“The Shepherd’s Heat!”

(Transcript of CD#67)

Being the Christmas season, I thought it would be good to look at the shepherd’s role in the birth of Christ. I think we can learn so much from their attitude and actions. So please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke and let’s get started.

• Luke 2:1-4 says, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cae’sar Augustus, that the entire world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of  Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)”

The city of Bethlehem is important here for several reasons. The first being the meaning of Bethlehem: fully translated from the Hebrew it means “house of bread” (please see John 6:48-51 for the significance of this). Let’s these verses of scripture build your faith in your Father. Our Father, God Almighty controls all things, even history. Our Lord was to be born in Bethlehem as Micah 5:2 states! If God says it, we can bank on it; it’s Truth and Life!

• Luke 2:5-7 says, “To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

What a start for the Savior of the world, very humble indeed. We need to hold this picture in our hearts and stay humble.

• Luke 2:8 says, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

This word shepherd is translated from the Greek word: poimen. Poimen means a shepherd or a pastor.

Q. Where were the shepherd’s abiding?

A. They were abiding (or camping out from the Greek) in the field. The word field was translated from the Greek word: agros. Agros means a field as a drive for livestock, generally the country, spec. a farm.

Q. What were they doing in the field?

A. The shepherd’s were “keeping watch” over their flock at night. Have you ever noticed that you take better care of things if you’re attached to it in some way. These words “keeping watch” is translated from the Greek word: phulasso. Phulasso means to watch, i.e. be on guard, by impl. to pressure, obey or keep one’s self. These shepherds probably provided the lambs for the temple sacrifice for the covering of sins. Now they are going to introduce the “True Lamb” (see John 1:36 where John calls Jesus the Lamb).

I find it very interesting that they were in the field working. From Christ’s explanation of the parable of the tares, we see the earth is the field (Matt. 13:38 for documentation). The tares and the wheat are to grow together not disturbed until the harvest (see Matt.13:30 for documentation). This field is God’s vineyard (ask for Bible study tape #5) and we’re to produce fruit for His Kingdom not this temporal world.

As Christ’s servants we’re to be working in the field until this earth age ends, remember the wheat and the tares. Our work like the shepherd’s is to feed the flock fulfilling the Great Commission. Satan is a deceiver who would love to keep you out of God’s Vineyard.

Our Lord and Savior warns us at the very least of 9 or 10 times in the N.T. “to watch.”

Q. The question is: are you watching? Am I watching?

A. the whole key to our watching is obedience. They are many Christians who think they are watching but they’re not. We must watch according to thus saith the Lord, not man.

• Luke 2:9 says, “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”

The glory is that Shekinah Glory, see Exodus 24:16-17. Praise the Lord, He is faithful if we’re faithful. The shepherd’s were watching and listening, ready to hear from God Almighty.

Q. Are you—am I—listening?

A. Our Father speaks to those who have time to listen. If we’re not going to be obedient or listen to what He says, why should He?

Q. Ask yourself: who am I listening to? Work, obligations, family, or my own desires?

A. we must wake up spiritually and listen to our Father! Turn to the Gospel of John:

• John 10:1-5 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.”

We need to understand this sheepfold: it’s aule in the Greek. Aule is a place of shelter for the flock to be kept safe. Remember Christ teaches us from the natural to better understand the spiritual.

Notice the word thief here in this context; Christ is speaking of false teachers, wolves in sheep clothing (see Matt. 7:15-20). In other words people who look like Christians from the outside but are not on the inside.

This word stranger from the Greek means “another’s” or someone else’s. So many times people assumed they are listening to the true Shepherd’s Voice. We must check out everything we hear by the Word of the Living God. Satan loves to deceive by misinterpreting the Word. Remember how Satan attacked our Lord in the wilderness. Christ went through that for an example to you and me (we will speak more of this later on).  Drop down to verse 27:

• John 10:27-29 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them ME, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

Q. Why will they not perish? (verse 28)

A. Because they “hear and follow” or keep verse 27.

What a promise, don’t listen to the thief and the robber! In order to claim this promise you must know that Voice! That Voice will always match with the written Word of God!

Back to the Gospel of Luke:

• Luke 2:10 says, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

“ I bring you good tidings” is translated from the Greek word: euaggelizo. Euaggelizo is where we get our English word evangelist. It means to announce good news.

People all over the world have made the quest for joy and have failed. Why? True joy only comes from hearing and obeying the Word of God, which creates a relationship with Jesus Christ!  Here we have the Word of God brought to them – let’s see what they do with it. Open up your minds and learn from a true shepherd’s heart.

