Sunday, December 29, 2013

Birth Announcements



My focus today is on Matthew, chapter 2, with a special emphasis on verses 19-20: “After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.’”
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”[1] Now that our feet are standing within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Today would be mom’s 87th birthday. For a couple of years when I was Pastor in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, I would invite mom to come to church that Sunday, announce her birthday to the congregation, and we would sing “Happy Birthday.” Although I never gave away her age, after the second year, she instructed me, “Don’t ever do that again!” Mom did not want that much attention.
We celebrate birthdays because the birth of a child is a joyous event. Cindy and I are expecting the birth of our first granddaughter any day now, and we will travel to Indianapolis to see Emma Jade Gardner. We will text, email and post pictures on all the social media sites. We should. After all, this is the biggest birth announcement since Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.
Birth announcements are a big deal. Even in antiquity, births were joyous events. Those who were in my class last Sunday know that Caesar Augustus was born 9 years before Jesus. Archeologists found an inscription of the birth announcement of little Caesar in Turkey. The ancient birth announcement stated that it was good for the city to celebrate the evangelium, the “good news,” of the birth of Caesar Augustus, the savior of the world. Romans saw Augustus as son of god, since his father through adoption, Julius Caesar, was deified.
Since the Romans announced the birth of baby Augustus, Matthew was not to be outdone. Matthew answered questions about Jesus’ identity and origins. Questions people asked then are the same we ask today. Who is he? Where does he come from? Whether it’s a new pastor, student, boss or neighbor, we want to know a person’s origins. We inquire where this person was born, where he went to school, who his parents were, and if he can produce a birth certificate. We want to know because we want to make a connection with that person.
Wanting to connect, the Magi, who inquired about the newborn King of the Jews, were overjoyed when they saw the Child Jesus. They bowed down and worshiped him, opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.[2] Having found the true King, humanity’s Savior, the Son of God, the joyous Magi celebrated evangelium, good news, Gospel.
Today, some question the authenticity of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth. Allow me to compare it to the birth of a man I met 20 years ago. He was born Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet in northeastern Tibet. At the tender age of two, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama.
Lhamo Dhondup, the 14th Dalai Lama, was found by Tibetan Monks following signs that led them to his village and to his house. When monks set before the boy objects that belonged to the 13th Dalia Lama, he cried, “It’s mine.”[3] With that, the boy became the 14th Dalia Lama. … Skeptics question Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth and Herod’s bloody persecution,[4] but readily accept how monks choose the next Dalai Lama.
While the Magi celebrated Jesus’ birth as good news, the birth of the newborn King of the Jews was bad news for Herod because he was “King of the Jews,” and there was room for only “one King of the Jews.”
After Herod’s nephew overthrew him, Herod fled to Rome to plead with the Senate to restore him to power. The Roman Senate elected Herod “King of the Jews” around 40 BC. He returned to Judea to wrestle his kingdom from his nephew. Three years later, Herod and the Romans captured Jerusalem and executed his nephew. As sole ruler of Judea, he claimed the title of basileus or king for himself.
Herod protected his throne through blood. In order to maintain power Herod slaughtered his own family members. He slaughtered and all boys in Bethlehem who were two years old and under.[5] Herod killed them because he feared the Christ sought by the Magi might be among them. We consider these innocent boys martyrs because Herod killed them thinking Christ was among them.[6]
According to Martin Luther, tyrants who persecute Christians and rage against the Gospel shed innocent blood, and “the blood of the Christians is [like] fertilizer on the field, making it rich and productive.”[7]
Despots and dictators martyr Christians because they interfere with their political and religious agendas. Political and religious leaders killed Jesus because he interfered with their political and religious views. According to Matthew, Jesus is not the kind of Christ many were willing to receive,[8] but God’s message is clear: evil kings will have no power over this child who fulfills Scripture.
God thwarted Herod’s fail-proof method to kill Jesus when He revealed to Joseph the diabolical plan and redirected the family to Egypt, where they stayed until Herod died. This fulfilled Hosea’s prophecy: “Out of Egypt I called my Son.”[9]
My son. … I started this sermon talking about birthdays, birth announcements and the fundamental questions we ask about people. Matthew’s infancy narrative offers some insight into those questions.
Who is Jesus? What has He come to do? Jesus is the Son of God who came to save us from Satan, sin and death. God’s plan, we know, is accomplished on the Cross. Nothing or no one will deter or prevent God’s plan, not even Herod. The birth of Jesus, the newborn King of the Jews, may have been bad news for despots and dictators, but good news for us. Yet, even after Herod died, the family was unable to return to Judea. Hence, many knew our Savior as Jesus of Nazareth, where Joseph and Mary raised Him. He returned to Judea only to die for our sins. His birth and His death are both Good News for believers.
