The Glory of The Unpretentious - Shepherds

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

Jump Right to sermon body and big idea

Outline

Big Idea: God uses the most unpretentious means to deliver the most glorious message because the humble means makes much of the sender.

Unpretentious Means

Glorious Message

The Sender

Sermon Body

Big Idea: God uses the most unpretentious means to deliver the most glorious message because the humble means makes much of the sender.

In many ways, the theme and focus of last week carry’s over till this week.

Because none of us are qualified to do the work God equips and sends us to, God is ALWAYS made much of when His work is accomplished through us.

And not only does God delight to use the under qualified, he delights to use the “least of these”; he delights to use the simple, unpretentious means to accomplish his work for the same reason.

Unpretentious Means

Luke 2:8-15

They were shepherds

We have often heard that the shepherds were the outcasts, despised and considered unclean by the mainstream population.

And it is true that it was certainly not the most prestigious or glamorous job

Dirty, grimy job

Kept out in fields far from civilization for long periods

Their job may well have kept them from the religious duties and thus may have led many of the religious community despise them and considered them dirty, unclean.

Interestingly, as I researched and studied WHY specially this was true, I kinda came up lacking

This understanding does not appear to come from scripture but from tradition, history, extra biblical writings etc.

Which may have merit…But in my research, I discovered that there is differing opinion on the status of shepherds.

Consider for a moment..

Abraham was a shepherd.

Jacob was a shepherd

Moses was a shepherd

David was a shepherd

These men were highly revered and respected, the father of a the nation of Israel.

Why would they despise shepherds if these men shared the same occupation?

Reality is, it does not matter what perspective you take.

It still begs the question…WHY THE SHEPHERDS and not the religious leaders, elite, or rulers of the day?

God chose the most unpretentious to deliver this message to.

Even if they were indeed not despised but merely the lowly and poor of society, the point is, God came to the least likely, the least expected.

AND YET

Look at how often God operates this way/speaks to the fact that the least are blessed with the privilege of the spectacular

Mark 9:33-37/Luke 9:46-48/Matthew 18:1-6

Mark 9:33–37 ESV

And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Luke 9 and Matthew 18 record parallel accounts

They were embarrassed to answer his question. They knew the content of their discussion…and obviously Christ did as well.

They kept silent at his question because it embarrassed them to admit their debate.

But Jesus knowing their discussion, taught them.

Humility.

Servant heartedness

This is the measure of greatness in the eyes of King of Kings.

This, by the way men, is the measure of masculinity.

Jesus Christ modeled biblical masculinity. 1. He initiated our salvation at the cost of His life. 2. He was a servant-leader in the first order. 3. He provides for our daily material needs. 4. He protects His church at the cost of His life. The deeper a man’s relationship with God’s Son, the more potent His masculinity will gradually become.

Summarized from Gospel-Powered Parenting, 2009, P&R Publishing, p. 138, Used by Permission.

William Farley

Servant hearted humility, the desire to choose the highest good of another (love) over your own wants and needs, is what it means to be great in the kingdom of God…in the eyes of our eternal King of Kings.

This issue was apparently not enough to settle the issue.

Matthew 18, which also records this incident is followed up by Matthew 20

Matthew 20:20-28/Mark 10:16-31

Matthew 20:20–28 ESV

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The jury is out on whether or not the boys put their mother up to this, but you have to wonder....and at the very least consider that they were most likely discussing this as a family…even after the last instruction.

What is interesting is that, sandwiched in between these two texts, these two events, is Matthew 19

Matthew 19:16-30

Matthew 19:16–30 ESV

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Many who are first will be last and the last first...

Jesus is trying to get them, and us, to see that greatness is NOT ABOUT exalting ourselves, making much of ourselves.

True strength is not about coming in first place

True worth and value is not seen in the accomplishments and praise of man

True greatness is in becoming small.

In God’s program, growing means becoming smaller. As Jesus put it, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). Greatness in His kingdom is a gift God gives to the humble, not a prize to be grasped by the proud.

Living in the Grip of Relentless Grace, P&R Publishing, 2002, p. 111. Used by Permission. Iain Duguid

THEREFORE, God came to the most unlikely people. The ones who would have been considered small, insignificant, and simple (at the very least) and/or despised, rejected (at the worst).

God came to them with a glorious message.

Glorious Message

What message did He come bearing?

Salvation.

Redemption

Reconciliation

As message we have been waiting for since the dawn of time.

Since...

Genesis 3:14–15 ESV

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

A promise of the adversaries defeat from the dawning of creation.

And He is now choosing to come to the Shepherds to announce the arrival of the solution that has plunged ALL of His creation into chaos, confusion, death, and decay.

He comes to them with the glorious message of salvation.

1 Timothy 2:1-6

1 Timothy 2:1–6 ESV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

God desires ALL people to be saved.

He has come to provide just that…salvation from the curse of sin that has ravaged creation since the Garden.

And he comes offering it TO ALL.

God does not delight in sending any to Hell

His holy wrath and Justice are satisfied, YES, when sin is punished.

