Instruction for Shepherds 02/06/2022

Instruction for Shepherds in 1 Peter 5:1-4

As we as we open his word Heavenly Father again, we thank you for this morning and we thank you for what a blessing it is to be here together. It's a blessing Lord to rejoice and to exalt and to ascribe to your great name holiness and righteousness justice and truth and love.

And Lord, we pray that we would be listening to what your word has to say. We pray Lord that you would direct us and you would take these words. And you would take them from our ears to our hearts that you would implant them within our souls that me might walk in obedience.

To you.

And Lord we do also pray For this young man Joseph who I forgot to pray for earlier who is having issues with his liver. We pray Lord that that you would regenerate that liver that you would heal him.

We pray that he wouldn't be in any discomfort or any pain. We pray that you'd give the doctor's wisdom as they work through these issues. And Lord, we pray that he would be really drawn closer to you throughout this whole endeavor.

And Lord oftentimes When we get sick, we we turn to you when otherwise we wouldn't and so Lord we pray that this is the case. We pray that he would Grow in his understanding of who you are and what you've done.

But we also pray Lord that you would heal him and help us now Lord as we open up the word. We pray that that you would be pleased by our worship here this morning. Thank you Lord in Jesus name. Amen.

In.

The Judgment of the Shepherds of Israel

586 BC the southern kingdom of Judah was taken captive by the Babylonian Empire and The Israelites were taken captive because of their idolatry. Because of their unfaithfulness to the Lord God. The consequence of their sin was exile.

They were removed from the promised land and it was during this exile at the River K bar that the Word of the Lord came to the Prophet Ezekiel and The judgment of the Lord was pronounced upon the shepherds of Israel.

The Lord God condemned the shepherds for their lack of guidance. For their lack of care for their lack of concern for the people of God whom had been entrusted to them. Ezekiel 34 verses 2 through 6 son of man prophesy against the shepherds of Israel.

Prophesy and say to them even to the shepherds. Thus says the Lord God Ah shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves. Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat you clothe yourselves with the wool you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.

The weak you have not strengthened the sick you have not healed. The injured you have not bound up the strayed you have not brought back. The lost you have not sought and with force and harshness you have ruled them.

So they were scattered. Because there was no shepherd and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered. They wandered all over the mountains on on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth with none to search or seek for them.

The Lord God rebuked the shepherds of Israel because they had put their own interests before the interests of the people. The shepherds have taken care of themselves, but they had utterly neglected the sheep.

So the Lord God rebuked the shepherds of Israel for their domineering and harsh treatment of the sheep. The Lord God rebuked the shepherds of Israel because they had demonstrated a complete disregard for the health and well-being of the people of God and The results of the shepherds mistreatment was plainly evident.

The sheep were weak the sheep were sickly and injured. The sheep were strayed and lost wandering and scattered about.

All alone.

With no one to protect them with no one to search for them with no one to seek them out. And the Lord God's response to the shepherds of Israel. I Am against you. Ezekiel 34 10 thus says the Lord God behold I am against the shepherds and I will require my sheep at their hand and Put a stop to their feeding the sheep.

No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth that they may not be food for them. The Lord God is against those who abuse and neglect his flock and The Lord God will require his sheep at their hand.

The Lord God will hold shepherds accountable for their shepherding or their lack thereof. This accountability does not only pertain to the shepherds of Israel, but also to the shepherds of the Lord's Church.

To those who reside as elders in the church. You will give an account of your shepherding. Hebrews 13 17. Obey your leaders and submit to them for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account.

Let them do this with joy and not with groaning. For that would be of no advantage to you. As a leader in the church as an elder as a pastor I find this to be one of the most sobering truths in all of the scriptures.

One day I will stand before the Lord God and I will give an account of my shepherding. I Will give an account for those whom the Lord God has entrusted to my care. One day I will give an account of my shepherding.

Please turn with me to the book of 1st Peter. This morning. Our passage is 1st Peter chapter 5 verses 1 to 4. 1st Peter chapter 5 verses 1 to 4. Here in this passage. Instruction and exhortation is given to the elders of the church.

Elders of the church must care and shepherd the flock of God. Let's read the text together. 1st Peter 5 verses 1 through 4. So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ.

As well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God that is among you. Exercising oversight not under compulsion. But willingly as God would have you not for shameful gain.

But eagerly not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock and. When the chief shepherd appears you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Here in this passage. We see three things.

Number one an exhortation to the shepherd of God's flock verses 1 and 2. We see a description of what it means to shepherd the flock of God. Verses 2 and 3 and we see a reward for those who shepherd the flock of God.

