Following His Shepherds

Introduction

Well, good evening. We still have some visitors with us. It’s been good to see some of our young people who have come back for the holiday weekend. It’s good to see all of you tonight. I want to do some scripture reading with you tonight by way of introduction and then make a few brief applications and conclude our lesson tonight. The Hebrew writer concludes his treatise on faith in Jesus and what it means with a variety of practical admonitions. I want to take you to Hebrews chapter 12, beginning in verse 25, to see this series of admonitions that might just be well entitled, Hang On. Hang on spiritually. As he says in verse 25, after talking to them about faith and all those examples of faith, he says, see to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking.

For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven. And his voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven. And this expression, yes, yet once more, denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming fire. Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Verse 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Let your character be free from the love of money. Being content with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you. So that we confidently say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me? Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you. Considering the result of their conduct. Imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The beginning of verse 9. Do not be carried away by buried and strange teachings. Verse 13. Let us go out to him outside the camp bearing his reproach, for here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

Verse 15. Through him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing. For with such sacrifices, God is well pleased. Well, that’s a lot of things. This is what the life of faith involves. These are the kinds of things that we need to pay attention to, and it’s more than just reading them, and then automatically, that’s us. That’s who we look at in the mirror. Oh no. This is going to require effort and attention, behavior modification, the change of habits to bring about these spiritual results in our lives. And it is this last verse that I want to focus on tonight. Hebrews 13 and verse 17, before he admonishes prayer on his behalf, the Hebrew writer says, Obey your leaders, and submit to them.

For they keep watch over your souls. As those who will give an account.

For this would be unprofitable for you. From this statement, I want to take you to the context of John chapter 10. In John chapter 10, Jesus, in the many aspects of his role as our Savior, has described himself particularly in this account in the Gospel of John as the way, the truth, and the life, the door, as we see in this context. And in particular, he says, I am the good shepherd. Now I’ve got to apologize for this image. Since we’ve gone to the TV system for doing graphics, I have to make the slides in a 16 by 9 format. They actually are made in a 4x3 format, which is more of a square. And I’m telling you that because the sheep look really plump. Okay?

They’re not really that plump and that well fed. But I’m going to work with this, because if we follow the good shepherd, we will be spiritually plumped as sheep. So let’s just go with the fatter sheep in the picture. Jesus says, I am the good shepherd. As trusting and obedient sheep, we are to follow his excellent, wise and loving leadership. And his expert guidance is designed to lead us to such nourishment and safety. But further, as we follow the shepherd, as you look to Jesus as the author and finisher of your faith, as we see earlier in Hebrews chapter 12, as we follow him as his shepherd, part of his design has the local church with its own shepherds who answer to the chief shepherd. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 4.

Peter talks about those shepherds, how that they are to shepherd the flock of God among them in 1 Peter chapter 5. So he designed his church to have men who would serve as shepherds, protecting her from various threats, and feeding and nourishing her with his will. When you look at a specific example like Acts chapter 20, when Paul has called the elders at Ephesus to come and meet him, those who were shepherds of his flock in the city of Ephesus, when they come to him before his departure, and he talks about declaring unto them the whole counsel of God, that is following the shepherd. He then admonishes these men to be on guard for themselves and for all the flock, which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, and then he warns them about threats to the flock, about grievous wolves who would come in.

And we see that imagery. We understand that sheep out of the fold can be attacked by predators like wolves who are looking for a meal. And spiritually, there are such predators, there are such conditions that serve as a threat to the flock. And so these earthly shepherds, these men of the local church, who serve as shepherds for the master shepherd or the chief shepherd, they have as their work to protect or shepherd the thought. Paul’s concluding words to the church in Thessalonica addressed these men who served as shepherds in that place in Thessalonica, after he says in verse 11 to encourage one another and stay about that, he says in verse 12, but we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord, and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Live in peace with one another. And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with all men. And finally, one more text in 1 Timothy chapter 5, verses 17 through 19. Paul tells the young evangelist Timothy, let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. The labor is worthy of his wages, he says in verse 18. And then in verse 19, do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Now I want to make a few observations about these texts that we’ve read, and particularly the Hebrews 13 text about obeying them who are shepherds and leaders among us.

