April 18, 2024 • 11 mins
In this captivating episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, we delve into the profound and often overlooked story of the shepherds who were the first witnesses to the birth of Christ. Hosted by Dr. Andrew Farley, this Christmas special brings to life the mysterious choice of shepherds, regarded as social outcasts and untrustworthy in their time, to be the recipients of the angels' message about the arrival of the Messiah. These humble men, whose occupation had lost its honor, suddenly found themselves in the presence of the King of Israel, the Promised One, and the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ. Join us on this journey as we explore the deeper significance of the shepherds' role in the grand story of redemption.
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As we reflect on the shepherds' journey, we're reminded that there may be aspects of our lives that have lost their honor over time. But just as God honored the shepherds, He longs to restore and redeem us, welcoming us into His grand rescue mission. The story of the shepherds invites us to recognize the potential for transformation and renewal in our lives. We may not feel deserving, but we have received an invitation to come into His presence, just as the shepherds did. This Christmas season, let's take inspiration from the shepherds' unwavering faith and hurry to witness the marvelous presence of The King of Israel, The Promised One, and The Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.
Download the Pray.com app today to experience the vivid revelation of God's divine presence through cinematic storytelling, guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. 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, leaves the
sheep and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
(00:22):
John Chapter ten, Verses eleven and twelve. Dear Lord, I
humbly thank you today for being an ever faithful shepherd.
You have been a constant companion on my journey, and
your steady hand has guided me through every trial. You
have never failed to show kindness and mercy when times
(00:45):
were difficult, lifting me from despair and providing hope. Your
love is limitless and overflowing, providing strength when I am weak,
and courage when I am fearful. Thank you for being
my good shepherd who sustains me in Lafe's most challenging moments.
In Jesus's name, Amen, thank you for praying with me today.
(01:11):
Now discover the profound intricacies of the heartbeat of faith
with doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Shepherds were regarded as social outcasts and untrustworthy. They were
forced to roam the countryside away from society yet God
sent his angels to them to proclaim the coming of Christ.
Why would God choose men like these to be the
first to behold his sons.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
He was the most marvelous thing they had ever seen.
He did not glow or speak, he did not cry
in a strange tomb or radiate flames.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
But the child was absolutely special.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
The shepherds knew without a shadow of a doubt that
they were in the presence of the King of Israel,
the Promised One, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Hello and welcome to another Christmas episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. I'm your host, Doctor Andrew Farley. We're
taking the month of December to dive deeper into the
themes of Christmas. Let's look deeper into the people who
beheld the newborn King, shepherds, elders, and magi. The first
(02:35):
to receive the message of Christ's birth were the shepherds,
alone with their sheep. In the middle of the night.
The shepherds witnessed a light breaking forth.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
In the distance. A group of shepherds gazed at the
stars as the sheep settled for the night. The valley
was silent, and the tall grass swayed to the light breeze. Suddenly,
as of the sky was cut open by a long blade,
an angel appeared in light. The radiance of the Lord's
glory surrounded them, and they were terrified. Do not be frightened,
(03:10):
the angel reassured, I have come with good news. In
the town of Bethlehem lies a baby. He is swaddowed
securely in a manger at the inn stables. This child
is the Messiah, the Lord, the savior of the world,
and redemption of mankind. The shepherds were speechless. They listened
(03:30):
closely to the angel's words. Then the light radiated even brighter,
and the angel was surrounded by a choir of more angels,
singing glory to God in the highest, peace on earth
and goodwill towards mankind. And like a vapor in the wind,
they vanished.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Shepherds play an essential role in the Bible. Abraham was
a shepherd with large herds of livestock. Moses and David
were shepherds before they were ushered into leadership by God.
In the Old Testament, shepherding was seen as an occupation
that carried great responsibility and trustworthiness. Abraham was seen as
(04:15):
one who had faithfulness and moral integrity in leading his flock,
which set him apart from other shepherds of his time.
