The Coming of the Great Shepherd: Luke 2:8-14, various texts

The Coming of the Great Shepherd

Luke 2:8-14, various texts

 

Why Shepherds?

• Why did God choose shepherds to first hear the good news about the birth of Jesus?
  • In that day, shepherds were social outcasts
• There is a strong link between shepherds and Israel’s history
  • Abel was a shepherd (Gen. 4:2)
  • The Patriarchs of Israel were all shepherds
    • Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
  • When the Israelites moved to Egypt under Joseph because of a famine in Canaan
    • They were given the land of Goshen to live in because it was good land for herding sheep (Gen. 46:34)
      • And the Egyptians detested shepherds
    • Moses served as a shepherd to his father-in-law (Ex. 3:1)
    • David was a shepherd before he was king (1 Sam. 17:34)
  • The image of the shepherd became associated with the leaders of Israel ( 27:17; 2 Sam. 5:2, 7:7; 1 Kgs. 22:17; 1 Chr. 11:2, 17:6; 2 Chr. 18:16; Ps. 78:71)
    • And was often used as a lament when there were no one godly to lead, especially during the time of the Prophets ( 10:2; see also Jer. 22:22; 49:19; 50:44; 51:23; Ez. 34:5, 8; 11:16-17)
  • But God is also described as a shepherd (Isa 40:10-11; see also Gen 49:24; Ps. 23; 28:9; 80:1; Jer. 31:10; Ez. 34:15)
  • And the promised Messiah is described as a shepherd (Ez. 34:15-16, 23-24)
  • God sent the angels to these shepherds to declare the coming of the promised Shepherd who would:
    • Seek the lost
    • Bind up the injured
    • Strengthen the weak
    • Bring justice to the oppressed
  • And who to better recognize a good shepherd than other shepherds

 

The Great Shepherd

• Jesus claimed to be God’s shepherd (John 10:14-15)
  • Sent by the Father
  • Taking care of His sheep
    • Who, in turn, listen to His voice (John 10:4)
    • And follow where He leads

So What?

• We can celebrate because Jesus came to be our Great Shepherd
  • Seeking the lost, binding up the injured, strengthening the weak, and bringing justice to the oppressed
• Are we listening to His voice like good sheep?

 

Meditation Verse: John 10:14-15