Beyond Bethlehem: Living Like Shepherds this Christmas

Jesse:
The eggnog, the cookies, the fruitcake. Borrowing an upset stomach from all that sugar, it's the brother's favorite time of year. Christmas time.

Today's episode takes a deep dive into the story of the shepherds found in Luke chapter 2. Even if the closest you've ever been to a sheep is the wool in your ugly Christmas sweater. Doug and Brad break down what the shepherds have to do with you this holiday season.

Stick around to the end to find out about a new free resource that you don't want to miss. Links in the description. Okay, let's go mad.

Brad:
Welcome back everyone to Go Mad with Doug and Brad. And yes, Doug is here!

Doug:
Oh Doug that is something good. So Jesse, Jesse's here too. Hi. Ding bum. We're one we're one person away from an amazing gospel quartet You realize all the requests we're gonna get on uh after people it is good to have you back in the studio.

Brad:
We told everyone last time you Got the opportunity for the make a wish trip and uh so exciting. Um I have to say that we are, this is our Christmas episode I mean, every show has to have a Christmas episode.

Doug:
If you can't tell that it's our Christmas episode by listening, I'm gonna tell you. Brad has this I don't even know how to describe this. It it's a sport coat kind of.

Brad:
It is it has like It is a sport coat.

Doug:
It ha it's a sport coat but it has a bunch of Christmas lights on it and if I remember correctly If I've seen you in this does that thing light up at some point? Used to.

Brad:
It may it may it may cause a small fire if I try it again at this point. I'm not sure. And I'm I'm pretty sure this jacket is not flame retardant. I'll tell you that.

Doug:
Oh, and that is so funny what Sunday there do. Brad is just totally Christmased out. I have somewhat of a what is this thing?

Is this a scarf? It's a s it's a long sandwich. You should maybe look kind of Christmassy too.

Brad:
You've created a scarf with it.

Doug:
Yeah. It's who wore this? Is this a Grinch thing?

Frosty? I'm gonna be honest, I wear it quite often. Oh and we actually so today we're talking about what it means To be like the shepherds this Christmas.

You you might think you've heard what we have to say, but hold on. We might just surprise you. We're gonna start though by asking Jesse to be our lioness.

Brad:
Well, yeah, if you see our reels on Facebook or Instagram, you'll see that there is the Charlie Brown Christmas tree right in front of us. And one of the reasons for that is because we love Charlie Brown Christmas. We love because it points people to Jesus and it tells a fantastic part of the story.

So Lights, please. Lights, please. Uh Jesse, why don't you kick us off with reading about who we're talking about today?

Jesse:
Whew. Well, I don't think I can live up to Linus, but here goes. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you.

He is the Messiah, the Lord This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherd said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Doug:
Man, Jesse pretty line sized that pretty well. He did.

Jesse:
I'm actually thinking you hear those guys Bible recordings.

Brad:
I Jesse's got the voice for it.

Jesse:
I mean that you give me a blanket, I'll carry it around wherever I go.

Doug:
I'll tell ya. I'll tell you though, we uh you will find an example for you. Brad and I and Jesse have been have been talking about this a little bit.

There are examples for us all through. That short part of scripture, especially for the shepherds. If we can kind of lock in a little bit here as we talk about how the shepherds responded to the good news, And who even they were, I think maybe we can have a pretty cool conversation about how you can make an even greater impact be a greater ambassador for Christ this Christmas season.

Brad:
I gotta say that uh one of the things I like to do around this time of year and I think Doug you do as well is I go and try to find some of the old Christmas episodes from uh, you know, different TV shows over the years, from Happy Days to Family Matters, which those were not as great. But uh the the Happy Days has got a good one. But Did you hear this, Jesse?

The reality is why do I do that? Because they're not all great episodes, but it's they all have this Christmas episode where they're trying to kind of uh bring up that spirit of Christmas. That's what we're really praying.

