We find ourselves in the second chapter of Luke. The story is familiar. The law required every man to return to his hometown to be counted in the national census. That was done for both military and taxation purposes. However, the Jews were excluded from military service. That is why Joseph took Mary, who was with a child, to Bethlehem. When they arrived, the town was crowded. The only place they found to rest was in a barn or cave. Timing is everything. The child came and Mary placed her newborn in a feeding trough, surrounded by animals. They named the little one Jesus, which means “God saves.” The world thought Joseph was Jesus’s biological father, but they were wrong. Jesus’s biological father was God, which made Jesus the son of God. The world would never be the same again. The word of his birth did not grab the headlines. Instead, the news was spread by word of mouth. That takes us to our scripture reading.
According to our text, verses eight through twenty-one, there were shepherds in nearby fields watching the sheep. They were not just working an eight-hour shift. The text says that they were living with the animals. The sheep are a big part of the story. There are two things you need to know about them. First, the sheep were valuable. They were reserved for temple sacrifice, so they had to be flawless. Second, the shepherds did not own the sheep; they were hired to protect the sheep against thieves and predatory animals. This is the only thing you need to know about the shepherds: They were second-class citizens. In their society, they were low on the social ladder. Through the eyes of the religious purists, the shepherds were despised, because they couldn’t follow the letter of the law, so they were dispensable. The sheep, on the other hand, were revered and indispensable. Yet, they were the first to hear about the birth of Jesus.
An angel suddenly appeared. Remember, in the Bible, angels are not protectors, they are messengers. The unnamed angelic messenger encourages them to fight back against their natural response of fear. This is going to be a red-letter day in their lives. The announcement they are about to hear will not just be remembered by them and their generation – the announcement will be remembered by the generations to come. You know the announcement: In the town of David, Bethlehem, the long-awaited Messiah has been born. He didn’t enter this world surrounded by the aristocrats of society. He entered this world surrounded by people like us, commoners. The fact that the shepherds received such an announcement was incredible, but what is truly miraculous is what happens next – they were invited to go and see the newborn with their own eyes. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Leaving the valuable sheep unprotected or under-protected, they go to visit the baby. It was really quite a moment, they risked their very lives to see the newborn. No one could question their devotion or love. The shepherds illustrate for us that love is a verb. If you want to discover the person who loves you the most in this world, then find the person who has sacrificed the most for you.
In 2011, Kim Kardashian (born 1980) and Kris Humphries (born 1985) proclaimed their love. Kris was an NBA player. Kim is a reality star, who does things to stay in the headlines. They did not have a simple private ceremony. They proclaimed their love for all the world to see. It was a two-day E-Special called “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding”. Their wedding cost $10 million. Do you remember how long Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’ marriage lasted? It lasted 72 days. Many say they used the sacred institution of marriage as a massive publicity stunt. They may be right. Today, Kris Humphries has disappeared. Kim Kardashian married again three years later, but it ended in divorce too. She has had three marriages, each one ending in divorce. She is a young, beautiful, wealthy woman. I am sure she will marry again. I am confident the fourth time is the charm. Can I ask you a question? Do you consider Kim Kardashian a love expert? Or do you consider my friend John a love expert? This is his story:
John and his wife, Mary, have been married for over sixty years. There is nothing flashy about them. They are just good people who have worked hard. Together, they raised a family and dreamed of a carefree retirement. One day John noticed Mary was starting to forget things. At first, it was little things, like the car keys and where she parked at the grocery store. Then, she began to forget bigger things, like where she lives and her grandchildren’s names. One day, she didn’t recognize John. On a very sad day, the family moved her out of the long-time family home to a Memory Care Unit in a local facility. John visits Mary every day, but she doesn’t know him. Did you hear what I said? John visits a woman every day who doesn’t know who he is. Some have asked, why do you visit her daily? I know why. He visits her daily for one reason: John loves Mary. She is the love of his life. Let me ask you the question again. Do you consider Kim Kardashian a love Or do you consider my friend John a love expert? Remember, if you want to discover the person who loves you the most in this world, then find the person who has sacrificed the most for you. The Christian faith is built on this simple concept.
In my last church, there was a teenager by the name of Ricky. He was extremely bright, and he was not afraid to talk. He was not afraid to ask questions. He asked me many questions. Most of his questions were excellent. I did my best to answer them. One day Ricky asked me this question: what is more important, Christmas or Easter? I thought long and hard about that one. In many ways, Christmas and Easter stand side by side. You can’t celebrate one without the other.
Christmas is when we celebrate the incarnation of God. In other words, we are awed by the fact God became one of us. It has been said, it is beyond all human understanding. Everyone knows the scene, and what is more important, everyone loves the scene. For this reason, everyone has a nativity set in their home. There is the baby Jesus surrounded by his parents, Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, and the animals. Everyone loves Christmas because everyone loves the baby Jesus. Believers love Christmas because we understand the true meaning of the holiday. No one can tell me Christmas isn’t important! Yet, no one can tell me Easter isn’t important too.
Easter is equally important. You know the story. The baby Jesus did what all babies do. He grew up, but unlike us, he never committed a single sin. That made him the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. The drama played out during Passover. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a Sunday in front of a big crowd. As the week went on, the crowd got smaller. By Friday, the crowd was gone; there was just a handful of people left. They witnessed a painful scene. With a sinner on his right and a sinner on his left, Jesus was crucified. It was a Roman form of torture and death. They say that Jesus drowned in his own body fluids. It was an ugly death. Yet, on that Sunday morning, the great discovery was made. Miraculously, Jesus came back to life. I have never been able to explain the resurrection because I can’t explain a miracle. Yet, that miracle is the foundation of our faith. Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no hope of eternal life. No one can tell me Easter isn’t important!
It has been several years since Ricky asked me that excellent question, which is more important, Christmas or Easter? They are separate events. Both are important and both are major events in God’s plan of salvation for the world. I still don’t know how to answer that question. However, I do know this: If you want to discover the person who loves you the most in this world, then look for the person who has sacrificed the most for you. The shepherds were willing to sacrifice it all just to see the newborn Jesus. How can you question their love? If you want to discover the depth of God’s love, go to the cross. It is not pretty, but it is revealing. American evangelist David Wilkerson (1931-2011) once said, “Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.”
Russ Adams 