Birth announcement (Luke 2:8-14)

[Siloam]

Luke 2:8-14 (NASB)​

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is  Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,​

​

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”​

An interesting (to me, at least) aspect here is that it was a group of shepherds who were the first on earth to hear that the Christ had been born.

In the society of Israel, shepherds were common people. Although they were considered respectable, they were often considered common or lower class by priests and rabbis. After all, one does not leave one’s flock in the hills on the sabbath and walk into town to attend the temple or synagogue.

But it would be wrong to consider them uninterested or unaware of the things of God. As itinerate preachers, who were also treated with suspicion by the priests, went from town to town, they would often preach to larger crowds in the hills surrounding towns (think John the Baptist). Shepherds would have had opportunities to hear these sermons, as well as ample alone time for meditation and reflection.

These shepherds who had ample time for meditation and reflection and prayer but were possibly less formally taught were treasured by the Father to the extent that He sent his angel to them to honor them with the first message of the birth of God’s Son.

In John 10:1-18 Jesus uses the image of the shepherd to describe Himself and claim His position as the shepherd of God’s people.

One of the things to learn here is that the regard of God for a man is not related to the importance of a man in the eyes of men. The Father, always interested in teaching us about all aspects of His love, was showing us that Jesus came for all men who accept Him regardless of their position among men.

 

[Lanolin]

I used to work in public service (well I still do, kind of) and the PSA (public service association) which was the union, campaigned for workers who stayed overnight looking after other people were to have full pay.

Support staff don't get a lot of pay or cred by their employers but without them their organisations would fall apart!

 

[Major]

Luke 2:8-14 (NASB)​

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is  Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,​

​

“Glory to God in the highest,​

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”​

An interesting (to me, at least) aspect here is that it was a group of shepherds who were the first on earth to hear that the Christ had been born.

In the society of Israel, shepherds were common people. Although they were considered respectable, they were often considered common or lower class by priests and rabbis. After all, one does not leave one’s flock in the hills on the sabbath and walk into town to attend the temple or synagogue.

But it would be wrong to consider them uninterested or unaware of the things of God. As itinerate preachers, who were also treated with suspicion by the priests, went from town to town, they would often preach to larger crowds in the hills surrounding towns (think John the Baptist). Shepherds would have had opportunities to hear these sermons, as well as ample alone time for meditation and reflection.

These shepherds who had ample time for meditation and reflection and prayer but were possibly less formally taught were treasured by the Father to the extent that He sent his angel to them to honor them with the first message of the birth of God’s Son.

In John 10:1-18 Jesus uses the image of the shepherd to describe Himself and claim His position as the shepherd of God’s people.

One of the things to learn here is that the regard of God for a man is not related to the importance of a man in the eyes of men. The Father, always interested in teaching us about all aspects of His love, was showing us that Jesus came for all men who accept Him regardless of their position among men.

Excellent thought brother.

May I also add to that thought that they fit well with the gospel of Luke where Jesus declares he has come not to the righteous but to the outcasts and sinners.

Another idea that has been proposed by some others is that many of the flocks near Bethlehem, which is only six miles from Jerusalem, were intended for temple sacrifices, in which case one sees an entirely different symbolism. Jesus came as the Lamb of God, to die for the sins of the world, and it was perhaps to the keepers of temple flocks that his birth was first announced.