Pretend You Are a Shepherd
Shepherds lived outside of town.
Their lives consisted of raising sheep, moving sheep from place to place, and selling sheep.
Shepherds had an important job but they were not thought of as important people.
Most people would not spend time with shepherds.
Loneliness and isolation was likely a large part of their normal life.
Imagine that is your life. One night you are out with your sheep and the other shepherds as you often are and you look up and see a star that you have not seen before. The star is very distinct and bright.
As you look into the heavens, you think of another shepherd, a famous shepherd who became King of Israel, King David.
David wrote a song about the heavens and as you look at the star and hear your sheep in the distance, you think about that song that David wrote.
We call it Psalm 8
Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.
When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers
The moon and the stars that you set in place.
What is man that you are mindful of him?
The son of man that you care for him.
Lord our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth – who am I that you would care for me?
Or maybe you think… Who am I? Do you really care about me? You fashioned the stars but are you mindful of me?
Then an Angel steps out of the heavens and says.
10 “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
We’ve read this whole passage and we heard a story from Claire about this passage, but I want us to consider this passage for a few minutes.
The Angels brought news to the shepherds.
It was Personal News
As I have read this week and reflected on this passage all week I have been struck by the personal nature of this message.
God has not forgotten us. He is mindful of us.
The Angels said, A Savior has been born FOR YOU.
Obscure, lonely, isolated, outcast shepherds a Savior has been born for you.
At Christmas time we remember that God has come for us.
Harriet Tubman was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. She led many slaves to freedom during the time before the Civil War.
Her Father’s name was OLD BEN. Often slaves would gather at Ben’s home before leaving for the North with Harriet.
She has led many slaves to freedom aided by her father.
At one point she appears suddenly at her father’s home and he asks.. Who have you come to rescue?
Harriet responds, “I have come for you.”
Harriet’s Parents are old and feeble and they are leading a mostly peaceful life. Rescuing her parents would be more dangerous than other missions. The rescue hardly seems worth the risk.
She says, I have come for you.
She came for her parents because she loved them, because they were a family. They were meant to be together.
We were made to be with God.
The angel comes to the lonely forgotten ordinary Shepherds and says – a savior is born for you.
God has come for us so that we might be with Him.
Did he have to come? NO.
He chose to come.
A Savior is Born – We need to be rescued
The Savior is Messiah the Christ – He is the chosen ONE. We could not save ourselves.
The Savior is the LORD – He is God in the flesh. He comes to be God in our lives. He comes to guide us. Help us. Instruct us. Correct us.
When the angels came they told the Shepherds of a time and a place.
TODAY in the City of David.
God personally entered into TIME and A PLACE to rescue us.
He has sent us to this TIME and PLACE to act now as messengers.
Angel is a word that means messenger.
Before we imagined ourselves as shepherds, now we get to imagine ourselves as Angels.
Not to dress up and be impressive angelic beings, but to be messengers in this TIME and PLACE telling the Good NEWS of Jesus.
Let’s be clear about the good news
There is a Savior – People need to be rescued from sin
The Savior is Messiah – He is the only one who can save. People cannot rescue themselves.
The Savior is God – For those he comes to save, He will be the boss and Lord of their lives.
I talked about Harriet Tubman earlier. As she led slaves to freedom, she was very clear about who was in charge in their march to freedom. She led and others followed.
Our Savior is God. He directs our lives.
This is Good News but we should not be surprised when people do not like the news we bring. Some will not want to be rescued. Some will not want a god other than themselves. God has come to save, but they won’t see this news as good. Our role is to be a messenger and not to be a savior.
God did not come to Bethlehem in that time by accident.
He has not sent us to this time and this place by accident.
God has not forgotten us. He has not forgotten those around us and those dear to us. He has in his goodness and wisdom sent us to this time and place.
He sent us with instructions and he has sent us with his spirit.
Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, and I am with you always to the end of the age.
There is a TIME when this PLACE we call earth will come to an end.
Revelation 21 speaks about this TIME and PLACE Listen while I read.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.”
This future TIME and PLACE is the one that we wait.
Until that TIME and PLACE comes, I want you to remember the Lord is mindful of you. He has come for you. He has sent you in a TIME and a PLACE so others would know the news that He has come to rescue us so that we would be with Him.
Let’s Pray
Lord our Lord How Majestic is your name in all the earth.
You do not have to be mindful of us, but you are.