This episode will be not just a hey walking down memory lane or whatever. I'm sure you'll hear some Christmas memories, but the reality is We want this to be something that you walk away from with meaning and impact for your Christmas season ahead, that you will be able to take something. One of the things we're going to talk about today as we get through kind of some of the shepherds and some of the things we can learn from them is practical things for you to take into your time with family.

with your coworkers, whatever it is. So make sure you stick around for for the whole thing today because we also have a very helpful resource brand new that we'll mention at the end of you as well.

Doug:
You gotta hear about it. Fascinating thing to me about Christmas is it doesn't seem to matter how many years go by, it doesn't seem to matter how bad things get in the world. Christmas is a time where the truth of Jesus, the incarnation, this, this um Uh news that blows us away that God, the creator of the universe, comes to us as one of us, as a baby.

It's all through the music, it's all through the Christmas stuff Wherever you go, whether it's the mall or TV shows or whatever, we live in such a secularized culture, but Jesus is all throughout Christmas, without whether people even realize it or not. You by listening today, you're gonna help someone realize just what Jesus can be for them this Christmas. Let's let's start real quick here since we're talking about being shepherds about who God decided to share this news with.

I mean so Top of the top. Top of the top.

Brad:
A class. They A plus, the elite.

Doug:
I mean they were either accepted.

Brad:
What? Either that or not even close to that.

Doug:
Oh. Uh Shepherds were were seen as out. Ciders, man.

I mean, they're looked down upon. They're considered by a lot of people to be criminals. They're made fun of, in a lot of ways, despised by the rest of the community.

Their reputation was so bad. Get this. I had forgotten about this That they were not permitted to give testimony in court, in a court of law, because they were thought to be that un trustworthy.

And so here it is, God says, yeah, that's who I'm sharing this news with. I'm not going to ch I'm not sharing this with kings and rich people first. I'm going to whoever is looked down upon in this society, the very ones the world wouldn't allow, to give witness in court God chooses to be the first witnesses.

The silenced ones, okay? Now they're the shouters of Jesus, the loners. Now are are what the leaders of his praise and does that describe anyone else that's hearing these words right now he came to us at our lowest, he came to us at our most desperate, and gave us eternal life and joy and peace now, and this good news that was shared by the angels to the shepherds, The angels say, here's the good news, we're handing it off to you, to the shepherds, we're handing it off to you, Jesse To you, Brad, Doug.

Now you're my witnesses. And by the way, never forget, never forget that you have a story, just like the shepherds did. You have a story of all God has done in your life.

that can change another person's life.

Brad:
Yeah, the uh shepherds are such an interesting part of this story because when you read this, it's so easy to get lost in the Christmas shuffle, to Forget about how amazing this story is and the different parts of it. I've been reading through it recently and reading through the part that Zechariah played and Mary's response to the news and All these different characters, and you read through this, and there is something where when you take the time to really look at it, there's a connect point of how do I see myself? in this story, in that character, because these these people aren't just there for us to say, oh, that's nice.

That is a nice story. It's for us to learn from, to be able to take something from them. So you mentioned, Doug, that the shepherds, they were outsiders.

They were people feared them. They smelled like sheep. If you haven't smelled a sheep recently, take a moment.

Go find one and you're not gonna be a little bit more.

Doug:
That reminds me, Brad, there's something I need to discuss with you. Remind me.

Brad:
Well, this is so you you have these shepherds who are these outcasts, and all of a sudden the mess of these shepherds become the messengers. And guess what? As they are hearing the news, as they are hearing, do not be afraid, fear not.

This group of shepherds, how could they not have been thinking, at least in part, why me? Why have I been chosen to do this? And that should be each of our responses to being entrusted with the gospel.

Is that all of a sudden we get this good news? And our response should be, first of all, we should have that moment of awe. Why me?

Why why is this about me? But it's not about us. It's about God.

It's about Jesus saying, I am trusting you because, no, you may not think you're something special. But all you need is the right message and Jesus.

Doug:
Yeah, and you probably have a higher place in society than these shepherds did. I think that's one of the reasons that God is true. And I think that's one of the reasons God shared it with the shepherds first.