Matthew answers questions about Jesus’ identity and origins for us, His disciples, so that we have an idea of who we are and from whence we come. The infancy narrative is the Gospel in miniature because we see not only what will happen to Jesus, but also what will happen to His followers. Throughout centuries across the globe, we see how faithful Christians posed a threat to empires and the political and religious views of despots and dictators.
Today, Christians in the Middle East face persecution.[10] Fifty years ago, Christians made up 20% of the population in the Middle East, including Egypt, Israel, Iran a, Iraq and Syria. Today, Christians comprise 4% of the population. In some areas, Moslems offer a choice: Pay us $70,000 a year, convert to Islam, or die. Is it no wonder Christians flee?
In America, Christian families do not face the same persecution that Christians in the Middle East experience, or the ones Joseph, Mary and Jesus experienced in Judea 2,000 years ago, but Christian families in America face challenges and threats. I wondered about those threats, and posed the question on Facebook and LinkedIn asking: What is the greatest threat/challenge to the American family today?
People responded with an array of answers. Radical Islam, humanism, socialism, busyness, laziness, indifference, poverty, individualism, selfishness, materialism, entitlement, lack of personal conversations and family meals. There were many other answers as well. Then there was this response from Bill Kuehn.
“The disillusionment that children have to be active in every possible activity resulting in exhausted parents running them back and forth, many times missing meals, and rarely taking time to actually spend quality time together. Those activities also tend to distract from opportunities to spend time in worship and fellowship with other believers.”
Bill points out the practical application of how Christian families can live their faith in America today. As others point out, many external forces pressure families. Parents cannot control those forces any more than Joseph could control Herod.
Joseph, however, could control where his family lived. He could also parent little Jesus until he reached adulthood. That was his charge from God. Today, parents, spouses, families and individuals cannot control every external force, but can control internal dynamics within their homes – activities, schedules, budgets, responsibilities. Control who or what comes into your home. Choose wisely those families with whom your children associate. If your children want to spend time at a friend’s house, check out the parents’ values and beliefs. If their friends ask them to attend church with them, first find out what that church teaches.
I say this because, as those who attended my classes on the letters of Peter and Jude know, what threatens the Church and the Christian family is what enters unnoticed. What enters unnoticed and who enters unnoticed. You know, pastors are responsible for knowing who comes to the Table of the Lord and who teaches God’s Word. The threat of the early Church – as recorded by Peter, Jude, Paul and others – was false teaching by those who entered unnoticed and presented a different gospel, one based on works or one that allowed for licentiousness. As pastors take responsibility for the church, parents take responsibility for the family. Review the year, review each day and think about who or what entered your home without you noticing.
Fathers, here is another post from my question. From a Lutheran pastor: “The biggest challenge to the American Family is the lack of Christ in the "man of the house". We are not discipling men! Men are abdicating church and their responsibilities. Men refuse to take responsibility for their actions, and consequently, reproduce boys and let their mothers raise them without showing any positive role model for them to learn the proper way for a boy to grow into manhood.” Have you noticed that? Have any wives notice that about their husbands?
I understand that to provide for your family fathers and mothers need to work more than 40 hours a week. Some men and women work 60, 80, 100 hours a week because the job demands it. Some serve in the military where tours of duty last six months or longer.
Understandably, everyone likes to relax after work. We need time to rest and rejuvenate, but when we do not have time to complete our parental homework, we allow 10 year-olds to choose friends from families raised with a different belief or without a value system. When we simply want peace in the home, we allow 12 year-olds to choose which church they will attend, if any. When we think to ourselves, “What’s the sense of arguing?” we grant minors autonomy without responsibility. At some point, we realize something’s wrong. We failed.
No parent wants to realize failure, but to some extent, all do. If you have not yet reached that point or passed it, know this: Grace, love and guidance of our Heavenly Father are available. As fathers and mothers charged with raising and teaching children, ask God, “What would Joseph and Mary do?” Ask fully knowing that God charged these two people with raising and teaching the Son of God. Ask knowing that God charged you with no less a task because the children granted to your care are no less precious to God, no less sons and daughters of God than the dear Baby Jesus Himself. Ask God for guidance because your role is no less important than the duties of Joseph and Mary. Ask for that guidance not when you have reached the point of despair. Ask for God’s guidance daily. Even if your offspring are older than I am, ask for God’s grace to be Christian parents so that when your birthday comes years after you are dead, your children will fondly remember you as a Christian mother or father.
As we complete 2013, commit yourself to Christ. Thank God and celebrate Christ’s birthday every day. Live each day with Christmas joy, and may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). Amen.


