The Christmas Shepherds - Luke 2:8-20

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Luke 2:8-20

If it were not for the Christmas season that we have come to celebrate as a day to acknowledge our Lord’s birth, the story of the shepherds would have been lost in the Bible for many people. Because of the Christmas stories, plays, and movies, most have become familiar with the shepherds. It’s been two thousand years since the incarnation of Christ into this world, and the story of the shepherds is still being lived out in the lives of believers.

In Luke verses 8-12, there was a particular night that God began to deal with them. Without the involvement of God, they would have been watching the sheep, sitting around a campfire, or sleeping. They would not have been walking to Bethlehem looking for a family they didn’t know who had had a child that wasn’t their kin! But God moved them in that direction to seek His Son.

In Luke verses 13-16, they found what they were looking for just as God, through the angels, had said. In a stable, lying in a manger, was the Savior, which is Christ the Lord (vs 11). I don’t know if Mary told them about her revelations through the angels, or about her conception through the Holy Spirit, but what God revealed to them was all they needed to get to the Savior.

Verse 17 says that after their directions from God and their discovery of the Savior, they went out to tell others about what they had experienced that night! One of the places they may have stopped by may have been the inn (vs 7, there was no room for him in the inn)! They had missed their blessing a few hours earlier, but maybe there was still time to open their hearts to Christ also.

May the excitement, the joy, and the wonder of Christmas be shared all through the year, and may those who have turned away the Savior have a new opportunity to come to Him.

That night, the shepherds became sheep of His flock.

We who were sinners are now saints and a part of His church!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!

(Luke 2:14)