Because you look and you you go, ma'am. Wherever I'm at in the social strata here, it's better than the shepherds. And so just like the shepherds, we get the good news And we go and hide it and um put it under our pillow and we say, Man, that's awesome.

Hide it under a pillow, no. Hide it under a pillow, no. I'm gonna let it shine. So if I'm trying to put myself, I I see myself so much in the shepherds. So here's one of the first things that I'm asking myself as I look at the shepherds in this story.

Man, do I still feel the awe? of of first hearing that good news like the shepherds did. I still remember being 15 years old and blown away by the gospel.

I had heard it my whole life I believed it, but there was a moment when I was fifteen where this became completely real to me. Thirty minutes of repentance in a hotel room, just crying out to God, and being Amazed and thrilled at my heart beating fast, literally crying out to God that you would do this for me. I'm just stunned.

But we lose it sometimes. And especially, man, of cour the Christmas season, things can start to be get crazy. There's so many responsibilities.

And look, we've all had that moment when God revealed himself to us and we chose to become his. Christmas is a great time to ask God for that joy, that awe, that excitement to ask it. back in your heart because look before we can share the good news like the shepherds did you've got to get back to that place of joy and being thrilled at his rescuing of you, otherwise sharing the gospel, it's gonna come across as kind of rote As god if if you're even willing to do it in the first place because you're not excited about it and just a bunch of facts and that's not going to bring anyone to Jesus but a person overwhelmed.

Doug, if you're overwhelmed by this good news, by his goodness and joy, that he become one of us to experience what we experienced. to become the ultimate sacrifice for our sin so we can spend forever in perfect relationship with God. Well now, a God who loves us, well now I'm excited.

Because God has put it back in my heart. And now I've got something someone else wants. And by the way, that because I'm excited, I'm willing to share with them in the first place.

Brad:
Jesse, I I love that. First of all, Doug, I love that phrase, overwhelm. When we're overwhelmed uh by the goodness of God, by what he's done for us, then How can we not get back to that place, that sense of awe before the Lord?

Um, I Jesse, I'm thinking back to you reading through the verses there and the two things I noted t uh two big challenges that I think people face when they are Trying to think of how do I talk about Jesus? How do I I've got a family member coming over for Christmas that it's my son, my daughter. They don't know Jesus.

They've really rejected kind of what I've had to say before and everything. How do I how do I do this? The Two things that stick out to me are the challenge of fear not and the challenge of what do I say.

Jesse, when you think of fear not, what do you think of are are some of the fears that people have? What as people listen to this, what are they thinking of Man, I can't do this because what are people afraid of?

Jesse:
Oh, I can say what I'm afraid of, or at least what I tend to be afraid of. I'm afraid of not knowing what to say, saying the wrong thing. I'm afraid of saying something and not living up to it myself.

So, oh, I'm such a hypocrite now. Mm-hmm. Or we're just being afraid of awkward moments, like I'm gonna work us into a really tense situation that I don't know how to get us out of, and we're both gonna leave embarrassed.

Brad:
All right, so I want to do something here real quick then. Uh this uh not planned. We well most of what we do isn't. Uh the Jesse, can you go through those One at a time real quick, just real quick, summarize them, even three three of the ones you did right there. And I want people who are listening to hear These different reasons, and I'm gonna respond real quick.

Jesse:
Hmm. I'm gonna say the wrong thing. Fear not.

Hmm. My life isn't going to back up what I say. Fear not.

Or I'm going to get us into a really tense, awkward situation. Fear not

Brad:
Those words from the angels, they set the stage for us to be able to share Jesus because it's very simple and straightforward We just have to be willing messengers and we don't need to be afraid.

Doug:
I think that that fear of sharing the gospel starts When I start to think I've got more to do with this than I do. The angels hand it to the shepherds Um, and that's us. We're the shepherds now.

Our job is to share the message like they did. Nothing more. We've got to start first, yeah, memorize the scriptures that communicates we're born apart from God.

because of our sin, but that he wants a relationship with us and we can have it. And he died in our place and now he lives again to make that possible. Make sure you know how to explain that.

