Serving God – 1Peter 5:1-4
Intro: According to several confirmed sources across denominational lines:
Today: in regards to: Pastors:
- Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.
- Four thousand new churches begin each year, but over seven thousand churches close.
- Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.
- Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
- Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
- Ninety percent said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people.
Pastors’ Wives:
- Eighty percent of pastors’ spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
- Eighty percent of pastors’ spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
- The majority of pastor’s wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.
Pastors’ Children:
- Eighty percent of adult children of pastors surveyed have had to seek professional help for depression.
These statistics came from across denomination lines, and have been gleaned from various reliable sources such as Pastor to Pastor, Focus on the Family, Ministries Today, Charisma Magazine, TNT Ministries, Campus Crusade for Christ and the Global Pastors Network. Sited at: http://maranathalife.com/lifeline/stats.htm
Introduction - These people knew a lot about sheep, so Peter uses this analogy and figure of speech that they could relate to. What Peter is saying is, first of all, is that God’s children are like sheep. Remember what the psalmist said, “We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” So, God’s people are like sheep. Now if God’s people are like sheep, the church is like a flock. Jesus said, “Fear not little flock.” So, the church is like a flock. Now, if the people are like sheep and the church is like a flock than the Pastor is like the shepherd. That is the duty of the Pastor, to shepherd the flock. Now, Jesus is the Chief Shephard to whom this shepherd will have to give an account to one day. That’s what Peter is telling us here in this passage.
Think about ourselves as sheep. It is really not all that complimentary, but the Lord calls us sheep. He could have been a little more complimentary and said we’re strong as horses, or perhaps as beautiful as a peacock, or maybe even as brave as a lion. But, He didn’t say that. He said that we are like sheep. Let me tell you a little bit about sheep. Sheep are wayward animals, as a matter of fact, they are kind of dumb. Have you ever heard of a trained sheep? You can train cats. You can train dogs. You can train a horse. Sheep just browse a little here, nibble a little there, and just keep on going. He doesn’t know how to get back to the flock unless the shepherd goes after him and brings him back. Sheep really are kind of dumb and kind of stupid and that’s the way the Lord characterizes us. We are His sheep.
Have you ever tried to get rid of a cat? You know, you take it out to the woods….they’ll come back. A dog will come back. A horse can find his way back to the stable again, but the ‘ol sheep…
The Sheep is not only wayward, but a sheep is weak. So, the sheep is wayward and the sheep is weak. The sheep has no way to protect himself. The horse can run, the mule can kick, the cat can scratch, the dog can bite. In the Bible, sheep are most likely portrayed as weak. But, there is not only the waywardness of the sheep and the weakness of the sheep, but there is the worth wildness about a sheep. The sheep is a valued animal and God values us. In that day the men counted their wealth by sheep because sheep gave wool, and the sheep gave milk, the sheep gave meat, and the sheep produced lambs.
That means in spite of our weakness and waywardness, the Lord loves us. The sheep not like a dog and not like a hog, is a clean animal. The cleanliness representing the fact that we are God’s saints, we have been born again and born of the Spirit of God, so we are clean like sheep.
Now therefore, because we are like sheep and we are worth something yet sheep are weak and wondering, they need to be protected. So, the church is like a flock and a sheepfold. The Lord so loves these sheep and knows that they’re so weak and they tend to wonder, but He values them so much that He puts His sheep together in a church. The church is the flock. The Bible does not teach that every sheep is to go off on his own. Every sheep is to be part of the flock and God gives to that flock a shepherd because it is very important that the sheep congregate themselves together. Every once in a while there’s a sheep that says, “I like the shepherd, but not the flock.” That is, “Jesus yes, but church no.” That is a dangerous view to have. That is a good way for a sheep to be devoured and there are a lot of things around that will devour the sheep. For example, if you are in ch.5, look at v.8, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” God wants us to be in the protection of the flock with a shepherd looking over us. There are wolves and wolves that will devour the sheep and there are thieves that will steal the sheep.
