What right do we have to make God out to be Someone other than He really is in order to make people like Him more? Honor God by declaring the truth about Him.
Jim Elliff

In The Footsteps Of Shepherds

In The Footsteps Of Shepherds IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SHEPHERDS RC-12-6A Lu. 2:8-21 (text v.20)

THOUGHT: Following the shepherds will lead us to “glorify and praise God for all…things.”

SONG: “O Come All Ye Faithful” (#388)

INTRO: Many sermons of Jesus in the manger — He is NOT there!

  1. The shepherds were the first to tell about Christ – we should join their message
  2. They were just ORDINARY working men
    1. Keeping sheep for the sacrifices at Jerusalem??
    2. Just doing a job and doing it well.
  3. Their only UNIQUENESS was their willingness to hear &

    obey

  4. Without present knowledge, they:
    1. Visited the KING in His bedroom
    2. Witnessed the birth of the Savior of mankind
  5. Let us trace their footsteps and see where they lead:
  6. THE SHEPHERDS WALKED COMMON TRAILS
  7. “Field of Shepherds” is next to Field of Boaz near Jerusalem.
    1. It is famous now and pilrims visit it
    2. Then, it was just a PLACE OF WORK.
  8. Under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is a

    room that is supposed to be the place of Jesus’ birth

    1. Part of the ancestral home of David
    2. Before David, it belonged to Boaz and Ruth
    3. It was JUST A STABLE when the shepherds visited there
  9. Too many things grow common in everyday use & many common

    things actually hold extraordinary value. NOTE: Recently, an art collector revealed that his

    $10 million set of drawings by a famous artist were purchased for about $75!

  10. It may not seem like much now, but in the future, we may discover that we are WALKING ON HOLY GROUND!!!

II. THE SHEPHERDS WALKED WITH THEIR EARS READY TO HEAR

  1. They were on their SECULAR JOB when they heard
    1. Not a sin to work (1Ti 4:8 “provide not for his own…”)
    2. Just as “Christian” at work as at church
    3. Don’t let Secular overwhelm Spiritual however
  2. They listened and heard God’s voice when he spoke
    1. They knew of prophesies of Messiah
    2. They kept a sensitive ear toward heaven
      1. Angel voices would seem a SHOW event!
      2. No record of others hearing or seeing
      3. God rarely does things in a showy way
      4. Generally, it is a “still, small voice”
    3. Simeon & Anna kept watch at the temple while the

      shepherds were working but shepherds heard FIRST!

  3. Is God trying to speak to you today? Sermon, Bible, etc?

    III. THE SHEPHERDS WALKED IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD

    1. When they heard, they obeyed
      1. “Let us now go….”
      2. “And they came with haste….”
    2. “When they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying

      which was told them concerning this child”

      1. No WITNESSING class (although good)
      2. No “super sermon” to stir them to commitment
      3. No peer pressure, “all who will, please raise your hand.”
      4. Faced opposition, “only a peasant child in a stable!”
      5. Others heard their story “and wondered” no other response
      6. Even Mary, “kept all these things, and ponderd them.”
    3. No words or acts of others kept them from service!

    IV. THE SHEPHERDS WALKED IN JOY

    1. They had heard GREAT NEWS!
      1. Who the baby was – Christ the Lord
      2. What he was to do – offere peace & goodwill to men
        1. Peace versus Mt. 10:34, “sword”
        2. Peace is the PURPOSE of His coming
        3. Angels said, “peace, good will TOWARD men.”
        4. Sword is the RESULT of His coming
    2. They had GREAT EXCITEMENT
      1. Real joy cannot be hidden out of view
      2. People probably asked about their excitement (1 Pe. 3:15, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that askety you a reason of the hope that is in you.”)
    3. Do others see a DIFFERENT person in you (vice the world)?
    4. TEH SHEPHERDS WALKED IN WORSHIP
    5. They “returned, glorifying and praising God for all….”
    6. They returned to their jobs (rather than quit and go preach) The difference was that now they had a story to tell.
    7. They probably faced opposition but they glorified & praised
      1. Not just for the visit by angels
      2. Also for the trip to the stable
      3. “For ALL things”
    8. 1 Thes 5:18, “In every thing give thanks”
    9. Ep. 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things”

    SUMMARY:

    1. Many see sorrow and sadness and depression and suicide now
    2. Let us seek to hear from god some good news and joy
    3. We should strive to share our joy with others
    4. We should worship and praise God for all things

    ALTAR CALL:

    1. Are you a “COMMON” person? So were the shepherds!
    2. They were obedient to angels and BECAME servants of God
    3. They saw a stable AND the Saviour
    4. They went to a field of Shepherds & made a field of SERVICE
    5. Rather than yield to trials & temptations, they revelaed an inner joy and worship.

    How does your life stack up in these things?