Luke 2:8-11 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
Whenever tickets go on sale for a big-name concert, it’s always surprising how much those tickets can cost! Sure, there are a variety of prices depending on how close you want to be, but they’re all a lot! But then, a lot of times, you can get special tickets. VIP tickets. These tickets involve backstage passes and the best ones include a meet-and-greet with the per- former! These are vastly more expensive than the other tickets! You probably won’t get much more than a quick handshake, but for that moment, you’re a VIP.
Out in the countryside, outside of town, were shepherds. They were there with their sheep. Shepherds, for all intents and purposes, lived with their sheep. They had to. They were with those sheep night and day, protecting them, leading them, watching over them. They didn’t punch a time clock or have vacation days. They performed a vital service. As is often the case with those perfuming vital services, they were shunned by society. They weren’t around enough to learn how to act in a variety of social settings, and, living as they did, they did not have access to the same bathing opportunities! They may have been called a lot of things, but Very Important Person was not on that list!
Since the very first days in the Garden of Eden, people had been waiting for the Mes- siah. He had been prophesied, prayed for, hoped for, and waited on. He had been written about. He would sit on David’s throne. His kingdom would last forever! He would save the people from their sins! Generations expectantly waited, hoping they would be alive to see His coming. It would be the very definition of a once-in-a-lifetime event!
Finally, He did come. When He came, He came in a way that no one could have ex- pected. If we’d been planning it, we’d have had Him show up in Rome. Or at least, Jerusalem. Surrounded by the very cream of society, the rulers, the movers and shakers. To get a VIP pass to see the Messiah would be the ultimate ticket!
But God does things differently. Who did God give the VIP passes to? Shepherds! The dregs of society. The weak, humble, (smelly). Jesus’ ministry would start 30 years later. But His impact began that night when angels announced His coming to a group of people that we would have ignored. He began to show that night that God so loved the world, that who- ever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life! If that included shepherds, it certainly includes you and me!
Blessings
Pastor Russ
