December 29, 2014
Luke 2:17, 18, 20
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
Although Christmas was four days ago, I have one more thing to tell you about the shepherds. We saw in Friday’s blog that the shepherds were led by the angel’s directions – and possibly also by the Spirit’s specific leading – to the Christ Child in a manger in Bethlehem. What happened then? t involves What The Shepherds Said in Luke 2:17, 18 and 20:
Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which
was told them concerning this Child. And those who heard it marveled at
those things which were told them by the shepherds….Then the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard
and seen, as it was told them.
This was big news! The Jews had been awaiting a Savior for at least 2,000 years ever since God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees – Genesis 11:31; 12:1 through 3. And it had been at least 4,000 years since God had first promised a Deliverer in Genesis 3:14 and15:
…the LORD God said to the serpent…“I will put enmity between you and
the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your
head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Over the centuries there had been increasingly specific prophecies – hundreds of them – concerning God’s anointed One, the Messiah. Here are just a few:
• Genesis 49:10 – “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between His feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”
• Deuteronomy 18:15 – Moses told the Israelites, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear….”
• Isaiah 9:6 and 7 – “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
• Zechariah 9:9 and 10 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from ‘sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’ ”
And now the angel had just told these shepherds, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11). What good news! What long-awaited good news!
So what was the shepherds reaction after they found the Babe? “…they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.” (Luke 2:17). They told everybody! The news was too good to keep to themselves! What The Shepherds Said was, “The Messiah has come! Angels appeared to us and told us – a whole host of them from heaven! He has just been born in Bethlehem – just like it is prophesied by the prophet Micah! [Micah 5:2]. We have seen Him with our own eyes! God has at last visited His people!” No, we don’t have a record of exactly What The Shepherds Said. But it must have been something exciting like that, because it is written in Luke 2:18, “And those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”
But they didn’t stop there! It says in Luke 2:20, “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.” They had been introduced to the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ! And they just couldn’t stop “…glorifying and praising God…!”
Can we readily apply What The Shepherds Said to us today?
• Have you met the Messiah, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ?
• Have you bowed in worship before Him with an open heart?
• Are you “…glorifying and praising God…” because He sent His Son to die for you – because He lives again to save you?
• Have you “…made widely known…” to others what you have experienced?
…If not, why not?