Moses shepherded flocks of sheep before being called to shepherd
the flock of Israel.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Moses became a shepherd intended to his father in law's sheep.
In tranquility, Moses felt at home and at peace. Yet
hundreds of miles away, his people wailed in pain under
the whip of their oppressors. Moses could not hear.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Them, but God could.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
One day, Moses was tending.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
The flock of his father in law, Jethro.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
He led the sheep far into the wilderness and came
to a mountain called Sinai, the Mountain of God. The
mountain covered the sun, and the sheep grazed in the shade.
Moses saw a faint light flickering in the distance. He
approached it and found a blazing fire engulfing a bush.
The fire raged, yet the bush did not burn, nor
(05:19):
whither the fire reflected off Moses's eyes. He stared in amazement.
Why isn't it burning, he whispered to himself. He took
a step closer to the flame.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Throughout both the old and New Testaments, God is compared
to a shepherd or guardian protecting his sheep. This metaphor
illustrates God's care for us and his commitment to providing
us with comfort, guidance, and direction. Scripture portrays him as
(05:53):
some one looking out for our well being when life
takes tricky turns.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He
maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth
me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He
leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. YEA,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
(06:21):
I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Psalm twenty
three one through FOURD.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
However, somewhere down the line, the profession of shepherd lost
its honor. By the time of Jesus, shepherds were regarded
as social outcasts and untrustworthy. They were forced to roam
the countryside away from society. Yet God sent his angels
(06:52):
to them to proclaim the coming of Christ. Why would
God choose men like these to be the first to
be he hold his son.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
The shepherds sat there in the quiet. They could barely
believe what had just happened to them. God had not
spoken to mankind in four hundred years since the prophets. Now,
in the dead of night, he decided to speak to
a small group of lowly shepherds. The wind whistled across
the valley, and the sheep was sleeping soundly in place.
(07:26):
The shepherds left their things and ran towards Bethlehem.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
There is a profound metaphor in the story of the shepherds.
The once honored role had lost its honor, but God
honored them and revealed his glory. God wants to remind
us that nobody is irredeemable or beyond his attention. He
restored the image of a shepherd by grafting them into
(07:53):
his redemption story. Jesus went a step further by referring
to himself as a shepherd in John ten, reminding us
that the Lord is like a brave shepherd who lays
down his life for his sheep.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
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 doesn't own the sheep. Sees
the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees. The wolf
snatches the sheep and scatters them.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
God aims to redeem us and include us in his
grand rescue mission. You and I, just like the lowly shepherds,
we may not deserve to behold Christ. However, we've been
given an invitation nonetheless, so we can enjoy his presence internally,
(08:49):
an even greater privilege than the shepherd's have.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
They searched the city for hours until they found the
innpeered down a small hill towards the back.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Below were a.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Few lights illuminating a small stable.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Carved into the hill. They approached quietly.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
There, in the coolness of the night, they saw him.
The baby was sleeping soundly in a manger, surrounded by
straw and torn cloth. He was the most marvelous thing
they had ever seen. He did not glow or speak,
he did not cry in a strange tomb or radiate flames.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
But the child was absolutely special.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
The shepherds knew without a shadow of a doubt that
they were in the presence of the King of Israel,
the Promised One, the Savior of the world.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
As the good Shepherd Jesus Christ's love for you knows
no bounds. His grace and forgiveness are freely given, taking
away every sin and failure. When you accepted him as
your savior, you became part of his family, adopted as
his beloved child. This means that you have a new nature,
(10:04):
transformed by His love and filled with his spirit. You
have the ability to understand spiritual things and discern his
voice amidst the noise of the world. Just as sheep
recognize the voice of their shepherd, you can recognize the
voice of Jesus guiding you and inspiring you from within
(10:28):
through the Holy Spirit. Now, this is not an emotion
or a feeling. It's a knowing and a prompting, an
inspiration and motivation. At the very core of your being,
God knows you intimately and cares for you deeply. In
his presence, you find peace and rest knowing that you're
(10:50):
safe and secure. So, dear friend, trust in the good
Shepherd's love, grace, and forgiveness. Allow him to lead you
on the path of righteousness and experience the abundant life
He's prepared for you. In John ten, Jesus says, my sheep,
listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.
