I draw your attention this morning
to a very well-known passage in scripture, particularly at
this time of year in Luke chapter 2, where we read of the birth
of Christ in Bethlehem. We read in the beginning of the
chapter that Caesar Augustus sent out a decree to all the
world that the world should be taxed. and that Joseph and Mary
out of Nazareth went up to the city of David Bethlehem to be
taxed as with everyone else and of course while they were there
Mary brought forth her firstborn son in verse 7 we read she brought
forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and
laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in
the inn. And they were in the same country,
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them, and they were sore afraid. They were in the same country,
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night. I want to draw your attention
in particular to those two words in verse eight, keeping watch. Keeping watch. Especially at
this time of year when we go from one year into another year. which in many ways is just the
arrival from one day to another day but even so we mark time
by years and we think of the past year and the goodness of
God towards his people over the past year and we look forward
to the coming year. At such a time it is good to
be reminded of the need to keep watch. The shepherds abiding
in the field were keeping watch over their flock by night. The people of God as they journey
through this wilderness in the valley of tears in this world
are passing through They are but here for a moment. And having
once been born as all men of the seed of Adam, having once
been those who have gone astray, like sheep, as with all men,
turning their backs upon their God, going off after their own
things, seeking their own glory, their own pleasure, their own
riches in this world, feasting upon what is here below, having
once been as sheep as with all men which have gone astray. They have nevertheless, at a
point in time, been brought by God's grace to hear the Gospel,
to hear the message of His grace concerning His Son, concerning
the very one that was here born unto Mary in Bethlehem, concerning
the one who was born in the city of David, Christ the Lord. concerning the Saviour. They've
been brought to hear of Him. They've been brought to hear
of His coming. They've been brought to hear of His birth. They've
been brought to hear of His lineage, of who He is, that He is the
Son of God, a King and a Lord over all. And they've been brought
to hear why He came, that He came into this world. not to
bring peace in this world physically but to lay down his own life
for his people chosen out of all peoples in this world elected,
chosen by grace under salvation he came to lay down his life
to suffer in their place that he might take a people and bring
forth a people out of this world and lead them into glory he came
to bring peace but he came to bring peace unto a people a multitude
chosen by grace and he came to bring that people unto peace
with God who were once at enmity and at war with God and at people having been brought
to hear of his coming and to hear of his death and to hear
of his salvation and to hear of his kingdom are then brought
to journey through this world knowing that they are but pilgrims
upon this earth. knowing that they are passing
through knowing that here they have no continuing city but knowing
that they seek a heavenly country another city of jerusalem from
on high knowing that their saviour has come he's come unto them
he's come unto them in the darkness he's brought them into the light
and he's gone from this world having died having risen again
and having ascended he's gone before them into glory into another
country into another city into another kingdom and they are
one day to follow him but here as they pass through As one year
melts away and another year comes into view, they pass through
knowing that they are on a pilgrimage, knowing that their saviour is
the one who will lead them, knowing that they are sheep following
a shepherd, and knowing that they must keep watch. Keep watch
for his return, Keep watch for the enemies of their soul. Keep watch. And knowing that
they have a need for others to keep watch over them. Knowing
that as sheep of God's pasture, they have a need for their good
shepherd, Christ the Lord. to keep watch for their souls,
to watch over them, to provide for them, to lead them by the
right way, to protect them, to feed them. And knowing that He will send
shepherds, under-shepherds, preachers, pastors, who will do His bidding,
who will bring food for their souls, who will preach the gospel
unto them, who will preach Christ unto them, and who at his command
will keep watch over them in the night. Keep watch. There were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night. Now they were real shepherds
keeping watch over real sheep in real fields at the coming
of Christ in the flesh. But they are figures, pictures
of those shepherds that God sends to his flock, his people. in
the same country in which Christ was sent and in the same country
to which Christ comes by grace and salvation they are pictures
of shepherds sent to watch over their flock by night over the
people of God by night in the darkness of this world keeping
watch Keep in watch. I'd like to draw your attention
to seven things from these few verses. First, at Christ's coming,
when Mary brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes and laid him in a manger, when Christ entered this world,
she laid him in the manger because there was no room for them in
the inn. There was no room for them in
the inn. This world, this country, where
the flock are watched over by shepherds in the field, and where
Christ came, the firstborn of Mary, the Son of God, is a world
that wants Him not. This world cares not for God's
son. It cares not for the flock of
his pasture. It loves its own. It loves those
that are like it. if you live and love the things
of this world if you live in a way that is pleasing unto men
and pleasing unto your natural soul and pleasing unto your old
man Adam if you live in a way of sin if you live your life
as though there is no God and seek pleasure in this world and
go in the way that everyone else goes and pat them on the back
and follow them and cause no offence unto them then you will
find a big welcome you'll feel at home in this world and you'll
be welcomed by this world but it's for a moment because the foolishness of this
world that had no room in its inn for the Saviour when He came,
is that it lives but for a moment. Death is all around. People are
born, they grow up like blades of grass. and then the grass
is struck down and they die. They're born, they live, they
die. They're born, they live, they die. But for a moment. They eat, drink and are merry
and tomorrow they die. And they shut God out of their
thoughts and affections. Out of their plans. Out of their
plans for the coming year. He's got nothing to do with them.
