Shepherd for His People

Shepherd for His People

(Matthew 2:1-12)

Yearly Theme:  “Kindness is… Atonement”

Series Title:  “The Kindest Gesture the World Has Ever Known”

December 10^th, 2023

Something to think about:

As we continue our series on the birth of Christ, and consider the kindest gesture the world has ever known, we look to the second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel.  In this section of Scripture Matthew describes visitors that come from the east to worship the newborn King, but he also speaks of Herod, the brutal, paranoid King of Judea bent on destroying any competition for the throne.  In this story of contrasts,, we see a Shepherd born in a place for livestock (of all places), having been laid in a feeding trough for animals, who would be the world’s Savior.

Let’s take a closer look:

Turn in your Bible to:  Matthew 2:1-12

Here’s the point…

Key Point:  “GOD sent Jesus to be a Good Shepherd for His people.”

There are three distinct persons that this passage focuses on.  Let’s take each of them and look at the type of influence they had on the world… 

•  : Pagan Astrologers.

Matthew 2:1b-2, 9-10 (NLT),  About that time some wise men^* [Magi] from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ² “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star as it rose,^* and we have come to worship him.” …

… ⁹ After this interview the wise men went their way.  And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.  ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!  ¹¹ They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

•  : The Anti-Shepherd.

Matthew 2:3-4, 7-8 (NLT),  ³ King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.  ⁴ He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” …

… ⁷ Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.  ⁸ Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child.  And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

•  : The Good Shepherd.

Matthew 2:6 (NLT),  ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,

are not least among the ruling cities^* of Judah,

for a ruler will come from you

who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’^*”

Something to take home:

In Palestine flocks of sheep and herds of goats are plentiful.  They dot the countryside, clutter up highways, crowd the streets of towns and villages.  Sheep have shepherds and goats have goatherds.  The shepherd with his long staff walks in front of his flock and his sheep follow him.  In fact, they crowd around so closely they hamper the shepherd's movement.  On the other hand, the goatherd carries a short stick and walks behind his herd to keep his goats together and moving in the right direction.  He has his hands full.  Goats are individualists, impulsive, and self-willed.  They dart off in all directions on personal missions of their own. 

Sheep-calling contests are common in Palestine.  Several flocks are placed in an enclosure and mixed together.  Then shepherds whistle a distinctive tune; some call or shout in a peculiar manner.  Some shepherds use a pipe with a particular pitch.  Each shepherd's signal is understood by his own sheep and they respond immediately.  They make their way through the crowded enclosure to where their shepherd is waiting.  The shepherd who collects a given number of sheep in the shortest time is the winner of the contest.  When Jesus mentioned sheep and goats in contrast he knew where of he spoke.  There is a difference, not only in appearance but in nature and behavior.  Goats are not responsive to leadership.  They have to be driven.  Sheep know their shepherd's voice and follow him.

Matthew 25:31-33 (NLT),  ³¹  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.  32  All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  33  He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Are we independent goats going our own way rejecting the voice of the Good Shepherd, or are we dependent sheep listening to the Shepherd’s voice and following Him wherever He leads?  Our way always leads to destruction, but the Good Shepherd’s way always leads to life and safety.

Key Point:  “GOD sent Jesus to be a Good Shepherd for His people.”

^* 2:1 Or royal astrologers; Greek reads magi; also in 2:7, 16.

^* 2:2 Or star in the east.

^* 2:6a Greek the rulers.

^* 2:6b Mic 5:2; 2 Sam 5:2.