Luke 2:8-10
When Debbie and I were first married, she accompanied me on a Wyoming hunting trip. We were hunting mule deer on a cattle and sheep ranch that encompassed more than 150,000 acres. This was in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and was beautiful country. As we were entering a large, several-hundred-acre pasture, a herd of sheep heard us opening the gate and came racing over the hill looking for the shepherd/rancher that was going to feed them. Being the good husband that I am, I quickly climbed over the gate and left Debbie in the pasture with the sheep. The sheep (200-300) quickly surround Debbie, jostling each other and nibbling at Debbie’s coat and pockets, looking for treats. The more Debbie tried to shoo them away, the louder they got, and soon Debbie yelled, and the sheep’s bleats turned into a comical situation of chaos. After I dried my eyes from laughing, I helped Debbie extract herself from that situation.
When we think of sheep, we see the clean, perfectly white sheep of the movies or Christmas specials that we watch. The sheep that surrounded Debbie were dirty, had mangled and matted wool, and were smelly. Honestly, they were not cute and cuddly, the exact opposite- keep them far away from me! In Jesus’ day, shepherds were considered to be the lowest class of people. Like their sheep, they were assumed to be dirty, low character, and lazy. They often would be ostracized in their communities. People would give them the cold shoulder or look down on them because of their profession.
In our passage, we have the greatest announcement the world will ever hear: “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”, Luke 2:11. This announcement must go to the most important people in society! That’s what you or I would do - get it out to the important, connected people. “Get the president on the line – I have an announcement you must hear”. Instead, God, in His infinite wisdom, chose the lowliest and gave them the honor of the official announcement of the birth of mankind’s Savior. God loves the outcasts, the lowly in the eyes of the world.
In the book of John, Jesus compares us to sheep and Himself to being the good shepherd. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15. This announcement of the birth of Jesus has eternal ramifications. Jesus came to provide a way, through the eventual sacrifice of His life, to allow me to restore my relationship with God. In this announcement, we see that God values each life and wants a relationship with each person. You may look at yourself as a sheep that isn’t worthy of God’s love. That isn’t true - God values each life so much that He gave His Son to be the good shepherd and the perfect sacrifice.
Do you feel good on the outside but feel unworthy on the inside? Is your relationship with God hampered because of shame, hurt, or sin in your life? Confess and give these things to Jesus. He will forgive you. Give Jesus your life and enter this Christmas season with joy and encouragement because of the birth of the Savior.
When Debbie and I were first married, she accompanied me on a Wyoming hunting trip. We were hunting mule deer on a cattle and sheep ranch that encompassed more than 150,000 acres. This was in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and was beautiful country. As we were entering a large, several-hundred-acre pasture, a herd of sheep heard us opening the gate and came racing over the hill looking for the shepherd/rancher that was going to feed them. Being the good husband that I am, I quickly climbed over the gate and left Debbie in the pasture with the sheep. The sheep (200-300) quickly surround Debbie, jostling each other and nibbling at Debbie’s coat and pockets, looking for treats. The more Debbie tried to shoo them away, the louder they got, and soon Debbie yelled, and the sheep’s bleats turned into a comical situation of chaos. After I dried my eyes from laughing, I helped Debbie extract herself from that situation.
When we think of sheep, we see the clean, perfectly white sheep of the movies or Christmas specials that we watch. The sheep that surrounded Debbie were dirty, had mangled and matted wool, and were smelly. Honestly, they were not cute and cuddly, the exact opposite- keep them far away from me! In Jesus’ day, shepherds were considered to be the lowest class of people. Like their sheep, they were assumed to be dirty, low character, and lazy. They often would be ostracized in their communities. People would give them the cold shoulder or look down on them because of their profession.
In our passage, we have the greatest announcement the world will ever hear: “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”, Luke 2:11. This announcement must go to the most important people in society! That’s what you or I would do - get it out to the important, connected people. “Get the president on the line – I have an announcement you must hear”. Instead, God, in His infinite wisdom, chose the lowliest and gave them the honor of the official announcement of the birth of mankind’s Savior. God loves the outcasts, the lowly in the eyes of the world.
In the book of John, Jesus compares us to sheep and Himself to being the good shepherd. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15. This announcement of the birth of Jesus has eternal ramifications. Jesus came to provide a way, through the eventual sacrifice of His life, to allow me to restore my relationship with God. In this announcement, we see that God values each life and wants a relationship with each person. You may look at yourself as a sheep that isn’t worthy of God’s love. That isn’t true - God values each life so much that He gave His Son to be the good shepherd and the perfect sacrifice.
Do you feel good on the outside but feel unworthy on the inside? Is your relationship with God hampered because of shame, hurt, or sin in your life? Confess and give these things to Jesus. He will forgive you. Give Jesus your life and enter this Christmas season with joy and encouragement because of the birth of the Savior.
Posted in Devotional