The Shepherds

Luke 2:8-9a: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel appeared to them."

Recently, I was reading through the Nativity story and I came upon the shepherds. I decided to read through several commentaries and books just to learn more about these pasture "roamers" who accompanied their flocks both day and night.

One commentary mentioned that the job of a shepherd was not esteemed at all. It cited the Midrash, a collection of Jewish opinions concerning the Law, as saying that there is "no more disreputable an occupation than that of a shepherd." The commentary further commented that shepherds were considered lower class by the Jewish people, and they were as despised as gamblers and tax collectors.

Isn't it just like God to herald His Advent first not to the wealthy nobility or the arrogant religious leaders, but to those who were most despised within their society. Though the shepherds were despised by their fellowmen, they loved the Lord and were faithful to their much-needed responsibility for the Jewish people. I say "much-needed" because these particular shepherds were raising the very lambs that would be offered as atonement sacrifices in Jerusalem. Bethlehem was only 5 miles southwest from Jerusalem, and it was the place that the lambs would be raised and eventually herded to the temple as burnt offerings. Thus, it is a noticeable act of irony that God, the Paschal Lamb, would communicate His coming to those who faithfully prepared the lambs that were to be sacrificed as a foreshadowing of the One True Lamb to come, Jesus Christ!

After the quite fearful encounter with the Heavenly hosts praising God, the shepherds made haste to follow obediently the charge to go to Bethlehem and see the Christ Child. There was no hesitation on their part, for they knew that it was the LORD who had spoken to them (see Luke 2:15).

After they had seen the Messiah, the shepherds hurried off to share all that they had seen, resulting in much amazement from those who heard their powerful message. Then the shepherds returned to their fields in a spirit of celebration, glorifying and praising God.

This Christmas story is a wonderful reminder of our Ultimate Good Shepherd who entered into the world to lay down His very life for His sheep (see John 10:11). It also reminds us that God is not interested in one's social status or temporal affluence; rather, He is looking for those who would glorify Him through their faithful obedience and reverential awe. God Himself has told us that He esteems the one who is "humble and contrite in Spirit, and trembles at His Word" (Isaiah 66:2). God also chooses those who are weak and despised to accomplish His purposes, for He knows that these "despised ones" are more apt to boast in the Lord rather than in their own, vain accomplishments (I Corinthians 1:20-31).

Let us remember that the shepherds who prepared the lambs for sacrifice were the ones to whom God approached to be the first evangelists of the arrival of the Messiah. Though these shepherds were despised by their peers, may we today strive to have a heart similar to these shepherds . . . ones who were ready for the message of God, ones who followed faithfully the dictates of the angels, ones who worshipped Christ directly, ones who shared the good news of Christ's arrival, and ones who celebrated the redemptive work of God in the world.

Oh, to be a modern-day shepherd!

Evidence of Immaturity

I Corinthians 2:6-8: "We did, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."


One of the evidences of spiritual maturity is one's hearing and obeying the wisdom of God, as communicated through His Holy Scriptures. This wisdom of God concentrates upon the message of the cross . . . that God has offered Himself as the only perfect atoning sacrifice for all of humanity . . . the rebellious ones who all have at one time or another attempted to assert their desire for lordship over the One True Lord of Hosts. This level of rebellion deserves the most hostile reprisals from God; we are due the fullest measure of His wrath for our recalcitrance. This is why God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ is so sweet! It cost the One of whom no cost was due to provide eternal benefits and privileges to those who had no right nor ability to pay.

This wisdom of God also calls people to respond with surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It necessitates that the person relinquish his life to the Lord and serve Him as Master and Savior. It is understood that this follower of Christ is passionate in following His Lord faithfully; he is enthralled in who God is and His love that has been lavished upon the sinner . . . so undeserving of such blessings. This person too knows that when he begins to deviate from the line of obedience, he will return to the Lord in a spirit of remorse and repentance. He knows the voice of the Holy Spirit bringing conviction into his heart; and this man is not too vain, selfish, or proud to relinquish such acts of disobedience against the Lord. Rather, that man quickly casts off such thoughts and/or behaviors that displease his Master and Savior.

This wisdom of redemption has been destined for the redeemed even before time began. God would determine it best that make us, fully knowing that He must later sacrifice Himself so that we might be rescued from the punitive curse of our rebellion. This is love at its finest. His love and greatness deserve our faithful obedience.

