The Sermon Shepherds by David McGee
Dec 08, 2013
Shepherds (35:24)
Referenced Scriptures: Luke 2:6-14; Psalm 23
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Luke 2:6-14
6) It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.
7) She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8) There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9) Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10) The angel said to them, "Don‘t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11) For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12) This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."
13) Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14) "Glory to God in the highest, On earth peace, good will toward men."
Psalm 23
1) Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
3) He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name‘s sake.
4) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil. My cup runs over.
6) Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in Yahweh‘s house forever. Psalm 24 A Psalm by David.
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This morning we are looking at the shepherds. So Luke chapter two verses eighteen to fourteen looking at the shepherds Luke chapter two verses eighteen, eight to fourteen, there were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God 's angels among them, and God 's glory blazed around them, they were terrified. The angel said, don't be afraid. I'm here to announce great and joyful event that is meant for everybody worldwide a Savior has just been born in David's town, the Savior, who is Messiah and master. This is what you're to look for a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger at once. The angel was joined by huge angelic choir singing God 's praises glory to God in the high and the heavenly heights. Peace to all men and women on earth who please him so anyway, I have this humblest of circumstances of Christ getting this stable, this manger. And it is met by a great balance of his glory because they have the Angels. So even here in the humblest of places that Jesus is born. God is something of great measure, to exalt him and it ended in some ways, points to the future exaltation of Jesus. So as we as we look at what it's always interesting to see how that God is at work in our lives and how that God doesn't do things just in the moment. Okay, it isn't just a momentary thing we have in the Old Testament we have all these prophecies about the Messiah come and then we were not Sunday school lesson today. We did about we talk about John the Baptist in his his birth and yell his mother, who was older and she was barren and how that she became pregnant and Zachariah Kyle laughed again to the scan after the my wife and I and he was struck deaf and dumb and he couldn't speak or hear until the baby was born, until the baby was laying so we have a lot of events going on, and declaring about the birth of Christ and then some of the things that happen at the time of the birth also signify something that is yet to happen in our future. So it's very interesting for us to know that everything is going on at this moment isn't everything there is. Everything is going on at this moment, it isn't all that your life is about, because it's tied with the events of the past. It's time to where we are at, but it is also tied to promises and to what God will do in our future. So we're not caught up in the extravagance of the moment or in the downcast of the moment, we are caught in the promises we are to recognize the promises of God at work in our life to help us let go of the past and forgiveness. The bad parts to learn from them and to allow the spirit of God to speak to us in the presence and then in the present experience, hope and anticipation for tomorrow because our life isn't now our life is now and tomorrow our life as it is a plan is the purpose of how the goddess of work in our text blurb in verses six and seven of this abyss of this fax of the Scriptures Jesus is wrapped in strips of rag swaddling clothes in the King James version any laid in a manger. I queued out stone trough and it doesn't seem like you can get any worse than that, then that we would think in those moments of perhaps ill. Is this really the son of God coming to us in the manger and rock than swaddling clothes, but those who made the announcement did not send out baby cards hello, it's a boy and they may didn't pass out cigars. The boy imagine the Angels run around cigars and what that supply air and on and on and on and on the card says go to Bethlehem and see child in a manger in a live performance tonight at the church. The church of the manger now so the Angels announcing his birthday and so as appearing on like that is the message Bible that we just read that the shepherds were gathered around and the angel appeared among them, he imagined an Angel just appearing between a look at the person beside you and say, argue the angel I was insane. Look at the person beside you say you're going to, but not in that essay that enough. I said I'd argue the angel of and it's like there is this a business angel appears among those that don't be afraid this character that don't be afraid. I'm here wherefore to announce great and joyful event that is for everyone worldwide, a Savior has just been born in David's style, a savior, a Messiah, a master. This is what you look for babe wrapped in a blanket at once. The angel was joined by huge angelic choir, so in its life. We have this barn in a stable and very poor people robbing an infant child in strips of right external blanket allaying them in a feed trough and alongside that you got the angels of heaven, a great multitude of angels in heaven declaring glory to God in the highest slick, while what extremes. While good, as well as the audience in a this is this is when everything about shepherds and I was thinking about this this week and how we are ill look at this and this, my came up with, not Scott, who came up with this and he told me to tell you this, so if you like it you can talk to God about it. Just kidding. You know when it's really good. If God is really bad that for each of you don't know when talking about, you know that now. So that's out works in a and if I take all the glory. You know that it's limiting and the Shepherd 's were looking at. Anna says, and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. If you are you are God, you are God. Sometimes whenever people get really upset you know when I go to heaven. I'm on Ascot this, NASCAR, that