By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Friday, December 26, 2008

Editor's Note: This is a devotional from a previous year which is slightly revised.

SCRIPTURE:
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:8-14, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself who are all the characters involved?

1. Shepherds
2. Angel of the Lord
3. Lord
4. Savior, Christ the Lord
5. Baby
6. Great company of the heavenly host
7. God

Point 1: Role of the shepherds

1. Shepherds were living out in the fields nearby.

2. Shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night.

Interpretations:
I asked myself what is the significance of shepherds being mentioned?
Shepherds were usually dirty from handling the sheep, had to be alert to take care of their sheep from the wolves and also from the sheep going astray. It is to those shepherds that the angel of the Lord appeared which is evident from Point 2:

Observations:

Point 2:  Role of the Angel of the Lord

1. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

2.  “But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

3. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

4. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 

Interpretations:
I asked myself the significance of the Angel of the Lord appearing to the shepherds?
To answer that question, I thought more about the shepherds. As I thought about the shepherds, it occurred to me that they have to clean their sheep, they have to take them to find green pasture, keep them safe from the wolves, and keep them from going astray. Being a shepherd could have been a lowly position and a tedious position.  They could have been down on their job but we are not told. We are told however that they were terrified when they saw the Angel of the Lord and the glory of the Lord shone around them. The first or last thing they expected was to be greeted by an Angel of the Lord.

When the Angel of the Lord saw them terrified, the first thing that the angel tells them is ‘Do not be afraid’. Then the angel proceeds to tell them why the angel came to them.  The angel Gabriel does a similar thing when she greets Mary. This can be found in the What do your G.R.E.E.T.I.N.G.S do?

The angel came to them to bring them good news of great joy that will be for all the people by telling them that in the town of David, a Savior has been born to them, who is Christ, the Lord.

They were just shepherds watching over their flock by night but the Angel of the Lord saw them to be special. They were given the first message regarding a Savior being born which is Christ, the Lord.

Why the shepherds though and not anyone else?

I believe the angel of the Lord wanted to introduce them to the One who would become the CEO of all shepherds. As shepherds, they knew how to take care of their sheep from a earthly perspective. Now the angel of the Lord wanted to introduce them to a Savior born in Bethlehem who is Christ, the Lord who would one day become a Shepherd Himself, not any Shepherd but the Good Shepherd.

When Christ grew up and became the Good Shepherd, I believe those shepherds who were watching over their flock by night could have said to themselves, ‘as shepherds we saw Him as a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger (F.E.E.D) and now He has become a Shepherd too and we had the honor of seeing Him born.

It is important to remember that those shepherds whom the angel of the Lord spoke to could have still been alive because when Jesus began His ministry, He was only 30. Shepherds in those days were young whether it was Moses or David as examples. Even if the shepherds were 40, they would be 70 years old when Jesus began His ministry.

One thing however they would realize is that Christ became not the shepherd of sheep like they were, but that He became their Good Shepherd and the shepherds were His flock who became His sheep.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:10, NIV)

Jesus also said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)

It is exciting to know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds to tell them the glorious good news of a Good Shepherd that was born in Bethlehem.

I believe it was also to help the shepherds see how a Good Shepherd would one day lead His flock including themselves. Whatever they were going through, they were given the Good News of a baby born in Bethlehem.

To be continued in the 'I AM' series at "Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D?" (June 30, 06)

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14, NIV)

After the shepherds received the message, four things happened:

1. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel.

2. A great company of the heavenly host, with the angel praising God

3. A great company of the heavenly host, with the angel, said, “Glory to God in the highest”

4. A great company of the heavenly host with the angel  said, “On earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

The great company of the heavenly host could have appeared earlier but they appeared after the shepherds’ fears were diminished. Rather than sending multiple angels, only the angel of the Lord appeared to them. Now the shepherds who were lonely and watching their flock by night were visited by not only the angel of the Lord but they got to witness a great company of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Implications:
I saw a lot of implications for our own lives here!

I learned that the shepherds were faithfully doing their job of watching over their flock by night. They were there without leaving their sheep. It was their livelihood to watch over their sheep. It could have been boring but they still were doing it.

