The Christmas Story Shepherds offer several lessons for us today. Here are four of them from the account in the book of Luke.
The Christmas Story Shepherds Show That God Has Different Values
Sheep were an important resource in this day. As a source of food, clothing and religious sacrifice. So protecting them was important. Unfortunately, however, shepherding was a lowly occupation. Living outside in close company with animals and therefore, considered unclean. Which meant they could not worship at the temple.
So you would normally expect them to be the last ones to learn about the birth of Jesus. But God chose them to be the first.
Why? Because God operates by a different set of values. He starts at the bottom rather than the top. By placing a high value on humility and a low value on pride. And sets aside, social and economic status.
Because in God’s value system, the last will be first and the first will be last.
The Christmas Story Shepherds Show The Gospel is Inclusive
The angels made it clear that the good news and great joy was for all people. The Greek word can also be translated all nations.
In other words, Jesus came to save every single person in the entire world. This is what sets the Christmas story apart. It flips the switch when compared to other religions. Rather than man trying to make his way up to God, it’s the only one where God makes his way down to man.
The Christmas Story Shepherds Encourage Us To Fact Check For Ourselves
The Shepherds were visited by a host of angels. Pretty important delivery method in divine messaging. And yet, the Shepherds didn’t just take their word on it. They checked it out for themselves.
It’s a good word for us today. Yes, ultimately the Christmas story and the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be accepted by faith. But faith is not blind or uninformed. You don’t exclude intellect. Turn off your brain. God’s Word is meant to be critically studied. Thoughtfully considered. And carefully examined.
So don’t simply take someone else’s word for it. Read the Bible for yourself. Not just random parts, but the whole thing. Whatever you decide, at least you can say it’s an informed decision.
The Christmas Story Shepherds Encourage Us To Share The Good News
The Shepherds were convinced that this good news was real. All of them, not just one or two. And there was no hesitation. No concern about who to tell. They went home praising God and made known what they were told about the child. And all who heard it wondered.
Two thousand years later and the Christmas story is still relevant. Still good news. Worth sharing. And causes wonder.
Mary makes Christmas extraordinary. Why? Obviously because she gave birth to Jesus Christ. But more importantly, what makes that birth significant. Here are three things Mary’s story reveals that make it not just extraordinary, but a divine event.
Mary Makes Christmas Extraordinary By Fulfilling Prophecy
Around 700 years before Christ, Isaiah prophesized about a coming Messiah. Not just one prophesy, but a number of them. About his birth, ministry and death. Many were very specific. Including the one about the Messiah’s birth.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. –Isaiah 7:14
The story of the Messiah’s birth is recorded in the book of Luke. In the first chapter, an angel appears to Mary while she was betrothed to Joseph. In Jewish law, this means she and Joseph were legally married, but had not yet come together as husband and wife.
Luke identifies Mary as a virgin and Mary confirms it after the angel delivers his message to her. And what a message!
He tells her she will give birth to a son and should name him Jesus. He will be called Son of the Most High. And he will rule an eternal kingdom.
Wow! That’s a lot to take in all at once for a young girl probably 12 to 14 years old. And so she asks an obvious question. One that confirms the prophecy of Isaiah.
“How can this be since I am a virgin?”
Mary Makes Christmas Extraordinary By Bearing A Holy Son
Scripture tells us that Jesus was born for a specific mission. To sacrifice his life for our sins. But in order to qualify as a sacrifice, he had to be perfect. Which means his birth could not be ordinary. It had to be extraordinary.
Why?
Because after Adam and Eve sinned, all the following generations were conceived in sin. And therefore we all sin. I know, sounds confusing. But simply put, we are all trapped in sin. And can’t get out by ourselves.
And since only God is completely holy, only God can conceive a holy son. Which he accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Mary Makes Christmas Extraordinary Through Her Trust And Submission
But now, Mary’s reputation is on the line. To announce her pregnancy before her marriage to Joseph was legally complete would cause a scandal. And if Joseph denied being the father, it could mean divorce and even death by stoning.
She had reason to fear for her life. And the life of her baby. What if Joseph rejected her? What would she do? Where would she go? How would she support herself and her child?
Questions probably swirled through her mind like a raging storm. There was a lot to consider. To worry about. And yet, she demonstrated an extraordinary faith. And a response that demonstrated trust and submission.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
I’m sure it wasn’t as easy as those words appear. There had to be uncertainty. Confusion. Fear. But she pressed forward. Believing that God was faithful. That he had her back
So Mary faithfully bore and gave birth to the world’s savior. Raised him. Served with him in ministry. And stood beside him faithfully as he sacrificed his life. She was an extraordinary woman. Who introduced the most extraordinary gift to the world.
