Sermon – “We Are the Sheep”

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your re-quests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Our Scripture verse today is as you can type probably tell Luke and we’re going to go one through twenty to begin with but then I’m going to go back through and I’m just going to kind of break it up and and speak a little bit on some of the verses as we go. So I’m going to be reading of the king the New King James Version. Luke Chapter two. And it came to pass in those days that had to create went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quinn eeriest was governing Syria. So all went to be registered everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judaea to the City of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife who was with child. So it was that while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought furthur first fourth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the end. Now they were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night and behold an angel of the Lord stood before them in the glory of the Lord showed round them and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them Do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be for all people for there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord chokes me up so. And this will be the sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men. So it was when the Angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherd said to one another. Let us now go to Bethleham and see this thing that is come to pass which the Lord has May known to us. And they came with haste and. And Mary and Joseph in the baby lying in a manger. Now when they had seen him. They made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were TOLD them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as IT WAS TOLD THEM. So here we are. So we’re another Christmas Eve Another years gone by. And but today is the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus and I know some people say that Jesus wasn’t born on this day we can’t possibly know what day he was born when he was born and really we can’t we have no way of knowing the exact day that he was born. But this we do know Jesus was born and he was born of a virgin. And that’s what’s so noteworthy about Jesus’ birth. He was born of a virgin. He’s a son of God and a man. And so it’s we can’t know what day and you know as far as I’m concerned. I don’t care what day he was born at I don’t care if he was born in July or March or September it doesn’t really matter to me when he was born. Although I kind of tend to believe he was born in the winter but it doesn’t really matter what matters is that he was born because and that’s why we celebrate because if we didn’t have the birth. We wouldn’t have the death and the resurrection and therefore we wouldn’t have forgiveness of sins. So the birth is a very important day to celebrate. We can go into the history of why we think Jesus was born here or when or where but we’re not going to do that we’re just going to concentrate on what the Scripture says because one of the things I really like to do when I when I was preach and go through God’s Word is to take some of the familiar verses of the Bible that we think we already know and dig out some of the rich spiritual spiritual treasures that are buried there. I think to a. Often we read the Bible and we read it casually like maybe when we read a novel where the newspaper we just go through it and we read it but we don’t really take the time all the always to to mesh out what it is and what it means and to really think about it. And that’s what I want to do today with some of these scriptures. And I want to sit and meditate on some of the words that are there so that we can discover more the meaning. That’s buried deep inside. So we’re going to look a little more closely at Luke but we’re going to start looking it first eight. Says And now they were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night. Now these were humble shepherds and they were probably the first people to hear the announcement of Christ’s birth because the angels came and told him and the angels told him to go quickly to Bethleham and be the first to see him now. Put yourself in the shoes of the shepherds you’re out in a field it may be cold. It’s dark and you’re with your brothers or your cousins or whoever you’re keep in the flocks with and watching over the sheet. It’s just another quiet night until all at once. There’s the jewels. Can you see it in your mind’s eye. God came to them why they were in the most desolate locations doing the humblest of tasks. They were in the last place the human voice viewpoint would have expected God to be. However these men swore in God’s place in God’s time. They were faithfully performing the duties of shepherds using the talents that God had freely given them and that’s what God wants each of us to do. To faithfully utilize the talents that he gives to each one of us in the places that he puts us. God didn’t appear to the self-righteous or live religious leaders of that time. Time were to the celebrities. He appeared to humble men in a despised profession and a dark and lonely location. They shepherds were symbolic of Jesus Christ. The Good Shepherd who would also humbly follow God’s will. This shape represent us as believers in several ways and you might think well how do I. How am I a sheep. And I’m going to tell you. She cannot clean themselves. Some animals like cats clean themselves regularly. But she cannot. And likewise we as unbelievers were not able to clean ourselves of the filthiness of sin. We needed Christ our good shepherd to do that. She cannot defend themselves from predators many animals have a defense system. Skunks Blowfish tigers bears porcupines they all have a way to defend themselves but sheep to not they depend on the shepherd. Just as we depend on our ship or our defense from our enemies Satan is through Jesus Christ and the pair of his blood a man. He is our good shepherd. Shape cannot find food or water for themselves they depend upon the shepherds the leave them to water and green pastures. As stated in Psalm twenty three. So was read to Twenty third Psalm we we get proof of that the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures He leads me beside still waters he restores my soul he leaves me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Yea there are walk through the