Imagine, if they decided not to show up for work to take care of their sheep, they would have missed the Angel of the Lord and the message given to them.

In their lowliness, amidst their job, the angel of the Lord appeared to them to give them “good news of great joy”. The joy they were going to experience is seeing the Savior, Christ the Lord who would one day become their Good Shepherd and lead them.  Not only would He become their Good Shepherd but He would be their Mighty God and Everlasting Father. Remember Jesus said, 'I AM'.

God used 'I AM' when addressing Moses who happened to be a shepherd too and was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt as his new flock.

Whatever job we are doing or wherever we are, let us faithfully do our part.  Christ the Lord can be our Good Shepherd too!

I ask you now dear friend how do you relate to the shepherds this Christmas season?
Dear friend, no matter what your occupation is, where you have been, what you have done, what you are doing, you can come to the Good Shepherd as you are and allow Him to work in your life, bind up your wounds, and lead you.

As the shepherds were introduced to a Savior by the angels so can you just as you are! If you are all muddy and yucky with things that have happened, allow Jesus to clean you. He will clean you so well and cover you with His precious cleansing blood.

None of us can clean ourselves for if we could do that, there would not have been no reason for Christ to be born. Christ came to be born so one day He could be our Good Shepherd and deliver us from the wolf of Satan.

You are never out of Jesus' love and never out of His reach. He will hold you in His arms of love as a Good Shepherd holds a sheep. He will be your Mighty God and Everlasting Father! He will be your Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace!

The angels came to the shepherds for a reason. It is to introduce them to the One who came to be their Good Shepherd one day. Jesus wants to be your Good Shepherd too! Yes, He does friend! Yes, He does! Come and give your life to the Good Shepherd this Christmas season!

Yes, come as you are! When the presents are given and the presents are opened, the soul will still be malnourished without Christ the Lord entering and transforming it. But, with Christ the Lord everyday can be Christmas because Christ is born in your hearts everyday. You will not be walking this life alone but with the One who gave His life for you.

The Good Shepherd is only a call away. Jesus wants to be your Good Shepherd and lead you. Jesus sees you as His tender flock. He wants to lead you through green pastures and give you everything you need. Yes, He does! He wants to guide you in the best pathway for your life and watch your progress. No matter where you have been, Jesus looks for you and wants to bring you back to His fold.

When you are alone without Jesus in your life, you are so susceptible to the wolves of life whatever they maybe to come and pounce on you trouncing you, wounding you, and even leaving you to die. You can be alive physically but the soul can be so malnourished because of the sin that is so prevalent, it will affect your life spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, and mentally in a negative way.

But the Good Shepherd does not want that to happen to you or to me. Because of His agape love for you, Jesus was born to die. Jesus died on the cross to deliver you from Satan's clutches because He loves you so much. Jesus knew only His blood can clean you and make you clean.

 Jesus became the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world.  If it ended there, there would be no hope but just as exciting Christmas season is, so is the season of Easter when Jesus came back to life to bring Salvation to humanity after giving His life on Good Friday.

Friend, the Lord desires that none should perish but all come to repentance. Christmas season if for all to come realize that the baby Jesus is not a baby anymore but the Savior and Lord of the Universe who sought humanity to save them by His death and resurrection after His birth.

Friend, if you don't know Jesus or have lost your first love of Jesus, you can come back to Him this Christmas season. You don't have to wait. Now is the time of Salvation to receive the Good Shepherd or come back to Him if you have known Him at one point but went astray. Yes, you can friend!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we become His sheep that He wants to take care of when we allow Him to. When a sheep gets lost, the shepherd goes out to look for the sheep.

Many of us can be lost in our own problems and our own sins. Because of those things we can go astray in life even entering dangerous situations but there is hope when that happens.

Yes, there is friend and it is in Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd. Jesus shared a story in Luke 15 about 100 sheep and even if one is lost, the  shepherd goes after that one and when that one is found there is great joy and rejoicing in heaven. Jesus wants to be your Good Shepherd this Christmas season. Yes, He does friend!

No matter where you have been or what you have done or what others have done to you, Jesus loves you so much that if you were the only one living He would have still been born to die for you and redeem you! Yes, friend Jesus wants to be your Good Shepherd and came to seek and find that which was lost.