So let's look at each one of these in more detail. An exhortation to shepherd the flock of God verses 1 and 2. So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you. Now the first word in this verse is the conjunction so. This term is connecting this verse verse 1 with the preceding passage first. Peter 4 verses 12 through 19.

Now the relationship between these two passages is that the fiery trials and the suffering and the Persecution that is faced by believers is most likely going to put a strain on the entire community of believers.

This we know when one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers with it. And not only this but judgment is coming. It is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. So in light of fiery trials in light of suffering and persecution in light of the coming judgment.

Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and his church are Exhorted to live in a certain way. Both the elders verses 1 through 4 and those who are younger verses 5 to 7 are Exhorted to respond appropriately to one another amidst these circumstances.

Therefore Peter begins by exhorting the elders. So who are the elders? Well in the New Testament, there are three terms that are often used to describe the same office of leadership within the church.

Elder.

Overseer and pastor and while these three terms are often used interchangeably Each term emphasizes a slightly different aspect of the office. For example, the Greek word translated elder is press Buddha Ross which can be translated as senior or older or being advanced in years and.

In the context of church leadership This term does not necessarily refer to someone's chronological age but to their spiritual maturity. An elder is one who is spiritually mature. An elder is one who possesses the character qualities that are necessary for ministry.

An elder is descriptive of one who is a spiritually mature and spiritually qualified man of God in. The church leaders are not to be chosen based upon their abilities or their gifts or their intellect or their financial Success or their secular success in the church elders are to be chosen by their spiritual.

Qualifications.

And these qualifications are laid out for us in the pastoral epistles in 1st Timothy chapter 3 verses 1 through 7. Paul writes the saying is trustworthy if. Anyone aspires to the office of overseer. He desires a noble task.

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach the husband of one wife. Sober-minded self-controlled respectable hospitable able to teach. Not a drunkard not violent, but gentle not quarrelsome. Not a lover of money.

He must manage his own household well with all dignity. Keeping his children submissive for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's Church? He must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace into a snare of the devil. Elders must be spiritually stable and mature men. The overarching qualification of an elder is to be above Reproach.

Now this term above reproach does not mean that elders will never sin. It doesn't mean that elders will be perfect in all of their actions. Above reproach does mean Doesn't mean that elders will never make mistakes or never fail in their duties.

Rather above reproach means that an elders life will be without blame. It means that there is nothing that you can point to in his life and accuse him on the man who is above reproach cannot be arrested and held as if he were a criminal because there is nothing for which to accuse him and Even if there was an accusation the accusation will not stick.

It will not hold. It will not prove to be true. The life of an elder should be free from any sinful tendencies that would allow an accusation to stick. The life of an elder should be free from any sinful practice that would disgrace or blemish the reputation of the church or more importantly the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Think one of the greatest problems in the church today is unqualified leadership. If the leadership of a church is spiritually unhealthy then the people will most likely be spiritually unhealthy like priest like people.

A Church will never rise above the quality of her leaders. Therefore elders must be spiritually mature and spiritually qualified men. Another term that's often used interchangeably with the term elder is overseer or the term bishop.

The Greek word translated overseer is Episcopal and it can be translated as an inspector or a watcher or a guardian which gives us some insight into the meaning and responsibilities of this office. The term overseer primarily refers to the overall function of the office.

An overseer must be a manager. An overseer must be a superintendent. An overseer has authority over the church. He is the one who is tasked with the responsibility to oversee all the matters that are going on in the church.

The third and probably most common term which is used right alongside these terms elder and overseer is the term pastor. The Greek word translated pastor is poyman which means shepherd. The term pastor looks at the function of an elder and overseer from the metaphor of the church as being the flock of God.

A pastor is a shepherd. A pastor is someone who tends to the flock who cares for the flock. It refers to someone who feeds the sheep who leads the sheep and who protects the sheep in the courtyard of the high priest.

Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ. Then he denied the Lord Jesus Christ with an oath and Then he denied the Lord Jesus Christ by invoking a curse upon himself and swearing. I do not know the man. Immediately the rooster crowed and Peter remembered the saying of Jesus.

Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times and he went out and wept bitterly. After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on the shores of the Sea of Galilee the risen Lord Jesus revealed himself to Peter and He restores him and he commissions him to service.

John 21 15 when they had finished breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter Simon son of John. Do you love me more than these? He said yes Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him feed my lambs. He said to him a second time Simon son of John.

Do you love me? He said yes, Lord. You know that I love you and he said to him tend my sheep. He said to him a third time Simon son of John. Do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him a third time.

Do you love me? And he said Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you and Jesus said feed my sheep. The primary Responsibility that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to Peter was to feed the sheep.

