The Introduction of the Greatest Shepherd

There are times throughout the year when groups meet in convention centers around the country to hear about things that are more relevant to that group than anyone else. I personally would not be surprised to hear that shepherds have convention meetings. They could meet to discuss the statistical ignorance and stinkiness of sheep, only to discover that it has not improved even one iota since the previous year. They could take a vote on such decisions as whether or not to officially approve freestyle, left-handed shearing, or whether or not to allow sheep with tattoos to be a part of the flock. But the meeting would reach its climax when the chairman of the shepherds convention would step to the main podium and say, "I would like to introduce to you the greatest of all shepherds, the one who knows more about shepherding than we ever could!" Every shepherd would focus his or her attention on the stage and some might even applaud, but only if they knew that the one being introduced was truly the greatest of shepherds.



Such an announcement was made to a group of shepherds one fateful night in Judea. These shepherds were not having a convention meeting and it was not the chairman of any convention that made the announcement. The announcement did not directly name this person as a shepherd, but it was the greatest of shepherds that was introduced. The Bible records this event, saying, "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, 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, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!' So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds" (Luke 2:8-18, NKJV).



It is interesting that the first group of people that God had the birth of His Son announced to was a group of shepherds. Though the job of shepherd had once been the main occupation among the Children of Israel, by the time of Jesus' birth, it was considered to be a poor man's job that was looked down upon by most of society. But despite society's view of shepherds and shepherding, shepherds were the first to hear the good news on that very first Christmas. There have been many reasons given for why that might be, with most pointing to God's love and compassion for the downtrodden as the explanation, but that may only be part of the answer. Since Scripture has described the Lord Himself as the greatest shepherd of all, it was only fitting that He have that first announcement made to shepherds with their flock.

In Psalm 23, David declared, "The LORD is my shepherd..." (Psalm 23:1, NKJV). The Hebrew word that is translated as "The LORD" in most English translations, is actually "Yahweh" (Jehovah). This is the name by which God identified Himself to Moses as "I Am." The one and only "I AM" was David's "shepherd," who watched over Him and guided Him through "the valley of the shadow of death," where no one can make it through to the other side alone. David knew that he was personally like a senseless, defenseless sheep in need of a shepherd, but David knew that God Himself was his shepherd. Another Psalmist agreed with David, saying, "...we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand" (Psalm 95:7, NKJV).

The Bible promised that God Himself would come to do the work of a shepherd. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young" (Isaiah 40:10-11, NKJV). Isaiah later wrote describing both why and how the LORD would do this, saying, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV). Who was our sin to be "laid" upon? The New Testament answers that question with the name of one person, Jesus Christ.

As God Himself, Jesus came to be that great shepherd who would lead us through the "valley of the shadow of death." Only He could lead us safely through because He paid the price for what makes us like sheep. Like sheep, we are defenseless from that which can take our life, which for us is the eternal punishment for sin, death. This is more than a physical death; it is rather a spiritual death which separates us from God in life and in death, resulting in a life of Hell on Earth and an unending death in Hell during Eternity. Knowing that all of us, like sheep, are senseless and defenseless concerning this threat, our Heavenly Shepherd came to save us from it no matter what the cost. Jesus explained, saying, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:10-15, ESV).

Jesus came as our God to do what only God could do, to become the Good Shepherd and save the sheep of humanity from certain death. To save us took laying down His own life in our place. The Apostle Peter speaks of His sacrifice, saying, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:24-25, ESV). Jesus not only proved His unrivaled love for us, He also demonstrated that He truly is the Greatest Shepherd of them all!

So did the shepherds know that the baby they worshiped on that first Christmas was the one who would be their shepherd, the Shepherd of their eternal souls? Probably not, but one thing is clear: the Greatest Shepherd had been born! It's no wonder that the angels cried, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men" (Luke 2:14, NKJV)!

May you and yours come to know that the LORD is your Shepherd this Christmas!