if I were God, I would do it differently. Okay, if your God and Christ were coming to the born in a manger. Villages have the announcement makes it coming out periodically to make this important announcement to why not send them to the Angels to the Temple to the place I praise strive not the Messiah is coming to the Lamb of God, thank you as well. The sacrifices animals anymore. The Angels are making this announcement. While they could change the whole religious system about Caesar. Imagine that raking in Monroe alignment are not announced the Angels Angels coming space saver. What will wake you up at night and tell him to the armies of Rome to back off from the persecution of the Jewish people and in Israel and especially in Jerusalem now back off. We got this now the Angels come there and make this declaration. While you imagine what would happen if the this went around not been every doors. I is a baby born in the state lawyer needs to be the Messiah, the Angels around made that declaration, but instead was God do when you think you have got figured out you let me know and was God do the ghost. The shepherds. While these are kind of rough characters and they are laborers to perform the tedious tasks that basically no one else is willing to do these are shepherds who appeared to be ragged and smelling when we were in Israel. We stopped there were these that and and it is forgot it. I remember saying was very unusual to seeing shepherds their tents off to the side of the road. Usually they were back off the road somewhere we could never see them, and job. We stopped busted for that sort. I thought the bus. We pulled off to the side and there were these three tenths and it was one guy had a wife reached unanimity wising up. I have a density and so the all the kids come running up to the tour bus, and they come up there. They want to go there. No. Whatever you got there there willing to take, but the thing I noticed was it was like it was like being with the sheep again that you could not tell the difference in smell between the sheep and the kids because the sheep and the kids and everybody were so intermingled unsolved whatever work they know it is like they smelled like the shape because that's where they live and I have no extravagant water. Anything a bath out in the desert was a waste of water. If you wanted to clean your pots and pans for meal you say is that the sand and rub it on any of these nosed nonstick surface on how long that will last out in the desert, but they were just like the sand and rub around their pots and pans in the rippling never use water waters to precious you. You need to drink you have that you have at the drink of the dining out the chakras were like this, they would've been these individuals that were smiling rugged individuals shepherding is among one of the oldest occupation, some six thousand years ago in Asia minor shepherds came on the scene and later on we have shepherds were our sheep were integrated into the family farms in which there were ill animals, chickens and pigs and sheep nods. Growing up as a kid. We had that chickens, pigs and cows and sheep on the farm but whenever farming became more animal intensive enough milk. You can have any other animals within a certain distance of the barn, so everything went, except accounts and so we had all the sheep, and they were always run around. They were part of the yard and whatever never knew where they were at and of course there was the RAM and you never want turn your back on him. Is he just somehow planted to write in the backside. I member. One time I was was tired of him watching you when they needed to bore you went flying. So I'm ever in the bushel basket put in over his head stuck up behind for 's head as I run for the house and make it. He planted me and I never forgot that one. So I ever put a bucket over that again. But anyhow, see parties, individuals, the nominee. Shepherds are individuals that would take care sheep and there are many different kinds of shepherds and he primarily, a shepherd was an individual who was responsible taking care sheep in an all in times and I didn't realize this, but they would milk the sheep do not put a milkshake. I never thought nothing is cheap. They have been wound up sheet and the remake cheese from the milk and then only and only of some shepherds of still still do this type of watching over their sheep today in their society. Shepherds were an important part. I like farmers, shepherds were often wage earners because the families were small enough or large enough that you generally if you were the youngest child, you got to go like David whatever he was once Daniel came to anoint his new children find out which one was going to be next in line for King and they all went before the profit that David was then why is he was out watching sheep, so the youngest one knee when the family was always responsible. Go watch the cows, the watched the sheep go to wherever, and the sheep were not animals that you kept in the planes are in the end where you would grow crops. The sheep were animals that would grace on hillsides or back, where nothing could go on. Nothing could grow you couldn't find so there would be sheepherders and the sheepherders were generally nomads they were single men who would take care sheet and they will go off for months at a time and watch the shape and sometimes there would be three or four or five of them get together and bring their hearts that their flocks of sheep together and that they would watch over their flocks, and they would do different shifts in step twenty four hours a day. Watch them and animals and robbers would come robbers. I do realize this, either robbers would, and try upon the shape. When it was time to share the good that's when the money is, so they were still the shape shared or will take your wall letter run, so that's whatever the shepherds had to be most on guard for robbers was whenever scientists year the shape and of course predators were always wanting to know they like. They liked lamb for supper so predators would always be there, trying to take care of her~ sheet, so shepherding and developed only in certain areas of the of your and of those of those so Middle Eastern countries because it had the places where cattle couldn't raise and more. Nothing could be grow, and so they would be shepherds who were out taking care of the sheep. I should can feed on rough pasture, which is unsuitable for cattle for agriculture. Anything else whatever we think how that sheep were taking care of. They