The tragedy throughout the history of the earth is that mankind has continued to defy the Sovereign Lord through its determination to assert itself as supreme over all things (even God Himself). Man has determined that he wants to be number one; he is interested in his wanton desires above everyone and everything. Of course, the Scriptures tell us that God will not be mocked by such rebellion. He will call all men to account for their allegiances in this life. Only through submission to His Lordship may a person receive the Divine pardon leading to eternal life.

May we ever remember God's rightful reign over us and His magnificent demonstration of love through His death and resurrection. Let us press on in a spirit of humility, thankfulness, and obedience, looking forward to the day of our joyous reunion with our Lord!

The Pleasure of God

I Corinthians 1:18-19,21: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.' . . . . For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe."


It is amazing to see how people respond to the "message" of grace offered by Jesus Christ. For those who would attempt to figure God out by using their "wisdom," they are apt to conclude that such notions of a God offering Himself for our salvation to be an absurdity. These people either believe that God does not exist at all or that He exists but is so ethereal that we cannot know much about spiritual matters.

A majority of people today if asked about their eternal condition would argue that there is a Creator and that the standard for eternal blessedness is contingent upon "good living." That is, if a person simply does enough good things as compared to bad things (i.e. their karma), then this mercurial cosmic essence or deity will grant that person entrance into Heaven, or Nirvana, or Paradise, or whatever they want to call it.


In response, the One True God communicates in His Holy Word that only through Christ's physical death and resurrection might a person have hope of Divine forgiveness. This is because all of us have sinned and therefore are unable to provide satisfaction for our sins against the Lord. Only a perfect sacrifice would suffice; hence this was why God had to come to this Earth as Jesus Christ to offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.


Of course, this fact of our inability to gain for ourselves our redemption runs counter to any notion of inherent goodness or worthiness within a person. There is a sobering reality that each person must plead for the mercy of God, which necessitates that he relinquish any false notion of ability. He must fall at the throne of God and beg for forgiveness, surrendering himself to Christ as his Lord and Savior. No longer can he believe the falsity that he is inherently good and worthy of God. This person must kick himself off the throne of his life and put Christ where he rightfully deserves to be . . . on that throne!


This need for Jesus Christ as Savior and the resultant capitulation of the one's "self" to Christ is an absurdity to those who are perishing spiritually. It is not so much because the precepts are too difficult to understand; rather, there is a hostility of "self" in submitting to God. Pagans will attempt to reason away any notions in order that they might feel absolved of any responsibility. They formulate contrary opinions of their reality, and are apt to mock those who would follow Christ as Lord. These people are blinded by the Evil One, who uses their resistance to the gospel to ensnare them for all eternity (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is the grandest loss that ever will be recognized in eternity . . . that God would suffer a heinous death out of His amazing love for humanity, only to have certain ones deride such an offering of grace. Tragically, God will pour out the full measure of His wrath against these traitors to His Sovereign Lordship. When Jesus returns to enact His righteous judgment, these rebellious ones will experience such judgment that they will desire their own annihilation (Revelation 6:16). Sadly, they will be cast into the black darkness of torment where there will be eternal pain and agony (Jude 14-16; Matthew 13:42).


Still, for those who have yet to draw their last breath in this life, God's offering of grace is still available; in fact, He takes pleasure in presenting such an offering to those who would receive it. God is looking for those who are humble and contrite in spirit and tremble at His Truth (Isaiah 66:2). God knows that only a person who understands his utter unworthiness will find a need for Him . . . otherwise that person will perpetuate his own quest for divinity. For this person, no hope remains . . . only a sobering judgment from the Almighty King! (see John 3:36; Hebrews 10:26-7).


For those of us who have responded to Christ's offering of salvation through contrition and surrender, let us celebrate that the power of God has been made manifest to us. Let us reflect often upon this ultimate sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross for our sins. Let us sing praises for His resurrection, whereby He demonstrated His power over sin and death. Let us appreciate that God's wrath has been averted. Let us take joy forever in the privileges that God has afforded to us . . . solely through His amazing grace.

It truly is a wonderful blessing to find the pleasure of God through His salvation in Christ Jesus.

How Can We Really Know We Have Received the Grace of God?

