Guard the Flock
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Acts 20:28-32
Acts 20:28-32
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The verses we are going to focus on this morning were recorded as Paul traveled in the regions around the Mediteranian preaching the Gospel.
The Lord stirred in Paul’s heart to return to Jerusalem to celebrate what we call Pentacost.
In the Hebrew this event is called Shavuot.
Paul was not sure how he would be recieved.
There were people who intended to try to stop Paul from preaching.
There were threats of arrest and even worse against Paul.
Acts chapter 20 includes a brief farewell statement Paul sends to the elders church of Ephesus.
Remember he spent years there building the church.
He is giving the elders a reminder of their purpose as they serve the church.
In Acts 20 verses 17-27, Paul is recounting his efforts to establish faith in this church.
He is doing this as a reminder of the truth that was established.
Lets pick it up at verse 28
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
Paul is directly addressing the Elders.
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1. Paul is telling the elders to be on guard or to keep watch.
Watch over the flock.
Keep them safe from deception.
Keep them safe from thieves and robbers who are going to try to enter in to lead them astray.
Paul reminds the Elders that the Holy Spirit has positioned them as overseers.
Shepherds of the church.
Paul reminds them of the price that was paid.
Jesus paid the price by His own sacrifice to win back those who are His.
Paul reminds them of the price so that the elders do not forget how great a debt Jesus paid for them.
Paul says that the Lord has called them to be overseers of the church.
We call overseers by the term Elder.
The Elders are in the position to seek the mind of Christ in an effort to lead and guard the flock or the church.
The Greek word Paul uses for overseer is:
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ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos), ου (ou), ὁ (ho): n.masc.; ≡ DBLHebr 7212, 7213, 7224; Str 1985; TDNT 2.608—1. LN 35.43 guardian, supervisor, keeper (1Pe 2:25+); 2. LN 53.71 church leader, overseer (Ac 20:28; Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:7+)
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2. Overseer/Elder in the Greek if the word:
These are the responsibilities that should be in the mind of those in church leadership.
You are guardians of the flock.
Keepers of that which God has given.
This reponsibility trickles down to all the people of God.
As we watch over our families or other area where we have responsibility.
We will talk about this a bit more later.
Paul uses the word: episkopos.
Speaking specifically about church leadership.
But this is not a new concept that Paul invented for the sake of the church.
This concept of guardian goes all the way back to the book of Genesis.
Turn to Genesis
You didn’t think there would be a sermon I did not go back to Genesis
Turn to Genesis 2:8-15
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden and He gave Adam two specific tasks.
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3. God tells Adam to work the garden.
4. In other words to cultivate, to cause to grow.
This task was given to Adam so that he would cause the garden to expand and be fruitful.
The second task given directly by God to Adam is to take care of the Garden.
Other translations us the phrase keep the garden.
The word used for keep in the Hebrew is:
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שָׁמַר (šā·mǎr): v.; ≡ Str 8104; TWOT 2414—1. LN 13.1–13.47 (qal) keep, i.e., cause a state or condition to remain (Job 2:6; Ps 17:4); (qal pass.) be kept, set aside (1Sa 9:24+); (hitp) keep oneself (2Sa 22:24; Ps 18:24[EB 23]+); 2. LN 37.119–37.126 (qal) guard, watch, i.e., limit access and movement of persons or objects in and out of an area, implying protection to or from the object being guarded (Ge 3:24); (qal pass.) be secured
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5. Adam was placed in the Garden to protect it.
6. Adam was to keep watch.
To cause a state or condition to remain.
Adam was supposed to preserve what God had blessed him with.
The definition of this word also states to limit access of persons in and out.
Adam was to watch over what was allowed to come into the Garden.
He had the authority to remove anything that was detrimental to the protection of the flock.
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7. Adam was to keep watch so that the Garden could thrive and grow and bear fruit.
Within the Garden, under the protection of the overseer, the family had the freedom to function in safety.
Adam had all of the authority to overcome the serpent, when the serpent entered.
We know that Adam failed to walk in his authority to guard the garden and his family.
But this is where we get the concept that Paul is talking about to the elders of Ephesus.
Turn back to Acts 20 I am going to read from the NASB translation
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
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8. Acts 20:28 Guard yourselves and the flock.
As overseers, elders, watchmen.
Be on guard.
Why?
Look at verses Acts 20:29-30
I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
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9. Be on guard because savage wolves will try to come in among you.
Is Paul talking about actual wolves?
Do we need to worry that a pack of wolves will break into the church?
What is he talking about?
He is talking about false teachers.
Those who twist the Scripture to deceive the flock.
The enemy will entice people away from the Word. And as he entices them away by false teaching, he will take no prisoners.
So be on guard for false teaching rising up.
Paul also says be on guard for there may be some among you that will arise and distort the truth.
They will seek to draw other away causing division.
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10. Be on guard for those who divide.
Be on guard for those who are functioning based out of personal gain.
This is the express purpose of the Elders of the church.
To guard and protect the flock so that the flock can thrive.
We are blessed to have a group of men who understand this purpose.
As I alluded to earlier,
The function of an elder, to keep, guard and protect is extended to a degree to each member of the body of Christ.
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11. We all have the responsibility to watch over the things that God has given us to steward.
We have a good number of teachers and servants and leaders within this church who must pay attention.
Watch over what you teach and how you present yourselves.
As parents, grandparents or others who have influence over our children,
We must be on guard to put forth the best example of faith that we are able to put forth.
No one is perfect, but we must examine ourselves to try our best.
Do our best to be positive examples for the next generation.
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12. Our first intention should be to honor God in what we do.
To bring Him glory.
To expose deception. Call it out and equip other in discernment.
To disciple one another as we walk together in faith.
We are the family of God.
Leadership Consecration
Benediction: John 10:7-11
So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.