The Cast of the Christmas StoryНамуна

Day 10: The Shepherds

Re-Read: Matthew 1:18-2:23 & Luke 2

Reflection:

One question regarding the birth of Christ has been analyzed for centuries. Why did the Angel of the Lord appear before the Shepherds?

Shepherds were not high up on the social ladder. They were outcasts who struggled and scraped to make a living. Most were considered vagrants and con men and certainly not worthy of a visit from a multitude of angels.

And yet, the angel came to the shepherds as they watched over their flocks and brought a multitude of heavenly hosts along. The angel told them, “Do not be afraid.”

The Lord called Himself a shepherd and referred to those He loved as His flock and He told them, “Fear not. I am with you always.” Even the black sheep, even the worst of society. Is this why God sent the angel to these men so soon after Christ was born? Because they knew all about watching over their flocks? They knew how to corral stray lambs and keep their sheep safe and fed. Since they were hindered by society’s demands, they couldn’t help but spread the news out of shock and awe and amazement. They were every man. Or maybe it’s because King David was a shepherd who stood up to a giant. This is certainly part of the lineage that eventually gave us Christ. Christ stood up to His own giant— Sin. He was like one of those little lambs because He sacrificed Himself for us. Shepherds knew of the sacrificial lambs and sometimes raised them for this very purpose.

Did God consider the shepherds to be the best messengers for the coming of the Lord? The prophets had declared Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. The shepherds were out in the hills surrounding Bethlehem. The heavenly star surely was their guiding light to keep their flock intact and safe. Were they already a part of the foreshadowing simply because of their line of work? The Tower of the Flock, also known as Migdal Eder, was located between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Some suggest the shepherds could have been guarding a special flock of lambs that were being raised purposely for sacrifice.

What could they have imagined when the angel told them to go and find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloth inside a manager? Wrapped in a fabric similar to what baby sheep were swaddled in when they were born to be sacrificed. But they obeyed the Angel. They immediately started spreading the word about what they’d seen, thus creating the beginning of the Gospel of Christ.

This was a small tight-knit community so word would have begun to spread as soon as Jesus was born. The shepherds had been told to look for the Babe in a manger. While this could be symbolic, some believe the shepherds stayed in the hills and didn’t actually find the manger until a few hours or maybe days later and that the manger could have been a cave-like enclosure near the inn where no rooms were available.

On this special night they were there to pay their respects because the angel had foretold this exciting event. No one jostled for position. Isaiah 40:11 tells us, “He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart.”

This is the true sign of a shepherd, the true nature of Jesus Christ. Common men who lived and worked on the land with the animals became the beacon of hope for the Savior who was born on that starry night. They stood watch over Him along with Mary and Joseph and the three wise men. The Angel of the Lord shined down on them. There were no outcasts in this scene. The shepherds who had tended their flock would forever remain a part of the story of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have to wonder what became of them. Were they there thirty-three years later, watching in the crowd? Did they feel that tug to rush to the cross and hold the lamb close to their hearts? I’d like to think they did, indeed.

Discuss: Jesus came for all of us. Every single one of us. That is a beautiful thing. What are some thoughts you have about the shepherds? Are they who you would expect Jesus to come to first?

Pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for embracing all of us. Thank You for showing Yourself to every man. Thank You for wrapping us all up in Your embrace. We love You. Amen.