And they have nothing to do with Him. He's not in their thoughts. He's not in their inn. They gather
in their inns of pleasure. They gather one with another.
They eat, they drink and are merry in their inns. But there's
no room for Christ. There's no room for God in their
plans. Is there room in your heart? for this, Mary's firstborn son. Do you consider him? Do you consider
his coming? Do you consider his death? Do
you consider his kingdom? Do you consider the world to
come? Do you consider what lies beyond
the grave when your days come to a close? Do you consider this
one who came to Bethlehem? Does he have any impact upon
you? Or is there no room for him in
your inn? There was no room for them in
the inn. The world lies in darkness. It
loves the darkness. It rejects the light. It rejects
God and his son. It has no room. Are you like
it? Do you have plenty of room for
this world and its ways and its pleasures and its people and
its entertainment and all the things that you can gather from
this world? Do you have plenty of room for this? And no room
for Christ. Tomorrow, when you get up in
the morning, will you see Christ? Will you go to the Scriptures?
Will you look for Him in the Scriptures? Will you go upon
a knee to call out unto him? Will you cry out for his grace
and his mercy? Do you long to know him? Do you
long to hear his voice? Do you long to see his face?
Do you long to worship? If you heard of his coming, if
you heard of his birth in Bethlehem, would you go? Would you go to
see him? Do you go to the Scriptures to
find him in Bethlehem and bow and worship? Do you go to the
Scriptures to see him at the cross where he died in the place
of sinners? Do you long to know if his blood
was shed for you? Or is there no room in your inn
for Mary's firstborn son? Secondly we read that there were
in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping
watch over their flock by night. There were in the same country. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem,
the city of David, the city of the King. And Mary brought forth
David's greater son. the king of kings the king of
kings the lord of lords was born in Bethlehem and in the same
country there were shepherds abiding in the field keeping
watch over their flock in the same country they were right
there he came the son of god the king of kings christ the
lord the messiah the long-awaited messiah the one of whom all the
scriptures prophesied and spake was born in the same country
that they were dwelling in at that very hour he came unto them
There they were, there were the shepherds feeding their flocks
day by day, night by night, year by year and here comes a day
when Christ the Lord is born in the city of David in the same
country. He came unto them. Redemption
is nigh. Salvation has come. Here they
are in the darkness, in the night of this world, and God sends
his Son to where they are, in the same country. Are you in
the same country? Where you are in the night, in
the fields, has Christ come in the same country to you. Has Christ been born? Has he
come? Has he sought you out? They were
in the same country. Are you in the same country?
Has Christ come to where you are? Have his shepherds come
to where you are? Have his shepherds brought the
news of his coming to your soul? Are they watching over you? and there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock
by night there were in the same country shepherds abiding in
the field they were in the field they were where the flock were
they weren't where it was comfortable they could have been at home
they could have been in the inn with the others The rest of the
world was in the inn. That's why there was no room
for Joseph, Mary and their son. But the shepherds weren't in
the inn. They were in the field. They were where the sheep were.
