Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 25 December 2016
Luke 2 verses 8 - 20
Whenever we come to the shepherds here in Luke`s gospel chapter 2 we are looking at the most familiar account of scripture. Here we find the shepherds out on the hillside. We can visualise them as they care for their sheep. The day began like any other day and perhaps today has been the same for us. It began like any other day but this day was going to be a day when something special would happen in the lives of these men. God would show them something they had never seen or witnessed before. These men had been tending the sheep all day long. They had taken them to the lush valley where they were able to feed. Maybe they had taken them to the still brook to satisfy their thirst. Now the day has worn on and it is night time. They must bring their sheep into a place of safety. That is where they settled down for the night then God breaks in.. The night of eternity is fast approaching. The only thing sufficient for us is God breaking into our souls and showing us Jesus as he came to seek and to save your soul. We not only want to see him in the manger but on the cross. It was there he finished your salvation. See him in the tomb . View that day when the women looked into the tomb and could find nothing. Now we see him seated at the right hand of the Father. He promised one day to come again. "I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also." (John 14 verses 2 and 3) The one nurtured on that first Christmas day is coming back again one day for those who are saved, who know Christ as Saviour and Lord. "Where I am you might be also." God broke into our lives. Look at the experience of the shepherds.
The shepherds were enlightened. As they sat around the angels came and they were startled - verses 9 and 10. The angels now had their attention. They were speaking directly to the shepherds. It is God who speaks to us through his Holy Spirit and shows us our great need. Sometimes as we read God`s word we are startled. We need to hear those words "fear not it is I". The shepherds were enlightened to the event that had just taken place in Bethlehem - verses 10 and 11 "I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord." They were aware of God`s part right back to Genesis, the days of creation. Now the Saviour had come and it came now to the shepherds. Up until now the world was ignorant to the virgin birth and God veiled in human flesh. They didn`t know what was happening in Bethlehem until God came to enlighten their minds to see it for themselves. "The natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritualy discerned." (1 Cointhians 2 verse 14) The natural man is that man born into the world, born with a sinful nature. That is us. All because the Bible tells us each one of us has sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are born tonight without God. We are born into the world in sin by nature. By practice he sent us a Saviour, one who can save us from all sin. We could never reach that with our own intellect or ability. Something we have to be enlightened to - God of heaven does that through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. You and I cannot reach that ourselves. In Acts 2 Peter preached to the multiude of people and they were pricked in their hearts. Peter could preach to their ears, even convince their minds but never reach the hearts. In Luke 24 the 2 on the road to Emmaeus were thinking back to the resurrection, couldn`t take it in. These 2 disciples said "did not our hearts burn within us when he opened up the scriptures to us?" (Luke 24 verse 32) Peter came to the house of Cornelius and opened up the word of God and preached when the Holy Spirit came upon them. He took them through the istory of the nation of Israel then onto Christ and preached of his cross and resurrection. Something happened - the Holy Spirit came down and fell on them. God had a plan.
The shepherds encounter - verse 15. The shepherds made their way down to Bethlehem and made it with haste. Once they were enlightened they were not going to tarry. As they entered that place they seen it just as the angels told them. As they looked in the manger looked on him and found the one the angels told them. Have you ever gazed upon the Lord in true believing faith? Remember how he died one day. The Roman Centurion heard every word that was cried - "it is finished" were the last words. "Surely this was the Son of God" he said. He seen him as he never seen him before. What a gaze that was. Have you ever looked to the Lord? Maybe know him as the baby in manger. Maybe now know him from the stable, know him as he was growing up, dying on the cross but have never trusted him as Saviour and Lord. We can be enlightened but most end with encounter with Christ on the cross. In Acts 8 the Ethiopian eunich was making his way home when he came under such conviction. His mind was being enlightened right from Isaiah 53 and the suffering servant. He had his mind enlightened but not yet had an encounter with Christ. As Philip preached to him the Holy Ghost opened up his mind.
The shepherds were encouraged - verses 16 and 17. As they gazed on the face of the Saviour they were encouraged. There is so much to discourage us. Looking into another year, don`t know what is going to happen. Maybe bleak for you. Instead of doing that look on the face of the Lord and be greatly encouraged The only place we can look is on the Lord. A sight of the Saviour was all the disciples needed out in the boat when the wind and the rain increased. David the King of Israel brought his men back to the village of Ziglag. Something had happened when he was away. The enemy had come down and raided that city and carried away their families. The men would have stoned David but he "encouraged himself in the Lord".
The shepherds were enabled - verses 17 and 18. These were shepherds not preachers or evangelists. They were not used to going around telling others that something had happened that day. When they gazed on the baby God opened their hearts to believe but opened their lips to tell others what had happened. The apostle Paul knew needed help when it came to preaching . He asked for others to pray for him "that utterance may be give unto me." We need prayer when it comes to witnessing. We need to pray for one another. We need to support one another and tell what we have seen and witnessed.
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