Stories of Christmas | Part Three: The Shepherds
December 10, 2023
The shepherds were invited by God to see His Son, Jesus, that very first Christmas, and their stories were forever changed. God invited them, and God invites each of us. Sometimes, we disqualify ourselves from hearing from God and serving Him, and sometimes we make excuses. This Christmas, will you experience God’s love and see Him change your story? Will you come and adore Jesus and then live a life of worship? Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you (Luke 2:11). The shepherds got it; will you? The shepherds worshiped and ministered to others; will you? Jesus has come - to you. Merry CHRISTmas!
1. The Good News of Jesus is for everyone.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:9
- The shepherds were ordinary people.
- Don’t disqualify yourself from knowing and serving God.
- Always be ready for God to move in your life.
2. The shepherds acted on what God told them.
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.” Luke 2:15
- When God comes to you, how will you respond?
- Think about all the excuses the shepherds could have made.
- Overcome the excuses and join God in what He is doing.
- So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:16
3. The shepherds were the first preachers of the Gospel.
When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:17-18
- God entrusted the Good News of the birth of His Son to a bunch of shepherds.
- God entrusts His Good News today to a bunch of people like us.
- Share God’s Good News this Christmas.
4. The shepherds returned as different after being with Jesus.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:20
- The shepherds returned to their everyday life.
- Glorifying and praising God is our invitation to worship.
- Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1
- Being with Jesus calls us to worship God and to minister to others.