Destination Bethlehem - a Field
Luke 2:8-20
Destination Bethlehem–a Field
There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord told us about. With these simple words, humble shepherds deserted their flocks and rushed to Bethlehem in order to verify what their senses told them could not have happened. If the Son of God was born in humble circumstances, as we saw in a previous message, we also need to know that He was also heralded by Heaven’s choir. Did angels announce the birth of any other child other as they did for this child? Has a child ever been born whose birth was heralded by an angelic choir, other than this child? Did ever such an august choir perform in more strange surroundings than did this choir?
With the bleating of sheep providing accompaniment, the messengers of heaven spoke to shepherds—the most humble representatives of mankind—to announce the birth of the Son of God. A field beyond Bethlehem became the site of the most famous announcement in all the history of mankind—the announcement that God would provide a redeemer for His fallen creature. Join me in exploration of God’s glorious announcement of the incarnation.
The Place of the Announcement — I phoned everyone I knew. First, I phoned my dad. Then, I phoned my grandmother. Then, I phoned my brother. I phoned my mother-in-law and then I phoned my mother. Next, I phoned my professors at school. I even phoned the local paper to see if I could place a note in the birth announcements. I wanted everyone to know that Lynda and I had a baby girl to grace our home. The birth of one’s first child is momentous, and fathers especially want everyone to share in their joy. There is something of that same note of infectious joy noted in the account before us, relating the events surrounding the birth of Christ the Lord.
There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby. Shepherds, in this particular area, lived in the fields throughout the period of March through November. There is nothing in this account to give us the particular timing of these events, but we are reasonably certain that they did not occur in late December. These particular shepherds were quite possibly caring for sheep destined for the Temple sacrifices.[1] Whether the sheep were their own, or whether they were indeed caring for sheep destined for the Temple offerings, it would be the responsibility of the shepherds to protect the flocks. Thus, they would remain in the fields with the sheep both day and night to protect the flock from robbers and from wild animals.
Some scholars have opined that these shepherds were the owners of the particular cave in which the child had been born, since they appear to have had no difficulty in finding the child after they were notified, but I think it fair to state that this is at best speculation.[2]
Why should this third announcement, the announcement of the birth of God’s Son, be to shepherds? Can we assign a particular significance to this announcement? Previously, there have been two other announcements in the brief account provided. The birth of John the Baptist was announced by Gabriel to his father, Zechariah [Luke 1:5-25], and Gabriel also announced the birth of the Messiah to Mary [Luke 1:26-38]. Now, we witness this third announcement, following the birth of the child. Whether it is Gabriel who makes this announcement or another of the heavenly messengers is not divulged by the text. What is related is that an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds.
Certainly, we can understand an angel announcing the birth of the Messiah to Mary. She would need to be prepared for the events which would follow. We don’t even struggle to account for the announcement of the birth of John to Zechariah. After all, God wished to prepare the old man and his wife for what was coming. However, why should God announce the birth of His Son to shepherds? Wouldn’t you think that God would wish the powerful to know of this event? Why should the announcement be to shepherds and not to those residing in Caesar’s palace? Why shouldn’t Herod be the first to hear of the birth of this child? The rich and powerful receive such deference in this world that we would imagine that they would be notified first of the birth of Messiah.
Robert Stein, citing literature from rabbinic Judaism, states that shepherds were considered dishonest and unclean.[3] Numerous other scholars join him in this assertion. Should Stein be correct in this assertion, it would be an indication that God was reaching out to outcasts and sinners in bringing His Son into the world. Such an outreach would have a powerful impact on lost mankind, and it would assuredly be in keeping with the words of this child after He was grown to manhood. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance [Luke 5:31, 32].
I am cautious in accepting such assertion, however. The rabbinic literature cited is relatively late, coming from the fifth century. Also, the New Testament consistently portrays shepherds in a favourable light, even describing church leaders as shepherds [Luke 15:4; John 10; 1 Peter 2:25; Hebrews 13:20; Ephesians 4:11].
