There is a peculiar ache that only a pastor knows.
It’s the ache that comes from carrying both the Word of God and the weight of His people.
It’s the midnight burden that wakes you when everyone else sleeps.
It’s the sound of the phone ringing when your own heart is still raw from yesterday’s funeral.
And yet, into that ache, God still whispers, “Feed My sheep.”
Every pastor in this room knows something of that voice. It’s what called you out of comfort and into calling. It’s what kept you preaching when you wanted to resign. And it’s what keeps you loving people who sometimes don’t love you back.
Peter knew that ache too. The man who denied Christ three times was the same man to whom Jesus said three times, “Do you love Me? Feed My sheep.” That moment shaped his soul.
Years later, writing to scattered, persecuted believers, Peter addresses those who bear that same sacred responsibility:
> “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
This passage is not a corporate memo. It’s a soul-to-soul message from one scarred shepherd to another.
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1. Peter’s Pastoral Perspective
Notice how Peter begins: “The elders which are among you I exhort…”
He doesn’t pull rank. He doesn’t say, “I’m an apostle and you’re not.” He calls himself a fellow elder. In other words: I know what it costs. I know what it feels like to bear this load.
He introduces himself in three phrases—each worth a sermon:
1. Fellow elder – He’s one of us. Leadership doesn’t exempt us from struggle; it immerses us in it.
2. Witness of the sufferings of Christ – He saw Jesus bleed. The memory of Calvary steadies every pastor who feels the pull to quit.
3. Partaker of the glory that shall be revealed – He’s living between the Cross and the Crown. So are we.
That’s the pastoral life: we walk with Christ in His sufferings while we wait for His glory.
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2. Feed the Flock of God
The first imperative: Feed the flock of God which is among you.
Notice whose flock it is. Not yours. Not your board’s. Not your denomination’s. It’s God’s flock. You may be the under-shepherd, but the sheep belong to Him.
Feeding implies two things: provision and protection.
Provision – You give them Word, not fluff; bread, not crumbs. Sermons born in the prayer closet, not copied from a website. You serve meals that nourish weary saints.
Protection – Shepherds guard the flock from wolves. That means teaching sound doctrine, confronting gossip, and standing firm when error sneaks in dressed as compassion.
The temptation in our day is to become entertainers instead of shepherds. But hungry sheep don’t need smoke machines—they need manna.
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3. Take the Oversight
Peter adds: “Taking the oversight thereof.”
Oversight doesn’t mean overbearing. It means watchfulness. The Greek word episkopeo gives us “bishop”—to look upon with care.
A pastor’s eyes must stay open in three directions:
1. Upward – fixed on the Chief Shepherd.
2. Outward – attentive to the condition of the flock.
3. Inward – honest about the motives of the heart.
Leadership is not about power; it’s about presence. The shepherd smells like sheep because he’s among them.
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4. Not by Constraint, but Willingly
Peter addresses motives: “Not by constraint, but willingly.”
Some lead because they have to; others because they get to. The difference is heart posture.
A calling carried grudgingly becomes drudgery.
Every once in a while you have to let the Spirit renew the “want-to.” Ministry will drain you dry if you only operate on duty. Passion has to be rekindled, not just scheduled.
Remember, the same God who called you still loves you. You are not a machine for sermons—you are a man or woman of the Spirit.
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5. Not for Money, but Readiness
Peter continues: “Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.”
He’s not condemning support for ministry; he’s confronting selfish ambition. When ministry becomes a marketplace, anointing evaporates.
A ready mind means eager, available, obedient. The greatest currency in heaven’s economy is not money—it’s faithfulness.
The pastor’s paycheck is not in the envelope; it’s in the eternal investment.
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6. Not Lords, but Examples
Then comes the power check: “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.”
Pastoral authority is spiritual, not tyrannical. People don’t follow titles; they follow lives.
An example carries more weight than an edict. When you forgive quickly, people learn forgiveness. When you serve quietly, they learn humility. When you admit your weakness, they see strength wrapped in grace.
Leadership by intimidation produces compliance; leadership by example produces transformation.
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7. The Chief Shepherd and the Crown
Then Peter lifts our eyes: “When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
Every pastor in this room serves under a Chief Shepherd who never fails, never sleeps, never resigns. He knows your work even when no one notices.
There is a crown coming—not of gold, but of glory. Glory that never tarnishes. It won’t hang in your office; it will shine forever in His presence.
Until then, we shepherd with scars and hope.
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8. Three Calls of Every Pastor: Feed, Lead, Bleed
1. Feed – the Word of God must flow from a heart that’s been fed itself. You cannot nourish others on what you’ve never tasted.