1. What Kind of Men They Are

First of all, I want to talk about what kind of men they are. They were appointed to this task, ideally, and upon the basis of what the scripture teaches in 1 Timothy 3 and in Titus chapter 1, because they are men of high character. There is no passage that would even hint or suggest that these men have been perfect ever since they became Christians. Or that they will be perfect. But they are seasoned men of faith, equipped with extensive knowledge and wisdom to assist them in their great work. And listen, that’s exactly what it is. It is a great work in the assistance of the shepherd’s cause. These shepherds are doing a tremendous work, a work of service that is motivated by love for God and his people.

I want to say a few things about the nature of this work so that we get it. And so that the young men in this assembly tonight, who will one day, some of you will serve as shepherds among God’s people, and I’ll tell you are the kind of young men that I expect many of you to do this and to prepare yourself for this work. And that’s just the thing. It doesn’t happen by accident. It doesn’t happen by merely the passing of time. It happens when you set yourself with the purpose of serving in this capacity among the Lord’s people because this is a wonderful and great service of work. It is a work. Do you remember the exchange that took place between Jesus and Peter?

Peter is in spiritual recovery. He has denied the Lord three times. And a conversation is recorded at the end of the John account in chapter 21. Where Jesus says on three occasions, Peter, do you love me? Just like Peter had denied the Lord three times, the question comes to Peter three times. Do you love me? Do you love me more than these? Am I first and foremost in your thoughts and affections? And how does Peter respond each time? We make a big deal out of the Greek words there for love. Jesus uses the word agape the first two times he asked the question. Peter always answers with philaleo, the other word for love. And then finally, the last time, Jesus uses the word for phileo, the Greek word phileo, and so does Peter.

And so a lot of people have concluded, therefore, that Peter just couldn’t reach to the highest kind of love. And so Jesus brought the bar down and made it on the level that he could say, Yes, I love you back, Philae. Well, that’s what I used to think. And then some people who know Greek better than I do started saying, that’s probably not the idea. And we talked about this in our study of the Gospel of John. In fact, there was a great article written very recently in Focus Online that Mike mentioned by Shane Scott, who used to be a professor at Florida College. Shane is he’s a smart fellow. Okay, and he also knows Greek, which I don’t. And he was saying the same thing that I’ve been hearing others who know the Greek say, there wasn’t as large of a difference between those two words as we have often made them out.

In fact, they were almost used synonymously, though they had different aspects and connotations to them. They were almost used synonymously. If you want to see that article from someone who knows Greek, tell me your email address or say, Tony, send that to me and I’ll forward that article to you. Wonderful article. But that’s not the point that I’m making from John 21. But here is the point. As Jesus says, Do you love me? Peter, do you love me more than these? Peter says, What? You know that I love you. Now, what follows that every single time? Feed my sheep. Tend to my sheep. Feed my lambs. I want to tell you the most important thing that comes out of that threefold question and threefold response is that instruction that follows each time.

Do you love me, Peter? He says, Yes, I do. I think he thought he was answering the question correctly, that he was answering, yes, you know that I love you. And he confessed that three times, just like he had denied it. But the really significant thing that follows is each time, do you know what loving me means? Especially one who’s going to serve as a leader, an apostle among the Lord’s people. It means as a leader among my people, you feed my sheep. You tend my lambs. Young men don’t ever forget that. This is not about being a CEO. And I’ve said that more than once. Being an elder is not about being a chief executive officer. It’s not about being a lord or a ruler.

It’s not about me deciding everything and then ramroding my opinion on everything. And I’ve seen elderships munching like that. I was so thankful when I came here and saw elders who did not have that mentality. That mindset. The first business meeting I sat in, you couldn’t even tell who the elders were if you didn’t know already. They weren’t deciding everything, demanding their way on everything. We had Gary running the meeting up here. It was wonderful. It was a breath of fresh air to see that. And you know, that’s sort of the warning that Peter issues in 1 Peter chapter 5 about elders lording it over the flock. You know, I would read that passage and we talk about elders, and it was almost like, how does that ever happen?