were just basically grazing and if you ever looks out about cheap than shepherding and things like that but sheep are really dumb animals, cheaper, really dumb because they can just wander off, but he just wander off and now get lost and that they are there no one before also the Shepherd and was in charge of this and we would sing with David how that he would watch over his sheep, and that's where he perfected his art with the slingshot killing animals killing birds, you know, if you were if you were a kid out watching sheep that the Scripture says that they were what were they doing with their flocks whiling their flocks. You know what Wilding is just fiddling around, but they were just now watching their sheet now have you never will. You know it's it's watching animals is like watching grass grow. It's really boring. I mean, you can set there and you can watch grass grow that a growing on an album watching and so they shepherd them was in this place up out watching his sheep and so we happier often the Bible tells us, though, on extraordinary shepherds. The Bible tells us about extraordinary shepherds, David Shepherd King of Israel. He had cared for his people, just as he had cared for in shape, and when he was a boy. The shepherd in a field outside of Bethlehem, David. It was there that he was able to see how obvious care for his animals was translated into all that God cares for his people. It was there that he was seeing God 's care and how that he would watch over a shape was how that God would watch over his people. You and I and so that's where the twenty third Psalm had the analogy between the Lord is my shepherd to the Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in one. The key responsibility of the shepherd was to make sure that the sheep are taking Sarah to make sure that they were protected to make sure that they had water to make sure that they were protected from the animals and that they had pasture land, the never been a hell in the Middle East in those countries. It's like their grazing on rocks if I looked when you see these animals, and there's no grass like we have grass growing everywhere. No know over there is instant and is terrible. You can't stands no grass anywhere but what are they eating and the shopper so were responsible to take them to different grazing pastures and said to ensure that they were taking care of cattle can't graze where sheep graze visits on these hillsides and cliffs, and whatever and the Shepherd wanted me out. He had known the twenty third Solomon says that in the Davis is the good shepherd. The gospel. Jesus was that he would lay down. He would know if she and we are known by him, and that the sheep know his voice. My mom whatever we get. We had cattle, she would. She had them all name know all the cows were name in all the black and white ones, they were white with black spots black with white spots and some were white and little black spots and some are black and the white spots. My mum new mall by name. I'm amount to call the May house where my no, my mom genome on my name and all had their own stance and they all had their own feed trough, can you imagine trying to be able to call the sheep by name and the Shepherd knows his flock by name, and whenever they would put these shape together in a pen. You have four or five shepherds, although she could be in one pin the shepherd were spent at the opening a call a sheet and only knew she would come out of the flock you call your kids and they don't come at you out of it again and called it didn't come about that now. Why, because while yet all you are taking it while I heard that I wasn't coming in, but the shape where animals that were able to hear the voice of their shepherd, and they will follow another shepherd, and we see how the God is and now the analogy goes on as we think of Shepherdson would think of sheep and we think of being called, and we think of responding and his God is presented as a shepherd that he is the shepherd of his flock. That's all we're looking at this I was God speaking to this announcement makes it is God making this announcement to whom the shepherds shepherds had her staff, your review, University hikers. They have these them is like poles and bait in a weather for balances are going up cliffs, and so on, and are walking these trails shepherds had a staff and the staff of the shepherd was for balance in these rugged areas. It was also the staff was a long pole that young see people fighting with polls and whatever and sticks while shepherds would use it for balance for protection and then of course the crook edge. The cook top was for reaching over and grabbing holding her care and grabbing hold of the shape and pulling it up out of the place for it had somehow gotten into going get out of. So Jesus the divine Shepherd start putting the analogies together here. We start seeing and how that God is at work and that God is there protecting and guiding rescuing and watching over the shape, so the shepherd, then, is the perfect person. The Angels should be declaring or are declaring this message so on the night Jesus that his life began in this world, a process was set in motion, leading to the day when he would lay down his life for he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the shepherd who watches over his sheep. So an angelic visitation to shepherds in Bethlehem man who understood feeding and guiding and saving would be the best way his birth should be announced and we subtly have the announcement of God to the shepherds, I came across the story about the parable of the shopper something been shopping at it. I think you'll like this story because this is the lady in the author is unknown, and she says my favorite tired. My hands were cold. My arms exhausted from the weight of the packages it was beginning to snow. The bus was late. I kept rearranging my package is trying to hold them in different ways. Order to give my poor arms arrest. I still remember that day as it were yesterday. And yet fifteen years of gun by nevertheless, when Christmas rolled around, I remember that day on the bus. I was tired. I've been Christmas shopping all day long. When the bus finally arrived, was packed with holiday shoppers in the same exhausted new design. I thank it to be only vacant place near the back by handsome gentleman impolitely help me to situate my packages and even help some of them himself. My goodness, he said, did you leave any merchandise fill in the store for the rest of us. I don't think so. I know worst of all, I still haven't