeping, the Son of God made His entrance. And this was cause for celebration>in heaven as the host of heaven rejoiced at the unfolding of God's plan. For four hundred years, (whisper) God had been silent. There were no prophets, no angels appearing, nothing miraculous. But now the heavens opened with rejoicing. And the news came to the people you’d least expect to employ as your messengers of this good news.

Why Shepherds?

Public relations professionals work hard at securing opportunities, trying to get their guests in front of millions of eyeballs. But when God announced the birth of Jesus to the world, He used the opposite approach. He didn't send Jesus to New York City, or even to Jerusalem, but sent the host of heaven to a common field outside Bethlehem. And those chosen as His spokespeople were unpolished, sweaty, uncouth shepherds.

(Shepherds staff & robe)

Today, shepherds are romanticized in every single Christmas pageant. Many of us have donned a modified pillowcase, grabbed a walking stick, and appeared in a Christmas pageant at church or school. But in the first century, nobody thought shepherds were cute. And indeed, nobody thought they were important. But there they were, the first to know at Christmas.

Shepherds were not considered part of polite society in those days. They were required to tend their flocks outside the city gates. The only reason shepherds had any significance was sheep were a valuable commodity, especially as it got closer to Passover, when many lambs would be sacrificed in the temple.

 

The work of a shepherd was (and still is) extraordinarily difficult. They had to wrangle obstinate sheep. They had to ensure their flocks were well-fed. And they had to fend off predators: wolves or even larger animals like bears or lions. Sometimes, unsavory characters would come in and try to steal the sheep. This is why shepherds were awake on this night. They likely slept in shifts, ensuring the livestock was not compromised.

 

And yet, there is something significant and powerful about including the shepherds in the Jesus story. Luke is reminding us, by mentioning the shepherds, that the kingdom of God isn’t just for the insiders, but for outsiders, like shepherds, like the poor classes Mary and Joseph came from. It reminds us that the kingdom of God is often made up, not of the noble and wise, but of the underclass, those with no business near royalty. Immanuel,>God with us means/ God is genuine among all classes of people, /not simply the connected or well-resourced.

 

The presence of the shepherds in the Christmas story also tells us a little about what kind of Messiah Jesus would be. He would come to us as a Savior, as a King, as a Lion, but also as our Shepherd. Though their vocation was not viewed with respect by their peers, Scripture consistently portrays shepherding as a high calling, perhaps the most repeated image of leadership in the Bible. Think about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses.

 

God refers to Himself as Israel's Shepherd (Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Jer. 31:10). In David's famous psalm, he is grateful that “the LORD is my shepherd” (Ps. 23). And the prophets Ezekiel (22) and Jeremiah (10; 23; 50) often warned God's people about poor shepherds—bad leaders who exploit rather than lead. To shepherd, in God's world, is to care for those vulnerable in your care /sacrificially. In those days, shepherds didn't drive their herds but gently led them.

 

The Holy Spirit intentionally includes this vision of gentle yet firm leadership as the way God leads His people and how God intends those who follow them to lead. Jesus' last words to Peter were, “Feed my sheep" (John 21). This is how we demonstrate God's love by caring for others with soft hands and compassion.

 

This is why I believe the announcement of the coming of Jesus—who called Himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)—had to happen in a shepherds' field among those who lead sheep. Luke tells us that this ruler who is to come would be different than the rulers His people were used to seeing. He wouldn't be a Caesar who ruled only by brute force. He wouldn't be a Herod, who governed by treachery, murder, and paranoia. No, Jesus, would be, among all of His attributes, a shepherd. And He would entrust Himself and His message to shepherds.

The Lamb of God would first be held, handled, and touched by those who knew how to appreciate and care for a lamb. And yet, more than anybody, these shepherds knew the ultimate fate of each lamb they cared for. I imagine they heard the prophecy of Isaiah more keenly than anyone in Israel. They tended the very lambs that would be sacrificed at Passover. And yet a Lamb had now come/ who would be the final sacrifice. This Lamb wouldn't simply cover their sins as the sacrifices did, but He’d actually become sin. John the Baptizer said about Jesus later, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

 

The good news of the coming of the Lamb of God,/ slain for the sins of the world,/ was announced among lambs,>set aside for the temple sacrifice,/ and in the city of David,/ Israel’s last great shepherd. This is God declaring to His people that Jesus, the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God, was coming to make true peace between God and man.

