The Shepherds
Who did God announce the birth of His Son to? A group of unknown shepherds! There is only one announcement of Christ’s birth recorded in the Scriptures. And that one invitation goes to a group of shepherds.
They were the last people you’d expect God to take notice of. Why?
First of all, they were religious outcasts.
Their line of work prevented them from participating in the feasts and holy days that made up the Jewish religious calendar. Well, somebody had to watch the sheep. They weren’t able to participate fully in the religious life of the community.
Since they were constantly on the move to find new pasture for their flocks, they were looked on with suspicion. They were often accused of being thieves.
And on top of all that, they really didn’t have much contact with other people. Most of the time, they were living out in the fields.
Being a shepherd was lonely, wearisome, usually very boring and tedious, and sometimes extremely dangerous.
Imagine you’re God and you want to announce the most amazing, incredible, joyous news ever; an event which will literally change the course of history – the birth of your only Son, Jesus Christ. The birth of the One who will be the Savior of the whole world.
Who do you announce it to? Who do you invite to come and see?
When a child is born to a member of British royalty; for instance, when Princess Diana’s sons Harry and William were born, they didn’t send a messenger down to the docks to break the news first to the harbour workers and the fishmongers. If any announcements or invitations were sent out, they were first delivered to political leaders and foreign heads of state.
The point is that you would expect an event like the birth of Christ to be announced to the most important people in the nation – kings, governors, magistrates, even Caesar – might be invited to come and pay homage to the future ruler.
Why did God send His angels to announce the birth of Christ to these shepherds, to invite them, and them only, to come and see the child?
God wanted to show that His love does not discriminate on the basis of class, or wealth, or social standing. He does not respect kings and princes more than hourly laborers, he does not value priests and pastors above the people in the pews. God does not show favoritism; He does not give preferential treatment to one group of people over another. His love is available to all on the same basis – faith in Jesus Christ, and faith alone.
So, what does all this mean to me? Well, if you identify with the shepherds, it should be very encouraging.
You think that if God is even aware you exist, He probably doesn’t have a very favorable opinion of you.
I have good news for you. The best news possible. God loves you. Just like He loved those shepherds. And you are special to Him. Just like those shepherds were special to Him, so special that He gave them the incredible privilege of being the first to hear of Christ’s birth, being the first people other than Joseph and Mary to lay eyes on the Son of God, being the first to tell others about Christ. He didn’t give those privileges to the Roman Caesar or to the Jewish high priest, he gave it to the shepherds. Not in spite of who they were, but because of who they were – humble, ordinary people with no high opinions of themselves. Simple people who were willing to simply believe what God told them and to simply do what God commanded them.
Would you just simply trust in Jesus as your Saviour and do what God commands?