THE CHURCH: THE FLOCK OF GOD
ACTS 20:25-32
FEBRUARY 10, 2019
AN IMAGE IN THE BIBLE THAT DESCRIBES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS PEOPLE THAT BRINGS COMFORT TO SO MANY PEOPLE IS THAT OF BEING THE GOOD SHEPHERD. MANY CHURCHS WITH STAINED LASS WINDOWS WILL OFTEN HAVE AT LEAST ONE PICTURING JESUS HOLDING A LAMB. COUNTLESS PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED COMFORT AT THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE THROUGH THE READING OF THE 23RD PSALM, WHICH IS KNOWN AS “THE SHEPHERD’S PSALM.”
ISAIAH SPOKE OF THE COMING MESSIAH WITH THESE WORDS:
ISAIAH 40:11: HE TENDS HIS FLOCK LIKE A SHEPHERD: HE GATHERS THE LAMBS IN HIS ARMS AND CARRIES THEM CLOSE TO HIS HEART;
HE GENTLY LEADS THOSE THAT HAVE YOUNG.
SHEEP, PARTICULARLY LAMBS, ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL CREATURES. WE OFTEN SEE LITTLE CHILDREN WITH TOYS IN THE SHAPE OF LAMBS. AFTER THEY ARE SHEARED THEIR SKIN IS NICE AND WHITE, AND THEY ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT.
SHEEP THOUGH ARE NOT THE MOST INTELLIGENT OF ANIMALS. THERE IS A TYPE OF SHEEP THAT IF IT GETS ON IT’S BACK, DOES NOT YOU COULDN’T EVEN COME UP WITH A GOOD CHEER FOR THEMKNOW HOW TO GET BACK TO ITS FEET. IT COULD LITERALLY DIE IN THAT POSITION.
THEY CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES. OUR CAT SOPHIE CAN DEFEND HERSELF, AND ATTACK SOMETHING, IN A WAY MORE FIERCE THAN ANY SHEEP. THEY DO NOT EXUDE FEAR AT ALL. THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT. IN SPORTS WE HAVE THE DETROIT LIONS, THE CINCINATTI BENGALS, THE DENVER BRONCOS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE AN ELEMENT OF FEAR. HOW MUCH FEAR WILL YOUR OPPONANT HAVE IF THEY KNOW THEY ARE GOING INTO THE HOME OF THE CAMPBELLTON LAMBS. LISTEN TO THIS:
WE ARE THE SHEEP
WE DON’T MAKE A PEEP
VICTORY IS YOURS TO KEEP
BUT COUNT ON US IF YOU WANT TO SLEEP.
DOESN’T THAT JUST MAKE YOU SHIVER IN YOUR SHOES IN FEAR.
WHY THEN WOULD GOD USE A POOR DEFENCELESS, DUMB, ANIMAL LIKE A SHEEP? GOD USES IT FOR WHAT OR RATHER WHO IT REPRESENTS.
ANIMAL ARE USED IN THE BIBLE TO DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER OF MANY INDIVIDUALS AND THINGS.
SATAN IS DESCRIBED AS A SERPENT IN GENESIS FOR HIS EVIL CUNNING. HE IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS A LION IN 1 PETER TO DESCRIBE HIS VISCIOUS INTENT.
HORSES ARE SEEN AS ANIMALS OF WAR.
DONKEYS ARE ANIMALS OF PEACE.
SO WHERE DO SHEEP FIT IN AND WHO DO THEY REPRESENT? IN OUR WORLD THERE IS ONLY ONE ANIMAL EQUALLY AS DUMB AND DEFENCELESS WHEN IT COMES TO SPIRITUAL LIFE AND THAT IS US. THE SHEEP REPRESENT US.
PERHAPS, YOU MAY ADMIT THAT IN SOME WAYS WE ARE DEFENCELESS, BUT YOU WOULD NEVER ADMIT TO BEING AS DUMB AS SHEEP. LET ME TELL YOU A STORY TO PROVE YOU WRONG.
I HEARD ABOUT A MAN WHO HATED HIS WIFE’S CAT. HE WANTED TO GET RID OF IT BUT SHE WOULDN’T LET HIM. FINALLY, HE DECIDED HE HAD ENOUGH! HE PUT THE CAT IN HIS CAR AND DROVE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, THE CAT OUT AND DROVE HOME. AS HE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CAT WAS WALKING UP THE DRIVEWAY. HE SAID “I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS.”