made all of my purchases the woman in the seat behind us join in the grief from them and added no, the worst thing is the day after Christmas will be carrying the same armload back to the store to exchange it. Her comment brought a general chuckle from all those within earshot, including my seat mate as the laughter subsided, he began in a quiet melodious voice deepened with experience to teach me a lesson that I have never forgotten here now, he said the parable. The shopper. Speaking gently and indicating my packages a woman sent forth the shop, and as she shopped. She carefully planned the child desires were considered the hard-earned money was divided, and the many parts, and the many purchases were made with pure joy and delight that is known only to the giver, then I guess were wrapped and placed lovingly undertrained eager anticipation. She scanned each face as the gifts were opened. What a lovely sweater, said the eldest daughter, but I think I would like blue. I suppose I can exchange it thank you for the CD player mother. I just want eyes just what I wanted that the sun and then decide secretly said his sister. I told her I was the one with the automatic reverse and the other automatic buttons. I never get what I want the youngest child spoke out with spoiled honesty of her age. I hate rag dolls. I wanted a china doll. I won't play with it in the gallstone. The block was fixed the ball still in the box was kicked under the couch, one still lay under the tree. The woman pointed out to her husband, your gift is here. I'll put it when I have time. He stated I want to get the bike, put together first. How sad it is continued his soft, beautiful voice. When gifts are not received in the same spirit they are given to reject the thoughtful gift is to reject the loving sentiment of the giver himself and yet are we not all signed all sometimes guilty of rejecting it was still it was talking but not only to me but all those run the bus they had all gathered around for you see the bus was parked. They took a present from my stack. This one, he said, holding it up and pretending to open the card could be to you. They pointed to a rough looking teenage boy in the war and denim jacket and pretended to read the gift card to you. I give my life lived perfectly as an example so that you might see the pattern and live worthy to return and live with me again, Merry Christmas from the Messiah. He said, holding up a pure white present is for you. He held it out. He held out the gift to the war looking woman, Karen early years must've been a real beauty. She read the card out loud and allow her tears to slip without the saying without the shame to slip without shame down her painted face. My gift to you is repentance. This Christmas I wish you to know for certain that though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow signs your advocate with the father that is at all know here's a big red package. He looked around the group and brought a ragged uncapped little child forward this package was be for you. If he were here, the card would say on this Christmas and always my gift of love is to you from you from your brother Jesus. One final gift said my seatmate, the greatest of all the gifts of God, eternal life, he found out he held our minds and our hearts. We were a hungry audience through our shopping dollars shopping had left us drained and now were we being being filled with his words how we receive these gifts. These precious gifts from the babe of Bethlehem is the telling point. Are we exchangers be asked is there really anything else we would rather have it, is what we deal with the gift long after we have opened it. That shows our true appreciation with those words, he was gone. That was fifteen years ago, only a wink of time, but not even eternity, pretty race those moments from my mind. We have an announcement to shepherds we have an announcement to shoppers and we have an announcement that comes to us. There's a song that I like to sing a Christmas and is called Angels we have heard on high, and that course is glory and Excel sees Dale and it's Latin for glory to God in the highest and you know where that song. That song basically came from was in southern France on Christmas eve. There was a custom of shepherds out on the hill and shepherds on one side of the mountain would sing and the other shepherds on the other side would respond as so as we have the announcement of shepherds in southern France in the late eighteen hundreds would sing this song and they would sing it back and forth, and it is from this song that we have another song Angels from the realms of glory, which were even saying today it is from this ancient earlier song Angels we have heard on high cane. This song Angels from the realms of glory, so that Charles seems to be left to be an 18th-century origin, a Cairo from which people were used to singing as shepherds on one mountain side to the other shepherds and a divine moment God came that night and change their lives forever and shoppers on a bus at a proclamation that changed their lives forever and here we are individuals in the sanctuary and member hearing the divine message that will change our life forever and who were they those early shepherds. They were just people, loners of a society that were out taking care of their flocks at night whiling away the night watching over their sheep, but yet not paying attention because it was a long night as was every night watching sheep sleep and brings, but here we are in our pasture hearing a divine message that will forever change us, and what makes us different than the shepherds very little what makes us different is that we are here and they are there in history. But that night, everything changed when they heard the angel say go and find the baby even if find the baby wrapped in a blanket and laying in a stone used manger that child to change the world. And here we are at Christmas and we hear the same message given to us in the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and says this message will not only change your life that will change the world shows that a message given the shepherds a message given to shoppers. The message given to a father, we thank you for the message of life that is given to us and it didn't seem so routine that can seem so insignificant because it is such a familiar message but God, it is a message that is one that will be spoken of for an eternity because it is a message that speaks of your coming come into our hearts. So Lord, come into our hearts, Lord Jesus, come