I John 3:24: "Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

One of the things we will find as we study through the book of I John is the distinction between mere professors of Christ (who in fact are no real followers of Christ) and those who have yielded to Christ's Lordship and follow Him in faithful obedience. John tells us in I John 1:5-6 that if we claim to have fellowship with Christ and yet walk in darkness, we are liars. He again tells us in I John 5:18 that the one born of God will not continue to sin (i.e. the continual, willful defiance to the will of God through selfish, sinful thought and action). We know that we love God if we obey His commands . . . which are not burdensome (I John 5:3). The true believer through the power of the Holy Spirit and this man's responsive faith to the Spirit's leading is able to overcome the enticements of the world, which is victory in its truest sense (I John 5:4).

The question that some will present is whether we really can know that we truly have received God's grace. Some will question their salvation, not being sure that they are under the blessing of Divine favor afforded exclusively through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. John replies by saying that we are able to "have confidence on the day of judgment" (I John 4:17). We find this confidence from the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are His children, redeemed through the precious blood of Christ (I John 3:24; Romans 8:16).

John also shares with us the further evidence that assures us of the genuineness of our faith, namely that we live like Christ in this world and we are perfected through His love. As we experience the unfathomable love of Christ and are freed from debilitating fear, we then love Him and others with the true love that lacks selfish ambition and adulation. We give to Christ the entirety of ourselves (heart, soul, mind [Matthew 22:37]) as we love Him above everything else, and we cannot wait to shower love to others in a way that would bless and benefit them above ourselves. So too, when we fall prey to sin in our lives, we come under immediate conviction from the Word of Truth shared by the Holy Spirit; and because we have this hope and appreciation in the glorious Savior, we "purify ourselves" by turning from our sin back to the path of obedience (I John 3:3).

What is rather beautiful about this condition of assurance, is that we are in such a love relationship with Christ and are so attune to obeying Him in all things, that we have "confidence in approaching God." We can ask anything in accordance to God's will (in fact, we want nothing else but God's will), and we know most assuredly that God hears us (I John 5:14-15).

Conversely, the man who by word or deed denies Jesus Christ as the Anointed One (worthy of his fullest surrender, allegiance and love) is an antichrist. This man who is consumed with himself and seeks to satisfy his selfish desires above all others is not a true follower of Christ Jesus; rather, he is against Christ and His glorious kingdom!

These are such good words for us, for so many who believe that their religious denominational affiliation somehow grants them the privilege of Divine grace are sadly mistaken. There is no atoning sacrifice for their sins because they have not yielded themselves to Jesus Christ as their LORD. They are not following Him faithfully and obediently. They are not apt to turn from sin in their lives when they are prompted by conviction. They have no love for God and others, because they are consumed with themselves.

Still, for the one who truly has surrendered himself to the Lordship of Christ, is following Him in faithful obedience, turns from sin quickly so that it does not have lingering influence, and reflects the love of God to others is assured of the genuineness of His faith through the communion of the Holy Spirit with His spirit. If we are truly yielded to Christ, let us not fall into the insecurity of uncertainty; rather, let us know the confidence of knowing that God's Spirit resides within. Let us bask in the love of God and live our lives as an extension of that love to others. And let us await that glorious day when "He appears (and) we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).

Striving Forward In the Midst of Difficulty

I Peter 4:19: "So, then, those who suffer according to God's Will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

No one desires suffering. In fact, painful trials are the very things from which we attempt to run as far away as possible. Sometimes our trials are self-inflicted through our sinful decisions (see I Peter 4:15); yet there are times when our difficulties are not the direct result of our actions, but are situations thrust upon us (usually when we least expect it).

God's Word gives us our response to those unexpected events that are apt to shatter our spirits leading us into the depressing state of despondency. First, the Scriptures tell us that these episodes are introduced in our lives according to the will of God. For many of you, that very statement may be so unsettling that you are apt to close out this link never to return again. If you are still reading, that means that you at least are willing to hear out the reasoning why God would do such a thing.

Whereas God is not the author of sin, He is Sovereign over all things. If He desired for you to not experience a certain tragedy, then He most assuredly would intervene in the circumstance to bring deliverance. In fact, we may find in eternity a fuller awareness of just how much God DID Do to rescue us from perilous situations that could have brought our demise.

Still, God permits other painful encounters to come our way, and He does so in order that we might through the ordeal grow closer in our dependence on Him and readjust our priorities toward His offering of eternal life, where pain and difficulty are wonderfully absent. When trials come our way and are introduced by the will of God, they are designed to grow us in our awareness of Him, mature us in our faith in Him, and draw us into a fuller understanding of peace and contentment in Him, no matter the circumstance.

