Just An Ordinary Day | Shepherds
by Daniel Burton
It was just an ordinary day for the Shepherds.
Shepherds, in that day, tended to not be the cleanest of people. They carried the reputation of dirty, inappropriate vagabonds who preferred the company of animals instead of mankind. They lived with the animals in the field to keep an eye on the animals. Their job consumed their life and this specific day, for all they knew, was just an ordinary day. Out of the ordinary, heavenly hosts appeared proclaiming the coming of the Savior. These outcasts of society received the proclamation of the presence of the King over all eternity. The Savior had arrived in lowly circumstances and the angelic hosts came to the lowliest of people. For the shepherds, they understood their unholiness and filthy ness, both externally and spiritually, and risked their livelihood to behold the face of the Savior.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
- Luke 2:8-15, ESV
An Unworthy Audience
During the time of Jesus’ birth, society regarded shepherds as some of the most despised and lowly of people. Furthermore, their reputations made them unwholesome characters and bad company to keep. Their testimony could not be brought to a court as they were genuinely known as distrustful characters. Yet, the angels heralded the coming of the King to these individuals. The angels did not appear to the rulers of the day, the influencers, or wealthy, but to the lowly, the humble, and those who most understood their need for a Savior. The message of the Savior came on just an ordinary day to just ordinary people.
Our human instinct groups people according to what they can do for us rather than viewing them as equals created in the image of God. We would similarly scoff at the shepherds as society did during that day. Yet, the shepherds needed the Savior to guide them. The dirty, the poor, and the broken need the Savior. Furthermore, this is precisely what we are. The coming of the Savior is only good news for those who need Him and everyone’s sinful state leaves them in desperate need of Jesus Christ who saves mankind by His grace. We are spiritually equivalent to the shepherds. Christ intercedes on in our lives on just an ordinary day to saves us in an extraordinary manner.
Experiencing The Presence of God
The shepherds, upon hearing the extraordinary news of the coming of the Messiah, left immediately to see the one the angels proclaimed. The spectacular display of heavenly excitement resulted in only one appropriate reaction; to experience a personal encounter with the Messiah. Hearing of the Savior can never replace experiencing the presence of the Savior. The shepherds understood that their ordinary day needed the presence of an extraordinary God. Even if it means risking everything to see him.
In truth, we all need an encounter with the Savior. The presence of God is open to all who seek Him. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and eternity but offers salvation to all who submit to Him. The shepherds show us that no one is too unclean to approach God. Christ offers His gift of dying on the cross for the salvation of mankind. We are unworthy to approach the throne of God on our own. But the Savior welcomes us into His presence despite our past sins, our current struggles, and our future failures. Everyone, regardless of their race, background, social status, or whatever, has a place in the presence of our Savior who loves us beyond our ability to earn it.
For more in this series, check out Just An Ordinary Day