in large, forgive us empower us. Let us hear your words of encouragement, love, faith, and this life and in the life to come. Thank you God for the promise speaks of our forgiveness that speaks of your presence that speaks of your love. Let us, O God, go forth and proclaim that message to those we hear that there is one born in the city of David, and he is Christ the Lord. And it is this Christ born at Christmas. The changes our world. Let us with strength and power and faith proclaimed that message. In Jesus name we pray. Everybody said amen. God bless youThis morning we are looking at the shepherds. So Luke chapter two verses eighteen to fourteen looking at the shepherds Luke chapter two verses eighteen, eight to fourteen, there were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God 's angels among them, and God 's glory blazed around them, they were terrified. The angel said, don't be afraid. I'm here to announce great and joyful event that is meant for everybody worldwide a Savior has just been born in David's town, the Savior, who is Messiah and master. This is what you're to look for a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger at once. The angel was joined by huge angelic choir singing God 's praises glory to God in the high and the heavenly heights. Peace to all men and women on earth who please him so anyway, I have this humblest of circumstances of Christ getting this stable, this manger. And it is met by a great balance of his glory because they have the Angels. So even here in the humblest of places that Jesus is born. God is something of great measure, to exalt him and it ended in some ways, points to the future exaltation of Jesus. So as we as we look at what it's always interesting to see how that God is at work in our lives and how that God doesn't do things just in the moment. Okay, it isn't just a momentary thing we have in the Old Testament we have all these prophecies about the Messiah come and then we were not Sunday school lesson today. We did about we talk about John the Baptist in his his birth and yell his mother, who was older and she was barren and how that she became pregnant and Zachariah Kyle laughed again to the scan after the my wife and I and he was struck deaf and dumb and he couldn't speak or hear until the baby was born, until the baby was laying so we have a lot of events going on, and declaring about the birth of Christ and then some of the things that happen at the time of the birth also signify something that is yet to happen in our future. So it's very interesting for us to know that everything is going on at this moment isn't everything there is. Everything is going on at this moment, it isn't all that your life is about, because it's tied with the events of the past. It's time to where we are at, but it is also tied to promises and to what God will do in our future. So we're not caught up in the extravagance of the moment or in the downcast of the moment, we are caught in the promises we are to recognize the promises of God at work in our life to help us let go of the past and forgiveness. The bad parts to learn from them and to allow the spirit of God to speak to us in the presence and then in the present experience, hope and anticipation for tomorrow because our life isn't now our life is now and tomorrow our life as it is a plan is the purpose of how the goddess of work in our text blurb in verses six and seven of this abyss of this fax of the Scriptures Jesus is wrapped in strips of rag swaddling clothes in the King James version any laid in a manger. I queued out stone trough and it doesn't seem like you can get any worse than that, then that we would think in those moments of perhaps ill. Is this really the son of God coming to us in the manger and rock than swaddling clothes, but those who made the announcement did not send out baby cards hello, it's a boy and they may didn't pass out cigars. The boy imagine the Angels run around cigars and what that supply air and on and on and on and on the card says go to Bethlehem and see child in a manger in a live performance tonight at the church. The church of the manger now so the Angels announcing his birthday and so as appearing on like that is the message Bible that we just read that the shepherds were gathered around and the angel appeared among them, he imagined an Angel just appearing between a look at the person beside you and say, argue the angel I was insane. Look at the person beside you say you're going to, but not in that essay that enough. I said I'd argue the angel of and it's like there is this a business angel appears among those that don't be afraid this character that don't be afraid. I'm here wherefore to announce great and joyful event that is for everyone worldwide, a Savior has just been born in David's style, a savior, a Messiah, a master. This is what you look for babe wrapped in a blanket at once. The angel was joined by huge angelic choir, so in its life. We have this barn in a stable and very poor people robbing an infant child in strips of right external blanket allaying them in a feed trough and alongside that you got the angels of heaven, a great multitude of angels in heaven declaring glory to God in the highest slick, while what extremes. While good, as well as the audience in a this is this is when everything about shepherds and I was thinking about this this week and how we are ill look at this and this, my came up with, not Scott, who came up with this and he told me to tell you this, so if you like it you can talk to God about it. Just kidding. You know when it's really good. If God is really bad that for each of you don't know when talking about, you know that now. So that's out works in a and if I take all the glory. You know that it's limiting and the Shepherd 's were looking at. Anna says, and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. If you are you are God, you are God. Sometimes whenever people get really upset you know when I go to heaven. I'm on Ascot this, NASCAR, that if I were God, I would do it differently. Okay, if your God and Christ were coming to the born in a manger. Villages have the announcement makes it coming out periodically to make this important announcement to why not send them to the Angels to the Temple to the place I praise strive not the Messiah is coming to the Lamb of God, thank you as well. The sacrifices animals anymore. The Angels are making this announcement. While they could change the whole religious system about Caesar. Imagine that raking in Monroe alignment are not announced the Angels