The Shepherd’s Story
(KJV) Luke 2:8 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.
The third Sunday of Advent brings the lighting of the Shepherd’s candle. It is a pink candle representing joy—the joy of the angels as they sang the Gloria, the joy of the shepherds as they witnessed the most remarkable event the earth had ever seen, and the joy of Israel as she saw the comfort promised in Isaiah 40 coming to pass.
When I delivered the sermon on advent a few years ago, I took the liberty to write a short story about the shepherds. I cannot locate that particular piece so I will try to reconstruct it.
“The fields were busy as the shepherds watched their flocks. The sheep had been fed and watered, and now it was time for sleep. But before the shepherds could take their rest, the heavens erupted with a brilliant light, accompanied by an announcement of Christ’s birth. And the light gave way to praise, sweet praise.
Among the shepherds was a young boy. It was his first season in the fields and although tired and sleepy, he knew this was a night he would never forget. Jarred awake by the events of the night, he recognized this night would define his life.
And nothing would ever be the same.
The birth of the Christ Child did not occur in a palace, but in a stable. The announcement was not made to the rich and powerful, but to the poor and lowly. Joy to the world the Lord is come. There was a distinct shift taking place: some would embrace the change, others would reject it.
The young shepherd boy never forgot that night, nor did he ever travel far from those fields. And he never stopped sharing the news delivered by the angels. He was there when Jesus taught the Beatitudes and fed the 5000. He was present when Jesus was crucified, and he was part of the crowd present on the day of Pentecost.
It seemed only a short time, and the boy was an old man with grandchildren of his own. As the grandchild grew old enough to tend to the sheep, he and his grandfather spent many hours together. There is much to do when caring for sheep. They must be led to fields where the grass is plentiful. Otherwise they will stand in the same spot, eating until the field is bare. Because they are so timid, bubbling brooks frighten them, and they will drink from stagnant, muddy water unless the shepherds lead them away.
On this particular night, everything was quiet, so the grandfather began to talk. He related the events of that long ago night. He spoke of following this man called Jesus after his ministry became public, he told of miracles, of His death, burial and resurrection.
The grandson listened intently and when his grandfather finished they sat in silence. Finally, the grandson spoke. “Grandfather, that is the most wonderful story I have ever heard. But is it true? Did it really happen that way?”
“Yes, my child, it is true and it really happened that way.””
So as we light the Advent candle of joy, may we remember all of those throughout the ages who have received and embraced the joy only made possible through a personal relationship with Jesus. May we, like the shepherd in our story, remain faithful to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and in deed.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
- Posted in: Blogs
Seeking Holiness 