ÿþ <html> <head> <title>Welcome to First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, AR, sermon series "Witnesses for Jesus series, sermon 3" </title><!--- Jan 3, 2010 --> <meta name="description" content="First United Methodist church, El Dorado, AR, FUMC, F.U.M.C. First Church, First Methodist, Methodist John Wesley, Methodist, United Methodist Youth, United Methodist women" /> <meta name="keywords" content="First United Methodist church, El Dorado, AR, FUMC, F.U.M.C. 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Hill Street, El Dorado, AR 71730&nbsp; </font></DIV> </TD> </TR> </TABLE></TD> <TR> <td width="20%" valign="bottom"> <tr valign="top"> <td> <div align="center"> <table width="800" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#000000" align="center"> <!----- center white area table code----------------> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td width="15%" height="85" bgcolor="#f5eacc"> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right"> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top"> <td height="2"> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="/graphix/faded.jpg"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> </tr> <!--------------------- left nav bar ------------> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr><td><br><br></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td> <font color="#000000" face="CAC futura casual" size="3"><b><a href="/staff.html">Ministry Staff</a><br><br> <a href="/Events_Announcements.html">Coming Events<BR> Announcements</a><br><br> <a href="/AboutUs.html">About Us</a><br><br> <a href="/Activities.html">Activities</a><br><br> <a href="/SS.html">Sunday School</a><br><br> <a href="/sermons.html">Sermons</a><br><br> <a href="/Music.html">Music Ministry</a><br><br> <a href="/Kindergarten.html">Kindergarten</a><BR><br> <a href="/Ithappened.html">It Happened</a><br><br> <a href="/Memorials.html">In Memoriam</a><br><br> <a href="/links.html">Links</a><br><br> <a href="/contact.html">Contact Us</a><br><br> <a href="/index.html">Home</a></b></font><BR> <tr><td align=center><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <img src="/graphix/taupeflame.jpg"></td></tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> </table> <br> </div> </td> <td width="66%" height="65"> <div align="center"> <!----------------------- MAIN CONTENT ----------------------> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" colspan="2"> <td width="600"> <div align="left"> <br><br><br> <p align="left"> <img hspace="5" src="/graphix/united-methodist-church-h60.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0"><br> <font face="verdana" color="#003300" size="4"><b>  The Shepherd s Perspective of Jesus </b></font><br><br> <p align=center><font face="verdana" size="3"><b> Luke 15:4-7; Luke 2:1-20; John 10:7-16</b><br>  Perspectives of Jesus Advent sermon series #3 </font></p></center> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> For the past couple of weeks we have been thinking about the familiar Christmas story from the varied perspectives of those who actually experienced it, to better understand what they have to share about Jesus. Two weeks ago Mike began by pointing us to Isaiah s prophetic perspective, reminding us that who Jesus was and what he came to do was more important than how he was born. Last week I looked at the birth of Jesus from the heavenly perspective of the angels, reminding us of the divinity of Jesus. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Today I d like us to think about Jesus from the perspective of the shepherds who were in the field that night. This week I tried to imagine how they might have described it years later. This is just my story, but perhaps it will help make the real story of Jesus come alive for you. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> The frost of forty winters had etched deep lines into the shepherd s face. He had spent his entire life outside on Bethlehem s hills, and at forty he was already old and weatherbeaten. On this particular day as he sat on a hillside he pulled his cloak tight about him to block the cold wind. Every so often he would shift position, not from discomfort so much as from a sense of unease. He felt crowded. Instead of being surrounded by hundreds of sheep - with whom he would have felt quite at home - on this hillside he was surrounded by hundreds of people, all listening to the Teacher. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Tobias ben David was the shepherd s name, though most people simply called him Toby. He had left his flock in the good hands of his grown sons so that he could come and spend a few days listening to Jesus of Nazareth. Today the Teacher was talking about how God had come to save his people from their waywardness and sin, to rescue them and to gather them close. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Jesus had already told several stories when suddenly his illustration turned to sheep. To Toby it was comforting, for he knew much more about sheep than people. <i> Suppose you have 100 sheep and when night comes one is missing. What do you do? You leave the 99 sheep all safe together and then climb the hills, looking, searching until you find the lost sheep. </i> </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Toby smiled, for he had lived this story. Many were the nights he had combed the hills for lost sheep, not stopping until he had found them. He had been that kind of shepherd. He had also been that kind of sheep. He knew what it was like to wander off, feeling lost, trapped, clueless about who he was or where he was going. In fact, that s why he had come to hear Jesus. Deep inside he was hoping to hear something that would help him find what had gone missing in his life: Peace... Hope... Love. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Jesus continued his story. <i> When you find the sheep, you pick him up, put him on your shoulders, bring him back to the camp and ask your fellow shepherds to rejoice with you. </i> Jesus paused and added with a smile:<i> Your heavenly Father is like that. When you have lost your way, he will rescue you and save you and never give up on you until he finds you - and you find him. All of heaven will rejoice when that happens! </i> </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"><i> Toby s heart began to race, for he knew the sound of heaven rejoicing. His mind wandered again, and suddenly he found himself reliving that special evening so long before. It had started like every other night. He had been out in the hills with his father and his uncles, caring for the sheep, scanning the hills every few minutes for wolves or thieves. Toby remembered how the stars had been brilliant that night, seeming to dance in the dark sky, when suddenly the very air around him had seemed to explode with light. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Momentarily blinded, he heard the voice before he saw the figure. <i> Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord! </i> When his eyes finally adjusted to the light, Toby saw a man in shining apparel standing before him. The man spoke again with an unearthly voice, and Toby instinctively knew he could only be an angel from God.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> What strange words! There had been no time to think, however, for suddenly the radiance and glory upon the angel began to spread, revealing what until then had been hidden in the night sky: rank after rank of angels, a heavenly host, more and more until they seemed to fill the night sky, their combined glow banishing the darkness. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Whether they were an army of God or a heavenly choir Toby couldn t tell, and perhaps it didn t matter. Together they began to chant in unison, <i> Glory to God in highest, and on earth peace to those whom God has favored. </i> The sound bounced off the hills and echoed from the valleys, a great hymn of triumph and honor and praise.  Glory to God in the highest, the angels sang again and again, one enormous voice of worship. The overwhelming resonance blotting out everything else and infecting the shepherds with its utter joy. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Again and again the waves of praise rolled over the hillsides, until like the sound of a distant echo it faded, replaced by a deep and holy silence. The brilliant light faded as well, as rank by rank the angels departed. Finally, only the first herald stood before them, silent and alone, head raised, eyes closed, arms spread. Then he too was gone. Strangely, Toby remembered how that moment of returning silence and darkness had felt the most holy of all. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> His father had been the first to speak.  Hurry! Let s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. We must look for a baby lying in a manger. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Toby could think of only one place - a small cave behind an old inn at the very edge of town - where travelers animals might be quartered. He began running down the hillside at a pace that soon left the older shepherds behind. When they finally caught up with him, Toby was standing at the entrance to the cave.  He s here, Toby called out.  The baby. It s just as the angel said. He s here. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> With permission from the parents, he and the other shepherds had come inside and knelt at the manger, peering at the sleeping baby boy so tightly wrapped in swaddling bands. They had only stayed for a few moments, but what holy moments they had been. To Toby the wonder of that moment was still as fresh as ever. He recalled how they had gone back to their sheep and talked all night about what they had seen. He smiled as he remembered how in the following days his dad and uncles had kept talking and talking to anyone who would listen to their story. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> The years had passed, and not all had been easy. Toby s skin was weathered now, and the cares of the world lay heavy on his shoulders. Still, he often wondered about the child they had found that night, lying in a manger just as the angel had said. What had become of him, this baby? Had this savior rescued anyone yet?  Could he rescue me? Toby wondered. </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> A cold wind rustled and drew him back from his daydream. He was back on the hillside, still surrounded by people. Jesus was still talking about sheep. <i> The good shepherd, Jesus was saying,  lays down his life for the sheep.... Jesus smiled.  I am the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep... I know my sheep and they know me. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. </i> </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2">  Could it be? thought Toby as tears rolled down his cheeks and into his beard.  Could it be? he asked as hope began to spring forth.  Could it be that Jesus is the baby I saw that night, the Savior of the world? Could it be?  Yes, he whispered to himself.  It must be. Jesus is the Savior - my Savior! </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> This morning as you think about Jesus from a shepherd s perspective, ask yourself: Who is he to you? A baby lying helpless in a manger, or the Messiah, the Holy One? An imposter who doesn t care, or the Good Shepherd who loves all his sheep and will never give up searching until he finds you? </font></p> <p align=left><font face="verdana" size="2"> Who is Jesus to you? </font></p> <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <TABLE width=800 border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <TR bgcolor="#d8d2d8"> <TD width=800 valign="baseline" bgcolor="#d8d2d8" align=right> <!--- beige F2F2E6 ----> <font face="verdana" color="#000000" size="1"> This site designed and maintained by <a href="http://www.hipdogwebdesign.com">HipDog Web Design&reg;</a><br> Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.</TD> <TD width="19%">&nbsp;</TD> </TR> </TABLE> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>