THE NEXT DAY HE PUT THE CAT IN THE CAR AND DROVE TEN MILES AWAY. HE LET THE CAT OUT AND SPED BACK TO THE HOUSE AS FAST AS HE COULD. AS HE DROVE INTO THE DRIVEWAY THERE WAS THE CAT YAWNING AND WALKING INTO THE HOUSE.
HE WAS FURIOUS. THE NEXT DAY HE PUT THE CAT IN THE CAR AND DROVE WAY OUT INTO THE COUNTRY. HE DROVE 20 MILES, OVER A COUPLE OF BRIDGES, ON SOME DIRT SIDE ROADS AND INTO SOME DEEP WOODS WHERE HE FINALLY LET THE CAT OUT.
A FEW HOURS LATER HE CALLED HOME AND ASKED HIS WIFE, “HONEY IS THE CAT THERE?” SHE ANSWERED, “YES, WHY DO YOU ASK?” THE MAN SAID “PUT HER ON THE PHONE, I’M LOST AND I NEED DIRECTIONS”
ARE WE AS DUMB AS SHEEP. NO WE ARE NOT. IN SOME WAYS SHEEP ARE SMARTER THAN US. YOU SEE A SHEEP WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW IT’S SHEPHERD, BUT THERE ARE MANY TIMES THAT WE WILL NOT.
CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE:
PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS. HE KNOWS IT’S MOST LIKELY THE LAST TIME THAT HE WILL SEE THEM. HE KNOWS HE WILL SOON BE ARRESTED AND EVENTUALLY BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE ROMAN EMPEROR WHICH WOULD LEAD TO HIS EXECUTION.
HE ALSO KNOWS THE TYPE OF CITY EPHESUS IS. IDOLATRY WAS RAMPANT AND BEING A TRADE CENTER MANY DIFFERENT BELIEFS WOULD BE PRESENT THERE.
HE ALSO KNOWS THAT HIS PREACHING HAD STIRRED UP PERSECUTION FOR THE CHURCH THERE. MANY PEOPLE TURNED TO THE LORD FOR SALVATION, AND AS A RESULT LOCAL MERCHANTS LOST INCOME AS PEOPLE WOULD NO LONGER BUY IDOLS FOR WORSHIP.
PAUL MAINTAINS THAT BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL IN HIS PREACHING, PRESENTING AS HE STATES “THE WHOLE WILL OF GOD”, THAT HIS OBLIGATION TO THE PEOPLE IS COMPLETE, AND THAT THE RESULTS OF HIS PREACHING NOW RESTS ON THEM.
HE REMINDS THE ELDERS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO WATCH OVER THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WILL NOT BE LED ASTRAY. HE WHO REMINDS THEM THAT THE CHURCH IS GOD’S AND THAT THEY ARE CARETAKERS AND SUSTAINERS OF THE PEOPLE IN IT. HE TELLS THEM TO BEWARE TO BE VIGILENT THAT THERE WILL BE ATTACKS ON THE CHURCH BY “SAVAGE WOLVES”.
WEHAT PAUL IS TELLING THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH IS THAT THE FLOCK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FLOCK. AS LEADERS WE BEAR A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CONGREGATION, BUT WE FAIL TO ASK THE QUESTION WHO ARE THE LEADERS. WE DON’T WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION BECAUSE THE ANSWER IS THAT WE ARE ALL LEADERS, TO THE PEOPLE WE HAVE INFLUENCE WITH. SO IN THIS PASSAGE PAUL IS SPEAKING NOT ONLY TO THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH, THE PASTOR, THE BOARD OF MINISTRY, THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT, HE IS ALSO SPEAKING TO EVERYONE OF YOU SITTING IN THE PEW OR HEARING ME BY RADIO TODAY. THE CHALLENGE IS SET OUT BOLDLY TO DECLARE AS PAUL DID “I AM INNOCENT OF THE BLOOD OF ANY OF YOU.”
PAUL MAKES THREE DIRECT REFERENCES TO THE FLOCK AND SHEPERD IN THIS PASSAGE AND IT’S IN THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SHEPHERD AND THE FLOCK THAT WE WILL FING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS CHURCH.
IN SPEAKING ABOUT THE SHEPHERD’S PSALM, PHILIP KELLER WROTE:
SHEEP NEED FOUR THINGS IN ORDER TO LIE DOWN:
1. THEY NEED TO BE FULL. HUNGRY SHEEP SEARCH FOR FOOD.
2. THEY MUST BE UNAFRAID. THEY MUST HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT
THEY ARE SAFE
3. THEY MUST BE CONTENT.
4. THEY MUST HAVE UNITY. SHEEP WILL NOT LIE DOWN UNLESS
THERE IS HARMONY IN THE FLOCK
EACH OF THESE POINTS SHOW TWO SETS OF RESPONSIBILITY.
