Why shepherds?

Objective:
1. To know the nomadic life of shepherds
2. To know the relation of shepherds to Jesus
3. To learn some reactions of shepherds to the angel’s message

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THE SHEPHERDS
1. What did it feel like to be a shepherd? Aside from smelling like sheep, they live in
obscurity. Anonymity is their world.
2. Considered nobody. Those who work "behind the scenes" are usually
forgotten people. We tend to overlook them. Shepherds are poor,
uneducated, probably were not people others could hang around with
(stinking, filthy, you name it!). “Bettewins”/ “shepherds – why would I need
to meet them? They are always on the move feeding their sheep and goats.
Chuck swindoll – imagine one of the shepherds

3. Illustration: Poverty Perspective

In Hollywood there is an exclusive school attended by children of movie stars,
producers, and directors. Asked to write a composition on the subject of
poverty, one little girl started her literary piece: "Once there was a poor little
girl. Her father was poor, her mother was poor, her governess was poor, her
chauffeur was poor, her butler was poor. In fact, everybody in the house was
very, very poor.

4. In the Talmud (body of Jewish civil and religious law, including commentaries on the
Torah, or Pentateuch)it is written that shepherds were not allowed in the courts
to be witnesses. In fact the Talmud instructs that no help be given to
heathens or to shepherds. Shepherds were despised because they were
unable to attend temple services and to keep the rituals and ceremonial laws
as their flocks kept them from practicing their religion.

5.

RELATION OF SHEPHERDS TO JESUS

1. Why did the angels appear to the shepherds and not someone else? Why? Perhaps He
wanted the poor and outcast of society to know that they were important too.
It may have been that God wanted the lowliest of humanity to realize that His
love included them, especially in a world where they were normally excluded
2. Illustrate: Gives his life for the sheep
Dr. Marion Anderson relates this story:
I was riding in a tour bus from Jerusalem to Jericho, sitting in the front seat,
since I was leading a group, and about half asleep, having made the same
trip many, many times. Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop, waking me up.
There in the middle of the street was a Shepherd. Now, with a 48-passenger
bus running straight at me, I wouldn’t be out there, but there he was. And the
 sheep started to cross the road. Not all at once, but in twos and threes and
ones. But the shepherd never shooed them, or hurried them, he just stood his
ground until the last sheep was safely off the road. Then he followed them,
and threaded his way through the flock until he was back up front again,
leading the way.
3. The Lord is our shepherd
4. Jesus is the good shepherd
5. He is the Lamb of God
a. Jesus Was Born In A Place Reserved For Animals. Perhaps this was
fitting for the One who was the Lamb of God.

LESSONS FROM THE SHEPHERDS

1. We need not believe blindly. They went, verified, and confirmed that what they were told
was true (Luke 2: 20)
a. What’s their reaction upon seeing the angels?
i. Others formed their religion
ii. – scared out of their sandals. Can you picture their mouths open and not
sure whether to run or to fall on their face in worship?
b.
c. How long do you think it took them to decide?
2. Take appropriate action

Hear the message again. If God did indeed become man to reach out to us . . . He
must love us more than we can begin to comprehend. If God did all that to reach you
and me He can be trusted to guide us faithfully. Do something bold this Christmas.
Follow the example of the Shepherds and dare to act on what God tells you to do.

a. He is calling you to turn away from something you know is wrong

b. to mend a relationship
c. to do something to help someone who is in need
d. to stop living in the past
e. to ask for help from someone else
f. to some bold action . . . .to do something, give something…begin something.

WHY SHEPHERDS?
1. To show that He cares for those who have been overlooked by the world.
2. To show that, everyone is important in the presence of God.
3. To show that God chooses any one who responds in faith. - The wise men
brought expensive gifts when they visited Jesus. The Shepherds had nothing
but their faith