The Shepherds Were Favored, Part 1

As we consider the birth of our Savior this morning and the next few mornings in December, I would like for us to learn about and from the shepherds who heralded His arrival.

John MacArthur: “With the exception of a few broadly similar Old Testament events and several New Testament incidents that were yet future, what the shepherds saw in the skies near Bethlehem the night of our Savior’s birth was unprecedented in human experience. An angel, accompanied by a countless multitude of other heavenly messengers, suddenly and unforgettably intervened in the shepherd’s mundane, working-class existence with a news bulletin to end all news bulletins.” God In The Manger, p. 87-88.

Most of us have heard about the shepherds who came to visit the baby king in a manger most of our lives. But how many times have stopped to give them any special consideration? How often have we treated as if they were more than window dressing to the story? Is there anything more to this part of the narrative? Is there more to these men that we should take away? Surely, they are more than ornamental to the account of the Savior’s birth. 

For instance, Why shepherds? Why did God choose a little band of shepherds to receive the angelic announcement of His son’s birth? Was there something more that we are supposed to consider when we come across this part of the story? I heartily believe that is the case. 

The first thing we need to consider, as we look closer at these men, is why did God choose shepherds? Do shepherds hold some significance in God’s plan? The answer to that question is a resounding, yes!