Instead of considering the shepherds as representative of sinners, it would seem preferable to view the shepherds as representative of the humble among mankind. It is the lowly and the humble who respond to God’s message. Had we studied Mary’s hymn of exaltation which sprang forth upon being greeted by Elizabeth, we would have witnessed her statement that God has lifted up the humble [Luke 1:52]. God has a message of joy for those with hearts sufficiently humble to receive that message. Jesus’ birth is followed immediately at an announcement to an everyday group—shepherds.
How fascinating is this information in light of the apostolic revelation of God’s choice. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
[1 Corinthians 1:20-31]
If you are a Christian, it was necessary to receive Christ as Master of your life. You were compelled to come to the point that you no longer thought of yourself as meriting salvation, but rather you discovered that God reached out to you in grace. Likewise, if you will become a Christian and receive the gift of life which is in Christ the Lord, you will need to humble yourself and receive the Son of God as your sacrifice.
How silently, how silently
The wondrous Gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
The Purpose of the Announcement — When the angel appeared, he first addressed the obvious fear of these trembling shepherds. Do not be afraid! Make no mistake, the august presence of an angel is cause for fear, and when the angels are dispatched to announce God’s gift or to serve the saints of the Most High, they must first address the fear of man. The fear of the shepherds could be set aside because the mission of the angel was to bring good news of great joy. Neither was this news confined to the shepherds alone, but it was for all mankind, ourselves included. What is this Good News?
God is concerned that the shepherds hear the announcement which is only the beginning of Good News which shall spread until all mankind has heard; and joy, infectious joy, shall touch all the nations. From every nation, tribe, people and language shall come forth a people who shall ever after be known as children of God.
What can be of such magnificent joy that God is constrained to dispatch an angel to bring the announcement? The Law was delivered with great fanfare and trumpet blasts, but there were no angels to announce the giving of the Law. Solomon dedicated the Temple of God with great ceremony, but no angels attended that dedicatory service. God, speaking through the writer of the Hebrew letter, speaks of the advent of His Son. Again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
[Hebrews 1:6]
The Good News which the angel brought is the same Good News which is preached throughout the entire world today. This Gospel shall be proclaimed throughout all the earth [Matthew 24:14]. Even in the midst of judgement during the awful days of the Great Tribulation, God shall be proclaiming this eternal Gospel [Revelation 14:6]. This is the message of grace and mercy which the angel first announced to the shepherds. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord [Luke 2:11]. This is the way we translate for the sake of euphony.[4]
What is not apparent from our English text is the terseness, the abruptness, the power of that announcement. Mh; fobei`sqe, ijdou; ga;r eujaggelivzomai uJmi`n cara;n megavlhn h{ti" e[stai panti; tw`/ law`/, o{ti ejtevcqh uJmi`n shvmeron swth;r o{" ejstin cristo;" kuvrio" ejn povlei Dauivd. The words Saviour, Christ and Lord appear abruptly, without articles. The announcement would have sounded to our ears something like this. There was born to you today… Saviour… Christ… Lord… in David’s city.
Contained within these three titles is the essence of the Good News which the angel announced—Good News which needs to be shouted throughout all the towns and villages of our province and throughout all the cities of our nation until the whole of our nation rings with the joyous note of life.
Saviour! This One will confront all the sin of the world with regal authority, based upon His redeeming power. Christ! This One will confront all the chaos of the world as the Messiah of God. He alone will be able to realise true hegemony as He creates the Kingdom of God. Lord! This One will confront all eternity and all ages. This One—Saviour, Christ, Lord—is born today.
This is what we need. We need a Saviour, and this One was born to take away the sin of all mankind. When He entered into His ministry, the forerunner announced that He was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world [John 1:29]. He was given the name Jesus—The Lord Saves—because He would save His people from their sin [Matthew 1:21]. His disciples would carry a message of freedom from sin, for salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved [Acts 4:12]. Those same disciples were assured that God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Saviour that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins [Acts 5:31]. They would assert that they were witnesses of this truth [Acts 5:32], and we also, who have been saved by Him, testify that this is so.