So, our Lord, because of our weakness and because of our waywardness and valuable ness, has placed us in a flock. Then, He has appointed a shepherd. The Pastor is the shepherd. Now, this is where I would like to spend most of our time.
This passage specifically speaks to the Pastors, but we should all pay attention because in v.3, “…nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.” If this passage applies to Pastors and Pastors are supposed to be examples to us than it also applies to us. So, this passage doesn’t only apply to the Pastor, but to you and me and anybody who aspires to church leadership or spiritual leadership and all of us have some kind of a flock to which we are the shepherd. Your flock may be your family…your Sunday school class…friends in school…colleagues…employees…even your neighbors. All of us have a sphere of spiritual influence and all of us are to be spiritual leaders and all of us ought to aspire to be spiritual leaders.
Let’s go to the scripture. If you aren’t already, open your Bible to 1Peter 5:1-4.
There are three things I want you to notice about the Pastor or spiritual leader as we look at this scripture:
- The Role
- The Responsibilities
- The Reward
I. What is the ROLE? (v.1-2)
I want you to underline three words in the first two verses. Underline, “Elder, Shepherd, and Oversight.” These three words tell of the role of the Pastor. And actually three very common words that we’re used to hearing come out of those three words. These three words are used interchangeably all throughout the Bible. If you want to see for yourself, read Acts 20 another time and you will see that all three words are used interchangeably to speak of the same office and the same person.
Elder – (v.1) This word is speaking of someone who is normally older. It also can be translated as “man of maturity” or “man of wisdom.” So, the Pastor is to be a man of maturity and wisdom.
Shepherd – (v.2) My translation (NASB) says shepherd, but yours might say “feed.” To shepherd the flock or to feed the flock is also to pastor the flock. So, the Pastor is to take their maturity and put it into ministry to “feed” or “shepherd” the flock. I like the translation “shepherd” better because it gives us a better understanding of the original Greek word (polmainô). To shepherd is more than just to feed. The whole meaning of this word according to Strong’s Word Study is,
“To shepherd. It involves much more than “boskô, to feed the sheep”. It implies the whole office of the shepherd: guiding, guarding, folding of the flock as well as leading it to nourishment.”
So, the shepherd is not only to feed the flock, but also to guard the flock from the lions and wolves seeking to devour. The shepherd is also to lead or guide the flock. John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they…FOLLOW ME.” The shepherd is to lead the flock. Now some people today think that the church is a democracy. The church is NOT a democracy. You did not get that out of the Bible. The church is a Theocracy. Meaning, it is lead by God who calls His shepherds. The Chief Shepherd (Jesus) calls His under shepherds and the Bible says that shepherd is supposed to lead! We have some shepherds today who don’t want to lead. Someone once said, “If your Pastor is a man of God, follow him, if he’s not, fire him.” He is to lead. What does John 10:27 say again? “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they…FOLLOW ME.” He’s to guide the sheep, he’s to guard the sheep and another thing he is to do is to grow the sheep. That’s in the whole idea of feeding the flock. You see, it is not the Pastors job to reproduce sheep. Some church may not be growing and you hear the people say, “What we need to do is to get us a great soul winning Pastor…than our church will begin to grow.” No! That’s not what they need. The Pastor ought to be a soul winner which we’re going to see in a moment because if he preaches soul winning, he ought to be an example at soul winning, but that’s not the way to grow a church.
I’ll tell you the way to grow a church. Get a man of God to stand in the pulpit and open the word of God and in the Spirit of God, preach the Christ of God and build those saints up in the power of the Holy Spirit and the nurture of the word of God and healthy sheep will reproduce.
Healthy sheep will reproduce! The Pastor is to feed the flock. When those sheep are fed, and when they’re guarded, when their guided, when they’re grown, then the flock is going to reproduce itself. Now, that is the job of the shepherd. Many of us think that the church can just go hire some Pastor to do the work for us. That is not the Bible idea!