• Luke 2:11-12 says, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is the Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Our Father’s Word is always true to His Word!

• Luke 2:13-14 says, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Don’t you find it very interesting that men killed the “Prince of Peace” and now they plan and talk of peace but can’t find it? Look at Matt. 13:5-7 then 1 Th. 5:1-4, it sure makes one think.

Q. Are we following this example?

A. We should continually be giving praise to our Father in Heaven for His gift of grace to us: Jesus Christ!

Can you imagine this sight from the heavens? Seeing this must have been so very incredible. But you and I can’t wait on this heavenly host, a burning bush, the nail holes to put our fingers in like doubting Thomas (see John 20:24-29). God speaks to us through His Living Word by the unction of the Holy Spirit.

What I’m trying to say: don’t overlook your Father! Remember the wind, the earthquake, fire of 1 Kings chapter 19:11-13. God was not in any of those, after the fire then came God in a small still voice. That’s why we must know our Shepherd’s Voice of John chapter 10 we mentioned earlier.

Q. Are you close enough to Him you can tell the difference?

Back to the Gospel of Luke:

• Luke 2:15 says, “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them in heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

Q. Did the shepherd’s believe in what God said through the angels?

A. Yes and their actions showed or proved their faith!

Notice what they said: “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass.”  The shepherd’s did not say “go and see if it came to pass” but rather they went in faith!

When the unction of God’s Holy Spirit reveals something to your life stand on it immediately! Remember Satan wants to steal the Word out of our hearts. We can only keep him from doing that by letting the Word take root and grow! In other words we must believe God and do our part of what He want us to accomplish. The Word has then became a part of us and us a part of the Word! WE must believe what our Father reveals to us! Keep in mind that times change, our feelings change ECT… but God does not change (read Hebrews 13:8).

Q. The shepherds heard, believed and acted upon what they heard! Do you believe what is written in the Word of God? Do you claim His promises He has for your life?

A. Our actions speak louder than our words! We must work our faith so the Lord can be lifted up for all to see!

• Luke 2:16 says, “And they came with haste, and found Mary , and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.”

The shepherds ran to the Lamb of God, this is an example to us: run to the Lamb! This word haste is translated from the Greek word: speudo. Speudo  is like our English word speed, to move or act swiftly! This is the verb that shows how they acted upon hearing God’s Word!

The shepherds heard and they went to where the Lord lay. We must come to where our Lord is waiting for us at. The shepherds did not quit when they found Joseph, nor when they found Mary. They looked until they found the Lord Jesus Christ!

• Luke 2:17 says, “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”

When we come in contact with the Lord Jesus Christ we are filled with joy and we are changed! We can’t help but speak of the Lord to others. This is the true shepherd’s heart: open to receive, obedient, and willing to share the Lord with others. This is our example to fulfill the Great Commission, the ministry of reconciliation. Let’s look at some scripture to help us understand this more clearly:

• Romans 10:9-15 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call up Him in Whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

It’s our role in the Body of Christ to take God’s message of salvation to those who will receive. The Lord has sent you into all of your world with His Gospel ( see Matt. 28:18-20). This word sent was translated from the Greek word apostello. Apostello is where we get our English word apostle.

Q. What does the word apostle mean fully translated?

A. set apart, i.e. to send out on a mission, (sent ones). That mission is the fulfilling of the Lord’’ Great Commission.

Let’s go back to the Gospel of Luke:

• Luke 2:19-20 says, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

Mary kept all these things in her heart, she did not let Satan steal the truth from her.

Obedience always = joy! Always! Let’s document that: turn to the Gospel of John.

• John 15:9-15 says, “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call ye not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you.”

This is why we must have a shepherd’s heart like these we have been studying. It’s not enough to only hear the Word but we must obey the Word! Happiness is fleeing and very conditional. Happiness is according to your circumstances, the outside. Joy exceeds this temporal happiness. True joy comes from an obedient daily consistent relationship with Jesus Christ!

As Christ’s friends(if we’re obedient verse 14) in His Body we must practice daily His sacrificial love! We must die out to our flesh, crucify self-will and take on our Lord’s!

There we have the traits of those shepherds heart from the First Noel! Please pray and ask yourself: Am I listening obediently? Is my joy showing to those around me in all of my world?

Let’s learn from these examples and move forward and closer to our Lord Jesus Christ. Take a little time and mediate on what these shepherd’s actions after hearing from the Lord.

Thank-you for your time and for your participation in God’s Word! I promise you that as you get closer to your Lord you will find peace and joy as never before!

“REMEMBER GOD’S WORD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!”

G.A.P. Ministries