The above Scripture compels believers in Christ to "commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." In other passages of Scripture, the word for "commit" means to "roll to." One can see the imagery of a ball starting at the top of a hill being pushed down; and as it continues down the slope, it rolls faster and faster towards its destination. When we find ourselves being pushed off of our mountaintop "highs" we simply need to start rolling toward the Savior, moving faster and faster as we continue down the hill of disappointment. We need to put all of our trust in our glorious Lord, knowing that He is Sovereign and He is Good and Faithful. He will be with us, helping us bear up under the weight of the ordeal that we are facing. Though we might not like the painful experience, we must recognize that God has willed this for us and He has done so for a purpose. And according to the passage cited above, the purpose is for us to continue to do good, thereby bringing glory to God . . . our ultimate purpose in life.

One of the worst things we can do is take our eyes off the Savior and His purpose for our lives, looking instead toward our circumstances with fear, resignation, and hopelessness. As we begin to fixate our minds on the abysmal situations that we are facing, we are apt to lose sight of God in the midst of the trial; and our faith is shattered as we start to believe things will never get better. We might even begin to talk with others about our anger toward God for permitting such a trial to befall us; or we might verbalize that we don't believe we can press on, given the pain of the experience. The Word of God tells us to "avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly" (2 Timothy 2:16). Whereas the Timothy passage might address gossip or other inappropriate language, one also might add despondent words of futile thinking. When one throws in the towel and acknowledges that life is not worth living due to the trial, one is saying in effect that God has made a big blunder in permitting this event in our lives. We are professing that the Lord does not know what is best, and that He is not good and faithful. We might even suggest that He is not really in control, or that He is a despicable tyrant, not worthy of our allegiance. These are the thoughts and words that will lead us further and further toward ungodliness. Bitterness lies at the end of such a path, and no good thing comes from its presence in our lives.

Therefore, we must take these thoughts captive and surrender them to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must see that there is a plan and purpose for those painful experiences that we encounter. We must roll toward the LORD seeking His wisdom and comfort. We must trust that He is good and is working out His purposes through us as we struggle down the arduous path of difficulty. We must, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, determine that we have a calling to continue to do good in the midst of the trial. Our good includes continuing to praise the LORD, demonstrating faith in Him, and inspiring others who might traverse similar paths in the future.

There is much to do. Let us not permit our trials to gain victory over us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, let us rise above our difficulties, in order that we might be all that God desires for us to be . . . for His glory and the furtherance of His glorious kingdom!

The Ultimate Abuse

Matthew 27:30: "They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again."

Many of us have reflected upon the crucifixion of Jesus Christ . . . the incredible display of agony, torture, and brutal betrayal against the Sovereign King of Kings. It is the most heinous act of evil ever committed! That God's own creation would rebel against His rightful Lordship and desire His execution is the epitome of debasement. We are so unworthy of God's favor and mercy; still, God willingly chose to offer Himself as the perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is AMAZING GRACE at its finest!

One facet that I had not previously noticed is the above mentioned verse. I was aware of Jesus' abhorrent flogging, but I had not noticed that the soldiers beat Jesus in the head repeatedly with sticks. I cannot imaging the continual strikes across the skull of the Master. Again and again, they hit Him. And given their previous placement of a crown of thorns on His head, one can picture the thorns being driven into his skull. What tragedy! What restraint by the Sovereign Lord! What wonderful love demonstrated in order that we might hope of reclamation into eternal blessedness.

Never forget the sacrifice of the Savior for our sins. Never forget Jesus' painful death that has given us opportunity to be adopted into God's eternal family. Never forget what we truly deserve and what we in actuality have been given. If you really think about these things, you will become overwhelmed with God. This is where God wants you to be.

Pressing On

Joshua 1:2: "(The Lord said to Joshua) 'Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites.'"

After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness for their rebellion against the Lord's command to enter the Promised Land, the Israelites again were summoned to move into this choice land, promised since the days of Abraham (see Genesis 12:17).

It would have been easy for Joshua to have examined his situation and questioned this dictate from the Lord. After all, why did God not take His people in under the mighty leadership of Moses, Joshua's predecessor? I'm certain that Joshua knew that he simply could not cross the Jordan River and take the land without some resistance from the Canaanite dwellers already there. Land was the most important asset to a people during that day, and the Canaanites would staunchly defend their territory.

