Preschool
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given (Isaiah 9:6).
The Shepherds Go to Bethlehem
Memory Verses
Primary
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Junior
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Background Scripture: Luke 2
Lesson Scripture: Luke 2:6-20
Introduction
Many years have come and gone since Jesus was born in very humble circumstances. Has the story become so familiar it has lost some of its meaning? Maybe we should try to see this miracle through the eyes of the shepherds. What was it like to be among the first to behold the Lamb of God?
Key Verse
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child (Matt. 2:8).
Lesson Scripture
Luke 2:6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Studying the Lesson
It had been a long, tiring journey for Mary and Joseph. A Roman emperor had forced a trip upon them when surely they would have preferred to stay near home. It seems Mary would have understood she would likely give birth soon and had some supplies, but we can imagine how much more comfortable she would have been at home. Instead, there was a manger, likely in a stable crafted for livestock, not humans. The animals would have to move over and give some room for the little family. The manger was a borrowed feeding trough, makeshift for a crib. Perhaps Joseph had a cradle ready-made back in Nazareth that didn’t make the trip to Bethlehem.
None of these unplanned events took God by surprise. Prophecy foretold where Jesus would be born. What appeared as random occurrences and chance happenings all worked together to fulfill God’s will. There was more planning in heaven than we can understand.
Part of this planning involved a welcoming committee for Jesus. It is not clear if anyone else was available, but the shepherds were chosen. Shepherds were among the lower class in Israel and so represented the poor and humble for whom the message of salvation is indeed good news. These shepherds may have been raising sheep for temple sacrifices. Though it is speculation, this could have pointed to Jesus’s role as the sacrificial Lamb of God. The shepherds were nearby, and they were awake, as their occupation required them to watch for threats to their sheep. This vigilance, much like soldiers or sailors, was shared among a number of shepherds, and they probably took turns scouting the perimeter of the sheep, looking for predators or other dangers. It was at night, and a fire was probably kindled to comfort the shepherds and sheep and to keep predators away.
God summoned the welcoming committee with an angel. Shepherds were probably watching for almost anything but an angel. Maybe this was why God began the announcement with just one angel appearing. Shepherds knew how to deal with wild animals and disease, but what would they do about a visit from a heavenly messenger? The angel anticipated this and immediately told them not to fear and gave them a great reason to rejoice. The Messiah was born! They would find the baby King in a unique set of circumstances—wrapped in swaddling clothes, which was not that unusual, but lying in a manger, which was quite unusual. Then more angels joined the messenger angel with praise and a blessing to those dwelling on the earth. We imagine them singing, but so many voices in unison would be impressive with or without song.
How long did the shepherds stare into the heavens after these angels were gone? They recovered from the angelic visit and decided to go see for themselves. It doesn’t sound like anyone was left behind as they hurriedly went to welcome the Savior. How did they locate Mary, Joseph, and Jesus? The clue of a manger surely narrowed down the possible places to search, and they were probably able to find the right place with some logical conjecture.
Faithfully, the shepherds told what they witnessed, causing others to wonder. The shepherds returned to their duties and, like the angels, united in their praise to God.
Practical Truths for Today
Much activity surrounds the Christmas season in the way of special traditions, family reunions, and the general spirit of giving and goodwill, but the responsibilities of life are not suspended during this time. Like the shepherds, some remain on duty, humbly and quietly being faithful. Often these people go unnoticed, but God notices, and He sees those who are receptive and open to hearing what He has to say. By missing the family gathering, special occasion, or other innumerable activities, we might begin to notice things about Christmas otherwise obscured.
God organized the first Christmas gathering to include the lowly shepherds. Instead of missing out, they were the first to hear of it and the first to see the Messiah. They came in their everyday clothes, smelling of smoke and sheep. They were not out of place, because a stable was surely familiar territory to them, much more familiar than an angelic messenger and a host of angels. They did not know ahead of time about the event, so what could they have brought? “Shalom,” the warm greeting of peace, was maybe all that was given. Surely the shepherds told the little family that heavenly visitors had alerted them to come. Was a time of worship observed over the newborn Prince of Peace? These shepherds were faithful witnesses, willing to tell what they knew.
The shepherds went back to their watch. What did they talk about around the fire? How long did they speak of this night to each other? Did it cause them to wonder how Messiah would grow up and rescue his people? Were they disquieted with angels just appearing out of nowhere? Maybe their faith was rekindled in the great providence of God.
Did these particular shepherds develop a reputation for seeing things, or did others think they must have fallen asleep and dreamed it all? Maybe it was a mass delusion caused by lack of sleep?
Did it really matter what other people thought about them? They had a responsibility, and they were faithful in their fulfillment of it. They may have left their sheep for a night but only because a more important duty was given to them. The Savior appeared, and they needed to go to Him. In the most unlikely place and time, the watchers were called to witness, tell, and worship. May God also give us a mission like this—to be responsible yet know when to abandon the obligations of life for a higher duty.
Where was Herod, the scribes and Pharisees, or the Roman governor while the angels appeared in the sky? They didn’t listen to or care about stories of angels appearing to shepherds or about Messiah coming in a lowly way; it didn’t fit their worldview. Kings don’t appear in stables—that’s not how the rich and powerful live. It would take shepherds to find a King hidden in such lowly conditions. They were used to looking in unlikely places for wandering sheep or lambs.
Questions
- The shepherds were told, “Fear not.” How do we do that?
- Since having been redeemed, have we faithfully told what we know and have seen? How can we regain our enthusiasm for this duty?
- Discuss: Where would we look for Jesus today? Is there an unlikely place we should be willing to go seek Him?
- The saying “Not on my watch!” is meant to show I won’t allow something to happen when I am in charge. The shepherds probably never thought they would leave their sheep unattended. What might we have to be willing for on our watch?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).