Luke 2 - The Night That Changed the Shepherds' Lives Forever!

Luke 2 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

Key Verses

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Commentary

Luke's gospel gives us the most detail regarding Jesus' birth to Mary and Joseph. Luke's version focuses on the humanity and humility of Jesus. Important Luke tells us the story from Mary's perspective. In the first chapter the angel spoke the news of Jesus' birth to her. She meets her cousin Elizabeth and her soon to be son, John the Baptist, leaps in her womb at the sound Mary's greeting. 

Matthew focuses on the decree of the census by Jewish king, Herod, and the wise men coming to bring gifts to baby Jesus. To the contrary Luke focuses on the Roman census through Caesar Augustus, and shepherds watching their fields by night. Un the verses above we read about how the shepherds keeping their fields at night found out about Jesus' birth. 

Being a shepherd in Jesus' day was not exactly a highly sought after position. Here is a snapshot of the status of shepherds. 

In the first century, shepherds were often considered social outcasts or "lowly". They were frequently seen as ceremonially unclean, untrustworthy, and unable to participate in regular religious life. By appearing to them first, God demonstrated that the Gospel is for all people, especially the marginalized. - Google

The irony of shepherds being the first recipients of the Good News cannot be overestimated. That God would choose to reveal the Good News about the Messiah that Israel has waiting for hundreds of years to see born, shows how God uses ordinary people not just the high and mighty. 

Most important is the response of the shepherds. When they heard the Good News, they did not just sit and wait for the events to unfold. What was their response? 

"When 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.”

You might say the shepherds left their lambs in the field to find the Lamb of God in a manger. Unlike others who doubted or needed more proof, the shepherds took a "beeline" to Bethlehem to see if what the angels said was really true. They were probably thinking, "Really, could the son of God be born in a manger?" 

Sure enough when they got to Bethlehem and went to the manger, they found Jesus just as the angel had said. Their faith became sight.  The shepherds then became the first evangelists in the world to spread the Good News of Jesus' birth. Right away they "spread the Word" concerning Jesus. And rather than discounting the shepherds because of their social status, the people marveled at everything the shepherds said about Jesus. 

Application for Life

Stories like this in the bible show us that nobody could have made this stuff up. No one who was trying to fabricate a story about the future of King of Israel, would have included lowly shepherds as the first to discover the Savior of the World. Not to mention the fact that when they went to see baby Jesus, they were the first to spread the Good News to all the people. 

1. If God chose shepherds to be the first to spread the Good News, do you think he could use you?

 2. The shepherds responded right away and took a long journey to see if the angels said was true. It wasn't until they looked into the manger did they realize that Jesus, was the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 

Have you taken the journey to the manger to see if Jesus is who the bible said he is?  

Prayer

Jesus, you came into the world as a baby born in a humble manager. You will come back in great and promised glory. You used humble shepherds like us to spread the Good News. Give us boldness to be like the shepherds.  Amen.  

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