Why the Shepherds
Larry Gabbara
In 2017, my wife and I were privileged to travel to Israel with the church staff. It was amazing as we traveled along the road to see shepherds tending their sheep. Our tour guide said they were Bedouins, nomad shepherds, that are continually moving to look for greener pastures for their flock.
All through the Bible, we see stories of shepherds. We read of how they protected their flocks and cared for them. They watched over their flock night and day, always moving and looking for the best pastures for them.
During biblical times, families relied upon sheep to provide food and wool. Sheep were so valuable that shepherds would stay with the flock to protect them day and night. Sheep learn who their shepherd is, and they follow the shepherd for everything from food to protection. Since shepherds spent so much time in the fields, they were smelly and dirty.
In John 10:11, Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd. He laid down His life when He died on the cross for us. This is the world’s greatest sacrifice. Christ was sinless; He died for our sin. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep!
The question could be, “Why were the shepherds at Jesus’ birth?”
Luke 2:8-12 records, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’”
Luke 2:15 adds, “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’”
The shepherds are considered social outcasts, so why were they at Jesus’ birth? This follows the idea that it was God’s design to first appear “to the least of these.” Jesus was to reach all people even the lowly of low.
They immediately listened to the angel and went with a sense of urgency to see the newborn Savior. When they arrived, they saw the baby Jesus lying in a feeding trough, wrapped in swaddling clothes, with Mary and Joseph. It must have been a different-looking birth.
Could this be the Savior of the world, a baby? The angels said He is!
Now that they had seen Him with their own eyes, they got to be the ones to tell the world about this amazing birth!
Have you seen the Savior? Who are you telling about it?
Larry Gabbara
In 2017, my wife and I were privileged to travel to Israel with the church staff. It was amazing as we traveled along the road to see shepherds tending their sheep. Our tour guide said they were Bedouins, nomad shepherds, that are continually moving to look for greener pastures for their flock.
All through the Bible, we see stories of shepherds. We read of how they protected their flocks and cared for them. They watched over their flock night and day, always moving and looking for the best pastures for them.
During biblical times, families relied upon sheep to provide food and wool. Sheep were so valuable that shepherds would stay with the flock to protect them day and night. Sheep learn who their shepherd is, and they follow the shepherd for everything from food to protection. Since shepherds spent so much time in the fields, they were smelly and dirty.
In John 10:11, Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd. He laid down His life when He died on the cross for us. This is the world’s greatest sacrifice. Christ was sinless; He died for our sin. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep!
The question could be, “Why were the shepherds at Jesus’ birth?”
Luke 2:8-12 records, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’”
Luke 2:15 adds, “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’”
The shepherds are considered social outcasts, so why were they at Jesus’ birth? This follows the idea that it was God’s design to first appear “to the least of these.” Jesus was to reach all people even the lowly of low.
They immediately listened to the angel and went with a sense of urgency to see the newborn Savior. When they arrived, they saw the baby Jesus lying in a feeding trough, wrapped in swaddling clothes, with Mary and Joseph. It must have been a different-looking birth.
Could this be the Savior of the world, a baby? The angels said He is!
Now that they had seen Him with their own eyes, they got to be the ones to tell the world about this amazing birth!
Have you seen the Savior? Who are you telling about it?
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