Peter feed and tend to my sheep. Three times this command was repeated the primary responsibility of a pastor of an overseer of an elder is Exactly the same we are to feed we are to tend and we are to care for the sheep.

Well, how is this accomplished? How do we feed and tend to the sheep. Well, the flock is fed through the public and private ministry of the Word of God. The Word of God is preached. The Word of God is taught and the Word of God is counseled.

As a shepherd my primary responsibility is to come alongside you the flock and Saturate you and wash you with the truth of the scriptures. The Israelites upon their return from captivity and exile they were diligently taught the scriptures from the elders are from the spiritual leaders of Israel Ezra Nehemiah and the shepherds.

Nehemiah 8 8 they Speaking of the shepherds of Israel read from the book from the law of God clearly and they gave the sense So that the people understood.

The reading.

The law of God is to be clearly ministered to the people of God. The truth of God is to be clearly ministered to the people of God. The whole of the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation Are to be clearly ministered and explained by the elders to the people of God so that there is clarity.

So that there is understanding. John MacArthur remarked that the role of the shepherd was to lead the sheep to nourishing green pastures. From a spiritual standpoint. We are to bring the sheep to the place where they feed on divine truth.

The shepherd is not to seek to please but to seek to feed. He is not to tickle their ears. But to nourish their souls. He is not to offer light meals of milk but heavy truths of solid food. That is the shepherds duty.

We are primarily feeders of the sheep. An elder than an overseer a pastor whatever you want to use terminology wise has the primary role of feeding and That is the task. So the term pastor is used to emphasize the pastoral role of caring for and feeding the flock of God.

The term overseer emphasizes the authority and responsibility of the oversight and the term elder emphasizes the role of spiritual maturity as a wise and loving father to the congregation. It's also important to note that in the New Testament There is always a plurality of elders over each local church in any given location in the local church.

The authority and responsibility for leading and shepherding does not reside with one man but with many men with a plurality of elders and This is the pattern that is seen all throughout the New Testament in Acts 14 23.

Paul and Barnabas appoint elders Plural in every church singular. In Acts 2017 Paul called to him the elders of the church in Ephesus. And Titus 1 5. Paul reminds Titus that he was left behind to appoint elders in every city.

Within a plurality of elders. There is no hierarchy. There is only a plurality responsibility that is equal and shared. Plurality, of course does not negate influence. Some elders will be far more influential than other elders.

Some elders will be far more gifted than other elders and some elders will be far more discerning than other elder elders. But when it comes to oversight when it comes to shepherding when it comes to decision-making.

Every elder stands side by side equal in power and authority. In every church it is the responsibility for the elders to share the shepherding of the flock Poyman and the oversight of the flock Episcopal.

Together the elders must live exemplary lives and share in encouraging and admonishing the body to spiritual maturity. Press Buddha Ross beloved without a plurality of qualified elders. Without a plurality of overseers without a plurality of shepherds.

The church will not function as the Lord God has intended her to function without a plurality of elders. The church will be ineffective and the church will be vulnerable and the church and the leadership will be susceptible to all kinds of error.

Which is the reason for Peters exhortation? First Peter 5 1 through 4. So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in The glory that is going to be revealed.

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you. Exercising oversight not under compulsion but willingly as God would have you not for shameful gain. But eagerly not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Here in these verses Peter describes what it means to shepherd the flock of God and three contrasts are given. Explaining how elders should and how elders should not shepherd the flock of God. Contrast number one.

Elders must exercise oversight. Not under compulsion, but willingly as God would have you. In other words A man should never serve as an elder out of duty alone or out of moral obligation or out of peer pressure.

Rather an elder should serve out of delight. First Peter 3 1 the saying is trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the Greek word translated aspires is orego and this term is only used three times in all of the scriptures and It describes the outward act of reaching for something.

It literally means to stretch and extend oneself in order to grasp something. The Greek word translated desires as epitome a which means to yearn to crave or to long for and this term describes an inner compulsion that is passionate and all-consuming and In this context it's referring to the office of an elder.

So these two terms aspires and desires taken together describe a man who is outwardly stretching and Diligently pursuing the office of elder because of a nagging and consuming inward compulsion. Beloved a man should never serve as an elder out of coercion or force or by constraint.

A Man should serve as an elder. Because the Lord God has called him it should be Intentional. It should be free. It should be cheerful. It should be a loving and joyous response to the Lord God Almighty.

Now serving as an elder is not just a matter of self-willed ambition. Serving as an elder is a calling. Notice the phrase as God would have you. This phrase could just as easily be translated as according to the will of God.

