by Frank Luke
Last week, we explored the magi who visited Jesus as a child in Bethlehem and what tradition teaches about them. Each traveled thousands of miles to see Jesus. They arrived when Jesus was a little less than two years old, as that is how old the innocents were who were slain by Herod the Edomite. Matthew tells us about the magi. Luke, however, tells us about shepherds who came the night of the birth.
As you turn to Luke, let’s talk a bit about the book. Luke is the third gospel. It was written specifically to a man known as “most excellent Theophilus” to explain Christianity. We don’t know who Theophilus was, but his name means “lover of God.” As Luke uses the title “most excellent,” Theophilus may be a Roman official. He was interested in Christianity and had been taught in it. Luke wrote the gospel to put eyewitness accounts together in one volume of what Jesus began to do and teach. Luke would follow this with Acts, telling us how the church grew after Jesus ascended to Heaven. But today, let’s read of the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:6-20 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
The Identities of the Shepherds
2:6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
While we have no names for the shepherds, even in tradition, we do know some things about them. This was not a glamorous job. These men braved all weather to be with the flocks. They likely didn’t own the sheep but were hired by land owners.
Taking care of sheep was not a common career goal. It didn’t render one unclean like grave digging did (can you imagine never being able to go to the Temple because your job, which someone had to do, made you ceremonially unclean?), but it wasn’t sought after. It was tough work. Often considered the lowest of the manual labor jobs. They weren’t unclean because of it. They weren’t outcasts because of it.
It is sometimes taught that shepherds were outcasts or unclean, but that isn’t the teaching of the Bible. Instead, the Bible uses many positive images for shepherds. One of the most famous verses in the Bible is Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Other shepherds in the Old Testament include Abraham, Moses, the twelve sons of Israel, and David. After David, you can include the prophet Amos.
Through Ezekiel, God says, “As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy and dark day.”
In the New Testament, Matthew connects Jesus to shepherds twice. First in 2:6 where he quotes the prophet Micah saying that the Messiah will shepherd Israel. Then in 26:31, he says, “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” John 10:11 has Jesus referring to himself as the Good Shepherd. In the second century of the church, art of Jesus as a shepherd was extremely commonplace.
Outside the gospels, several passages refer to Jesus as a shepherd and pastors are to shepherd their flocks.
So if the shepherds aren’t despised, what do they represent? They represent eyewitnesses. They were the first outside the Holy Family to see the Christ. The angels came to them, to lowly shepherds, so they could see prophecy fulfilled. They came to see Jesus because they heard the song of angels.
They were not high class. They were not glamorous. They were not rulers or high and mighty. It was a respected but smelly occupation. I say that as a man who spent seven years raising the woolly critters. After spending a day taking care of them, you needed two baths just to be considered dirty. It was that bad. My mother would greet us at the door to the laundry room with robes and a basket. Sheep clothes were to go no further than that point.
The Message of the Angels
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Angels came to tell the shepherds about the birth of Christ. They did not tell the rulers or the greats. They didn’t even tell the high class. They came to the working men in the field. There would be an attachment there, as Jesus was the Good Shepherd, it was fitting to tell the shepherds first.
The shepherds are terribly frightened. This is normal when confronted by an angel. Almost every time a human has a run in with an angel, the human is frightened.
The angels tell of the coming of the Messiah! “Good news of great joy which will be for all people.” Short and tall, Jesus came to save us all. In the city of David, Bethlehem, which is the city closest to the shepherds. The prophecy is fulfilled, born in Bethlehem, smallest city in Judea, from the line of David, the runt of the litter. David was the greatest king they had and his dynasty had survived for centuries in the southern kingdom, 20 kings were descended from David. In fact, all of the valid rulers of Judea were of David. The only exception was Queen Athaliah who took over in a coup over Ahaziah, but Jehoash restored the throne to David’s line a few years later.
Even during the Exile, the descendants of David were tracked and made community leaders, with the highest of these being known as “king in waiting.” After the Exile, no Davidic king ruled.
Along with the uniqueness of descent, the angels told the shepherds that the babe would not be found in the finest houses of Bethlehem or in great halls of leadership. Instead, he would be found wrapped in common, swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Not even a nice crib, just a feed trough.
But the angel wasn’t done yet. That would be enough good news to justify the appearance, but there was more. Suddenly, a host of angels appeared, praising God! Understand that a “multitude of the heavenly hosts” doesn’t just mean a large number of angels. The host of heaven are warrior angels. They serve God by fighting the Devil and his demons.
The warriors came and sang praises about the newborn king! “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to whom his favor rests.” This was the night that the war in the heavens established a beachhead on earth. As CS Lewis called it, this was the turning of the tide. The war would continue, but the ultimate victor was now clear.
The Actions of the Shepherds
15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
The shepherds do what any faithful would do in that situation—they leave their sheep behind and hurry to Bethlehem to see what the angels told them. It was as the angel said, the babe was wrapped in clothes and lying in a feed trough. I’m sure Mary and Joseph wondered how the shepherds knew, so the shepherds told them what they had seen and heard.
The shepherds were the first evangelists. They were the first to hear of the King being born, and they were the first to tell about it. Luke says in the first chapter that he spoke to eyewitnesses to the events as he found them. We know from things he says that Mary was one of those eyewitnesses. I wonder if he found some of the shepherds to interview when it was time to write the gospel?
The shepherds acted on the information given to them.
Conclusion
The tide has turned. The war between Heaven and Hell rages on, but there is no doubt to the winner now. The incarnation of Jesus came about because the Cross and Resurrection were necessary to redeem mankind.
He who was God became man so that man could become like God. This is how we become godly. We have an example in Jesus of how to act and do. Yes, He is more than an example, but being an example was part of His life. He did what no man could do.
At His birth, the lowly shepherds came. Later, the kings of the earth would come and worship Him. Of those two groups, neither knew the whole story. Neither knew that Jesus would walk on water. Neither would have been able to tell about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They acted on what they knew.
How have you done in that regard? Have you acted on what you know of Jesus? Has your life changed completely? Do you, like the shepherds, tell it on the mountain? This is the redeemer of all mankind! The prophesied one has come! Moses, himself a prophet, called the Messiah “THE Prophet.” He would change everything.
And most of all, He will change us.
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Please visit Frank Luke’s Blog where this sermon is also posted.