If you are reading this and do not know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior or have known Him but the things of this life have crowded Him out, Jesus is still seeking you!

Friend, are you that lost sheep? Have you gone your own way? Have you lost the meaning of Christmas and why it is special? Have you entered dangerous situations?

Jesus is the Answer and He is there for you! When a wolf attacks a sheep, the sheep is wounded but when the shepherd sees that happening, if he is the Good Shepherd, he does not stay away but comes to rescue the sheep and bind its wounds.

In life, we are attacked by a wolf that comes like a roaring lion waiting for someone to devour and wound. Satan is his name and attacking humanity is his game. Many have been attacked by Satan and have been wounded but the Good News is there is a Good Shepherd. Jesus is His name and He is there to bind up our wounds and lead us in the right path. He wants to do that for you! Oh yes He does!

The wounds can be the sins in our lives that only the Lord's cleansing precious blood can be the antidote for. When you come to Him, confess your sins repenting of them, and ask Jesus to be your God and Savior, He will because He died for your sin and came back to life to save you. Yes, friend Jesus is alive. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus was born as God-incarnate into this world to redeem humanity to redeem you and me!

Psalm 147: 3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Psalm 23 says, The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

May you know Christ happily redeems intentionally souls today mightily as Savior!  He came to redeem you too! May this poem tell you the story of Christmas and keep Christ in your heart as you pray the prayer below too!

Many, years ago, prophesy told the coming of  no  ordinary child.

Entering Bethlehem, Mary & Joseph settled in a place that was wild.

Resting there, Mary gave birth to her firstborn Son.

Realizing from the Angels, a Savior was born, the Shepherds did run.

Yes, they hurried off and saw the baby lying in a manger away from danger.

Concerning what had been told about the Child, they spread the Word.

Hearing, all were amazed what shepherds said and none were bored.

Raising their voices, appeared with Angel company of Heavenly Host.

Indeed praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest (Most).

So overjoyed, Magi came from the East, seeing a beautiful star.

They found house, bowed down, worshipped Christ, after coming so far.

Magi, then presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and Myrrh.

And Mary, treasured up all that happened & pondered them in her heart.

Since Herod was evil, Magi took another route in their camel's cart.

"Christ Happily Redeems Intentionally Souls Today Mightily As Savior!"/"How do you relate to the shepherds this C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S?"

"Savior's Holiness Emancipates People, Healing Everyday Redeemer Delivers Souls!" (S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D.S)/"How do you relate to the S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D.S this C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S season?

Won’t you come to Him friend or help someone who is wounded do that by coming to the Good Shepherd or leading them to the Good Shepherd?

If you want to turn to the Good Shepherd, make this your prayer.

Prayer:
Jesus, you say,  'I AM the Good Shepherd!' God alone used 'I AM' when speaking with Moses. You use it now to make it known that you are Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, and Prince of Peace. Thank you for being born and all that you are to me.  I heard you are the Good Shepherd. I want to thank you most of all for being the Good Shepherd even for me. I need a Good Shepherd in my life to lead me and guide me. My sin has made me dirty on the inside and attacks of Satan have wounded me. I have gone astray and have done my own thing. Yet, you care for me and laid down your life for me on the cross to give me new life as you shed your blood for me to wash away all my sins. Your Blood became the transfusion for those wounded by Satan. Your blood heals all the wounded areas to give me a new life. I want that new life so I turn to you now as a sheep that has gone astray and ask for your forgiveness of all my sins, to come and save me Jesus. Deliver me Oh Good Shepherd! I know you can save me when I turn to you and ask you to be my Good Shepherd. I know you died for me and came back to life to save. Now I can hear your voice in my heart as I stay with you. I want you to stay with me Jesus in my heart and make my heart your home so I can always have you as my Good Shepherd with me knowing you are my God and my Savior. This way even when I am going the wrong way or fall in a ditch, you can pick me and set me in green pastures. I love you Jesus! Thank you for being with me. Thank you for loving us so much that you were born in a stable in Bethlehem so one day you could become our Good Shepherd. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you for being the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for me the sheep and for coming back to life on the third day to save. Thank you for being the Lamb of God. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for being my Lord and Personal Savior and changing me. Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and answered me. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)