Angels and Shepherds

December 20, 2012

For some reason, the 10th chapter of John keeps sending me back to the birth of Jesus. I've been chewing on it for some time now. I guess because it is Christmas time and the chapter says a lot about sheep and shepherds and sheep have traditionally been an icon of Christmas. Also, Chapter 10 occurred at this precise time of year. So I’ve been looking for the tie-in between the discussion of Jesus birth, and the discussion of the shepherd and his authority over the sheep, the sheep’s allegiance to him, and his right to come and go, earned through his great love.
God’s sovereignty is the main connection I see. 

From Matthew 1-
Now the birth of Jesus went like this:

When His mother Mary had been promised in marriage to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. And her promised husband Joseph, being a just and upright man not willing to expose her publicly and to shame and disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly and secretly.   But as he was thinking this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior, for He will save His people from their sins.  22 All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel—which, when translated, means, God with us.
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from his sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him: he took her to his side as his wife. But he had no union with her as her husband until she had borne her firstborn Son; and he called His name Jesus. (Amplified Bible)

From Luke 2-
And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn. And in that vicinity there were shepherds living out under the open sky in the field, watching in shifts over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ, the Messiah, the LORD! And this will be a sign by which you will recognize Him: you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

13 Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven- a heavenly knighthood, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased.
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. So they went with haste and, searching, found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known what had been told them concerning this Child. And all who heard it were astounded and marveled at what the shepherds told them.

I used to tell my girls that God had a perfect mate for them if they would trust him and seek his way. What gave me the authority to say that? I am convinced it was authority produced by my love and prayers for my daughters. But I am understanding that God has much more than a life mate for those who trust him. He also has a life call and a destination based on his love and knowledge of us. God has a perfect December 20th waiting for me today. I have a choice to walk there. He will have a perfect December 25th for me and I will have a choice to follow or create my own way. It’s not like I have to invent his way, I must only listen and yield when I hear. Yet, to choose anyway but His, makes me a thief.

John 10: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. . . . his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” They did not understand what he was telling them.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV  Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep. AMP  I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
Jesus himself becomes my gate. The Holy spirit of God is the watchman, I think. There is a wall to protect and provide. What is inside belongs to the ‘good shepherd.’

Mary, Joseph, even Herod. They all played a part in bringing the world a shepherd that would give his life for his sheep. Mary was given a task no woman had ever been given. Had she taken it into her hands to complete, she would have failed. Joseph was given a task. He wanted to fail, but God sent an angel to change his mind, because He knew Joseph would follow. He was God’s sheep. Herod was given a task by default. His evil heart also performed the task he was designed for. He killed the baby boys in Bethlehem and sent the Son of the Highest into exile. Yet it did not change the plan God had. It became a lesson, a symbol, a fulfilling of the word. Perhaps the reason the angels were sent to shepherds was because they were the ones who could understand this authority born of sacrifice.