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Why Shepherds?

 

 

Background

The account of Jesus birth is so familiar that it could be seen by some as a fictional story.  Although Christians would say that it is historic fact, it is easy to be influenced and act in ways that do not reflect the truth of who Jesus is, what he taught and why he came to the earth. 

 

Application points

1. God is interested in ordinary people.  The Shepherds were ordinary people yet God chose to announce the most incredible, history changing news ever, to them.  The people and places involved in Jesus birth were also quite ordinary and were certainly not those we might expect God to have used in sending his son to us.   We too are ordinary – God’s message of salvation is to all men and he continues to use the ordinary to do his work on earth.

 

2. This account is historic fact.  If we believe what we say we believe and Jesus is the person we know him to be then our lives should reflect this.  If our lives are not lived according to the truth of Jesus being God and we add or take anything away from his teachings, then we are living a fairy tale Christianity.

 

Read Luke 2: 8-20, Psalm 23, John 10:11-16

 

Q: With the application points and scriptures in mind – what does this historic account of Jesus birth mean to you personally and to ‘all the people’ (as the Angel announced to the shepherds) ?

Q: At what point in your Christian life did the reality of who Jesus is and what he came to the earth for, become life changing to you?

Q: How do we make Jesus a fact in our day to day lives?

Q: Find some passages (possibly from Mark chapters 5 to 7 but can be anywhere in the bible) where Jesus gives instruction to his followers.  Are we really expected to be like this – if not, why not and what other reference points do believers have?

Q: Have you ever felt ‘not qualified’ to be effective in the things God calls believers to do?  We are all called to be witnesses – this is one of the areas many in the group may feel not qualified to be. Discuss why?