Angels coming space saver. What will wake you up at night and tell him to the armies of Rome to back off from the persecution of the Jewish people and in Israel and especially in Jerusalem now back off. We got this now the Angels come there and make this declaration. While you imagine what would happen if the this went around not been every doors. I is a baby born in the state lawyer needs to be the Messiah, the Angels around made that declaration, but instead was God do when you think you have got figured out you let me know and was God do the ghost. The shepherds. While these are kind of rough characters and they are laborers to perform the tedious tasks that basically no one else is willing to do these are shepherds who appeared to be ragged and smelling when we were in Israel. We stopped there were these that and and it is forgot it. I remember saying was very unusual to seeing shepherds their tents off to the side of the road. Usually they were back off the road somewhere we could never see them, and job. We stopped busted for that sort. I thought the bus. We pulled off to the side and there were these three tenths and it was one guy had a wife reached unanimity wising up. I have a density and so the all the kids come running up to the tour bus, and they come up there. They want to go there. No. Whatever you got there there willing to take, but the thing I noticed was it was like it was like being with the sheep again that you could not tell the difference in smell between the sheep and the kids because the sheep and the kids and everybody were so intermingled unsolved whatever work they know it is like they smelled like the shape because that's where they live and I have no extravagant water. Anything a bath out in the desert was a waste of water. If you wanted to clean your pots and pans for meal you say is that the sand and rub it on any of these nosed nonstick surface on how long that will last out in the desert, but they were just like the sand and rub around their pots and pans in the rippling never use water waters to precious you. You need to drink you have that you have at the drink of the dining out the chakras were like this, they would've been these individuals that were smiling rugged individuals shepherding is among one of the oldest occupation, some six thousand years ago in Asia minor shepherds came on the scene and later on we have shepherds were our sheep were integrated into the family farms in which there were ill animals, chickens and pigs and sheep nods. Growing up as a kid. We had that chickens, pigs and cows and sheep on the farm but whenever farming became more animal intensive enough milk. You can have any other animals within a certain distance of the barn, so everything went, except accounts and so we had all the sheep, and they were always run around. They were part of the yard and whatever never knew where they were at and of course there was the RAM and you never want turn your back on him. Is he just somehow planted to write in the backside. I member. One time I was was tired of him watching you when they needed to bore you went flying. So I'm ever in the bushel basket put in over his head stuck up behind for 's head as I run for the house and make it. He planted me and I never forgot that one. So I ever put a bucket over that again. But anyhow, see parties, individuals, the nominee. Shepherds are individuals that would take care sheep and there are many different kinds of shepherds and he primarily, a shepherd was an individual who was responsible taking care sheep in an all in times and I didn't realize this, but they would milk the sheep do not put a milkshake. I never thought nothing is cheap. They have been wound up sheet and the remake cheese from the milk and then only and only of some shepherds of still still do this type of watching over their sheep today in their society. Shepherds were an important part. I like farmers, shepherds were often wage earners because the families were small enough or large enough that you generally if you were the youngest child, you got to go like David whatever he was once Daniel came to anoint his new children find out which one was going to be next in line for King and they all went before the profit that David was then why is he was out watching sheep, so the youngest one knee when the family was always responsible. Go watch the cows, the watched the sheep go to wherever, and the sheep were not animals that you kept in the planes are in the end where you would grow crops. The sheep were animals that would grace on hillsides or back, where nothing could go on. Nothing could grow you couldn't find so there would be sheepherders and the sheepherders were generally nomads they were single men who would take care sheet and they will go off for months at a time and watch the shape and sometimes there would be three or four or five of them get together and bring their hearts that their flocks of sheep together and that they would watch over their flocks, and they would do different shifts in step twenty four hours a day. Watch them and animals and robbers would come robbers. I do realize this, either robbers would, and try upon the shape. When it was time to share the good that's when the money is, so they were still the shape shared or will take your wall letter run, so that's whatever the shepherds had to be most on guard for robbers was whenever scientists year the shape and of course predators were always wanting to know they like. They liked lamb for supper so predators would always be there, trying to take care of her~ sheet, so shepherding and developed only in certain areas of the of your and of those of those so Middle Eastern countries because it had the places where cattle couldn't raise and more. Nothing could be grow, and so they would be shepherds who were out taking care of the sheep. I should can feed on rough pasture, which is unsuitable for cattle for agriculture. Anything else whatever we think how that sheep were taking care of. They were just basically grazing and if you ever looks out about cheap than shepherding and things like that but sheep are really dumb animals, cheaper, really dumb because they can just wander off, but he just wander off and now get lost and that they are there no one before also the Shepherd and was in charge of this and we would sing with David how that he would watch over his sheep, and that's where he perfected his art with the slingshot killing animals killing birds, you know, if you were if you were a kid out watching sheep that the Scripture says that they