Oversight – (v.2) The English translation “oversight” comes from the Greek word “episkopos” which would be better translated as “to look after” or “bishop.” This is the third role of a Pastor. To have oversight or to look over and into. To guide the affairs of the chuch. So therefore, the Pastor is not only to be a man of maturity and a man of ministry, but he is also to be a man of management. In the Bible you will not find any churches that are run by committees. Any time you have a church that is run by a committee, you have a nest full of trouble. Churches are not run by committees. This is not to say that the Pastor will not use committees because indeed he will, but they do not run the church. They serve the church and God calls His church to be Pastor led churches by men of maturity, men of ministry, and men of management. We are to be elders, pastors, and bishops. That is the role of the Pastor.
ӀӀ. What are the Reponsibilities of the Pastor? (v.1-3)
Now let me talk with you a few moments about the responsibilities of the Pastor. When that type of role or those type of requirements come, there are great responsibilities. What are they? Let’s go back to the scripture.
He is to have the Right Ministry. (v.1) His ministry is to feed the flock. He must be a preacher of the word of God! No matter what else, if he does not do this, he is going to be a failure. He is to feed the flock. Now, he is not only to feed the flock the word of God, but he’s not to be talking about things he doesn’t know anything about. Look at (v.1). Focus on two words there…witness and partaker. Every preacher better do that. Peter had done this. Every preacher better know something about the crucifixion. Peter had seen the sufferings. Peter had a glimpse of the glory and so he could be a preacher of the word of God! The point is, he was talking about which was real to him, not something that he’d just heard about or read in a book.
He is to have the Right Motivation. (v.2) Look down in (v.2) and notice where it says, “…not by constraint” or your translation might read, “…not under compulsion”. I am not to preach grudgingly or because someone talked me into it. The Bible says that I am to preach voluntarily! I am not up here because I have to be. This is something I do because I want to. Sometimes I’ll hear people taking about “fighting the call to preach” and “surrendering to the ministry”. This is nonsense. I am infinitely glad that God called me to preach. God saved me as a young adult. My Pastor always taught that God has a plan for everybody’s life and you ought to find it. I was saved at the age of 16. Actually started following Christ when I was 18. I lacked the motivation and discipleship experience in my life and fell away many times through the four years until I was 22. I knew there had to be more. So, one day while at work my Pastors words were running through my mind… “God has a plan for your life and you ought to find it!” I called out to the Lord that day, right in the middle of the yard I worked in. My co-workers probably thought I was crazy. I said to the Lord, “I want to know what You want me to do.” I told Him, “God, whatever it is, I’ll do it, just tell me.” It was like I signed a sheet of blank paper and said, “Okay Lord, here is the signed contract, so just fill in what you would have me to do…whatever, whenever, and wherever. I’ll do it.” I had no idea that God would call me to preach. It never crossed my mind. I said to God, “You want me…to preach? Me? I didn’t even go to a real church service until I was 16. My father wasn’t a preacher, my grandfather wasn’t a preacher, my uncles weren’t preachers. I didn’t come from that type of background. As a Bible college student, I’m surrounded by all types of people here at school, college groups through the church and community. I hear students all the time moaning and groaning that they are not getting invited to preach at some formal church pulpit. I don’t have to worry about that guys because I preach to the store clerk at Target, the restaurant waitress at Chili’s, or car salesman when my wife an I go to different dealers just to look at the cars we’ll never own, I preach to my unsaved friends. Listen guys, I am here to tell you that it is great standing in the pulpit preaching to a crowd, but it I a whole different ball game when you are sharing the gospel one on one with someone right in front of you. Look with me again in (v.2). We are not to preach for “…not for sordid gain, but with eagerness.” You are not to preach for possessions, positions, popularity, but for Jesus you ought to preach. So, here are three things for the ones taking notes. You ought to know that God has called you. You ought to preach willingly and you ought to do it eagerly.