But that person's heart only changes when the Father calls them, according to Scripture. So do your job, then get out of the way and let God do his. Fear starts when you think you're the one that's doing the saving when it's all him.

So this Christmas, fear not, forget the trolls, forget w what trolls write in comment sections of Facebook and social media, forget what the culture says. Forget when when the that loud voice saying there's lots of ways to God. Your way isn't the only way.

Man, people can argue about church People can argue about the Bible, but they can't argue, here you go, with your story. The shepherds had one and they shared it. You have one, which called your hope story, that says, Before Jesus I was this.

Now with him, everything has changed. Don't think you have more to do with it than you do.

Brad:
That's so good. The uh the reality is is that we have seen, including with the native young people we work with, uh that tell their hope stories on basketball courts publicly without well I can't say without fear there's probably a little nervousness but they let the Holy Spirit take over And they share these things and the the power of a hope story. And I'm gonna talk about that in a minute, but I do have a question.

Trolls? You mentioned the trolls. For someone there are people on listening right now who are like, you have trolls I don't even know where they get laptops or or phones.

Have you ever seen trolls? I've seen pictures. They have this you can't use a smartphone.

They have like n these fingers and Yeah.

Doug:
I think you're thinking of the storybook trolls. Yeah. There's this thing that's happened in the twenty-first century.

Brad:
Oh, different. Okay.

Doug:
where uh there is this thing called social media. And there are people who just kind of hang out trying to say nasty things about whatever you think. People call them trolls, Brad.

Jesse:
No, the trolls in the movie they sing, they dictate no not like that. No, you must be thinking of something else.

Doug:
So those the guy trolls in the movie aren't the ones leaving the comet?

Jesse:
Could they be?

Brad:
So now we know and don't know what trolls are. Oh my goodness. But the reality is there are these people out there that are going to criticize everything you say because They want to discount who Jesus is. But that is why what you were saying, Doug, is so important that as you have Troll out there who are saying and and let's face it, they're on social media, they're online, they're in your life.

Doug:
They're in your life.

Brad:
You say something. You might be spending Christmas with with some. And you s and that may be that's uh part of the fear factor Is all of a sudden we're like, man, I know if I say this, they're gonna say this.

Well, a couple quick pointers that Jesus really showed us about how to share. Your story with someone. First of all, it's not political.

Your story, the hope of Jesus, is not rooted in politics, and he showed that time and again. If your case for Jesus revolves around a candidate or a hot button topic, that's not what Jesus is wanting you to focus in on. He's wanting you to focus on the heart change that is there.

There are important topics out there. We get that. But when it comes to sharing Jesus, it's not about a religion.

It's not about we he makes clear this is about a relationship. And I know this is hard, but it is also not about Their life choices. It is not about saying, you know what, you have done something wrong.

You need Jesus because of this. It is about saying I made these mistakes in my life. Oh my goodness, be honest with people.

Especially those you love. Say I messed up in these ways, especially if it relates to them. Man, I'm sorry I didn't do this this way.

But I want you to know that I found hope and his name is Jesus and He's working on these areas in me. Let them see the difference and hear the difference, not based on other views, but just what Jesus has done in your life. That's so good, Brad.

Doug:
Start with you. This is your hope story. This is what I was like before Jesus.

He came into my life and everything changed. All I can tell you is I tried this and this and this and none of it worked. You brought up our Native American friends that share the gospel in Native American communities.

And Brad, you mentioned how They are nervous before they do it and maybe even fearful. But the amazing thing is, I can't remember a time where one got up in front of sometimes hundreds of people And weren't sharing the gospel forcefully and honestly, and it's because of the promise God gave his disciples, he gives to us. If you'll just open your mouth, if you'll just take the first step of opening your mouth, I will put the words there, and you will feel yourself being taken over by the Holy Spirit.

I wanted to ask you guys real quick about this. One other place I see myself in the shepherds at Christmas was when the angels say. Here's this good news, and a receiver of this good news receives my peace.