An attitude of gratitude makes life better. For others and for you too. I discovered this from a church mission trip, fixing up homes in Kentucky Appalachia. In an area with one of the highest levels of poverty in the country. And the experience reminded me how well I have it.
Here’s how you can discover an attitude of gratitude too.
Serve Others For An Attitude Of Gratitude
Gratitude begins with a mindset that gets out of yourself. Looks at the plight of others and asks the question: what can I do to help? To make a difference?
It moves beyond fault finding and blame shaming. Rises off the couch of social justice arm chair quarterbacking and gets in the game. Becomes a problem-solver rather than a problem identifier. Moves from talk to walk.
Serving others broadens your perspective. No, your problems may not go away. But it prevents them from dominating your life. And adds significance as you lift up others.
Learn Contentment For An Attitude of Gratitude
We live in a culture that promotes accumulation and comfort. And the answer to the question, how much is enough? Is always a little more than what we have now.
Because contentment is like a fishing lure of enticement…always trolling just out of reach.
But scripture reveals the secret to contentment. It is from God and is LEARNED.
It’s not an unexpected epiphany. A warm fuzzy someone gives you. A level of enlightenment achieved somewhere on the quest for more stuff. You learn it on the journey of discipleship. As you seek first the Kingdom of God while navigating times of scarcity and plenty. And you realize God provides for you in both of them.
Compare Down For An Attitude Of Gratitude
We naturally compare ourselves to other people. And usually compare up.
I was doing exactly that one day as I drove through my neighborhood. Comparing as I looked at all the nice cars in driveways. An SUV here. BMW there. Mercedes around the corner. Wait. Dude. You should move further up town!
My 15-year old, compact car with 175,000 miles was an eyesore. At least in my view. Rust spots appearing on the doors and fenders. Dimpled like a golf ball after driving it in a hail storm. Although it otherwise ran great.
Then as I left the neighborhood and pulled onto a main road, I passed a bus stop where a group of people waited for their ride. And I felt a spiritual nudge and a gentle voice say, “those people don’t have a car.”
It switched the direction of my comparison. And provided a lesson I will never forget. There is always someone who has it better than you. And someone who has it worse.
So take a pause the next time you start a comparison pity party. And compare down. Your inventory of blessings will change your attitude into gratitude.
Thank God For His Blessings For An Attitude Of Gratitude
Don’t wait for a comparison pity party wake-up call. Regularly and intentionally reflect on your blessings. Do you have a place to live? Food to eat? An income? Generally in good health? Surrounded by loved ones?
Chances are you can say “yes” to at least some of these. And you know people with much less. The point is, there are always things you can appreciate. So take the time to appreciate them. Stop looking at the glass half-empty and start seeing the one half-full.
And thank God for his blessings. Because God is the source of all that is good. And his best gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ. When you’ve received that gift, there is no comparison.
The Biblical answer to deep yearnings of the heart asks questions like: Who Am I? Does my life have value? Meaning? And how do I live a purposeful life? And maintain a sense of balance?
Science can’t answer these questions. Searching within yourself doesn’t either. Because you inherently know there is something wrong in the human experience. An essential flaw in every human. And if we are flawed, answers from within are flawed too.
The Bible however, claims to be the word of an absolute God. The creator and sustainer of life. And if this is true then it provides a source of reliable answers. Here are three Biblical answers to deep yearnings in the human heart.
The Biblical Answer to Deep Yearnings Of The Heart. Human Identity Is Divinely Determined
Who am I? What’s my purpose. Where do I find my value?
The Bible clears the confusion with a simple proclamation. Your identity is not FOUND. God GIVES it to you. Nor do you have to achieve anything to feel a sense of worth. You have value because God values you. He created you, loves you and has your best interest in mind.
The Bible teaches that every person is uniquely made by a God that loves you unconditionally.
So you don’t need to search within, accomplish or accumulate anything. These are all things YOU DO. The Bible says simply, it is already DONE. And you don’t need to be anything other than yourself. God says that alone is enough.
By accepting and embracing your individual worth as determined by a God who loves and values you takes the pressure off.
You can be yourself. Exactly as you are. Because you can’t do anything to make God love you more or or anything that makes him love you less. You need only respond to and return His love.
As you live in relationship with an absolute, yet personal God, you understand the truth, and experience freedom.
The Biblical Answer To Deep Yearnings Of The Heart. Purpose is Found In The Kingdom Of God
The Kingdom of God is partly in this world and partly in the next. It begins in this world through a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what uniquely distinguishes Christ followers. Who are citizens of the spiritual Kingdom of God. Although the Bible teaches a final, physical Kingdom is still ahead.
