Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Luke 2:16-20 

 

Remember the stunned shepherds?  They made their way into Jerusalem and found the child that the angel told them would be there.  In case you were wondering, "Manger" is another word for "feed trough."  It's where the hay was put so the animals could eat.  This is the lowly start of our Messiah.  Think about this, had Jesus been born in a palace with a silver spoon and all the trappings of immense wealth, people would have followed Him hoping for a hand out.  But because Jesus was born in such low circumstances, people followed His message instead of His money.

 

When the Shepherds had seen the promised Messiah child, they went back to the fields to their flocks and they told whoever would listen about what they had seen.  They shared the Good News AS THEY WERE GOING!  Reminiscent of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19: "Therefore, as you are going, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

 

And guess what?  The shepherds returned to their flocks.  Apparently, their flocks had not moved and no predators came to steal any of the sheep! 

Feeling Sheepish Yet?

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Luke 2:13-20 

Yesterday, we had terrified shepherds being told "Don't be afraid."  The angel gave them the Good News of Christ and told them where to find Him.  While the shepherds are still recovering, processing the information, and trying to come to grips with the fact that the Messiah is here....Luke tells us the rest of the Angelic Host pops in "suddenly" and starts singing!

Consider this.....if you put 100 people in a room and tell them they can talk, but only by whispering, it's still going to be loud because all the whispering joined together is going to make a lot of noise.  So imagine the "the armies of heaven" when they begin praising God.  That would be deafening!  So these already shaky shepherds are, by now, pretty sure something truly powerful has occurred and they are part of it.

When the Angels return to Heaven, the shepherds decide they have GOT to see this.  Let's face it, if God goes to all the trouble of sending a messenger and then send the vast armies of heaven to deliver the news of the Messiah....might want to go see what all the hubbub is about.  So off they go to Bethlehem to see this child.

Meanwhile back in the fields, no mention is made of the reaction had by the flocks of sheep.  It's as if the shepherds no longer care about the flocks of sheep.  That baffled me for many years UNTIL a pastor friend explain that sheep, even thought they are not the brightest of God's creatures, know the voice of their shepherd and will calm at his voice.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep." - John 10:14-15

Then this friend reminded me that when Jesus met with the Disciples on the shore after His death, Jesus asked Peter three times: "Peter do you love Me?" and after each time Peter responded "Yes" Jesus told him to take care of His sheep, protect His flock, and lead His lambs.

Psalm 100:3 - "Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are His. We are His people, THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE."

Let's learn to listen to the voice of our Shepherd!