They'd gone outside of the camp, outside of the city, where the
sheep were. They were in the field. in the
night, in the darkness, in the cold, with the flock, with the
sheep. Their care was for the sheep. Their care was for the souls
of the sheep. Their desire was that the sheep
would be fed. The sheep would be protected.
The sheep would be looked after. Their desire was that the sheep
would survive and that no wild animal would destroy them. That no one would come in and
lead them astray, that no one would take them. They could not
go with the others to the inn, to the town, to the warmth where
they would make merry because they had a greater desire. a
greater responsibility. They must look after the sheep. And so God's people and those
whom he sets over his people, those preachers, those pastors
he sends, will be found in the fields, keeping watch over their
flock by night. They won't leave them. They won't
abandon them. They won't leave them for others
to come in and destroy. They won't seek their end over
the end of the flock. They love God's people. They love God's glory. They will
watch over His people. They will feed His people. They
will protect His people. They will preach the truth to
His people. They will point out the difference
between truth and error. They won't let Hyalines come
in to lead the people astray. As Christ says when speaking
of himself as the Good Shepherd, he speaks of highlands and how
highlands will come and will flee and leave the flock when
trouble comes. Should a wild animal, should
somebody come that might harm the highland, he will abandon
the flock. And that's how you can tell the
difference between the true shepherds and the highlands. Highlands
don't really care. They're out for their own ends.
And so it is with God's people. There are those preachers who
are only there for their own glory and for their own ends. They're there for their own career.
And they don't care if the people of God starve because they never
heard the true gospel. They don't care if the people
of God are scattered. They don't care if they're fed
error. And they don't care if somebody
comes in to destroy them because they're only after their own
end. They're after their own glory. It's a career to them. What shall I do? Oh, I think
I will go into this. I think I'll do that. I'm going
to do this for the Lord. Meaning this for themselves and
their own glory that they may be praised for it. But when trouble
comes, they abandon the flock, not so the shepherds. The shepherds
were abiding in the field. keeping watch over their flock
by night. They were in the field. And fourthly,
they were keeping watch. They were keeping watch. They were keeping watch over
them in every way. They were protecting them. they
were watching over them they were watching that they didn't
wander astray that the flock themselves didn't wander off
by their own misadventure should a sheep begin to wander they
would go and bring him back because they cared for that sheep and
they didn't say well leave him to himself if he wants to wander
off that's his own lookout no they cared for him they went
for him they brought him back they said this is the truth This
is the field that you're in. This is your flock. Return, come
back. They watched over them. They
watched over them to feed them. They kept them in the field.
They kept them together and they fed them. God's shepherds feed
his flock on the gospel they preach Christ unto them they
don't preach works they don't preach the wisdom of men they
don't preach philosophy they don't preach means and methods
of increasing the size of the flock they don't preach all the
things all the trappings that come in to so-called churches
today which are about furthering the ends of the leaders and furthering
the size of the so-called flock at the expense of truth and at
the expense of the gospel. They cared for the souls, true
shepherds cared for the souls and they feed them. They won't
give them another gospel because the flock will starve on another
gospel. They will die on another gospel.
They preach Christ unto them. They fed them. They kept watch
over them. They also kept watch that no
enemy should come in and destroy their souls. That no wild animal
should come in. That no beast should tear them
asunder. They kept watch over them. So
when the flock with itching ears began to listen to this one or
to that one and the shepherds knew that this one or that one
would lead them astray they warned them. They said don't follow
that man. Don't go that way. That's not
the truth. That's not the gospel that you've
heard from us. Paul often, in preaching and
writing to the churches, warned them, this is the gospel you've
heard. Measure everything you heard
from anyone else to this. Do they come unto you and preach
these things concerning Jesus Christ? Do they preach the electing
grace of God? Do they preach salvation by God
alone? Do they preach the substitutional
death of Christ? Is it all of grace? Or are you
being led astray back to the law, back to works, back to your
own obedience, back to your own will and your own glory? Is it
all of grace? You began with the hearing of
faith. Are you now perfected by the
will of the flesh? You began with grace and you
will continue with grace. Then compare anything and anyone
you hear with this. Is it all of grace? Is all their
message Christ? Or are you being led back to
your own devices to go your own way to turn to the left hand
and the right hand in your own strength. Now Paul warned and
he led and he kept watch and preachers today will keep watch
and these shepherds in the field kept watch they watched over
them they said this is the way walk ye in it and they kept them
in that field that field in the same country as Mary and Joseph
and the Son of God. They could have led them to another
field. They could have led them to another
country. And then at the coming of Christ,
they wouldn't have been there. But they stayed where God led
them. And they remained where God would have them for they
kept watch. And they watched and they waited
and they waited for the coming of the Saviour. Are you watching? Are you waiting? Are you in the same country?