There’s actually some abuse of authority that must be going on if someone is lording it over those over whom they’ve been given charge. They must be making some minority opinions that do not reflect the best interests of the group. Or what the group as a whole might decide to do in a matter of judgment. They have a minority judgment, and they’re going to make sure that happens because it’s their judgment. And that’s the point that Jesus made to the apostles in Matthew chapter 20. This leaps out at me. When I read 1 Peter chapter 5, and it says, not lording it over the flock, and then you go back to Matthew chapter 20. And Jesus is talking about authority in his kingdom, and James and John, they put their mother up to this, most likely, coming up to Jesus and saying, I want my boys to sit on your right hand and your left in the kingdom.

Places of prominence. You know, number one and number two, beside you, Jesus. And he goes, you don’t know what you’re asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I’m going to drink? And I’ll tell you what else happened that I really enjoy about this context is that the other ten, they got hot under the collar. They got upset when this power play was put on in verse 24. And so Jesus called them to himself. I’ve got to do some teaching here. And he does this more than once with them. And he says, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you. Now, he’s saying this to men who are going to be binding on earth what has been bound in heaven.

If two or three of them agree on anything in Matthew 18, they’re going to be binding on earth what has been bound in heaven. They possess ultimate authority. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. And yet he says, You all are not lords, like those Gentiles who are lords. Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever wishes to be first among you want first place, you become slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. This has everything to do with the passage we studied with Jared in Ephesians 5, and I’m going to come to that in a moment if I don’t forget.

The greatest member is the one who serves.

And as I’ve said many times, when it’s all about me, when it’s all about how other people are relating to me, how other people are serving me, how everyone else is responding to me, you’ve not even begun to get what it means to be a Christian. A follower of Jesus Christ. A follower of Christ is a servant. And the greatest among you shall be your servant, he said. My two senses. We have too many little dictators among the Lord’s people. My way or the highway mentality. And so I want to tell you something about our men who shepherd. They are men of Christ-like character. We so deemed them when we appointed them as our shepherds and installed them in this capacity. And they are still such men.

I fully understand that these qualities can be surrendered due to pride and due to a failing in personal growth. But all of us can struggle spiritually for the very same reasons. We all are admonished to keep our hearts with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life. That it is the humble among us that will be exalted. James chapter 4, verses 6 through 10. But my estimation is these are the kind of men who shepherd us here. And we are blessed to have them serving in this capacity. They are not lords and despots, but servants. And I’ve seen this abused in way too many places. People who controlled everything, decided everything, insisted on their minority opinions and everything. Young men, elders, shepherds. Tend my sheep.

2. Obey Your Leaders and Submit to Them

Feed my lambs. Secondly, as a result of having such men as shepherds, and let me just tell you how important it is to have such shepherds in the local church. We were in Auburn for three years, and we did not have shepherds. Those men so desperately wanted shepherds. It was so difficult to conduct our work as a group. So many cases that involve everybody contributing to a decision that was made. It was so very difficult and challenging. Now there are shepherds to that work. And that’s a good thing. And every work that doesn’t have them, you have to have men that are qualified, needs to work toward that. But if you have them, it is a blessing. Especially if they are the men of character that I believe we have in this place.

Elders bear a great responsibility. They watch out for the entire flock. Every single sheep. And let me tell you something. As the church grows, that responsibility increases and becomes more burdensome and challenging. They desired to successfully lead all of the sheep to eternal safety. And if they are the men of character that we deem them to be when we installed them in this work, then we are obligated to submit to their leadership and guidance. How high of the respect or esteem should we have of these men? Timothy is told, don’t even receive an accusation about them except in the presence of two or three witnesses. That suggests the high esteem or regard that we should have for them. It has been my experience that some people will attack those in spheres of authority and leadership.

Just because they wield influence over others.

Because Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 17 says that we are to obey our leaders and submit to them. Now, obviously, this doesn’t mean to follow someone blindly to the extent that they lead you into the practice of error. In that sense, we must obey God rather than men. Acts chapter 5 and verse 29. But if this passage tells us to obey our leaders and submit to them, I’ve now take you to Ephesians 5. And the passage that Jared referenced in Ephesians 5 and verse 21 that says, subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ. What does that mean? How do we do that? Especially when you have wives immediately being instructed to subject themselves in everything to their husbands. Not popular in our culture.