That’s why followers of Jesus are told to be “in” this world, but not “of” this world. In others words, our purpose is to live as kingdom residents in this world. To serve and make this world a better place. To feed the poor, tend the sick and love our neighbors as ourselves. But to keep in mind it’s not the end game. To realize our purpose is to represent God’s Kingdom on earth, to the best of our ability, but with the knowledge that ultimately, God will establish a permanent Kingdom.
People that don’t claim Jesus can participate in serving and bettering humanity too. And therefore, share in this sense of purpose. Christ-followers do so specifically in the name of Jesus and for the glory of God.
The Biblical Answer To Deep Yearnings of the heart. Establish Priorities Rather Than Manage Your Time
Aren’t they one and the same? No. Not really. Most discussions on balance involve time management. Ordering your time will not always order your priorities. But ordering your priorities will always manage your time. If you prioritize spending time with family, you will automatically manage your time to create that margin in your life. And while time management is important in achieving balance, it should not be the main driver.
Want a great template for maintaining a balanced life? Consider this.
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52)
In other words, Jesus developed intellectually, physically, spiritually and socially. He studied the law thoroughly, enjoyed relating to people in social settings, spent time alone in prayer and worked as a carpenter. Oh, and he also walked everywhere he went.
People that live out of balance usually need to address one or two of these areas. I know people that are superbly physical fit, but completely lack a spiritual life. And people that are very spiritual but their physical body is a wreck. And others that invest nothing in their minds outside of work.
I doubt anyone is completely balanced in all four areas. I’m not. But evaluating and adjusting the attention you give to these four areas will head you in the right direction.
There’s one more component not found in that verse, but very much demonstrated in the life of Christ.
What Are You Doing For Others?
Jesus focused on others rather than himself. A life and death of sacrifice. When you live a self-centered life that pursues only self-satisfaction. Your deepest yearnings will never be satisfied. Purpose and meaning will elude you. And so will the Kingdom of God. It’s the key to purpose, meaning, value. And something you can’t buy with all the money in the world. Joy.
What does an Easter Pivot have in common with March Madness Road to the Final Four? Both present unexpected surprises. And both involve changes in direction. In the case of Easter, however, those pivots have eternal significance. Here are four pivots that explain the Easter Story.
The First Easter Pivot Is When Mankind Broke The Relationship With God
Some people claim God is an Almighty, ill-tempered Being. Like a petty child, looking to zap us all with thunderbolts. And you can build a sour image of God if you collect enough Old Testament passages taken out of context. Although, you have to completely ignore all the ones that speak of God’s love and care for His creation.
But here’s the point. Early on in the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve were good with God. The Garden of Eden was an environmentally friendly place to live. Adam, Eve and God hung out together. Only one restriction. Don’t eat fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden. Which they did. In disobedience to God.
It did not change God or his heart for mankind. He was and is the same. But it did change the relationship. Because now, sin messed it up. And rather than walk with God, they pivoted and walked away from God. And today, walking away from God is our natural tendency.
The Second Easter Pivot Is When God Sent His Son To Mend The Relationship
If God was the ill-tempered Being people claim, He would have walked away too. But He didn’t. He didn’t shrug and let us all die in our sin. Or completely wiped us out and start over. Instead, God pivoted and sent His son Jesus Christ as a perfect sacrifice. Because only a perfect sacrifice payed the penalty for sin. And only Jesus qualified as perfect.
Jesus was a game changer. He amazed everyone with his miracles. Taught with a level of spiritual insight and wisdom unlike anyone before or since. And created a global following that has flourished for 2,000 years.
The Third Easter Pivot Is When Jesus Was Resurrected
Jesus willingly died the horrible death of Roman crucifixion. Not a humanly rational decision by most standards. But humanly possible.
The resurrection, however, is something only God can do. You know, the Almighty Being that some accuse of being petty and ill-tempered?
The resurrection was an Easter pivot away from certain death. It gives you and me an opportunity to renew a relationship with God.
The Fourth Pivot Is Up To You And Me
Although my natural tendency is to reject God, I can choose instead, an Easter pivot. To change directions. And move towards God in a new relationship. God forgives my sin. But I have to ask for it. And receive the gift Jesus sacrificed himself to give me. But I must choose to follow him.
And when I do, it puts me on a new road. With a final outcome full of joy and hope. And represents the Easter Story.
Join my list and I'll notify you of new blog posts and send you a monthly newsletter. It features inspirational thoughts, writing tips, and a peek into writing projects. I'll also include my article: Exaggerate to Make Your Presentations Funny. It shows you how to punch up presentations with humor and make them more compelling.