(11:16):
Thank you for listening to the Heartbeat of Faith podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode, please leave us a review
and let us know how this series has impacted your life.
Remember to download the Prey dot com app, and for
more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's
(11:38):
Andrewfarley dot org.
Let us pray. 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, leaves the
sheep and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
(00:22):
John Chapter ten, Verses eleven and twelve. Dear Lord, I
humbly thank you today for being an ever faithful shepherd.
You have been a constant companion on my journey, and
your steady hand has guided me through every trial. You
have never failed to show kindness and mercy when times
(00:45):
were difficult, lifting me from despair and providing hope. Your
love is limitless and overflowing, providing strength when I am weak,
and courage when I am fearful. Thank you for being
my good shepherd who sustains me in Lafe's most challenging moments.
In Jesus's name, Amen, thank you for praying with me today.
(01:11):
Now discover the profound intricacies of the heartbeat of faith
with doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Shepherds were regarded as social outcasts and untrustworthy. They were
forced to roam the countryside away from society yet God
sent his angels to them to proclaim the coming of Christ.
Why would God choose men like these to be the
first to behold his sons.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
He was the most marvelous thing they had ever seen.
He did not glow or speak, he did not cry
in a strange tomb or radiate flames.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
But the child was absolutely special.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
The shepherds knew without a shadow of a doubt that
they were in the presence of the King of Israel,
the Promised One, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Hello and welcome to another Christmas episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. I'm your host, Doctor Andrew Farley. We're
taking the month of December to dive deeper into the
themes of Christmas. Let's look deeper into the people who
beheld the newborn King, shepherds, elders, and magi. The first
(02:35):
to receive the message of Christ's birth were the shepherds,
alone with their sheep. In the middle of the night.
The shepherds witnessed a light breaking forth.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
In the distance. A group of shepherds gazed at the
stars as the sheep settled for the night. The valley
was silent, and the tall grass swayed to the light breeze. Suddenly,
as of the sky was cut open by a long blade,
an angel appeared in light. The radiance of the Lord's
glory surrounded them, and they were terrified. Do not be frightened,
(03:10):
the angel reassured, I have come with good news. In
the town of Bethlehem lies a baby. He is swaddowed
securely in a manger at the inn stables. This child
is the Messiah, the Lord, the savior of the world,
and redemption of mankind. The shepherds were speechless. They listened
(03:30):
closely to the angel's words. Then the light radiated even brighter,
and the angel was surrounded by a choir of more angels,
singing glory to God in the highest, peace on earth
and goodwill towards mankind. And like a vapor in the wind,
they vanished.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Shepherds play an essential role in the Bible. Abraham was
a shepherd with large herds of livestock. Moses and David
were shepherds before they were ushered into leadership by God.
In the Old Testament, shepherding was seen as an occupation
that carried great responsibility and trustworthiness. Abraham was seen as
(04:15):
one who had faithfulness and moral integrity in leading his flock,
which set him apart from other shepherds of his time.
Moses shepherded flocks of sheep before being called to shepherd
the flock of Israel.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Moses became a shepherd intended to his father in law's sheep.
In tranquility, Moses felt at home and at peace. Yet
hundreds of miles away, his people wailed in pain under
the whip of their oppressors. Moses could not hear.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Them, but God could.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
One day, Moses was tending.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
The flock of his father in law, Jethro.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
He led the sheep far into the wilderness and came
to a mountain called Sinai, the Mountain of God. The
mountain covered the sun, and the sheep grazed in the shade.