I did tell you about the wedding I preached several years ago in Beaumont, where I read Ephesians 5 and verse 24 about wives be subject to your husbands and everything. And as I was preaching it, I didn’t see it. But Max Dawson was in the audience, and the lady was sitting in front of him, and she’s going like this. No, Mary, that doesn’t work like that. And I’m thinking, look, your argument isn’t with me, the one who is performing this wedding. Your argument is with what the Bible says. This is not a very popular subject. But in what sense can the husband also be subject to his wife? Because in verse 21 it says, subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ. So we’ve got authority roles here, authority roles that have to be respected.

The husband is the head of the wife. He has an authority given to him in that position, a leadership that he must exercise, and the wife is to submit to that leadership. How does then the husband subject himself to the wife? That’s what 1 Corinthians 13 is telling us. That’s what love does. Love says, like the John 21 passage, here are the sheep. What do I need to do for their betterment? How can I assist them to be spiritually plump? And that’s what we do with our mates, fellas. Yes, God has given us an authority role in this relationship, but now we are looking at the one who is to be in subjection to us and saying, What can I do to enhance her life? Her circumstances?

What can I do to assist her and help her? That’s how we subject ourselves to what? How do we do that in a body? I look at Dave or Gabe or Charles. What can I do to assist them and serve them? Encourage them, admonish them. I’m to be a servant of them, and they’re to be a servant of us, all of us. That’s our role. That’s how we subject ourselves to one another in the fear of Christ. And so the elders, though they wield authority and we are to obey our leaders, they look at the flock and say, How can I be of service to them? How can I help them? That’s how this works in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 21. They have to assess threats to the flock and make decisions in the best interest of the flock.

Because they know things that we don’t.

Did they find a way to accommodate you? I know about the meetings. I know about the phone calls and the emails, some that I have with them. Do you realize the amount of work that they do, the amount of time that they invest as they look out for us? Our elders have been and continue to be men of high character.

Who have no personal agendas or access to ground. They care only about the flourishing of God’s will in this place. They work diligently to prevent the leavening influence of sin among us. And we need to be thankful for that. And we need to pray for them. We need to esteem them very highly for their work’s sake. And as we obey them and submit to them, Hebrews 13 and verse 17 says that they ought to be able to do this work with joy and not with grief. And that has to do with our response to the Lord and to them. What does it mean? Let them do this with joy and not with grief. If I become one who engages in misconduct and poor behavior, they have to give their resources and attention to me.

And the more people that they have to give their resources and attention to while all the while dealing with their own problems in life, their own families and children and grandchildren, and all the things that pertain to family things that you deal with. They have all of those concerns, and they have the concerns of an entire flock. And if I’m misbehaving, they have to tend to me. And if several of us are misbehaving, they have to attend to us. And then if I keep misbehaving, they have to attend, they have to tend to me again and again and again. And the result can be grief. And they become discouraged. And sometimes they resign from the work because they can’t physically and emotionally do it anymore. And that means it’s unprofitable for us.

What is your obligation? Obey your leaders and submit. And make sure that I’m not contributing to their grief, but their joy. So wonderful. When all of us set ourselves and commit ourselves to walking in the light as Jesus is in the light and make their work a little bit easier. I commend to you.

Conclusion

Mike Moriarty and Robert Banning. And Ken Parker. They love us and serve us diligently. And we are blessed to have them. Serving as our shepherds. As we follow the Good Shepherd and His Shepherds, let’s beware of the dangers. That’s what this imagery is telling us. There are dangers out there. And let us follow the path of the Good Shepherd and His Shepherds who follow Him. Let us follow the path to safety and eternal bliss. There’s someone in this audience who needs to consider how you stand presently before the Lord. Are there changes that you need to make to come into a right relationship with him and to be prepared to meet him on the last day and to be judged by him? If you need to respond to his invitation, while there’s time and opportunity, come now as we stand and sing together.