He is to have the Right Manner about him. (v.3) The pastor is a fellow servant of Jesus Christ. By the way notice how Peter calls himself a fellow elder in (v.1). He didn’t see himself as some price of the church. He saw himself as a fellow servant of Jesus Christ. Let’s read (v.3). We are not to be lords over God’s heritage. The flock doesn’t belong to you, it belongs to the Chief Shepherd. We are to be an example. That means the Pastor is to live what he preaches. He should say, “Be a follower of me as I am a follower of Christ.” He cannot have the luxury of saying, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say to do.” He has no business telling you to give sacrificially if he doesn’t give sacrificially. He has no business telling you to pray if he doesn’t pray. He has no business telling you to be a soul winner if he is not a soul winner. He has no right to tell you to live a purely Godly life if he doesn’t live a purely Godly life. The shepherd always leads. “Be ye followers of me as I am a follower of Jesus Christ.”
Don’t get the idea that God requires certain things out of a Pastor, but not out of you. You know how you hear people saying, “I have no confidence in that Pastor. He went from one church to another for more money.” No, he shouldn’t do that. We’d all say Amen to that right? Any man who’d go to another church just because they offered him more money is a hireling. My estimation is that he’s got no business in the ministry, …you have no business going from one job to another for more money. It took just as much blood of Jesus Christ to save the Pastor as it did you and me! You have to ask, “Does Jesus want me to go?” See what God wants you to do. The Pastor who is to live this way is to be an example to all the flock. Which means in turn, that is how all God’s people should live. If you are a child of God, he has placed you strategically where you are at today for a reason. That is your flock. Ask God what he would have you do.
The Pastor is a servant and he leads by serving. We belong to Jesus Christ and we are to serve Him, but the Pastor is our leader and he is God’s’ man in the church. When we open our eyes to see what God has done…when we see that we are His sheep…the people of His pasture, and because of our weakness and our waywardness and our worth, He has placed us in flocks so that we could be protected and be led and preserved and than God in His goodness has called His shepherd and says, “I’m going to equip that man and you follow that man.” Then when we start obeying God and living by God’s command, we will see what God intended the church to be.
III. The Reward of a Pastor. (v.4)
One day I will have to see the Lord Jesus and answer to Him, “This…is what I’ve done with your flock.” Jesus is the Chief Shepherd. This passage tells me that I will receive a crown of glory that never fadeth. The Bible says that one day the Chief Shepherd will come and when He comes, He’s going to have a crown. Now the Greek word for crown here in this passage is “stephanos”. My name is Stephen, spelled with a “ph” which deives from this word “stephanos” which means crown. There are two words for “crown in the Bible. One is “diadema” which is sometimes translated as “diadem.” This is a crown that a prince or king would wear. It symbolizes kingly or imperial dignity. The second word for crown is “stephanos.” This is the type of crown that a runner would win at the end of a race in Bible times. A little wreath or laurel. Now before long this little grass wreath or laurel is going to wither. Now, Peter is putting a play on words here because he says that when Jesus comes, He is going to give you this little grass wreath or laurel that will never fade away. We’ve all received a trophy or two, some of you many more, I’m sure. We know that they will eventually fade away. The Bible says that Jesus will come and give you a crown/stephanos that fadeth not! You might ask why would we want a unfading crown in Heaven? Are you going to strut around in Heaven bragging about your crown…no. Have you ever heard the song that Michael W. Smith sang long ago… “We bow down, we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus.” That is what I want my crown that will never fade away for. To lay at the feet of Jesus. That is the reward of a Pastor.
I want you to ask yourself a question in your own heart.
Are you His sheep? Are you really His sheep?
Do you know that you are saved? Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they…FOLLOW ME.” (John 10:27)
Do you follow Him? Are you saved?
If you are not, you can take care of that right now. The Bible tells us, “Believeth upon His name and you shall be saved,”
If you say, “Brother Stephen, yes I am saved and I know that I am going to Heaven.”
Let me ask you a question.
Do you have a flock?
Are you a part of a flock?
Have you submitted yourself to an under shepherd?
Are you under the authority and discipline of a N.T., Bible believing, Bible preaching church?