Moses saw a faint light flickering in the distance. He
approached it and found a blazing fire engulfing a bush.
The fire raged, yet the bush did not burn, nor
(05:19):
whither the fire reflected off Moses's eyes. He stared in amazement.
Why isn't it burning, he whispered to himself. He took
a step closer to the flame.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Throughout both the old and New Testaments, God is compared
to a shepherd or guardian protecting his sheep. This metaphor
illustrates God's care for us and his commitment to providing
us with comfort, guidance, and direction. Scripture portrays him as
(05:53):
some one looking out for our well being when life
takes tricky turns.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He
maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth
me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He
leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. YEA,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
(06:21):
I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Psalm twenty
three one through FOURD.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
However, somewhere down the line, the profession of shepherd lost
its honor. By the time of Jesus, shepherds were regarded
as social outcasts and untrustworthy. They were forced to roam
the countryside away from society. Yet God sent his angels
(06:52):
to them to proclaim the coming of Christ. Why would
God choose men like these to be the first to
be he hold his son.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
The shepherds sat there in the quiet. They could barely
believe what had just happened to them. God had not
spoken to mankind in four hundred years since the prophets. Now,
in the dead of night, he decided to speak to
a small group of lowly shepherds. The wind whistled across
the valley, and the sheep was sleeping soundly in place.
(07:26):
The shepherds left their things and ran towards Bethlehem.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
There is a profound metaphor in the story of the shepherds.
The once honored role had lost its honor, but God
honored them and revealed his glory. God wants to remind
us that nobody is irredeemable or beyond his attention. He
restored the image of a shepherd by grafting them into
(07:53):
his redemption story. Jesus went a step further by referring
to himself as a shepherd in John ten, reminding us
that the Lord is like a brave shepherd who lays
down his life for his sheep.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
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 doesn't own the sheep. Sees
the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees. The wolf
snatches the sheep and scatters them.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
God aims to redeem us and include us in his
grand rescue mission. You and I, just like the lowly shepherds,
we may not deserve to behold Christ. However, we've been
given an invitation nonetheless, so we can enjoy his presence internally,
(08:49):
an even greater privilege than the shepherd's have.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
They searched the city for hours until they found the
innpeered down a small hill towards the back.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Below were a.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Few lights illuminating a small stable.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Carved into the hill. They approached quietly.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
There, in the coolness of the night, they saw him.
The baby was sleeping soundly in a manger, surrounded by
straw and torn cloth. He was the most marvelous thing
they had ever seen. He did not glow or speak,
he did not cry in a strange tomb or radiate flames.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
But the child was absolutely special.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
The shepherds knew without a shadow of a doubt that
they were in the presence of the King of Israel,
the Promised One, the Savior of the world.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
As the good Shepherd Jesus Christ's love for you knows
no bounds. His grace and forgiveness are freely given, taking
away every sin and failure. When you accepted him as
your savior, you became part of his family, adopted as
his beloved child. This means that you have a new nature,
(10:04):
transformed by His love and filled with his spirit. You
have the ability to understand spiritual things and discern his
voice amidst the noise of the world. Just as sheep
recognize the voice of their shepherd, you can recognize the
voice of Jesus guiding you and inspiring you from within
(10:28):
through the Holy Spirit. Now, this is not an emotion
or a feeling. It's a knowing and a prompting, an
inspiration and motivation. At the very core of your being,
God knows you intimately and cares for you deeply. In
his presence, you find peace and rest knowing that you're
(10:50):
safe and secure. So, dear friend, trust in the good
Shepherd's love, grace, and forgiveness. Allow him to lead you
on the path of righteousness and experience the abundant life
He's prepared for you. In John ten, Jesus says, my sheep,
listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.
(11:16):
Thank you for listening to the Heartbeat of Faith podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode, please leave us a review
and let us know how this series has impacted your life.
Remember to download the Prey dot com app, and for
more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's
(11:38):
Andrewfarley dot org.
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