This likely is why God repeatedly commanded His new leader to be "strong and courageous" (see 1:6, 1:7, 1:9). It would require faith on the part of Joshua to trust that the Lord would provide protection and victory, even though the circumstances did not look promising.

God knew that Joshua's faith would be kindled by the meditation upon the Word; this is why the Lord commanded Joshua to meditate upon the Book of the Law and obey it fully. The Lord knew that the strength to avoid the pitfalls of discouragement and fear would be found in Joshua's regular feasting upon His Word. God then reinforced the reward for Joshua's faithfulness by proclaiming that success would come to the Israelites if they would follow His commands.

Joshua did not waver a bit. In the following verses, the leader told his people to get ready for in three days they would move across the Jordan into their land. Of course the reason for the three-day delay likely was the need for preparation for mobilization and war. Unlike the days of Moses when the Israelites refused to take the step of faith into the land, they now were ready. As the Israelites encouraged their leader to be strong, they reinforced their support by proclaiming that they would execute anyone who would defy Joshua's commands. It was time to move and receive the blessing of the Lord.

This story is such a good word for us, for we need to contemplate Joshua's response of faith and obedience toward the Lord, even though the future would involve conflict with the pagan Canaanites. How often do we face our own enemies with unwavering trust in the Lord? How much to we feast upon His Scriptures for support as we prepare to face the burdens before us? How diligent are we at obeying fully the dictates that the Lord has given to us? As the Lord promised success for Joshua, so too we can find success in our experiences if we will follow a similar course of faithfulness and obedience.

When we stand on the banks of our proverbial "river" and look to the other side. Let us not permit the impressiveness of our foe to cause us to cower in retreat; rather, let us look beyond the obstacles at the blessings that the Lord has promised to us, if only we would move forward in faith. Let's press on, and expect that the Lord will be with us, will protect us, and will bring us victory!

Praising the LORD At All Times

Psalm 149:4-9: "For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD."

The final three Psalms recorded in Scripture are praise Psalms to the Lord Almighty. Here the Psalmist calls all of creation to engage in a demonstration of corporate praise to God for His Sovereign Power and surpassing greatness. He is the One True Lord of Hosts who has created all things and has taken delight in those who have taken his horn of salvation (148:5,8, 14; 150:2). And of course this demonstration of praise by the Lord's creation is not relegated to somber expressions of contemplation, but ecstatic celebrations of praise through dancing, instruments, and singing.

Then we find an interesting collection of Scriptures in chapter 149 . . . that we are called to "sing for joy on (our) beds." Whereas a bed could symbolize a place of peace, intimacy, and rest (i.e. blessing), one might also note that a bed is a place of confinement for those who are struggling physically and emotionally with maladies that have relegated them to that place. How often have we visited those who were so debilitated that they were not able to get out of their beds? How many of us have experienced such limitation ourselves and been overwhelmed by the challenges that come with such conditions?

If we were to see the interpretation of this passage in view of the latter example above, we can see that the saints of the Lord can sing for joy in the midst of their debilitating trials, knowing that the LORD "takes delight in his people (and) crowns the humble with salvation" (149:4). As these infirmed people struggle with their difficulties, they are able to "praise the Lord (with) their mouths." Their faith and hope are strengthened by the assurances found in God's Holy Scriptures (i.e. the 'double-edged sword [see Hebrews 4:12]). And with this power and peace from on high, these saints are able to inflict vengeance upon their enemies . . . which may be depression, chronic pain, feelings of hopelessness, lost opportunities, physical limitation, a lost sense of community, despondent thinking mired in the temporal affairs of this world, etc. Through the grace and provision of the LORD who "takes great delight in his people" (149:4), these people are able to offer a spiritual dance of praise to their Redeemer . . . the Lover of their souls (150:4). Nothing is able to bring defeat in their lives as they rise above their debilitation to "soar on wings like eagles . . . running without becoming weary" (Isaiah 40:31).

May we ever know that the Lord is due praise no matter our circumstance. He loves us, has redeemed us, and offers to us the power of deliverance from the emotional strains and physical challenges that we may face. If we find ourselves in the depths of despair, let us reorient our minds to the LORD who takes delight in us. Let us sing for joy from our beds and hold onto the promises of His Word, for then we will find His blessing of contentment as we await the day of our reclamation into His perfect, eternal Kingdom! This is the "glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD!" (149:9).