were what were they doing with their flocks whiling their flocks. You know what Wilding is just fiddling around, but they were just now watching their sheet now have you never will. You know it's it's watching animals is like watching grass grow. It's really boring. I mean, you can set there and you can watch grass grow that a growing on an album watching and so they shepherd them was in this place up out watching his sheep and so we happier often the Bible tells us, though, on extraordinary shepherds. The Bible tells us about extraordinary shepherds, David Shepherd King of Israel. He had cared for his people, just as he had cared for in shape, and when he was a boy. The shepherd in a field outside of Bethlehem, David. It was there that he was able to see how obvious care for his animals was translated into all that God cares for his people. It was there that he was seeing God 's care and how that he would watch over a shape was how that God would watch over his people. You and I and so that's where the twenty third Psalm had the analogy between the Lord is my shepherd to the Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in one. The key responsibility of the shepherd was to make sure that the sheep are taking Sarah to make sure that they were protected to make sure that they had water to make sure that they were protected from the animals and that they had pasture land, the never been a hell in the Middle East in those countries. It's like their grazing on rocks if I looked when you see these animals, and there's no grass like we have grass growing everywhere. No know over there is instant and is terrible. You can't stands no grass anywhere but what are they eating and the shopper so were responsible to take them to different grazing pastures and said to ensure that they were taking care of cattle can't graze where sheep graze visits on these hillsides and cliffs, and whatever and the Shepherd wanted me out. He had known the twenty third Solomon says that in the Davis is the good shepherd. The gospel. Jesus was that he would lay down. He would know if she and we are known by him, and that the sheep know his voice. My mom whatever we get. We had cattle, she would. She had them all name know all the cows were name in all the black and white ones, they were white with black spots black with white spots and some were white and little black spots and some are black and the white spots. My mum new mall by name. I'm amount to call the May house where my no, my mom genome on my name and all had their own stance and they all had their own feed trough, can you imagine trying to be able to call the sheep by name and the Shepherd knows his flock by name, and whenever they would put these shape together in a pen. You have four or five shepherds, although she could be in one pin the shepherd were spent at the opening a call a sheet and only knew she would come out of the flock you call your kids and they don't come at you out of it again and called it didn't come about that now. Why, because while yet all you are taking it while I heard that I wasn't coming in, but the shape where animals that were able to hear the voice of their shepherd, and they will follow another shepherd, and we see how the God is and now the analogy goes on as we think of Shepherdson would think of sheep and we think of being called, and we think of responding and his God is presented as a shepherd that he is the shepherd of his flock. That's all we're looking at this I was God speaking to this announcement makes it is God making this announcement to whom the shepherds shepherds had her staff, your review, University hikers. They have these them is like poles and bait in a weather for balances are going up cliffs, and so on, and are walking these trails shepherds had a staff and the staff of the shepherd was for balance in these rugged areas. It was also the staff was a long pole that young see people fighting with polls and whatever and sticks while shepherds would use it for balance for protection and then of course the crook edge. The cook top was for reaching over and grabbing holding her care and grabbing hold of the shape and pulling it up out of the place for it had somehow gotten into going get out of. So Jesus the divine Shepherd start putting the analogies together here. We start seeing and how that God is at work and that God is there protecting and guiding rescuing and watching over the shape, so the shepherd, then, is the perfect person. The Angels should be declaring or are declaring this message so on the night Jesus that his life began in this world, a process was set in motion, leading to the day when he would lay down his life for he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the shepherd who watches over his sheep. So an angelic visitation to shepherds in Bethlehem man who understood feeding and guiding and saving would be the best way his birth should be announced and we subtly have the announcement of God to the shepherds, I came across the story about the parable of the shopper something been shopping at it. I think you'll like this story because this is the lady in the author is unknown, and she says my favorite tired. My hands were cold. My arms exhausted from the weight of the packages it was beginning to snow. The bus was late. I kept rearranging my package is trying to hold them in different ways. Order to give my poor arms arrest. I still remember that day as it were yesterday. And yet fifteen years of gun by nevertheless, when Christmas rolled around, I remember that day on the bus. I was tired. I've been Christmas shopping all day long. When the bus finally arrived, was packed with holiday shoppers in the same exhausted new design. I thank it to be only vacant place near the back by handsome gentleman impolitely help me to situate my packages and even help some of them himself. My goodness, he said, did you leave any merchandise fill in the store for the rest of us. I don't think so. I know worst of all, I still haven't made all of my purchases the woman in the seat behind us join in the grief from them and added no, the worst thing is the day after Christmas will be carrying the same armload back to the store to exchange it. Her comment brought a general chuckle from all those within earshot, including my seat mate as the laughter subsided, he began in a quiet melodious voice deepened with experience to teach me a lesson that I have never forgotten here now, he said the parable. The shopper. Speaking gently and indicating my packages a woman sent forth the shop, and as she