God's Promise of Jesus: For You and For All People

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:1-20 (NRSV).

Have you ever noticed that God seems to have a love affair with shepherds?

When God first appeared in a burning bush to call a leader to bring Israel out of bondage and slavery in Egypt, God chose a man living in exile tending sheep.

Moses.

When Israel became a nation and it was time to call a leader to be their king, God chose a young shepherd boy to be anointed.

David.

Even in the time of the prophets, we find Amos. No one of great stature. But a shepherd, whom God called into service.

It was to such people that God first sent the angel to announce the birth of the Messiah. “Shepherds, living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

If your imagination is anything like mine, it has painted this beautiful pastoral scene of shepherds quietly tending their sheep in the hills around Bethlehem. It’s a scene that has been painted for centuries. A scene that we’ve witnessed depicted on many a Christmas card over time.

And, yet, these shepherds of Palestine were anything but quiet and pastoral. Shepherds were considered one of the lowest classes of people. Because of the itinerant nature of their work, they were unable to participate regularly in the religious rituals of their time.

There were discriminating practices against them with respect to the law courts, as a shepherd was not permitted to give testimony. They were considered to be so unscrupulous and so untrustworthy that their testimony was of little value.

They were often involved in violent altercations with villagers as they moved their flocks from place to place. In fact, there is a historical account by Josephus of one shepherd in particular who aspired to be king, and who organized his followers into bands of rebel fighters who, for a period of time, terrorized the entire Judean countryside with their guerilla warfare.

Yet, it was these very people - non-religious, unreliable, violent - it was these very people whom God called to be the first to witness the in-breaking of God’s kingdom into our world. The birth of the Messiah. Of God coming to earth. Or when “visible form kisses infinite light,” as the poet Derek Webster describes it.

It is to this rag-tag, rowdy, bunch of rednecks to whom the angel appears and says, “Do not be afraid,” when, in truth, it’s probably the angel who should be fearful. “Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day…a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.”

They go, then. Into the village to see this sign. This baby in a manger. This unexpected child whose parents know he is from God, but likely have no real understanding of the ramifications of his birth.

Yet, it is the shepherds who, after witnessing the child, are the first to help them begin to understand. “When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child. And all - meaning only Mary and Joseph - all who heard it were amazed.”

Yes, God has a love affair with shepherds.

Perhaps it is because they are the most unlikely characters to be witnesses to God’s amazing activity in our world.

I wonder if you aren’t a little like the shepherds.

Now, I’m not saying that you’re not religious, or that you’re unreliable or violent. But, I wonder if you, like the shepherds, haven’t been an unexpected witness to God breaking into our world.

Perhaps it’s been at a time when you’ve felt alone. Or when times have been hard. Or when you’ve been anxious about things. Or when you’ve felt tired or beaten down. And it feels as though God has abandoned you. Or you’ve abandoned God.

And, then, something happens. Or someone comes into your life. And, suddenly, you are witness to the in-breaking of God’s kingdom. To God coming to you. Getting your attention. Turning you around. Leading you to the Messiah. Just as God did to the shepherds on that dark night so long ago.

Because, just as God has a love affair with the shepherds, with that rag-tag, rowdy, bunch of rednecks, so, too God has a love affair with us. Because God’s good news - God’s saving story - is not only for the shepherds. But it is for us. And for all people.

May we on this Christmas Eve night, ponder and treasure this good news, just like Mary. And may we leave here tonight sharing it, just like the shepherds did on that night so very long ago. Glorifying and praising God. For everything that we have heard and seen.

Amen.

Preached December 24, 2018, at Grace & Glory Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve

Readings: Luke 2:1-20

Light of the World

Jesus spoke to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Then the Pharisees said to him, “Because you are testifying about yourself, your testimony isn’t valid.”

Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, since I know where I came from and where I’m going. You don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. You judge according to human standards, but I judge no one. Even if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I’m not alone. My judgments come from me and from the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the witness of two people is true. I am one witness concerning myself, and the Father who sent me is the other.”

They asked him, “Where is your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You don’t know me and you don’t know my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple area known as the treasury. No one arrested him, because his time hadn’t yet come.  John 8:12-20 (CEB)

I am the light of the world. These are the words that Jesus opens tonight’s reading with. I am the light of the world. 

Preparing for tonight has brought me to thinking about light. When I was a kid, there were times during winter when we would lose power, just as many here in our area have lost power with the flooding. The only way for us to see in the dark of night was to light a candle. 

We’re going to try an experiment tonight with light. What happens if I turn the lights off? (We can’t see. It’s completely dark.) What happens if I light one candle? (We can see a little. The candle gives off a little light.) What happens if I share the light from the candle with others? (It gets brighter and brighter. It sends the shadows away.)

Over these past weeks, I’ve been watching the Winter Olympics. Perhaps you have been, too. In the few weeks leading up to them, we were witness to the trial of a doctor affiliated with the U.S. Olympic Committee. A doctor who was convicted of numerous counts of sexual molestation against many young women, most of whom were children at the time. It was ugly to hear their stories. It was heart-breaking to watch. And, for me at least, it was frustrating to learn that complaints had been lodged against him and met with no response. A system that was supposed to protect and develop these young athletes had instead protected a doctor who continued to molest over and over and over again.

This is what systemic sin looks like. Darkness. It is only with the in-breaking of God’s light that such sin and such systems are dismantled. And it is only with the in-breaking of God’s light that justice happens. That those in power are disrupted.  That new systems and new structures are created that serve all people, and not just a few.

This was the stumbling block for the Pharisees in tonight’s story. They could not--they would not--see the in-breaking of God into the world in the person of Jesus standing right in front of them. In the moment of judgment--or crisis in the Greek--they missed God in front of them. They missed the light that was Christ, choosing instead to remain in the darkness of their unbelief.

Where are you in this story? Are you like one of the Pharisees? Or are you like the blind man who will be healed in the very next chapter--a man who, through God’s grace, believes in, is healed, and, then, who witnesses to Jesus. The Messiah. The Son of God. 

Do you see God shining into the darkness of your life? Are you even open to the possibility?  What are your spiritual practices during this Lenten season that might help you better focus on and see Christ standing right in front of you. Perhaps in the face of a client at our food pantry. Perhaps in the person seated beside you. Jesus. Right in front of you. The Word made flesh. The great, “I AM.”


We give thanks tonight for the light. For Jesus, the light of the world, who continues to break into our lives and into the systems of our world and to turn them upside down, to expose our sin, and to re-create us into new beings and build new systems that witness to the presence of God in our world and that serve everyone, bringing darkness-dispersing light into all the world. Amen.

Preached Feb. 28, 2017 at Grace & Glory Lutheran Church, Goshen, KY.
Midweek Worship - Lent 2
Reading: John 8:12-20