[1] Psalm 122
[2] Matthew 2:1-12
[5] Matthew 2:16
[6] Jeffrey A. Gibbs, Matthew 1:1-11:1. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006. p. 144
[7] Ewald M. Plass, What Luther Says, Persecution, #3307.St. Louis: Concordia Press, 1959, p.1040.
[8] Gibbs, 134
[9] Hosea 11:1

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Superman, Caesar and a Savior



My focus today is on Matthew, chapter 1, with a special emphasis on verses 20-21: “An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’”
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”[i] Now that our feet are standing within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superman!
Superman, my favorite superhero. I read Superman comic books, and watched the TV series and the movies. Superman was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton to Jor-El and Lara. Rocketed to earth, found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, they renamed him Clark. He grew up in Smallville, where he and his adoptive parents discovered his superhuman powers. Fortunately, for us, the Kents taught Clark to use these powers responsibly to help others and fight crime.
Superman. Who is he? Where does he come from? Questions we ask about people. Whether it’s the new pastor, student, boss or neighbor, we want to know their origins. We inquire where this person was born, where he went to school, who his parents were, and if he can produce a birth certificate.
Aware that people want to know, parents proudly announce to the world the entry of sons and daughters. A few:
We joyfully announce the birth of Lauren Anne June 21st at 5:15 p.m. 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Our home has grown by two feet! David Jonas Peterson born on November 22nd. Weight: 8 lb. 3 oz. Length: 17 inches.
Look who dropped in! Please share our joy at the arrival of our daughter Meredith Teresa, May 23rd. 6 lb. 11 oz.16 inches.
Who will ever forget this one: The Duchess of Cambridge has been delivered of a son. 22nd July 2013. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm. The baby weighs 8lbs 6oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well and will remain in hospital overnight. … The Royal Family even announced the medical staff, and posted a formal notice of the birth in front of Buckingham Palace.
What does this have to do with the angel’s message to Joseph? It’s a 1st century birth announcement. Birth announcements, even during the day of Mary and Joseph, were a big deal. In 1st century Rome there was no bigger birth announcement than that of Caesar Augustus. Archeologists discovered a proclamation in Turkey that dated back nine years before Jesus’ birth.  The inscription says that it was good for the city to celebrate the evangelium, the “good news,” of the birth of Caesar Augustus, the savior of the world. Romans saw Augustus as the son of god, since his father through adoption, Julius Caesar, had been deified. Moreover, the author used the term “good news” in relationship to an individual, Augustus, almost at the same time as the birth of Jesus.
Not to be outdone, Matthew announces his own good news, the birth of humanity’s Savior, Jesus son of Joseph, son of David, Son of Abraham, Son of God.
The most obvious feature of the birth announcement in Matthew is that Joseph, not Mary, is the primary actor. Whereas Luke emphasizes the passivity of the human response to God’s action – “Let it be done to me according to your word,” Matthew stresses the active component in the human response.[ii] Three times the angel instructed him to do something, and Joseph responded to God’s command.
An upright man, Joseph must divorce Mary, not out of anger but out of religious conviction. No matter how much he loves Mary, it is his religious obligation to annul the marriage contract.[iii] It is not his choice to forgive her and act out that forgiveness by marrying her. Justice demands that Joseph follow the law.[iv]
Follow the law. Act justly. … I studied church law for two years, and worked with two canon lawyers for 5 years after I was ordained. Preparing for my colloquy exam, I read Walther’s and Pieper’s works, where I discovered that Law is as important in the Lutheran Church as it is in the Catholic Church.
Sam Berry’s Handbook of Science and Christianity[v] is a powerful reminder that laws govern our universe. Talking heads, twitter feeds and political pundits constantly remind us that constitutional law governs our nation. Follow the law. Act justly.