 

Belief and Awe

One minute, they were watching the flocks, maybe catching a few minutes of sleep after a night shift, and the next minute, they were witnesses to salvation history. The display in the heavens must have been spectacular, as the sky around them filled with the host of heaven praising God and worshiping Him. I do not doubt that this wasn't just a small ensemble of angels or the chief angels but the host of heaven. Not even the most incredible performance on earth with the most talented musicians could parallel the astonishing celebration that unfolded on the big screen of the sky before these shepherds. The plan of God, /conceived from time immemorial,/ the plan of redemption,/ promised in the garden,/ was unfolding before their eyes.

 

I always find it interesting how God seems, throughout Scripture, to interrupt and show up in the middle of an ordinary person's daily routine. It's not like the shepherds got an email invite the day before: Meet up at Field 1 for an epic event! And yet, even though they were caught by surprise, these men of humble means and reputation responded in ways that proved God's wisdom in entrusting the announcement of the birth of Jesus to them.

They believed.

These men saw the angels, heard the witness, and believed. /The scribes were too jaded./ The royals were too sophisticated. /The Romans were too dismissive. But these humble outsiders had the simple faith to look up, listen, and put their faith in the Christ child.

They could be awed.

The world of the first century was pretty cynical. False messiahs had come and gone. The promise of Israel's restoration seemed more like a pipe dream. And the Roman flag waved high above the temple mount. And yet, here were people still willing to be awed. Luke says They were terrified. (Luke 2:9)

 

And wouldn't you? You're a lowly shepherd in a backwater town,/ in an occupied land,/ and suddenly,/ the heavens open,/ and angels start singing!/ Yes, you'd be fearful.

And yet, there is something extraordinary about the ability to still be awed by God. Today's world is just as jaded as the world of the first century. Smart people are way too enlightened to believe in the supernatural. And yet Proverbs 9:10 says Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Authentic spirituality is a healthy awe, reverence, and fear of God. The closer you are to heaven, the greater your fear and awe of God. Not fear in the sense of being scared, but being awed or speechless.

 

I pray our hearts are open to awe and wonder this Christmas season. /Have we stopped what we are doing long enough to see what God is doing around us? /Have we sufficiently unplugged from the digital distractions so we can keep our minds focused on the supernatural? /Are we willing to be awed by an awesome and powerful God and by the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ?

 

Fearful? Yes. But there is a sense in which our fear turns to faith. The angels said, “Don’t be afraid.” Why? Because Jesus is a Shepherd, we should no longer be afraid. This royal announcement on a cold night in Bethlehem meant that those who believe in this baby Jesus would experience peace with God. This is what the angels meant by “peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” In one sense, the angels were reminding the shepherds that the temporary peace currently being experienced in the Roman Empire would one day give way to war. But only this Prince of Peace could usher in genuine shalom, true renewal. And this baby Jesus would offer personal peace with God. The One who came to shepherds would be the Good Shepherd of their souls. The Lamb of God would fully atone for all sin. No more would worshipers need to sacrifice actual lambs.

They lived with purpose.

Luke ensures we know that the shepherds didn't waste time gazing into the Bethlehem sky. Once they heard the witness of the angels, they hurried to the village. And wouldn’t you? They couldn't keep this message to themselves. They abandoned all pretenses and bolted into Bethlehem, sheep and all, to find the Messiah. After the shepherds visited the Messiah, imagine the sight they must have been, knocking on doors, waking the locals, shouting the good news that the long-awaited Messiah had finally come. They didn't simply marvel at the message. They believed it, and it changed their direction. The angel told the shepherds that this good news was “for all people." It was personal.

 

They left their fields and became the most unlikely messengers, these roughly hewn, untrained, likely illiterate shepherds. They became the world's first missionaries, the first in a long line of ordinary, unheralded gospel messengers. God is on the move, building His church worldwide (estimated 2 billion Christians today) primarily through people you will never hear of: folks with no official titles, and...