| I have been thinking a lot about the Christmas | | | | by God. This is an act of sacrifice. We must |
| story this year, contemplating all of its wonder | | | | remember that the babe lying in the manger was |
| and the sheer magnitude of such a profound | | | | the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he calls |
| event. I usually focus on all the usual suspects, like | | | | us to live a life where we daily sacrifice ourselves |
| Jesus, of course, and Mary and Joseph, and even | | | | on the altar of obedience; "Then he said to them |
| the Magi who have so much to offer through the | | | | all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must |
| story because, after all, they are "wise men." But | | | | deny himself and take up his cross daily and |
| then I started thinking, why shepherds? What can | | | | follow me.'" (Luke 9:23) |
| shepherds teach us? Why would God include | | | | Why is Christmas such a busy time of the year |
| them in the story at all? | | | | for churches around the world? People love to |
| The story of the shepherds in Luke chapter 2 is | | | | adore a baby. But almost no one wants to |
| brief: | | | | sacrifice themselves to a King. However, the |
| 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields | | | | message of Christmas is meaningless without the |
| nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. | | | | sacrifice at the cross. Christ gave everything he |
| 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and | | | | had by pouring out his blood on the cross at |
| the glory of the Lord shone around them, and | | | | Calvary so that we could have a relationship with |
| they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, | | | | God, unhindered by sin. Christmas isn't really about |
| "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great | | | | a baby, it is about sacrifice, and we are called to |
| joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the | | | | follow in obedience. |
| town of David a Savior has been born to you; he | | | | Next I discovered that the shepherds were not |
| is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: | | | | silent about these things they had seen and heard, |
| You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in | | | | they SPREAD THE WORD to everyone they |
| a manger." | | | | met. It was Mary who pondered these things, as |
| 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly | | | | a mother should, but those who had acted upon |
| host appeared with the angel, praising God and | | | | such faith and revelation as the shepherds were |
| saying, | | | | to speak of it to everyone. Remember, the angel |
| 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth | | | | said this is good news, of great joy, and is for all |
| peace to men on whom his favor rests." | | | | the people. |
| 15 When the angels had left them and gone into | | | | These men were shepherds, some of them |
| heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's | | | | having spoken to almost no one but sheep for |
| go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has | | | | years. They were not orators, or debaters, or |
| happened, which the Lord has told us about." | | | | preachers, or missionaries! But that was not |
| 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and | | | | important; they had a message of salvation for |
| Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the | | | | the whole world, and you could not have kept |
| manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread | | | | them quiet about it short of robbing them of the |
| the word concerning what had been told them | | | | very breath of life. They were simply fulfilling the |
| about this child, 18 and all who heard it were | | | | prophecies which had been spoken of them so |
| amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 | | | | many centuries before: |
| But Mary treasured up all these things and | | | | "You who bring good tidings to Zion,go up on a |
| pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds | | | | high mountain. |
| returned, glorifying and praising God for all the | | | | You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,lift up |
| things they had heard and seen, which were just | | | | your voice with a shout,lift it up, do not be |
| as they had been told. | | | | afraid;say to the towns of Judah, |
| Simple shepherds with little or nothing to offer... no | | | | "Here is your God!" |
| gifts, no wisdom, no pomp and circumstance. But | | | | (Isaiah 40:9) |
| then I realized, what they had to offer was far | | | | And Christ himself left us with the same |
| greater than all of these things, and I realized | | | | command when he ascended into heaven: |
| they are in the story for a purpose, and there is | | | | "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, |
| a lot I can learn from them. | | | | baptizing them in the name of the Father and of |
| For starters, the shepherds BELIEVED. I | | | | the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19) |
| sometimes think I might have more faith, too, if | | | | It is OK if you are not a preacher, or a |
| angels appeared suddenly and started singing to | | | | missionary, or even if you don't feel blessed in the |
| me; but I think the shepherds would have | | | | oratory skills. God will always supply exactly what |
| preferred to crawl under a rock at the first | | | | you need, all you have to do is step out in faith |
| appearance of the angel. And I find it interesting | | | | and obedience to tell the world about the |
| that the angels do not come to deliver a | | | | incomparable gift God gave to us through Christ. |
| command, but to offer an opportunity. They tell | | | | Finally, the shepherds returned to their flocks, |
| the shepherds what they will find if they go, they | | | | glorifying and PRAISING God. They had taken all |
| do not tell them to go. Can you see the | | | | of this in and embraced the experience, and came |
| difference? The choice is up to the shepherds. | | | | away nothing short of changed men for the |
| When I find myself presented with an opportunity | | | | miraculous events that had unfolded around them. |
| I usually think about it, mull it over a while, sleep | | | | This might be the most critical thing that we could |
| on it, ask for some advice, research it at the | | | | learn from our shepherd teachers. Has Christmas |
| library and on the internet, check my gut, wait a | | | | changed you? It should. If not, maybe the tinsel, |
| little longer... Jesus would have been teaching in the | | | | and the bows, and the eggnog and the lights have |
| synagogue by the time I followed up on the | | | | all been just a little too important, and Jesus just |
| angels' message. But not the shepherds. As soon | | | | a sideline to the main event. Because after the |
| as the angels had departed back into heaven they | | | | belief, and the obedience, and after we have |
| were off to Bethlehem to see. Their faith | | | | proclaimed what we have seen and heard, the |
| prompted them to act instantly, no hesitation and | | | | result should be that we come away changed; so |
| no questions asked. They believed God when | | | | deeply so that we are moved to praise and |
| they were told what they would find. | | | | glorify God, not just from our minds, or even our |
| The Bible tells us that in order to be pleasing to | | | | hearts, but from deep within our souls. |
| God we have to have faith. "It's impossible to | | | | Like so many this time of year, maybe you have |
| please God apart from faith." (Hebrews 11:6) Faith | | | | been caught up in the rush, the buying, the |
| is belief in action. Christmas is not for casual | | | | parties, the din. If you have, I would encourage |
| observers, it is a call to action. Faith begins when | | | | you to get away for an evening, much like the |
| we say "yes" to all that God has given us through | | | | shepherds, to a quiet place, and reflect a little on |
| Christ Jesus, the savior of the world and of you | | | | the story of Christmas. If you do, if you really do, |
| and me; it all starts by actively embracing the | | | | you will come away changed by all that you have |
| promises of God in Christ. | | | | experienced. |
| Second, the shepherds OBEYED. When the angel | | | | I guess the story of the shepherds was significant |
| said "you will find him in a manger," they went | | | | after all. In fact, perhaps it is one of the most |
| there. They may have wondered why they | | | | significant stories of Christmas. These simple men, |
| weren't going to a palace, after all, wasn't this a | | | | tending to sheep, some of the lowest members |
| king, a savior? For the shepherds there was | | | | of the modern social class, and yet they had |
| nothing to question, simply to obey. | | | | simple faith, prompt obedience, exuberant rhetoric |
| We are reminded in 1 Samuel 15:22b that "to | | | | and glorifying praise and adoration of God and |
| obey is better than sacrifice..." Most often our | | | | Jesus. Oh that I could be more like those |
| obedience is required of us without regard to our | | | | shepherds. |
| questions, but simply because we are directed so | | | | God bless you this Christmas! |