December 24th, Christmas Eve: Luke 2:8-14

Very Good News
A Christmas Eve Meditation for First Presbyterian, Wewoka, OK
By Carrie Finch on December 24, 2008

Lately, I have been struck by the image of the shepherd. After all, in the passage we just read from, the angel of the Lord appears to a group of shepherds. And I have been wondering why, out of all the people in the world to be told of Jesus’ birth, God decided to tell the shepherds first.
So, I decided to do a little research into the matter. According to Wikipedia, an on-line research site, “shepherding is one of the oldest professions, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor… Shepherds were most often the younger sons of farming peasants who did not inherit any land. In some societies, each family would have a family member to shepherd its flock, often a child, youth or an elder who couldn't help much with harder work. Shepherds would normally work in groups either looking after one large flock, or each bringing their own and merging their responsibilities.” In other words, shepherds were ordinary folks, perhaps even the physically weaker of the males in the families.
Now I imagine that when you all got dressed up to come to church to celebrate the birth of the Christ child, you didn’t expect to hear a lesson on shepherds, but yet, here we are, thinking about shepherds, because, I think in God’s chosing to send an angel to the shepherds that night so long ago, God was being intentional in that choice.
To prove it, we could begin with one of the descriptors of God himself. In one of the many names and attributes of God we get the good Shepherd. In the beloved 23rd Psalm, we are introduced to our Lord, who is our shepherd. In Jesus’ ministry we find the image of shepherd several times, in the parable of the lost sheep, in the seperation of the sheeps and the goats, and finally, after Jesus’ resurection when he appears to the apostle Peter- there he says to Peter- if you love me, feed my sheep. Jesus is identifying himself here as a shepherd, protecting and caring for his people, for you and I.
We could also look to the Old Testament for further proof. Our Biblical history is laden with shepherds. Beginning with Abraham, father of the chosen race, he was just an ordinary shepherd the day he was given the promise of a son. And his grandson Jacob, Jacob, that wiley fellow- in order to marry Rachel he too became a shepherd, tending to his uncle’s herd, even prospering in the profession. Moses, after running from the Egyptian ruler, finds himself tending the sheep of his father-in-law when he experienced the great I AM in the burning bush. Moses then shepherded God’s people to the promised land, all of them adopting the life of shepherding, the twelve tribes auspicious beginnings are in that of shepherding. And then there is David, King David of whom Jesus is linked to from the very beginning of Matthew’s gospel, David was just a poor shepherd boy, the youngest son in his family, when he ws chosen, when he was annointed to one day be king.
From the line of David, the poor shepherd boy, we get this son, this Jesus of Nazareth, our savior. So in some ways, even in just this knowledge, it is appropriate that God appear to a group of shepherds with a host of angels.
As I said, I have been thinking about this a lot, and yesterday when I was visiting with Matt Gates at his office, I asked him what he thought about “the why shepherds querry.” What followed was an interesting conversation with lots of hypothesises, however, it was his first response that has since resonated with me. He said, “maybe it was because they were the only ones who were ready to hear the message, the only ones who were able to receive it. Those who were rich and powerful didn’t need the news as much.”
In other words, those who were in need of the Savior- they were the ones who heard the message. Which leads us back to here, this sanctuary on this cold December night. Each one of you could be somewhere else right now. At home with your families, vacationing in some exotic land, or anywhere else than sitting here at this time in this place. And yet here we all are, awaiting the news of the birth of a child. Perhaps each one of us is here in some small part because we too need to hear the news of the coming savior.
Because the news outside these walls is not all good and not all happy. We are in a recession with more and more people losing their jobs, there are wars raging, there are people impoverished and famished, there are diseases, deaths and heart-breaks outside. Outside these walls there is news that causes fears and doubts and worries.
Yes, I think we are in need of some good news. I think we are in need of some news that brings hope, peace, joy and love. I think we are ready to receive the king of kings, our Lord, who while is all- powerful and all- knowing, humbled himself and came to earth as a child, lowly and meek. Friends, hear the good news, the very good news, and share in the joy and awe that those shepherds experienced so long ago in that field, that news that made them leave their posts to see the Savior, born in a manger and wrapped in bands of cloths. This is the good news- Christ our King is born this day! Allelulia! Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth this day! Allelulia! Amen.