Are you in the field? They watched over their flock.
Over their flock. Their love was for the flock. Not over goats. They didn't waste
their time trying to increase the size of their flock by gathering
in those that weren't sheep. They didn't have a mixture of
sheep and goats just for the size. Just so they could boast
to others, look at the size of our flock. But they watched over
their flock. The sheep. Those that they'd
been given to care for. They watched over the flock.
Those that they'd been given. Those who were sheep. Now this
flock, There's a picture of the people of God. God's chosen people. Those who by grace have come
to see themselves as broken sinners before a holy God. Those who
know their great need. Those who know they are wandering
sheep by nature. Those who know that left to themselves
they will turn to the left hand and the right. Those who know
that except a shepherd lead them and guide them, they will be
destroyed. Those who know they're nothing.
Those who know they're helpless. Those who know they need salvation. Sheep. Not those who are full
of their own pride, full of their own arrogance, but those who
are broken, those who are weak, those who are without strength,
those who've been brought in as nothing before God. Those
who've cried out for mercy, those who know they need a saviour,
the flock. And these who are brought to
know this, For none are like this and none know this by nature. Everyone by nature is proud and
arrogant and full of their own wisdom and full of their own
ways. So sure of themselves, so sure of their own path, so
sure that they can stand, so sure that they are strong, so
sure that they don't need God, that they don't need grace. that
they will stand in their own strength by their own works and
if there be a God, he'll look on them and see how good they
are and favour them and bless them for what they've done. Because
they're not like others, they've walked right, they've made the
right decisions and done the right things. Surely God will
bless me. Is that you? We're all like that. until God by His grace breaks
us and bruises us and takes away our pride and brings us in low
before Him and brings us in to cry out for salvation and then
He shows us His side. And then he shows us that we're
one of his flock. And then he shows us why we're
one of his flock. Not because we asked to be, not
because we chose to be, not because we deserve to be, not because
we earned our place in that flock, but because he chose us. and he gave us a name and he
gave our name to his son and he chose us before the foundation
of the world under salvation and he said this is one for whom
I will give my son as a sacrifice for their sins I've chosen them,
I've set my love upon them and I've brought them in amongst
my flock amongst my sheep, amongst my people and they gathered and they're
given to His shepherds. And the shepherds watch over
those that God has given them. They watch over the elect, the
chosen, the flock, those who know God's grace and love His
salvation, those who in the field, in the same country, at night,
wait and abide, waiting for the coming of their Saviour. because
they know they can do nothing else and can go nowhere else.