We require the presence of the Messiah, He who was promised throughout long ages to fulfil all that God prophesied beginning with the pledge that this Seed of the Woman would crush the serpent’s head [Genesis 3:15] and continuing down through the ages until it was said that He would be the One who will rise with healing in His wings [Malachi 4:2]. We need this promised Anointed One who will cause war to cease and bring mankind to a point of peace. We are restless until we have Him.
We need a Lord, a Master. We cannot master our own lives, much less master our fallen world. Thus, we need One who will rule over us, giving us His protection from all that would otherwise harm and destroy us. This is the One born today. And the sign that this is He of whom God has prophesied throughout long ages is that the shepherds will find Him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger [Luke 2:12].
This sign must have been jarring for the shepherds. These humble men have just received a stunning announcement. Nowhere else in all Scripture do these three titles—Saviour, Christ, Lord—occur in such close apposition as in our text. However, as we saw last week, the Father chose to send His Son in great humility so that no one need be intimidated by Him. He has experienced our life fully, and we know that He will receive us, whatever our condition. However, let no one doubt that this is the Son of God.
What a contradiction! How utterly opposed to the pride of mankind. God humbled Himself to be born of a woman, born into a world which did not welcome Him, born into a world which was opposed to Him. No wonder that the Word states of Him, He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God [John 1:10-13]. Messiah was born in a sheepcote and laid in a manger instead of being born in a palace and laid to rest in a proper crib. His life will contain an unusual bookend for a king, since he was thus born and will die with robbers.
If the shepherds had been startled by the sudden appearance of a single angel delivering the heavenly birth announcement, what must they have thought when the heavens were torn apart to reveal a great company of angels, praising God in chorus. During my message last Sunday morning, I felt as though I were assigned the task of being a curmudgeon or an iconoclast, for I pointed out the lack of any basis for several of the Christmas myths. There was no harsh innkeeper. There was no indication of poverty for Joseph and Mary necessitating them seeking out alternative accommodation. There were likely no animals present at the birth of the Son of God.
Now I feel almost timid as I point out another fallacy in many Christmas pageants. I find no evidence in Scripture that angels sing. Though we sing of angel choirs and of songs of peace from these heavenly beings, yet the text is quite clear. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”
[Luke 2:13, 14]
The angels were saying [legovntwn]. Reading the original language, I never observe that angels sing. I always see them speak—perhaps in antiphonal praise or perhaps in united worship—but always the angels of God speak. It is man, redeemed from the Fall and purchased for God’s glory, who sings. The angels, however, speak.
Had you been one of the shepherds, how would you have reacted to such dramatic events? When they had recovered from the shock of seeing angels—not a few, but a vast multitude—they regained their speech and began to encourage one another. Their unanimous decision was to leave their flocks and go straight to Bethlehem. If this is the promised Messiah, they dare not miss His incarnation. Could there be another reasonable explanation for what had just transpired? Obviously, something marvellous had occurred earlier in the city of David, so they must witness it for themselves.
When they arrived in Bethlehem, they found Mary and Joseph, and most importantly of all, they found the baby. Just as the angels had said, he was wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. In the whole of Bethlehem, there was not another infant lying in a manger. Though it is possible that other babes were swaddled, no other infants were to be found lying in a feed trough.
What is there to see in the most glorious event of all history? There is a child, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. There is a young girl who mothers Him and a young boy who hovers awkwardly nearby, uncertain what his role might be. How utterly pedestrian! How extraordinarily ordinary! It is exceptional for its normalcy.
The announcement was in keeping with the Person of the child. The event was so mundane as to be easily missed. We forget that God never promised that His Son would be attractive as man counts beauty, nor that His birth would occasion great surprise among the sons of men. In fact, God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, spoke of this One in rather stunning terms.
Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
[Isaiah 53:1-6]
Without beauty, devoid of majesty, nothing which would cause us to desire Him… Despised, rejected by men, identified as a man of sorrows familiar with suffering. This is not the type of Saviour we anticipate. We look for One who is attractive, One in whom we can take pride and One whose presence is august. It is the purpose of His coming which makes Him attractive, for He came to set His people free.