Peace is the result. of the gospel. Well with all these gift lists being with family and responsibilities around Christmas and holidays, it can feel like anything but peaceful.

Mixing news reports of all the terrible things going on in the world wars and such. Maybe a bad report From the doctor, a shrinking bank account, a child maybe that's wandering spiritually, man, it gets even worse, especially when we don't take God up on his promise. That when we give our burdens to him, he will take the load from us.

Here is the key to peace at Christmas Taking an intentional time of prayer, maybe even physically opening your hands. I do this sometimes and say, God, I can no longer carry this myself. You've said, if I hand this to you, you'll carry it for me.

I can't do this, but you promise in your word there's peace that goes beyond all human understanding, supernatural peace. It's available to me Through belonging to you and trusting you with everything that's bringing me anxiety. So, bottom line, let the good news of the gospel That you now belong to the family of God bring you to a place where you trust your Heavenly Father for the peace he promises.

Jesse:
You know, I'm struck by how much joy there is in the Christmas story. You mentioned peace, Doug, and you mentioned joy before. Whenever a character encounters Jesus in the Christmas story, whether it's uh Mary visiting Elizabeth and Elizabeth has great joy or the shepherds seeing Jesus for the first time and they have great joy or eventually when the wise men show up they they see Jesus and they rejoice. It's all tied into seeing Jesus. And that leaves me with a question, this Christmas season, will I take the time to see Jesus afresh, to behold him? And I think that has a direct correlation to the joy and the peace that I'll experience this Christmas season

Brad:
That is so good. Guys, as as we talk about the peace, the joy, there's some people who may be listening right now who maybe never really saw this Jesus. In the Christmas story and in Easter and all these things we celebrate about him, and they even experience that piece.

The the Shepherds, it talks about this. It says So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.

And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherd said to them. If you're someone that's listening and you haven't found that hope of Jesus yet, We pray that you will be amazed this Christmas season by him and just know these aren't magic words, but if you are ready to start that relationship with him, we We want to give that opportunity. So if you are ready to just say, Jesus, I'm seeing you in a whole new way and I want that peace and I want that joy, just cry out to them and say something along the lines of Jesus.

Thank you for coming in the form of a baby for me. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I'm tired of running my life my way, Jesus.

I'm ready to let you have control. Please forgive me, Jesus. Come into my life.

I want a forever relationship with you. If you are praying that for the first time, just know that you can celebrate Christmas like never before because you don't just have gifts under the tree You don't just have music all around you. You've got Jesus now.

And that is an unlosable relationship. Maybe you are someone that's listening and you have that relationship and you've chosen Jesus and you're like, man, my biggest fear is that knowing what to say. We're talking about your hope story, sharing your hope story, but we have a brand new, totally free help for you that you could use even this Christmas season.

Doug:
Your story can change someone else's story forever. When when the Lord gave this announcement through the angels to the shepherds He was announcing his plan for sharing the gospel with the world. His plan A Is you, is me, not waiting for some professional God salesman to hopefully they'll hear the gospel at some point.

No You, the person you sit next to at your work, maybe at the PTA meeting, maybe at the dinner table, you are God's plan A For sharing the gospel with them. There's not really a plan B. It's up to us to share with the people that God has given us influence with and relationships with. About the gospel.

If you have a fear of that and you've ever wondered, how could I do this because I'm just a little afraid, or maybe just need a refresher, or you'd like to hear the stories. of people from all walks of life from all kinds of backgrounds and what their experiences have been Go to your hopestory. com and check out this resource.

It's dad, Ron, it's Doug, and lots of friends of ours sharing how You can share your story that is going to change someone else's story forever. Your hope story. com.

Brad:
It's free. Six simple sessions, yes, very brief, and uh you can check those out one at a time and we trust it will be helped to you. So your hope story.

com because remember God's message is best delivered by ordinary people. That's it. And God's story is best told through your own story, your own connection with Him.

So share the news. and share it with joy. We hope this has been an encouragement to you this Christmas season.

So from Doug and Jesse and Brad, from all of us that go mad, until next time.

Doug:
Merry Christmas and go mad