valley valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me you prepared table for me in the presence of mine enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup runs over Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will do well in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen. Shaper not intelligent as believer sometimes neither are we when it comes to the things of God. That’s why are so of ation our turn will security and our rewards depend entirely upon the work of our good shepherd Jesus Christ. We can’t get there. We can’t on R.M. there’s nothing we can do. There’s no work that we can do. That’s going to our salvation. We depend on Jesus Christ in his blood. All we have to do is ask for forgiveness and repent. Amen. We have the Holy Spirit to make spiritual things understandable to us and so in those ways. That’s the way we’re like sheep. So it’s shape. We depend on Jesus right so let’s look at the next two verses nine through ten an angel the Lord Lord I can’t talk today and Angel of the Lord stood before them in the glory of the Lord shown around them and they were greatly afraid then the angel said to them Do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. An angel sent from God A messenger suddenly appears to those simple shepherds out in the field. And as humans often do they became greatly afraid. And they actually you know they weren’t just afraid they were greatly afraid they were terrified. But verse nine says in verse nine tells us they were terribly afraid. However they UNMIK. The angel immediately tells them in verse ten Do not be afraid the king dangerous Bible tells us sixty three times in fact do not be afraid. Fear not. Over a dozen times not to be anxious for example when Filippi and for six or seven. It says Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer. Supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. So the shepherds were even told to be anxious for nothing and yet how can we do that you know as human beings we get afraid we get anxious and certain situations don’t wait. It’s a normal emotional response and actually it’s designed to protect us in some ways to protect us from harm. You know we get that fright or flight thing you know we get afraid or we run from a scary situation or a harmful situation and based on our human abilities it’s not possible for us not to be anxious or not to be afraid. However as Christians we have a way that we can’t be afraid that we can bypass that we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit living inside of us and we have God’s word written in our heart and written in physical form that’s available to us. And if we take God’s word as we take God’s word into our minds and into our heart it transforms us by every new and our mind Romans twelve two says that’s not it. Romans twelve two. And you probably know this when and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the Renu ing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God. So if our work our minds are transformed to the will of God That is God’s will. He wants us to think of him to think of his things that think of the scriptural things and not of the things of the world which fear comes into. With their minds in control or emotions are governed by Biblical doctrine. And we become able to control that fear and. We rest more and more in face on God and His words which is exactly what the shepherds did. Verse ten. Then the angel said to them Do not be afraid for behold I bring you great tidings of great joy which will be to all people. So the shop that said the angels are assuring the shepherds that they bring good news and it. They were also bring great joy the news will bring great joy and it will be for all people not just the Jews but for all people the shepherds themselves will become messengers of this good news by later telling others what they will see in Bethlehem. And now want to verse eleven. For there is born to this day in the City of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. The angels tell the shepherds where this great joy is to occur. It’s to occur in the City of David in Bethlehem their Savior the promised Messiah Christ the Lord is to be born this very night. This is a event that had been prophesied for years and years before and these shepherds knew the Scriptures. They knew what the prophecies were. And Micah five to it says. But as for you. Baffle home at Bethlehem efforts too little to be among the clans of Judah from you. One will go forth to me to be ruler in Israel his going to force his going forth are from long ago from the days from everlasting. Give that some thought a minute. His going forth and it’s talking about Jesus are from everlasting or from the turn. Andy. So that tells us that Jesus was with God from the beginning. Doesn’t it. Here’s a little thing that I learned when I was going through this and study in what was in all the scripture. There was a Bethlehem a city of Bethlehem that was only about seven miles away from where Mary and Joseph for. But Scripture said they had to go to Bethleham Africa which was like thirty six hours away. So they couldn’t just go to the little beforehand that was a few hours away. You know they had to travel all the way to Bethlehem effort to fulfill that prophecy and Mary is a pregnant woman she probably would have my friends are going to the closer one but that’s not where Joseph was called to get was it. The shepherds knew all this and they knew not to question because they knew the scripture. They knew what was being told them. They didn’t question anything that the angels told them not the city where it was to happen not the events that the angel said work her danger tell even tells you how they’re going to recognize the baby. And verse twelve. It says and this will be a sign to you you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. I think it’s pretty safe to assume that there weren’t to be two mother many babies born that night that were wrapped in swaddling clothes which were basically rag strips or rags that were wrapped around the baby to keep them warm and lying in a manger for a crypt. We do notice however that nowhere in here does it say he was born in a stable. It doesn’t say though. It simply says there was no room for him in the inn. And so we are led to believe he was born where animals were cat because it does say he was laid in a manger which was something that they fed the animals out of. Where he was born could have been a cave cut out of the hillside which is very. Likely because it was a hilly country and a lot of times they did have caves cut out and that’s where a lot of the animals were kept he could have been born in an open pen somewhere or they also often kept animals in the back ends of their homes. Sometimes they brought them into the back ends of their homes they could have been born in somebodies back room where the animals were kept. We just don’t know for certain. But we do know that there wasn’t room for an inn for him in the inn so he was born where animals were kept. But certainly the angel gave them a definite sign to ensure that they would recognize this child as they did with everything else in jewel told them the shepherds believe the message and say then something else and birthed verse thirteen and fourteen happened something unexpected. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill towards men. What an amazing and glorious thing that must have been to see. Can you imagine being there. Can you imagine putting yourself in that place and being the one that the angels appeared to can you imagine how the shepherds felt that night. Can you imagine the All they felt the trembling. I mean of an angel appeared to me I’m sure I tremble I’m sure I’d probably be afraid even though they told me not to be I’d be and all. I’d probably fall on my face my knees would probably go weak. My goodness I get excited on Christmas Eve when we turn out the lights and light a candle and sing Silent Night It makes me cry. I would be so excited. It was such a tremendous thing to happen. It was such a blessing from there. And to know that God’s promises were being fulfilled on that very night that this was the very night that their Messiah that they’d been waiting for for years and years and years that their Messiah was going to be born. Can you imagine their joy. They knew what it meant they knew what their Messiah was going to eventually do for them they knew that somehow he was going to save them. And Luke to fifteen we read in so was when the Angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherd said to one another. Let us now go to Bethleham and see this thing that is come to pass which the Lord has meant to us. They heard the angels message in his face. They believed it. They didn’t doubt or question. They took their words go see this thing that has happened. They didn’t think all of us go see this thing that dangerous say could happen or this thing that they just say might happen. They say let’s go see this thing that angels say has happened. It’s already happened. It’s it’s done. They recognize that message as one which the board has may know to us and they took on faith and they believed and they went they went expecting because they had that much faith and they had that much knowledge of the scripture. We don’t know how many shepherds may have been in the fields. But in reading a Luke fifteen X. suggests that all greed and all went and to Luke two sixteen. Is says and they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. The shepherds didn’t slowly pick up their gear and oh wait i need to get. Oh wait I forgot. I’ve got my staff know they had in haste they hurried up and they left they didn’t wait to pick up this or that they gathered to shape and they left they were gone. They wanted to hurry up and go see what the angel said it happened. They were excited about it just as we should be excited about it. We should be excited about the birth of Christ that we celebrate this time of year we should have such an excitement inside us because of what Jesus did for us. And when they had seen this they made known. The statement which had been told to them about the Christ child and all who heard it marveled at those things which had been told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them and her heart then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard as it was told them. God brought the shepherds to baby Jesus as witnesses of the supernatural events that occurred that night. And the shepherds did just that they witnessed it and not only did they witness it. But later they went out and were witnesses to it. Everyone they saw all they told. They told the things that the angels have said what happened. They told about the angels coming down. They told about the Christ child. Everyone they saw all do way. Do we do that. Do we have so much love and excitement that everyone we see we tell about Jesus or do we keep them in our hearts. Where to go out and tell everyone we see about the birth of Jesus and what he did for each of us don’t keep him here. Spread it around. That’s what Christmas is to spread the love of Jesus. You know this is a time of year that people’s hearts are more sensitive to God to Jesus. You say people want to stores that are smile and that they might be arguing about cut them from in the cashier line but this time of year. They’re like oh OK go ahead. It’s OK It’s Alright people. Or happy this time of year their hearts are soften what a better time to go out witness for Jesus and tell me who Jesus is and what he did for them. Hey man. Jesus is the greatest present we sort ever get but he’s not a present. If we keep it in here is only a present. If we give it away. So this Christmas when you’re out and about and you see people want to streets or your C.M. in the stores. Tell me who Jesus is and then in January and February and March do the same thing. And April May and June do the same thing. Because it’s the same Jesus all year round my friends and we need to tell everybody because we don’t know how much time we have left to tell. So celebrate Christmas this year celebrate it with joy because without Christmas we wouldn’t have the resurrection. We wouldn’t have in the sense. Praise God He sends Jesus Amen. I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and I want you to go out and I want you to be a witness is that the shepherds were Don’t be the shape that are lawn in the pasture and have to be led around. We the shepherds instead of the she price guide. Gracious Lord our Father we thank you. And we pray should we glorify your name. And all of us pray that you are just bless each home that’s represented here each family. I pray that you would touch each heart and you would just give us a will want to desire Lord two to witness for you. Lord God. Give us the know how give us the words and take away the fear in a word. And we ask it in Jesus’ name then we praise your holy name Jesus me a man.