shopped. She carefully planned the child desires were considered the hard-earned money was divided, and the many parts, and the many purchases were made with pure joy and delight that is known only to the giver, then I guess were wrapped and placed lovingly undertrained eager anticipation. She scanned each face as the gifts were opened. What a lovely sweater, said the eldest daughter, but I think I would like blue. I suppose I can exchange it thank you for the CD player mother. I just want eyes just what I wanted that the sun and then decide secretly said his sister. I told her I was the one with the automatic reverse and the other automatic buttons. I never get what I want the youngest child spoke out with spoiled honesty of her age. I hate rag dolls. I wanted a china doll. I won't play with it in the gallstone. The block was fixed the ball still in the box was kicked under the couch, one still lay under the tree. The woman pointed out to her husband, your gift is here. I'll put it when I have time. He stated I want to get the bike, put together first. How sad it is continued his soft, beautiful voice. When gifts are not received in the same spirit they are given to reject the thoughtful gift is to reject the loving sentiment of the giver himself and yet are we not all signed all sometimes guilty of rejecting it was still it was talking but not only to me but all those run the bus they had all gathered around for you see the bus was parked. They took a present from my stack. This one, he said, holding it up and pretending to open the card could be to you. They pointed to a rough looking teenage boy in the war and denim jacket and pretended to read the gift card to you. I give my life lived perfectly as an example so that you might see the pattern and live worthy to return and live with me again, Merry Christmas from the Messiah. He said, holding up a pure white present is for you. He held it out. He held out the gift to the war looking woman, Karen early years must've been a real beauty. She read the card out loud and allow her tears to slip without the saying without the shame to slip without shame down her painted face. My gift to you is repentance. This Christmas I wish you to know for certain that though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow signs your advocate with the father that is at all know here's a big red package. He looked around the group and brought a ragged uncapped little child forward this package was be for you. If he were here, the card would say on this Christmas and always my gift of love is to you from you from your brother Jesus. One final gift said my seatmate, the greatest of all the gifts of God, eternal life, he found out he held our minds and our hearts. We were a hungry audience through our shopping dollars shopping had left us drained and now were we being being filled with his words how we receive these gifts. These precious gifts from the babe of Bethlehem is the telling point. Are we exchangers be asked is there really anything else we would rather have it, is what we deal with the gift long after we have opened it. That shows our true appreciation with those words, he was gone. That was fifteen years ago, only a wink of time, but not even eternity, pretty race those moments from my mind. We have an announcement to shepherds we have an announcement to shoppers and we have an announcement that comes to us. There's a song that I like to sing a Christmas and is called Angels we have heard on high, and that course is glory and Excel sees Dale and it's Latin for glory to God in the highest and you know where that song. That song basically came from was in southern France on Christmas eve. There was a custom of shepherds out on the hill and shepherds on one side of the mountain would sing and the other shepherds on the other side would respond as so as we have the announcement of shepherds in southern France in the late eighteen hundreds would sing this song and they would sing it back and forth, and it is from this song that we have another song Angels from the realms of glory, which were even saying today it is from this ancient earlier song Angels we have heard on high cane. This song Angels from the realms of glory, so that Charles seems to be left to be an 18th-century origin, a Cairo from which people were used to singing as shepherds on one mountain side to the other shepherds and a divine moment God came that night and change their lives forever and shoppers on a bus at a proclamation that changed their lives forever and here we are individuals in the sanctuary and member hearing the divine message that will change our life forever and who were they those early shepherds. They were just people, loners of a society that were out taking care of their flocks at night whiling away the night watching over their sheep, but yet not paying attention because it was a long night as was every night watching sheep sleep and brings, but here we are in our pasture hearing a divine message that will forever change us, and what makes us different than the shepherds very little what makes us different is that we are here and they are there in history. But that night, everything changed when they heard the angel say go and find the baby even if find the baby wrapped in a blanket and laying in a stone used manger that child to change the world. And here we are at Christmas and we hear the same message given to us in the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and says this message will not only change your life that will change the world shows that a message given the shepherds a message given to shoppers. The message given to a father, we thank you for the message of life that is given to us and it didn't seem so routine that can seem so insignificant because it is such a familiar message but God, it is a message that is one that will be spoken of for an eternity because it is a message that speaks of your coming come into our hearts. So Lord, come into our hearts, Lord Jesus, come in large, forgive us empower us. Let us hear your words of encouragement, love, faith, and this life and in the life to come. Thank you God for the promise speaks of our forgiveness that speaks of your presence that speaks of your love. Let us, O God, go forth and proclaim that message to those we hear that there is one born in the city of David, and he is Christ the Lord. And it is this Christ born at Christmas. The changes our world. Let us with strength and power and faith proclaimed that message. In Jesus name we pray. Everybody said amen. God bless you