The Shepherds Were the First Sermon
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” — Luke 2:8
Before Jesus ever preached a message, God preached one for Him. Not from a pulpit. Not in a temple. Not to the powerful or the polished. God’s first announcement of the Savior’s birth was delivered to shepherds.
That detail matters more than we realize.
Shepherds were not influential. They weren’t respected. They weren’t considered credible witnesses in court. Their work was dirty, lonely, and largely unseen. They lived on the margins of society; essential, yet overlooked.
And those were the people God chose first. Before kings heard. Before priests knew. Before the world caught on. God entrusted the greatest news in history to ordinary people doing ordinary work in the dark.
That was the sermon. The message wasn’t just that Jesus had been born—it was who He came for. The angels didn’t say, “Good news for the qualified.” They said, “Good news of great joy for all people.”
The shepherds didn’t have resumes. They didn’t have titles. They didn’t clean themselves up before responding. Scripture tells us they went just as they were, leaving their flocks, stepping into the unknown, responding immediately.
They didn’t overthink it. They didn’t disqualify themselves. They didn’t wait until they felt ready. They simply went. And when they saw Jesus.. small, vulnerable, real—they did what people who encounter God always do: they told others.
Not with polished theology. Not with rehearsed words. But with firsthand wonder.
The shepherds were the first sermon because God wanted us to know something essential:
You don’t need a platform to proclaim Him.
You don’t need perfection to follow Him.
You don’t need permission to respond to Him.
God moves through willing hearts, not impressive ones. Christmas reminds us that heaven doesn’t wait for readiness; it responds to obedience. God does not bypass the ordinary to reach the extraordinary. He works through the ordinary to reveal His glory.
And that truth confronts us gently. Because how often do we hesitate?
“I’m not ready yet.”
“I don’t know enough.”
“Someone else is better suited.”
But the shepherds show us that proximity to Jesus matters more than preparation. They were available. They were listening. They were willing.
And that was enough. So if your faith feels simple… If your obedience feels small… If your life feels hidden and uncelebrated… Take heart. God still writes His story through people like you.
A Gentle Invitation
As you reflect today, ask yourself:
Where have I disqualified myself when God is inviting me to respond?
What would obedience look like if I stopped waiting to feel “ready”?
Who might God want to reach through my willingness, not my perfection?
The shepherds were the first sermon. And their lives still preach this truth today:
God delights in using ordinary people who are willing to listen, willing to go, and willing to tell what they’ve seen.