So who should serve as elders in the church. Only those who desire it. Only those who aspire to it. Only those who are spiritually qualified. Only those who are called according to the will of God as God would have you.

Now this is really important. It's important that those who serve as elders want to serve as elders especially in the midst of the context of first Peter, which is persecution and suffering and fiery trials.

During times of hostility and persecution an elder in his family will most likely be the first targets and If he is serving under compulsion. Chances are he will not be able to withstand the fiery ordeals that come against him.

And when an elder falls it is often likely that others will fall right along with him. What happens when you strike down a shepherd? The sheep are scattered. So an overseer must serve gladly because the Lord God has called him to the task.

Not begrudgingly not in bitterness not because he was forced to it. Elders must serve willingly without any compulsion. Contrast number two. Elders must exercise oversight not for shameful gain but eagerly.

Now the opposite of serving under compulsion is to serve eagerly. But there are those who serve eagerly for the wrong reason. There are some men who aspire to the office of overseer for shameful gain.

The term shameful gain refers to shameful financial gain. It refers to gain that is base. That is sorted that is dishonest that is corrupt and the term goes far beyond. Describing those who merely seek out wealth and riches it refers to those who resort to dishonesty dishonesty guile and treachery in order to attain such wealth and riches.

True shepherds will never use the ministry to steal from the sheep or embezzle funds from the sheep. True shepherds will never use the ministry to financially prosper at the expense of the sheep. On the other hand.

Shameful gain is one of the defining marks of a false shepherd. Shameful gain is one of the defining marks of a hireling as one who shepherds the flock solely for the purpose of financial Renumeration.

Peter mentions these kind of shepherds in his second book 2nd Peter 2 verses 1 through 3.

False.

Prophets also arose among you just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the master who bought them bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

And many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed and In their greed, they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle and their destruction is not asleep.

In the book of 1st Timothy, which was written so that we would know how to behave in the church the household of God. Which is the Church of the Living God. Paul warns Timothy about the dangers of greed and the dangers that surround the love of money 1st Timothy 6 verses 9 through 10, but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation into a snare into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. The love of money is a gateway sin.

The love of money will always lead you down the wrong path. It will always lead you to greater and grander minutes miseries. It will always lead you into trouble. Those who love money those who have an unhealthy preoccupation with money those who are greedy for money.

Greedy for dishonest gain are not qualified to serve as elders in the church. Elders must exercise Oversight not for shameful gain, but eagerly. An elder satisfaction must come from serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

It must come from serving the people of the Lord. Jesus Christ not from serving money or dishonest gain. Contrast number three. Elders must exercise oversight not domineering over those in their charge, but being examples to the flock.

Elders are not to use their position of authority as an opportunity to abuse and oppress those who are under them. The word domineering in the Greek means to bring under one's power or to subdue or to master.

It means to hold someone in subjection. It means to exercise lordship over them. It means to be their master. An elder's rule is not to be high and heavy-handed. It is not to be dictatorial. It is not to be autocratic.

An elder's rule is not to be intimidating or manipulative or oppressive. In the book of 3rd John the Apostle writes to confront one of these domineering men. His name was diatrophes. 3rd John verses 9 to 11.

I Have written something to the church. But diatrophes who likes to put himself first does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come I will bring up what he is doing. Talking wicked nonsense against us and not content with that.

He refuses to welcome the brothers and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God. Whoever does evil has not seen God a Man who is domineering.

Especially an elder who is domineering has a grossly exaggerated view of his position and his importance. Elders who put themselves first. Who put their agendas first who have difficulty responding to or acknowledging any other authority or any other differing opinion?

Are not qualified to be elders. The Lord Jesus Christ often condemned such abuses of authority. In the gospel of Matthew the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked the Lord Jesus Christ a question. She asked if her two sons might sit one at his right hand and one at his left in the kingdom.

The rest of the disciples became indignant at this request. Probably because they didn't think to ask it first. Matthew chapter 20, but Jesus called them to him and said. You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them.

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant and whoever would be first among you must be your slave. Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

An elder should never use their authority or their office to be domineering over those who have been entrusted to him. Elders should never use their authority or their office to garner a kingdom for themselves.

They should never use their authority or their office for personal advantage or to tip the scales in their favor. Mark 10 45 for even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and To give his life a ransom for many the Son of Man Jesus Christ was not Domineering and thus the elders of his church must not be domineering rather We must be servants to the flock.

An elder is not served by the flock. An elder is to serve the flock. Prior to pastoring and here in Leominster. I was the interim pastor at a very small rural church. There were about 20 members of the church and the average age of the membership including my family Was 75 years old.