We also know that there are exceptions to laws; that not every person is subject to every law; and that mercy tempers justice. Joseph must divorce Mary to demonstrate that his love for God is stronger than his love for Mary; and, even though he determines to divorce her quietly so as not to humiliate her, God’s angel annuls Joseph’s plan.
Addressing him as “son of David,” the angel reminds us that Joseph’s role is linked to his Davidic descent. Joseph is not responsible for Mary’s pregnancy, but he has a major role to play in the drama of salvation history. God would bring about salvation for humanity through Joseph’s family. As a “Son of David,” Joseph’s role was to simply acknowledge what God was doing and name the child. By doing this, according to the law, the boy is authentically his.
I cannot help to think that Joseph was a man of faith. True, he observed the law and acted justly. Any good man would have done the right thing to prove his love for God. But Joseph also realized that authentic obedience to God meant that he possessed enough merciful courage to make things right all around.
Joseph’s lesson to the Christian today cannot be lost in the sentimentality of the Christmas story. Joseph demonstrates that the only way we become convinced of our own power, dignity and the power of God is by actually participating in that power – by crossing a line that has a certain degree of nonsensicalness and unprovability to it – which is why we call it faith. In crossing the line and obeying God’s command to take Mary as his wife and name the child, Joseph acts in a new way. Acting in a new way, Joseph demonstrates to us that faith is only demonstrated when we act on what we believe to be true, and not simply acquiesce to man’s law and justice.[vi]
Perhaps his meditation on God’s mercy moved Joseph to do likewise. I cannot help but think that God acted with mercy towards Mary and Joseph, just as He did towards us by giving us His Son, Abraham’s son, David’s son, Joseph’s son – as our substitute on the Cross. For that act of divine mercy, I am eternally grateful to God.
I am grateful that Matthew and Luke pondered and answered the questions about Jesus’ identity and origins. In their own ways, they answered the questions: Who is he? Where does he come from?
These questions – pondered by Christians every Advent – allow us to focus on God’s Law and Gospel with a bit more joy as we muddle through dreary days and long nights. By answering questions of Jesus’ identity and origin, the Holy Spirit guides us as we, like Joseph, make daily choices about life and relationships, sometimes based on justice and law, and other times based on faith and mercy.
Not all choices are as clear cut and as easy as choosing a gift for under the tree. For Christian of the 21st and the 1st centuries, choosing Christ may result in the end of some relationship and possibly the end of life. Look no further back in history than the 20th century when despots and dictators martyred millions of Christians in Mexico and Latin America, in China and across Asia, in Russia, Germany and throughout Africa – and in “pregnancy centers” throughout America. I wonder the outcome if good and just men and women would have acted according to God’s Law, Biblical Justice and Divine Mercy – if people of faith would have been attuned to God’s Word as Joseph was.
Advent is a wonderful season to ponder Jesus’ identity and origins, to ponder our personal relationship to Him. As we read Matthew’s infancy narrative, let us turn the page to find the line where the Roman centurion, whose allegiance and life rested in the hands of Caesar, courageously proclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God.” Owning that statement in the age of the Caesars and in our age makes all the difference in life and death.
As we await the Day of the Lord, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). Amen.


[i] Psalm 122
[ii] Douglas Hare, Matthew, p. 8
[iii] Hare, 9
[iv] Deuteronomy 22:23-24.
[v] R.J. Berry, The Lion Handbook of Science and Christianity, Lion Hudson plc: Oxford, 2012.
[vi] Richard Rohr, Yes, And …Daily Meditations, Franciscan Media: Cincinnati, 2013. p. 58

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Angels Announcing the Birth of Jesus




Birth of Jesus Told to Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
 15When 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.”
 16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.



Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superman!
Superman, my favorite superhero. I read Superman comic books, watched the TV series and the movies. Superman was born Kal-El on the alien planet Krypton to Jor-El and Lara. Rocketed to earth, found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, he was renamed Clark Kent. He grew up in Smallville, where he and his adoptive parents discovered his superhuman powers. Fortunately, for us, the Kents taught Clark to use these powers responsibly to help others and fight crime.
We want to know about people’s origins, even fictional ones. We inquire where this person was born, where he went to school, who his parents were, and if he can produce a birth certificate. Aware that people want to know, parents proudly announce to the world the entry of son, daughter, niece, nephew and grandbabies. A few:
We joyfully announce the birth of Lauren Anne June 21st at 5:15 p.m. 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Our home has grown by two feet! David Jonas Peterson born on November 22nd. Weight: 8 lb. 3 oz. Length: 17 inches.
Look who dropped in! Please share our joy at the arrival of our daughter Meredith Teresa, May 23rd. 6 lb. 11 oz.16 inches.
Who will ever forget this one? The Duchess of Cambridge has been delivered of a son. 22nd July 2013. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm. The baby weighs 8lbs 6oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well and will remain in hospital overnight.
The announcement also named the medical staff who delivered the baby; the fact that he is third in the line of succession after His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge; and that a formal notice of the birth will be posted on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.
What does all of this have to do with angels in Luke? The angels announce the birth of the Savior in dramatic fashion, trumping any announcement by parents, princes or Caesar. Caesar?
Were the ancient Christians comparing Jesus to Caesar?[i] Yes. Archeologists discovered a proclamation in Turkey that dated back nine years before Jesus’ birth.[ii] (See right side of handout.) The inscription says that was good for the city to celebrate the evangelium, the “good news,” of the birth of Caesar Augustus, the savior of the world. Augustus was seen as the Son of God, since his father through adoption, Julius Caesar, had been deified. Some of the first instances of the term “good news” is used in relationship to Augustus, almost at the same time as the birth of Jesus.
Luke has angels announce the birth of Jesus as Son of God because He is the true Savior, the Son of God, one greater than the Caesar. With that, we turn to our text by examining first the message of the angels and then the response of the shepherds before discussing how we put our faith into action.
Who are the angels? In verse 9, the angel does not reveal his name, but given that the angel in 1:19 and 1:26 identifies himself as Gabriel, we can assume he is the same.
His message is, “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.”
Since fear was a common reaction to angelic appearances, a few words of reassurance and encouragement were given. Then the message - Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke used “today” at least 10 times. “Today” indicates a new era has begun and something urgent is happening at this very moment.
The titles applied to this baby include Savior, Messiah and Lord. He is the expected Messiah, but he is also Lord. Before this, the title Lord is applied only to God. The Jews did not view the Messiah as God. So, to announce that the expected one, the Messiah, is also Lord means that he is God.
The Jews were also expecting the Messiah to be a Savior who would deliver them from sickness and physical hardship. Instead, this announcement reveals the Savior would deliver them from sin and death. Humanity’s true Savior is not Caesar Augustus, but Jesus Christ.
The message continues. “You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Some translations read “swaddling clothes.” Mothers swaddled or tightly wrapped infants for various reasons. The significance, however, is not that Mary wrapped Jesus, but the only other time we hear about Jesus wrapped in cloth is when Peter bent down to look into the tomb. “He saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened” (24:12). Luke ties the birth of Jesus to His death and resurrection.
After that, “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.” We know this as “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” the first words of the Latin Vulgate translation and the root of the Church’s great liturgical hymn.
The words “on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” literally reads “To men (who are the object) of (God’s) benevolence” or “To men of benevolence.” There is debate on the exact meaning of this verse. Some commentators state that it means peace is assumed to all, while others state that peace is “only to those pleasing to God – the objects of his good pleasure.”[iii] The problem in determining the exact intention is that there is no comma in Greek and one does not know when to pause.[iv] Even if it means that God’s peace is extended to all people, Luke does not imply loose living is legitimate. “More than any other New Testament writer, Luke issues the call of repentance.”[v]
If we tie the hymn, verse 14 to verse 20, we see, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” “Luke’s main point, which links God’s glory in the highest with peace on earth for the humble (2:14) – those on whom His favor rests – would have been lost had the passage raised only the matter of Jesus’ identity.”[vi] Humbly born, Christ was a Savior for the humble (1:46-55), those with whom God was well pleased.[vii]
…What about the shepherds? … Matthew says Magi were the first to the Christ, but Luke says there were shepherds. The shepherds live in the fields year-round protecting the flock reserved for temple sacrifice against thieves and predatory animals.
Shepherds echo David’s humble origins as a shepherd (1 Samuel 16:1-13); and in keeping with Luke’s theme of poverty, the shepherds are lowly people. Shepherds also reflect Luke’s theme of joy in the face of God’s salvation breaking into humanity. God has saved you from your sins. That is reason enough to rejoice! … Are you smiling?
The shepherds could also be a stand-in for biblical Israel, since the Shepherd-Sheep image is a common metaphor to describe Israel’s relationship with God. However, in the first century shepherds were not highly regarded. They were not clean because they were with sheep all the time. So, depending on your point of view, the presence of shepherds is either very interesting or odd. But since Luke is always promoting the odd person out as the privileged one, it stands to reason that we’re supposed to see these shepherds as those privileged outsiders who acknowledge Jesus. That continues throughout the gospel. Tax collectors and prostitutes are favored. The people that you don’t think are worthy to be with Jesus really are.
Lastly, I see the shepherds, like Mary, as model believers.[viii] They are evangelists, like Mary Magdelene, running to tell Joseph and his wife what was revealed to them. They are joyful apostles who just witnessed the Risen Lord’s ascension, leaving that place praising and glorifying God. We are model believers, evangelists and apostles – believing, announcing and praising God.