But God does not DELIGHT in eternal damnation and judgment for sin

THIS IS WHY HE FOUND A WAY to satisfy his holy wrath and justice WITHOUT exacting the punishment from us

Jesus came to be that ransom - to pay the debt owed and demanded for our sin.

Jesus paid it

So we would not have to

THIS IS THE MESSAGE we are given to bear to the world.

God DESIRES FOR ALL MEN TO REPENT and come.

Not all will. Some will refuse. BUT God desires for all men to come nonetheless.

2 Peter 3:9

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Again, God is not WILLING that any should perish...

Does not mean all won’t perish…many will.

Just shows us the heart of God…God desires all men to be saved.

John 3:16-18

John 3:16–18 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

If this doesn’t show the heart and intent of God, nothing will

God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Listen, God did not have to send his son into the world to condemn us.

We were condemned already.

We were born into sin.

Ps 51:5

Psalm 51:5 ESV

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

God did not need to come in order to condemn us. We did that all on our own.

God came to bring life, forgiveness, and restoration of that which we destroyed.

And then he tasked us with the ministry of carrying that news to the world…the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

2 Corinthians 5:14–21 ESV

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

THIS IS OUR MANDATE

This is our mission. Our purpose. Our goal. Our objective.

THIS IS WHAT OUR LIFE ON THIS PLANET IS ABOUT.

How easy it is to get distracted, side tracked, and off course from this mission.

We are ambassador’s of God.

Our task…to take the message of God’s invitation to reconcile to those still in darkness…to help those who have accept it, continue to pursuit of it.

THIS IS message given to those shepherds so long ago…these men of humble means....

The message clear…It does not take a special class of people to deliver this message...It takes a willing vessel…a willing servant

The message clear..It is for ALL man…not just the elite.

The message clear…God delights in humble means in order to draw us to delight in Him…the sender.

The Sender

Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Who is the hero in this story?

Anyone remember the The Chronicles of Narnia? (Some of you probably only heard of it once they became movies…)

Do you remember the scene at the end of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe?

Who was it that ultimately defeated the white witch?

Aslan.

Not Peter

Not Edmund

Not anyone else...

The true hero…Aslan…a picture of Christ.

Who is responsible for our salvation...

GOD.

Not us.

Never Us.

God.

We were dead. Useless, rotting corpses.

Salvation is a gift of God, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.

Why did God come to the shepherds..because He delights to use the lowly, the willing IN ORDER TO DISPLAY HIS GREATNESS (as we saw last week).

We all know people, even unbelievers, who seem to be natural servants. They are always serving others one way or another. But God does not get the glory; they do. It is their reputation that is enhanced. But when we, natural servants or not, serve in dependence upon the grace of God with the strength He supplies, God is glorified.

The Practice of Godliness, NavPress, 1996, p. 82. Get this book! Jerry Bridges

Jump to Conclusion....

Conclusion

Big Idea: God uses the most unpretentious means to deliver the most glorious message because the humble means makes much of the sender.

Unpretentious Means

Glorious Message

The Sender

May we meditate on this truth this Christmas and delight, enjoy, and seek to be among the least of these that God delights to use for his glory.

Give Invitation....

I do not want to presume that all here this morning are authentic followers of Jesus.

Invite leadership team to come down to front

Invite unsaved to be saved

Invite believes who have been apathetic, negligent, or indifferent about sharing gospel to come, to repent, to pray, and to ask God to give them a greater heart and passion for the gospel and for reaching out.

Application Questions

Why is God so jealous to make sure the no one but He gets the glory?

Because nothing else satisfies. Everything else will disappoint. God is careful to guard and protect his own glory because our pursuit of everything else only ends in disappointment and hurt.

HE IS the highest good there is. To allow us to pursue other passions as if they can satisfy better, is to permit us to pursue a false hope, a lie, and that would make God evil to let us do so without interference.

Why is God’s pursuit of his own glory not narcissistic, arrogant, and sinful?

HE IS the supreme, highest good in the land. IF God is good and loving and kind, he has to offer THE BEST there is for us to enjoy. HE IS the best there is and thus it is in love and care for us that he offers Himself to us.

How has God used you to accomplish work for Him? (Share examples)

In what way(s) have you specifically seen God overcome inadequacies to accomplish his work? (Share examples)

What is so glorious about the message that God gave to us to share?

God WANTS to be in intimate relationship with us.

God WANTS to be reconciled…and he initiates.

Salvation is NOT primarily about the removal of our guilt and the punishment from sin. Those are benefits of the THE PRIMARY issue of salvation…RESTORATION OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.

Somehow, we have lost this view of what salvation is about.

See Romans 5:6-11 and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.

Why do we so often NOT share it when it is so glorious?

Not truly understanding the message ourselves.

Not truly appreciating and valuing the message.

Valuing comfort, ease, man’s approval more.

Not being equipped with the knowledge and skill to explain and share it. (Which, in truth, if we have been changed and affected by it, we are more equipped than we know…but perhaps need some help to explain it)

Too busy

Not managing priorities or responsibilities well (which goes back to what we are valuing)

Related Media

Related Sermons