I Remember counseling the grandchildren of two of our members who were both older than me. This was a lovely body of believers, but they did hold to an unhealthy view of the pastorate. In fact, I would say it was an unhealthy view a completely extreme view of the pastorate as a church.

The pastor was looked upon as the sole authority in the church and the pastor was to be served by the body. At every fellowship meal. I had to be served first. Even though I often Objected to it, especially when there were visitors present, but it didn't matter.

I was the pastor. I needed to go first. I was put in so many awkward positions because of their unbalanced view of the pastorate. Once there was a there were two women who were in a very heated argument over bologna.

Literally, the argument was over bologna. It was my birthday and after church the members had made a lunch for me and a birthday cake. And one of the women brought in bologna sandwiches and in front of everyone the woman in charge said to her our Pastor is not going to eat bologna sandwiches on his birthday and a verbal brawl.

Ensued.

This church was unbalanced in their view of the pastoral office. The pastor was highly esteemed and treated better than everyone else. And this is not the pattern that we see in the scriptures. Pastors are meant to serve not to be served.

An elder must never Lord their authority over the flock. Rather elders must be servants and slaves to the flock. Elders are to help and assist by working hard and by ministering right alongside the flock.

Proving to be examples to the flock and this is key. Elders are to lead the sheep by their example. The Greek word translated example is to pass and it refers to the mark left behind by a strike or a blow.

The term was often used to describe the imprint left by the beat of a hoof or the imprint left by a seal and it refers to the effect of pressure upon something like an engraved mark or a pattern or a model.

In other words the term example is describing a pattern by which one can follow and mimic the sameness of a thing. An Elder's life is to be an example that is to be followed. It is to be a pattern by which one can follow and mimic the sameness of a thing.

An Elder's life is to be an exemplary life. It should closely resemble and mimic the pattern given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. An elder's life should leave a clear impression on the flock. The godly pattern of an elder's life should be visible for the sheep so that they can easily and clearly follow it.

The Apostle Paul was able to say in 1st Corinthians 11 1 be imitators of me as I am of Christ. Each and every believer should be able to make this exact same statement. Beloved imitate me as I imitate Christ.

Now certainly, of course every elders imitation is Christ is not going to be perfect. It's not going to be an exact match. Not by any means, but it should be a close match. An Elder's life his daily walk his attitude his speech his words his character should line up with the pattern set by the Lord Jesus Christ.

An Elder's life should be a clear and righteous pattern. An elder's life should be a pattern of the pattern of Christ. Elders must exercise Oversight not domineering over those in their charge. But being examples to the flock elders must exercise oversight not for shameful gain, but eagerly.

Elders must exercise Oversight not under compulsion, but willingly as God would have you. Now the reward for those who shepherd the flock of God. What is God's response to this kind of shepherding? What is the reward for those who shepherd in this matter?

First Peter 5 verse 4 and when the chief shepherd appears you will receive the unfading crown of glory. The faithful fulfilling of the positive and negative commands set forth in this passage. Will be followed with great reward when the chief shepherd comes.

Elders who willingly serve and eagerly serve and our examples to the flock will receive reward the unfading crown of glory. In light of fiery trials and suffering and persecution and the coming judgment.

Elders are to shepherd the flock of God. We are to feed the sheep. We're to lead the sheep. We're to protect the sheep. We're to oversee the sheep and we are to set an exemplary Christ like example. For the sheep to follow and the motivation and the motivation and reward for faithfully shepherding the flock of God eternal glory.

The motivation for serving as an elder must never be to receive the praise of men. But only the desire to hear on that day the Lord God proclaim. Well done good and faithful servant. Let's pray our Father as we go through this passage, I'm reminded at how fall how far I fall short.

And Lord, I thank you that I am in Christ Jesus. I'm thankful Lord that I'm able to I'm able to walk and I'm able to obey because of the spirit that you have put in me. And Lord, I pray that each and every one of us would strive to be an example.

Parents and children and Single folks all of us Lord. We pray that we would walk in such a way that we could say as I imitate Christ. You should imitate me. Imitate me in my in my prayer life and how I read the scriptures and how I memorize and how I evangelize.

And how I worship. Lord, I pray that each one of us our lives would be exemplary. We recognize Lord that we can't do this on our own. We need to rely upon the Spirit of God. We need to rely upon help from the church.

We pray Lord that we would come together as one people and that this would be our goal that we would Strive to live lives that are pleasing to you that give glory to you. We thank you Lord for the great grace that is sound in Christ Jesus.

We thank you for this church for how you have grown this church and how you've unified this church. We pray Lord that you would keep dissension far from us. We pray that above all that we would want to serve you with everything in our lives.

Thank you Lord in Jesus name. Amen.