They must wait with the shepherd that watches over them. They
must wait with the shepherd that keeps watch. They must wait with
the shepherd that feeds them. They were in the same country,
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock,
sickly, by night. The flock is gathered in the
field in the night. You see, until the Son of God
comes, until the light shines, until the sun arises, it's night. and the flock might be gathered
and they might be gathered in the field and they might be gathered
in the same country and they might be gathered by the shepherds
but they're in the night until the sun comes unto them God will
gather them, he'll prepare them, he'll teach them their nothing,
he'll teach them their great need, he'll send the shepherds
to them with the gospel, he'll preach to them the truth, and
under the preaching of the truth, they'll come to see their need,
they'll come to see their hunger, they'll come to see their thirst,
they'll come to see how weak and foolish they are, and they'll
be gathered, and the shepherds will watch over them, but it's
night. It's dark. until the sun comes,
until the day dawns, until the light arises. They're in the
night. Where are you? Where are you
in the night? Are you tucked up in the ends
of this world? Eating, drinking, being merry,
bringing in a new year with your dancing and merriment. and there's
no room in your inn with your friends for the Son of God? Or are you gathered in the night,
outside the camp, in a field, under the stars, with the flock,
watched over by a shepherd? Are you hearing the Gospel? Are
you waiting for the coming of the Son of God? the light the
dawning of the day and lo the angel of the Lord
came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them and they were sore afraid and the angel said unto them
fear not For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto
you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in
a manger. And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill
toward men. They were in the night, in the
field, in the same country. The shepherds kept watch. And
then an angel appeared. A messenger from God came unto
them. with a message of salvation,
a message of glory, a message of light, a message of hope.
Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. Unto you. Announce to the flock,
announce to their shepherds, announce to this gathered people
who sat in the darkness of the night, who waited. Unto them
a messenger comes, a messenger from God, herald in the birth
of the Son. Unto you is born this day in
the city of David a Saviour. Has God in his gospel sent a
messenger unto your soul? Has he brought you into the night? Has he gathered you in the field?
Has he brought you in the same country? Is there a shepherd
watching over you? And has he come unto you in his
gospel with a messenger announcing the glorious news unto you in
particular that unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Saviour? Has he said to you Oh you know
you're nothing, you know you have a need, you're with the
flock, you're gathered with them, you're listening to the gospel,
you know you have no hope, you know you have no strength. But
are you yet in the darkness or has he come unto you? And does
he say unto you even this day? Unto you is born this day in
the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Well, he
came unto this people on that day. It's a well-known passage. We know of the shepherds. We
know of their coming unto the bay, born in Bethlehem. The world
speaks of them. Multitudes this past week will
have spoken of these shepherds, but do they know of whom they
speak? Do they know of whom their flock
is a figure? Do you know of whom they speak? Are you one of their flock? Are you in the night? In the
field? Has the glory of God come unto
you? Suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men. And it came to pass as the angels
were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one
to another, Let us now go, even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known
unto us. and they came with haste and
found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger and when
they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this child and all they that heard it wondered
at those things which were told them by the shepherds when they
heard this message when the messenger of God came unto them and then
announced the birth they went to Bethlehem they were born again
God brought them to life he put life in their souls he put faith
in their heart and faith doesn't sit still faith says I'll go
I'm going to go to Bethlehem and I'm going to see this child
that's born I'm going to go to the cross And I'm going to see
this saviour who was crucified in the place of sinners. I'm
going to behold him. I'm going to see his blood. I'm
going to see if that blood washed me clean. I must see. I must look by faith. I must
go. And they went and they came and
they saw. Have you gone? Have you seen? Has God opened your eyes to see?
Has he put faith in your heart to take you there? If you have,
you will do as the shepherds did. When they had seen it they
made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning
this child. They made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child. That's what they
made known. They went and preached concerning
this child. There is born unto you in the
city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. They went
and spake of this child. They didn't speak of morals. They didn't speak of turning
from sin. They didn't speak of trying to
live right. They didn't speak of trying to
get to heaven by your own strength. They didn't speak of this or
of that. They spake concerning this child. They were taken up with him.
They loved him. They worshipped him. They adored
him. They rested in him. They found
all their hope and all their salvation in him. They spake
concerning this child and all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds. Have you
heard of this Saviour who came into the same country as the
shepherds who abided in the field, who kept watch over their flock
by night? Are there shepherds watching
you? Are you sat in the darkness of
the night? Are they watching that you should
feed? Are they watching that you should
keep amongst the flock? Are they watching that you should
not wander astray? Are they watching that no wild
animal, no beast should come in and destroy you? Are they
watching over you as a messenger come? Has he spoken to you of
this child? Has God put faith in your heart
to go and see where this babe lies? Has he made you speak unto
others the saying that's been told you concerning this child? and they were in the same country,
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night.