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December 15

Title: The First Recipients of the Good News

Text: Luke 2:8-15

Shepherds. In one sense, shepherds have a good name in the Bible. Moses was a shepherd. David was a shepherd. Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. But in Jesus’ day—shepherds were pretty low in social status. MacArthur is helpful here.

“Shepherds were near the bottom of the social ladder. They were uneducated and unskilled, increasingly viewed in the post-New Testament era as dishonest, unreliable, unsavory characters, so much so that they were not allowed to testify in court. Another reason was because sheep required care seven days a week, shepherds were unable to fully comply with the man-made Sabbath regulations developed by the Pharisees. As a result, they were viewed as being in continual violation of the religious laws, and hence ceremonially unclean. (John MacArthur, Luke, 35)

Shady. Shepherds were viewed as unsavory people. Fascinating. This makes the verses below even more amazing. 

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.” (Luke 2:8-15)

Shepherds as the FIRST recipients of the good news of the Messiah’s birth? Come on. Be serious. 

Now some have postulated that these shepherds were unique, even godly, raising the sheep used for temple sacrifices, specifically for the Jewish festival of Passover. So the theory is that these particular shepherds were given the honor to hear the good news first. Interesting theory. Not sure if I buy it though. 

I think God telling the shepherds first speaks loudly to His heart for the marginalized, the outcasts, the lowly, the unclean. God provided a way so that we could come home. No one is beyond His love. No one. 10 days till Christmas.