Fourth week of Advent
December 20 , 2009
Finding the EXTRA in the ORDINARY: The Shepherds
Luke 2:8-20
F ourth Sunday of Advent
Sermon Objective: To emphasize God’s eagerness to share His love with
all humankind.
Supporting Scripture: Mathew 11:28-30; Luke 15:11-32; Luke 19:1-9;
Romans 5:20-21; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Ephesians 2:8-9; James 4:8
Luke 2:8-20
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When 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."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and
the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread
the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured
up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which
were just as they had been told.
We were at the National Mall in Washington D.C. That was a common get-away for Vickie and me when we lived in Glen Burnie, Maryland and it was also a great place for us to take visitors from Oklahoma who came to see us; such was the case on this day.
As always, we passed many beggars and “panhandlers” on the corners and streets. You could smell the mixture of urine and alcohol.
The vacationing family’s mother was nothing short of terrified by being in “the city.” She was afraid of everything and trusted no one. She was concerned that one of her children would be snatched up never to be seen again, or that one of “those” people would stick a knife in her, or rob her husband.
The vacationing dad asked me if I ever gave them money.
I said I did.
I have shared God’s love and Good News with them too.
The visitor said he had no respect for “that” kind of person and, like the Bible says, “God helps those who help themselves.” Now I have read the Bible through many times and still, to this day, cannot find this verse. But this I do know … GOD HELPS THE HELPLESS AND THOSE WHO CALL ON HIM. At least that is probably what people like the prodigal son, Zaccheus, the hemorrhaging woman, and the thief on the cross thought.
It was not such a totally different kind of experience from what the shepherds encountered on the hillside when the angels appeared. Just as there were some shady characters around Washington D.C., some of those shepherds were pretty iffy in their standards and way of life, too.
In the 19th century American West there was another group, similar to the shepherds, which might help us to understand how the shepherds were perceived in the villages around Israel. The American west had the cowboy. They were the ones who did the cattle drives from large Texas ranches to cow towns with rail roads. They took trails like the Chisholm Trail to places like Dodge City, Abilene, Wichita, and Fort Worth. The cow towns knew the cowboy was essential to their community’s way of life but, at the same time, they were looked down on and held in derision. The cowboy was dirty, vulgar, loud, violent, drunken, ill-mannered … and an all around “undesirable.”
Like the America cowboy, the shepherds were not respected or welcomes in most places. The pristine, romantic image we have of shepherds like David, setting on a hill writing poetry would be a misnomer. When the angels came to the shepherds it was HUGE … SCANDALOUS!
The world would expect God to announce his arrival to the Magi. They were cultured, educated, refined, wealthy, and “worthy.”
But the shepherds?
I am sure it is a troubling scene for a first time visitor to the Washington D.C. Many of the homeless sleep on grates on the side of the city streets, or in the National Mall itself. It isn’t filled with light and joy, hope and peace that’s for sure. Rather, it was filled with sadness, cursing, despair, and need. They are pretty clear about instructing guests to be out of the area by night fall.
How different, though, was it really from what took place on the hillside? I imagine there was some drinking that took place in the fields. I also imagine that when stories were shared around the campfire there was cursing and crudeness.
AND REGARDLESS OF OUR EXPECTATIONS … TO ALL OF “THAT”, AN ANGEL CAME. To all of “that”, the message of God was given. They received this beautiful message of hope and favor from God.
And they got up from where they were and the Bible tells us they found the baby just as the angels told them. That WAS a night filled with light and joy, hope and peace!
Incredible really.
AREN’T YOU GLAD GOD CAME TO THE “UNWORTHY” SHEPHERDS?!
GOD DIDN’T HOLD THE SHEPHERDS’ EXPERIENCES AGAINST THEM. HE DIDN’T TELL THEM TO STOP CURSING, DRINKING, LYING, AND CHEATING BEFORE HE SENT THE ANGEL TO GIVE THEM THE MESSAGE. HE MET THEM WHERE THEY WERE AND OFFERED HIS GRACE. In fact, that is the VERY point of baby Jesus … the incarnation, Immanuel. It is God coming to humanity as a human … identifying with us completely.
As His followers, we too need to offer grace in unlikely situations to “unworthy” people too.
• Is there a person in your life that you are estranged from?
God offers them grace; maybe you can be the vehicle through whom they receive
it.
• Does someone in your family constantly break your heart and make your
life miserable?
God offers them grace; maybe you can be the vehicle through whom they receive
it.
• Is there an ethnic group, an age group, a segment of society that
you don’t really like?
God offers them grace; maybe you can be the vehicle through whom they receive
it.
None of these people may be deserving but that is why it is called GRACE.
The Bible says:
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one
can boast. (Ephesians 2)
GOD OFFERS US MERCY EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS WHAT WE MIGHT DO WITH IT. EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS WE MAY NOT APPRECIATE IT. EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF THE OFFER … HE STILL OFFERS US GRACE AND MERCY.
How do I know?
[1] Because He sent heavenly messengers to a hill full of outcasts with the
hope that they would grasp His great love for them.
[2] Because He sent a light, not just that night, but into the world--the Light
of Christ--so that we all, no matter who we are, what we are doing, where we
have been, can receive His great love.
And the shepherds certainly got it. Were they all changed forever by it? I don’t know, but I know that I am changed by the understanding of who they were and what they were given. If the shepherds could hear that message, so can I; and so can the homeless man with a drinking problem, our family members who hurt us, our neighbors, and strangers. God freely offered His Son to those shepherds and He freely offers His Son to us.
Jesus said:
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mathew 11:28-30)
Jesus’ brother, James says:
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse
your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8
- NKJV)
Incidentally, homeless people and shepherds alike DO IN FACT respond to the Gospel and see their lives changed. Pastor Bill Wilson was a former homeless child who was found on a street corner in New York. He was gloriously saved and is now being used of God to deliver others from the streets and from their sin. He runs the largest Sunday School in the world (Metro Ministries in Brooklyn)… and it is full of people who many would say are “unworthy” and “undeserving.” In the midst of his ministry he has been beaten, stabbed, and shot in the face … but God’s transformation was so powerful that he cannot help but continue to share that grace with others!!!
TALK ABOUT LIGHT AND JOY, HOPE AND PEACE! GOD’S GRACE IS PHENOMENAL!!!!!
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20-21 (KJV)
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
http://metroministries.org/