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.”  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. (Luke 2:8-20)
To understand the shepherds’ reaction to the angelic message and the newborn Messiah, it is important to understand who shepherds were and what their job entailed. Shepherds spent most of their time outside watching over their flocks. They made sure the sheep had access to food and water. They were responsible for defending them against predators and theft, and they protected them against pests (such as the nose fly) that cause them to suffer.
In short, the job of the shepherd was to tend the needs of the sheep. And sheep are dumb — they are helpless and timid, requiring constant attention and meticulous care. They possess very little ability to defend themselves from harm. Kay Arthur writes the following about sheep in her book Beloved: From God’s Heart To Yours:
“If sheep do not have the constant care of a shepherd, they will go the wrong way, unaware of the dangers at hand. They have been known to nibble themselves right off a mountainside. They will overgraze the same land and run out of food unless the shepherd leads them to new pastures. If they are not led to proper pastures, they will obliviously eat or drink things that are disastrous to them. Sheep easily fall prey to predators, and when they do, they are virtually defenseless. Sheep can also become cast down and, in that state, panic or die. And so, because sheep are sheep, they need shepherds to care for them….The welfare of sheep depends solely upon the care they get from their shepherd.”
Why take the time to explain why sheep need shepherds in the middle of our study of the Christmas story? Simply this: when the shepherds responded to the angelic message and went to seek the baby Jesus, it is improbable that they took their flocks with them. In other words, they risked the safety of their sheep — their very livelihoods — to seek out and worship Christ.
They could have stayed in the fields and debated the angels’ message among themselves. They could have waited until their “shift” was over to venture to Bethlehem. But they didn’t. They “came in haste [went in a hurry] and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger” (Luke 2:16). I don’t know much about herding sheep, but I would presume it is nearly impossible to make haste if you are bringing them along!
As I read and reflected on the Christmas story this week, I noticed something I hadn’t really thought about before.  Not only did the shepherds come to see Jesus, they were the ones who delivered the angels’ message to Mary and Joseph and anyone else in the manger’s vicinity. Luke 2:17 tells us that “when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.”
And which statement was that? “There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Jesus’ whole purpose in coming to earth was revealed to lowly shepherds keeping a night-watch over their flocks.
It should not surprise us that God chose to announce the birth of Jesus to a bunch of shepherds. In fact, when Jesus describes His mission in His own words, He reveals Himself as the Good Shepherd:
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.  I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.  For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.” (John 10:11-17)
I love this passage and would encourage you to read John 10 in its entirety for all of its richness. Jesus came to protect and tend His sheep, just like those shepherds tending fields outside of Bethlehem were doing. The Lord is our Shepherd, the One who leads and cares for us (Psalm 23). He rejoices when He finds and saves lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). He is the Good Shepherd.
The shepherds responded to the angelic message by leaving the fields and making haste to Bethlehem, and when they went back, they did so “glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20). As we enter the advent season, let us risk everything to worship our Good Shepherd, the Savior who is Christ the Lord.ÂÂ
It√¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s so true. Growing up on a goat farm, I’ve watched my dad go out in snow flurries to lead the animals indoors, single-file because they are not able to create a path for themselves through even just a half-inch of snow. When I read the passages about Christ being our Shepherd, I often wonder, what’s my half inch of snow? What am I so afraid of that I’ll stay grounded to one spot slowly perishing rather than walking toward the warmth in front of me, just because I’m presently unable to see the pathway? Thank God for a gentle Savior who patiently shepherds us.
Kendi
December 6th, 2006