The Chief Shepherd Protects His Flock

Four seconds remain on the clock. The coach calls a timeout. The players hustle over. They’re down one point but will get to inbound the ball at halfcourt. They listen intently as the coach draws up a play that if executed correctly, will win the game and the championship. Have you ever wished you could eavesdrop on timeouts like that? If you could, you would get the inside scoop on what the coach is planning. If sports isn’t your thing, perhaps you would be interested to hear what Handel or Bach may have said to their fellow musicians right before a concert. Or maybe you’re more interested in what kind of advice an out-going president gives to an in-coming one. But we’re usually not privy to such important conversations. Instead, we’re left guessing at what crucial advice was given.

Through our sermon text today, we do get to “eavesdrop” on some very important advice. The advice and encouragement come from none other than Jesus, the Chief Shepherd. While the advice is meant for pastors, it’s important that you all listen carefully because through these crucial words, you’ll learn how Jesus intends to protect you, his flock. (Read the text.)

It used to be that if you wanted to learn how to sew or fix your car, you would have to seek out an expert and learn from that individual in person. Thanks to YouTube, thousands of such experts at our fingertips. There’s no need to join a sewing or car club. We can remain autonomous, that is, we can remain independent—on our own, choosing what we want to learn from YouTube and ignoring what we don’t like.

Unfortunately, that’s how some treat spirituality today. Why go to church? Why be a part of organized religion? Isn’t my faith something that’s between God and me? I don’t need to have anyone tell me how to worship God. I can figure that out on my own, and there’s always YouTube to help me.

The Apostle Peter disagrees with this attitude, however. Listen again to what he wrote to his fellow pastors: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them.” (1 Peter 5:2) The first point worth noting is how Peter assumes that God’s people won’t run around on their own like moose do. Instead, like sheep, they are to be a part of a flock with a shepherd caring for them. That perhaps is a special challenge for us here in Arizona where we pride ourselves on being independent. Why, many of you haul in your own water and cut your own wood to heat your homes. Do you really need others telling you how to conduct your walk to heaven?

Yes, we sinful human beings do need someone to encourage us on our walk to heaven, says the Apostle Peter. And God himself has gives each flock a shepherd to care for them. That’s what I’ve been called to do as your pastor. In fact, the word “pastor” means shepherd. As your spiritual shepherd I am to ensure that you are properly fed with God’s Word, and I am to keep you from spiritual danger by warning against temptation and anything else that would weaken your faith in Jesus.

While I prefer speaking words of encouragement, my job as a divinely-appointed shepherd is to also speak words of rebuke if that’s what is needed. Listen to what Peter himself wrote to his flock in his first epistle: “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation...” (1 Peter 2:1-2) While God himself could rebuke each one of us for our sins, he has chosen to do that through pastors and fellow believers. Can you help me with this importance task? You can do so by continuing to be eager in your study of the Word with me, and encourage me to stand against anything that would lead us away from Jesus. Pray that God would make me courageous to confront sin, but to do it in a patient, loving matter.

When someone rebukes us, we often want to separate ourselves from that person. I’ve seen that happen in my ministry. When rebuked, people stopped coming to church. I suppose they felt they didn’t need a pastor in their walk with Jesus. But according to our text, it’s not God’s intent that we each make for ourselves congregations of ones or twos. He wants us to band together, and for the good of the flock, he calls a shepherd to oversee the flock.

Unfortunately, there is a tendency for pastors, me included, to think that because we are the shepherd and the overseer of the flock, that whatever we say goes. Not so, explains Peter in our text. He describes how God intends to keep you, the flock, safe from such spiritual abuse. Peter writes to pastors: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-3)