When He walked the dusty paths of ancient Palestine, this One would promise us, I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself [John 12:32]. There is an attraction in the cross of Christ. It either draws men to ridicule the One hanging there, or it draws men to worship. The One hanging on that rude, wooden tree is not physically beautiful, but He reveals the love of God in all its glory, and that love is wondrously attractive. No wonder they call Him Saviour.
The Promise of the Announcement — The angelic hosts praised God. Specifically, they said:
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”
[Luke 2:14]
In these words is the promise of His coming. This Saviour is the means of and the expression of glory to God in Heaven itself. And on earth, what does the advent of this child mean? His presence with man means peace. This is not a promise that war shall immediately cease nor even that arms shall soon be laid aside, but it is specifically that peace shall rest on those men on whom God showers His grace.
Men have always spoken of peace. The peace man seeks is too often merely peace from conflict. Mankind seeks peace to pursue each individual’s interest, peace to remain undisturbed in a state of eternal mortification. Until the last days of mankind, the search for peace will drive men to seek what cannot be found outside surrender to this Saviour. Paul writes of the ceaseless search for peace which shall precede the last days. In one of his earliest letters, he writes of that fruitless search. Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape [1 Thessalonians 5:1-3].
Likewise, Isaiah speaks of the restless nature of fallen mankind in Isaiah 57:19-21.
“Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”
But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
Peace is elusive, a phantom, a will ‘o the wisp on the wind.
Older translations of the Word seem to suggest that the angels said something other than what is found in our text. Many older translations speak of peace on earth, good will toward men. This dreadful mistranslation has been mistakenly used to teach that if only we have good will toward others, there will result peace. Many preachers have taught that peace will come through the exercise of good will. American good will produces among militant Muslims, not peace, but war. Christian good will produces among fanatical Islamists anger and rage, rather than peace.
There is no peace for earth, except among men on whom God’s favour rests. Fast-forward in your mind to an event thirty years in the future from the date of this child’s birth. This child has now passed through infancy, through boyhood, beyond youth and into manhood. He stands, thirty years of age and on the verge of His great ministry as Messiah. He approaches John the Baptist to initiate His ministry.
As He is baptised, Heaven breaks its silence and the voice of the Father speaks: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased [Luke 3:22].
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”
[Luke 2:14]
Mark well the connection. That Baby has become the Man in whom the Father was pleased. Peace will come to earth when men are like Him. That is the way of peace. There is no other way for peace. No consultation between warring factions, no peace negotiations, no disarmament talks will ever bring peace until the Son of God reigns in the hearts of fallen men.
Who are these on whom God’s favour rests? These are those who have received the Son of God as Master of life. Those who fear God, and who receive His message, are at peace with Him and with themselves. Paul speaks of this peace when he writes in the Roman letter: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us [Romans 5:1-5]
Later, contrasting those who continue in their state of separation from God’s favour with those on whom His favour rests, the Apostles writes: Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God [Romans 8:5-8].
This is the call to life which the angels first issued, a call which is extended to you also, if you will receive it. If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” [Romans 10:9-13].
I can imagine no greater Christmas gift for any of us than that we should receive the gift of life which is in Christ Jesus as Lord. This is our invitation to all who will receive it. Receive Him as Saviour, as Christ, as Lord. Even as we stand to sing, you who have yet to receive His rich gift, step out of your seat and into the aisle. Coming to the front of the church, take the Pastor’s hand. “Preacher, today I come to confess Jesus as my Lord. I believe that He died because of my sin and raised for my freedom. I take Him as Lord, as Saviour, as Christ.” Come and angels attend you in the way. Amen.
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[1] Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, Grand Rapids, MI 1994) 213
[2] I. Howard Marshall, Commentary on Luke: New International Greek Testament Commentary (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI 1978) 108
[3] Robert H. Stein, Luke: The New American Commentary, Vol. 24 (Broadman, Nashville, TN 1992) 108
[4] G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Luke (Fleming H. Revell, Old Tappan, NJ 1931) 37