First the Shepherds
By: Rob Martin
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Scripture: Luke 2:1–20
This is one of my favorite passages of scripture because it highlights a sentiment repeated throughout the life of Christ. He was born to parents of humble means—though Joseph was of the lineage of David—and the first to celebrate His birth were some of society’s outcasts: the dirty, smelly shepherds.
One remarkable detail is that Mary and Joseph traveled roughly 80 miles while Mary was in the late stages of pregnancy, with the final stretch uphill into Bethlehem—the very city foretold by the prophet in Micah 5:2: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” They likely made this journey on foot, even though images often show Mary riding a donkey. We have no indication that Joseph had the resources to own one. We also do not know whether anyone besides Joseph was present to assist with the birth in the stable.
The second part of this scripture is just as fascinating. The angels appeared to shepherds who were tending their flocks at night. Why would God choose these men—people considered unclean, undesirable, and socially insignificant—to be the first to hear the news of the newborn Savior? Perhaps it was because their beliefs were simple and childlike, not weighed down by the intellectual complications of scholars. If the angels had appeared to scholars, would the message have been believed?
What we do know is that the shepherds acted immediately. They said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” And after seeing the child, they spread the news without hesitation. Yet although those who heard them were amazed, there is no indication that crowds flocked to the stable to see the newborn Christ. Perhaps because shepherds were not considered trustworthy, their testimony was easily dismissed. Even so, these were the first people to receive the announcement of His birth.
I often wonder where the angels would go today to announce the birth of Christ. Would it be to a homeless encampment? A refugee shelter? A slum? The beginning of Jesus’s story mirrors the entirety of His life: He came for the downtrodden, the outcasts, and the overlooked—and He came for everyone else as well. Truly, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
Prayer of the Shepherds
Merciful God of Joy,
Your angels appeared to humble shepherds,
tending their flocks at night.
You often choose the lowly and ordinary
to carry out your great plans.
And with that comes great joy.
After delivering the message of Jesus’
birth to Mary and Joseph,
the shepherds returned “singing praises to God
for all they had heard and seen.”
Let us sing joyfully about your arrival.
Let us wait with eager expectation for the one
who will “bring good news to the poor.”
Let us rejoice in the Lord always,
for the Lord is coming soon!
Amen.
A good word, Rob!
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