{"id":1779,"date":"2015-12-20T21:04:32","date_gmt":"2015-12-21T05:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dota.godsblogs.com\/?p=1779"},"modified":"2016-08-26T22:12:31","modified_gmt":"2016-08-27T05:12:31","slug":"shepherds-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/godsblogs.com\/dota\/2015\/12\/20\/shepherds-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Shepherds in Christmas Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shepherds Saw\u00a0Baby\u00a0Jesus<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shepherds, why? Tonight, we introduce a group in our story. They’re not the Magi nor the King. They are however, the ordinary shepherds<\/strong> who live their whole lives looking after sheep. Yet, tonight they\u00a0saw a historical event that only the blessed got to see and be a part of this beautiful story.<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

So what did they witness? According to Luke 2:8-20<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/sup>And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.<\/strong><\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they got afraid.<\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>But the angel said to them, \u201cDo not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.<\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.<\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

13\u00a0<\/sup>Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"shepherds\"

shepherds witness the birth<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

14\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cGlory to God in the highest heaven,<\/span><\/strong>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

15\u00a0<\/sup>When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, \u201cLet\u2019s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

16\u00a0<\/sup>So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.<\/span> 17\u00a0<\/sup>When they had seen him, they spread the word \u00a0what was told to\u00a0them about this child,<\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.<\/span> 19\u00a0<\/sup>But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.<\/span> 20\u00a0<\/sup>The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Why then did God choose to show the birth of Jesus to a group of ordinary shepherds? Isn’t it befit a King, not\u00a0surrounded by the Nobles, Kings and Men of high standing?<\/p>\n

Why the shepherds? This goes to show that God does not overlook the ordinary.<\/p>\n

Some days when you are struggling to see any good in you,<\/a><\/strong> remember these shepherds. Although ordinary, yet in the hands of God, they saw and became a part of the extra-ordinary event.<\/p>\n

The bottom-line message tonight is this: God has not forgotten you! Even when you think you are\u00a0forgotten, He wants you to know this: He remembers, you are not.<\/p>\n

The best is yet to come<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Let your heart be at rest tonight. Be at peace! See you tomorrow.<\/p>\n