2. Lead – guide the flock through valleys and still waters; set direction when confusion clouds the way.
3. Bleed – real shepherds love enough to hurt. Ministry means vulnerability; you’ll be misunderstood, criticized, even betrayed. But love anyway.
That’s the pattern of Christ Himself—the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep.
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9. A Word to Weary Shepherds
Some of you are here today, and the flame is flickering. The sermon well feels dry. The sheep have bitten. The vision you started with seems dim.
Peter’s word is for you: “Feed the flock of God.” The call hasn’t changed. The Chief Shepherd hasn’t changed.
God’s plan for restoring weary pastors is not retreat; it’s renewal. The same grace that saved you will sustain you.
Remember Elijah under the broom tree? He said, “Lord, I’ve had enough.” But God didn’t scold him—He fed him. Twice. Then He said, “The journey is too great for you.” Translation: You can’t make it on yesterday’s manna.
So God gives fresh bread.
If you’re running on empty, don’t resign—refill. Go back to the altar where He called you.
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10. The Shepherd’s Dangers
Every pastor faces three temptations Peter names indirectly:
1. Reluctant Spirit – doing ministry under pressure, not passion.
2. Greedy Spirit – using ministry for personal gain.
3. Proud Spirit – lording over others instead of serving under Christ.
Each of these erodes credibility and drains anointing. The antidote is humility.
A humble shepherd remembers he’s still a sheep under a greater Shepherd.
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11. The Shepherd’s Reward
The word “crown” in Greek—stephanos—was a wreath given to victorious athletes. But Peter calls it a crown of glory that fades not away.
Pastors often live between funerals and board meetings, between hospital rooms and sermons. Sometimes you wonder if it’s worth it. Peter says yes, because what you’re building isn’t temporal—it’s eternal.
Every soul strengthened, every heart mended, every prodigal restored—those are jewels in that crown.
And one day, in that moment of glory, you’ll lay it back at the feet of the Chief Shepherd and say, “Worthy is the Lamb.”
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12. Shepherd Leadership in Modern Context
Today’s world doesn’t trust leaders easily. Scandals have shaken pulpits. Titles don’t impress the disillusioned. But authentic shepherding still melts cynicism.
A shepherd’s credibility grows where transparency meets integrity. People can forgive mistakes; they struggle to forgive manipulation.
The church doesn’t need CEOs; it needs shepherds who love souls more than spotlights.
If we can lead with tears, truth, and tenderness, the world will see Jesus again through His church.
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13. Illustrations for the Journey
The Old Shepherd’s Bell:
In Scotland, a shepherd once carried a small bell that hung around his neck. At night, when fog covered the hills, the sheep followed the sound of the bell to safety. A pastor’s life rings louder than his sermons. Your bell—your consistency, your holiness—keeps people from wandering in the fog.
The Broken Staff:
A missionary shepherd in Africa once broke his staff saving a lamb from a pit. When another missionary offered to replace it, he said, “No, I’ll keep it broken. It reminds me that saving sheep costs something.” So does pastoring.
The Hidden Crown:
A young preacher once asked an older pastor, “When do we get our crowns?” The old man smiled, “When we stop needing them.”
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14. Pastoral Renewal
Brothers and sisters, ministry is not an industry; it’s a calling.
The world measures success by numbers; heaven measures by obedience.
Don’t let comparison rob your joy. You may not pastor the largest flock, but if you love the ones God gave you, you’re faithful.
Some shepherds will never write books or headline conferences—but heaven knows their names. Their prayers sustain missionaries, their faith stabilizes churches, their presence heals wounds.
You are seen. You are known. You are loved by the Chief Shepherd.
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15. Invitation
Maybe you came here today tired, second-guessing your effectiveness. Maybe criticism has wounded you deeper than you let on. Maybe you’ve been feeding others and forgot to eat yourself.
The Chief Shepherd is in this room. He doesn’t come with rebuke; He comes with restoration.
Let Him wash your feet tonight. Let Him remind you why you started. Let Him breathe fresh oil over your calling.
Because the plan for sheep and shepherds is still His plan:
Feed them. Lead them. Love them.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you’ll hear the only commendation that ever mattered:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for calling us into this holy work.
Forgive us for leading with tired hands and distracted hearts.
Fill us again with the love that made us say yes in the first place.
Renew every pastor here. Restore joy where it’s faded.
Remind us that the flock is Yours, and we are Yours.
Keep us faithful until the Chief Shepherd appears.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