1. THERE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHEPHERD.
2. THERE IS ALSO A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHEEP.
POINT ONE: THE SHEEP MUST BE FULL
IT WAS THE SHEPHERD’S RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD THE FLOCK TO AREAS OF SUDDICIENT FOOD.
DAVID WROTE IN PSALM 23:
PSALM 23:2-3:
HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE LEADS ME BESIDE QUIET WATERS, 3. HE REFRESHES MY SOUL.
IT’S THE SHEPHERD’S RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD SHEEP TO FOOD. IT IS THE SHEPHERDS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE.
SINCE THE TIME OF ADAM GOD HAS NOT FAILED TO PROVIDE FOR HIS PEOPLE IN BIG WAYS. I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE COST TO GET THE HEBREWS OUT OF EGYPT. THIS WAS PREPARED BY AN ARMY QUARTER-MASTER GENERAL. IT WOULD TAKE:
1.500 TONS OF FOOD
4,000 TONS OF FIREWOOD
11,000,000 GALLONS OF WATER
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EXTRA THINGS LIKE SETING UP THE TENTS, MAKING SACRIFICES ANIMAL PROVISIONS ETC.
AND BY THE WAY THIS HAD TO BE MET DAILY, NOT IN TOTAL FOR FORTY YEARS.
GOD PROVIDES FOR HIS PEOPLE:
HE GAVE THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM
HE GAVE THE PROPHETS
HE GAVE US HIS WORD
AND HE GAVE US SALVATION THROUGH HIS SON
GOD PROVIDES FOR HIS PEOPLE.
BUT THE SHEEP HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY. MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DILIGENTLY PRESENT THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU. IT IS TO STUDY AND TO BE PERPARED TO OFFER YOU CHANCES TO LEARN FROM GOD’S WORD. THIS CHURCH PROVIDES, SUNDAY SCHOOL, MORNING WORSHIP, TWO BIBLE STUDIES, A MOVIE NIGHT, AS SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN LEARN FROM SCRIPTURE.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ATTEND AND FOLLOW WHAT THE WORD TEACHES. SHEEP CANNOT BE DRIVEN, BUT THEY CAN BE LED. THEY WILL FOLLOW A LEAD OR A BELL SHEEP.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ABSOLUTES OF SCRIPTURE. BECAUSE OF THIS DIVORCE RATES ARE SKY HIGH, ABORTION IS NOW ACCEPTED AS A CULTURAL NORM, CRIME IS ON THE RISE, AND HOMES ARE BEING DESTROYED INTERNALLY AT AN ALARMING RATE. HEN DEPRESSION IS RAMPANT AND SUICIDE RATES AMONG PEOPLE UNDER 25 ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH, THEN YOU MUST ASK THE WORLD THE QUESTION DR.PHIL WOULD ASK PEOPLE ON HIS SHOW, “HOW’S IT WORKING FOR YOU.”
AS SHEEP WE ARE TO TRUST THE GREAT SHEPHERD. HE WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP, CERTAINLY DIDN’T DO SO JUST TO LEAD THEM ON A PATH OF GREATER DESTRUCTION LATER.
PAUL PREPARED THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE DILIGENT PREACHING AND LIVING THE WORD OF GOD. WE AT FIRST BAPTIST MUST BE EQUALLY PREPARED TO LEAD OTHERS TO THE LORD AND DISCIPLE THEM IN THE LORD, BOTH FROM THE PULPIT AND THE PEW. WE MUST BE FULLY PREPARED FULL OF THE SPIRITUAL FOOD THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.
POINT TWO: THE FLOCK MUST BE UNAFRAID
THE FLOCK MUST HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN THE SHEPHERD, AND WE MUST HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD.
WHEN SHEEP ARE KEPT AT NIGHT, SEVERAL FLOCKS MAY BE KEPT TOGETHER IN ONE FOLD. WALLS WOULD BE AROUND ON ALL SIDES EXCEPT WHERE THE GATE IS SO THAT NO WILD ANIMALS COULD GET IN. AFTER THE SHEEP WERE ALL IN, A SHEPHERD WOULD LAY DOWN AT THE GATE SO THAT ANY ANIMAL WHO WANTED TO HARM THE SHEEP WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH HIM.
TWO INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS. THE WALLS WERE NOT TO KEEP OUT THIEFS ONLY ANIMALS. THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THAT THE SHEEP KNEW THEIR SHEPHERD AND WOULD ONLY RESPOND TO THEM. THEY WOULD NOT FOLLOW A THIEF.
THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE SHEPHERDS WOULD COME FOR THEIR SHEEP ONE BY ONE THEY WOULD CALL AND THE SHEEP WOULD RESPOND, ONE GROUP GOING WITH ONE, AND ANOTHER GROUP GOING WITH ANOTHER. THE SHEEP KNEW THE VOICE OF THEIR MASTER AND THEY FOLLOWED IT.
DO YOU KNOW THE VOICE OF THE CHIEF SHEPHERD. IF JESUS WERE TO COME THROUGH THE DOORS AT FIRST BAPTIST TODAY, HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? HOW COULD YOU RECOGNIZE HIM? IT’S NOT BY THE PICTURES IN THE BIBLE. MOST OF THEM ARE WRONG. YOU COULDN’T TELL BY THE TONE OF HIS VOICE YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD IT. HE MAY BE A TENOR OR A BASS NOONE KNOWS. WE WOULD KNOW BY THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. WE WOULD KNOW TO RECOGNIZE HIM BECAUSE WHAT HE SAYS WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD COME TO KNOW FROM THE BIBLE.
AS SHEEP WE MUST PLACE OUR TRUST IN THE VOICE WE KNOW. IT IS THE VOICE THAT SAYS “COME UNTO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY HEARTED AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” IT IS THE VOICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD. IT IS THE VOICE WE MUST MAKE OUR STAND ON AND PLACE OUR CONFIDENCE IN.
POINT THREE: THEY MUST BE CONTENT
WHEN WE ARE CONTENT WE ARE HAPPY. WE ARE AT PEACE. PAUL KNEW WHAT IT MEANT TO BE CONTENT IN CHRIST. HE SAID IN PHILIPPIANS 1:11:
PHILIPPIANS 1:11-13:
I AM NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I AM IN NEED, FOR I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 12 I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE IN NEED, AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE PLENTY. I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION, WHETHER WELL FED OR HUNGRY, WHETHER LIVING IN PLENTY OR IN WANT. 13 I CAN DO ALL THIS THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.
PAUL WAS NEAR THE END OF HIS EARTHLY JOURNEY, AND HE SPENT HIS LIFE IN THE LORD’S SERVICE. HE CAN FINISH HIS LIFE WITH THE PEACE THAT HE DID ALL HE COULD. HE CAN SAY AS HE DID IN 2 TIMOTHY:
2 TIMOTHY 4:7-8:
7 I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. 8 NOW THERE IS IN STORE FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY—AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LONGED FOR HIS APPEARING.
I WANT TO HAVE THE CONTENT AND PEACE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THE SAME THING.
POINT FOUR: THE FLOCK MUST HAVE UNITY
THE FLOCK WILL NOT RESPOND TO MANY SHEPHERDS, BUT THEY WILL RESPOND TO ONE. THEY WILL RESPOND TO THE ONE WHO KNOWS THEM BY NAME, WHO CAN CALL THEM BY NAME. JESUS KNOWS YOU RIGHT DOWN THE VERY HAIR ON YOUR HEAD.
WE ARE UNITED IN OUR NEED OF THE SAVIOUR. WE ALL NEED JESUS SAVING GRACE.
WE ARE ALL UNITED IN OUR COMMISSION TO EVANGELIZE AND DISCIPLE. JESUS TOLD US ALL TO GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES, NOT JUST THE PASTOR.
WE MUST KEEP WATCH FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OTHERS. JESUS TAUGHT:
MATTHEW 7:3: “WHY DO YOU LOOK AT THE SPECK OF SAWDUST IN YOUR BROTHER’S EYE AND PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE.
THE ANSWER IS NOT TO DEAL WITH ONE OVER THE OTHER BUT TO DEAL WITH THEM BOTH.
EPHESIANS 4:3-6:
MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH THE BOND OF PEACE. 4 THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT, JUST AS YOU WERE CALLED TO ONE HOPE WHEN YOU WERE CALLED; 5 ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM; 6 ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS OVER ALL AND THROUGH ALL AND IN ALL.
CONCLUSION:
WE ARE BOTH THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP OF OUR CONGREGATION. WE ARE THE LEADERS AND WE ARE CALLED TO BE THE FOLLOWERS. WHEN WE REALIZE THIS THEN WE BUILD HIS KINGDOM AS A SHEPHERD BUILDS HIS FLOCK. WE CAN SHARE IN THEIR LIVES. WE CAN LOOK TO AND BE LED BY THE GOOD SHEPHERD,
BUT ONLY IF WE ARE READY TO LEAD, AND READY TO FOLLOW.