Discussion Questions
 1)      The angels announce several titles for the child Jesus at his birth. For a moment, forget you are in 21st century America listening to a pastor talk about Jesus as Son of God, and transport yourself to the Roman Empire of the 1st century. If I said Caesar is divine and greater than anyone, you would not dispute me. If I proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth as Savior and Son of God, you would label me as a dangerous traitor who drastically cut his chances for a long and prosperous life.
 Now imagine hearing the Roman centurion at Jesus’ death say, “Surely this is the Son of God.” (Mt 27:54) How significant is it that a centurion whose oath is sworn to Caesar says the Son of God is Jesus, not Caesar.
 Are you willing to lose your job, property, savings, friends, family and your life for the sake of the Gospel? How strong was the belief of 1st century Christians that they were willing to lose all?
2)      Is peace assured to all or is peace reserved only to those pleasing to God?
3)      What is the purpose of clothing? The purpose of the infant’s swaddling cloth and the body’s burial cloth? The shepherds find him dressed as the angels say and Peter finds the cloth in the empty tomb. The shepherds go away rejoicing and Peter leaves wondering what it meant. What are your thoughts? Share them with your family members.
4)      In chapter 2, we read, “When they (the shepherds) had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” In 24:9 “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.” And in 24:33-35, “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” What joy does the Gospel stir in your heart?
 4)      The angels announce peace to all. The Risen Lord announces His peace to His disciples. What does the peace of Christ mean?
 5)      Chapter 2 concludes with verse 20, saying, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” After seeing Jesus ascend, the Gospel concludes with, “Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” If you were to witness only one, would it be Jesus’ birth or ascension?


[i] Birth announcements: Examining the infancy narratives, by a U.S. Catholic interview. The editors interview Laurie Brink, O.P. This article appeared in the December 2008 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 73, No. 12, pages 28-32. http://www.uscatholic.org/church/2008/11/birth-announcements
[iii] See the footnote on the Concordia Self-Study Bible NIV.
[iv] See Eats, Shoots and Leaves.
[v] Luke 13:1-5; 15:7, 10; 16:30; 17:3; 24:7, and frequently in Acts. See Craddock, 36.
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S., Luke, 32.
[viii] Luke 8:19-21; 11:27-29; Acts 1:14