Telling Good News Like Shepherds – Luke 2:8-20

In his book, Urban Legends of the New Testament: 40 Common Misconceptions, David Croteau takes on the idea often repeated that shepherds in Jesus’ day were considered societal and religious outcasts.  They were lower class, normally, and so poor and humble.  Croteau points out, “In the New Testament, Jesus is tightly connected to the shepherd motif. Matthew 2:6 describes Jesus as a shepherd: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah: because out of you will come a leader who will shepherd My people Israel.'”

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.  (Luke 2:8-20 ESV)

The announcement to the shepherds is a testimony of God’s great grace.  He does not tell those is power, but humble shepherds, laborers, who are nonetheless passionate about their faith and excited about the announcement.  The core of what the angel tells them is that this child born to Mary is:

1) “a Savior” – All the people need a rescuer.  We are drowning, dying, with no ability on our own to deliver ourselves.  We need, and God has provided, someone outside us to save us from bearing the guilt of our own sin.

2) “Christ” – This rescuer is the Messiah, the anointed one, promised many times over in the Old Testament and expected by Israel for hundreds of years.  He is finally here.

3) “the Lord” – Lord means master and the Messiah Savior is the Master.  Such a title is normally reserved for God alone in this absolute sense.  And Jesus has shown himself to be God, the absolute Master whom we must obey.

Are we as excited as the shepherds to proclaim this message?