Jesus: The Shepherd and Overseer of Our Souls

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Prayer

Recap that we have begun discussing the qualifications of elder

Recap that there are multiple terms used, including “Elder”, “Overseer” and “Shepherd.” While these are different terms, these all refer to the same role or office described in 1 Timothy, 3.

These Standards are not optional, nor are they arbitrary. These are aspects of godliness which are necessary for an overseer who will give an account to God for how he shepherd’s the souls in the church (Hebrews,13:17).

They are necessary because God commands them through Paul.

They are necessary because they are a reflection of the character and work of God - especially Jesus. One place we see this mentioned is 1 Peter 2:25

1 Peter 2:25 CSB

For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

In this passage, we see the word for “Pastor” from Ephesians 4 and “Overseer” from 1 Timothy,3 both applied to Jesus. And Jesus uses this language regarding himself in John 10, our primary text today.

So that leads me to the goal of today’s message: I aim to show, through John 10 and other passages how, as Shepherd, Jesus fulfills the qualifications of Elder and serves as THE OVERSEER of our souls. Our goal today is not to explain all of these qualifications, but to look at a few of these in-depth.

Jesus, as shepherd and overseer:

1) Keeps his sheep safe

2) Provides for his people

3) Lays down his life for for his sheep

4) Disciples his people

5) Disciplines his people

When we see how Jesus Fulfills these, it will give us a good idea of how to identify men ready to lead and to see the trajectory of those whom God is in the process of raising up to be elders. Though the focus of this sermon is Jesus and how he is an example to elders, the rest of the church is not exempt from application. We are all called to imitate Christ, and as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, 11:1 “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” We are to imitate our pastors, our elders, as they are living, breathing examples of Jesus, our great shepherd and great overseer.

Jesus keeps his sheep safe:

He does not abandon his flock when wolves come

Remember, false teachers are called wolves.

they deceive

they teach the doctrines of demons

They teach another gospel, which cannot save, but only brings condemnation (Galatians)

During biblical times, it is my understanding that there were rules for hired shepherds. If 1 wolf came, the hired shepherd was required to stay with the sheep to protect them. However, if 2 or more wolves came and attacked the flock, he was legally allowed to run away. Jesus does not do this. A faithful elder does not do this. They confront the danger, the false teaching, head-on and protect the people from harm.

Jesus will not allow the wolves to scatter his sheep

Jesus will not allow his sheep to be snatched.

While Paul is thinking about false teachers when speaking of Wolves, the meaning can be more broad, especially when we consider that John 10,1,-10 Jesus speaks of robber, and a thief in particular:

John 10:1–10 CSB

“Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.” Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

When we compare the comments regarding the thief at the end of this passage, the wolves in the following verses, and the fact that 1 Peter 5 tells us that the devil is like a lion on the prowl, looking for prey, it is easy for us to see that THE THEIF, THE WOLF is the devil. He seeks to kill, he seeks to snatch or to steal.

The devil cannot be successful. Why:

His sheep cannot be led away by a shepherd they do not know. Jesus is with us, and we know his voice - those who belong to Jesus cannot be led by a voice other than the voice of Jesus. That is what Jesus says!

Not only will deception not work on Jesus’ sheep, they also cannot be snatched, stolen, taken by force. Jesus tells us this explicitly a few verses later in John 10:27-30

John 10:27–30 CSB

My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

What Jesus tells us is that not one of his people can be taken from him because we are held iron-grip of both the Father and the Son. And the Son, Jesus, perfectly accomplishes the will of God the Father. As Jesus tells us in John 6:38-40

John 6:38–40 CSB

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Be encouraged as you hear that promise: if you belong to Jesus: you WILL BE KEPT SAFE. If you belong to Jesus, YOU WILL NOT BE LED AWAY FROM HIM. If you belong to Jesus, YOU WILL BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD TO LIVE WITH JESUS FOREVER. THIS IS GOD’S WILL AND JESUS WILL ACCOMPLISH IT. NOTHING CAN STOP HIM FROM FULFILLING HIS PROMISES TO US.

This protection of the sheep is one of the aspects in which Jesus Manages his household well. While Paul explicitly connects the idea of the father raising obedient children, I believe it does include more than obedient children. If a father tells his children to simply obey whatever they are told to do by any adult, they are left vulnerable and caught off-guard. No, responsible parents help their children understand who is trustworthy, and what kind of commands to follow. We tell our children that if a stranger offers them candy or a puppy if they get in the car with a stranger, than that’s a bad person, don’t listen! If we did not protect our children from danger, we would be neglecting our duty! Jesus manages his household well by protecting us from danger, from false teachers, from wolves, just as an elder must do for the church, and a father and mother must do for their children.

Jesus provides for our needs

Earlier in the service, one of our Scripture readings was Psalm 23, which depicts God as our Shepherd. As we read that passage, we hear this: Psalm 23:1-2

Psalm 23:1–2 CSB

The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters.

As the ESV translates it, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”

This part of the psalm highlights the fact that Jesus as our shepherd provides for us. David tells us that his shepherd has given him everything he needs! The imagery of being led to green pastures shows us that our shepherd provides for our physical needs, like food. The shepherd leading sheep to quiet waters is necessary so that they may drink, in safety, that they might live and not be in danger attempting to drink from a rushing and wild river.

Jesus, as our God and faithful shepherd cares about and provides for our needs. Jesus speaks on this in Matthew 6:25-30

Matthew 6:25–30 CSB

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?

The Father, and the Son, in wisdom and love, provide for our needs. In faithfulness, Jesus tends to them as our shepherd!

And not only does Jesus care about our physical needs like food, water, clothing, and shelter, he also provides for our Spiritual needs, which are often described in physical metaphors:

Matthew, 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be sastisfied.”

John 6:53–58 “So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.””

Again, Jesus used this language, this symbolism of his body being food and his blood being drink at the Last Supper: Matthew 26:26-29

Matthew 26:26–29 CSB

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

When we take communion, or the Lord’s Supper at the end of the service, one of the things we are doing is symbolically proclaimin our dependence on Jesus, not only for our physical needs, as the bread and the cup are food and drink, but also our dependence upon him spiritually to give us life and all that we need.

Jesus providing for our physical and spiritual needs points to him being a qualified elder

- The first way I think is found in the requirement that an elder must be able to teach. In these passages where Jesus discusses the provision of physical and spiritual needs, Jesus is teaching. And when Jesus teaches, he is explaining the Scriptures - especially their fulfillment in himself! What is the elder supposed to teach? The Gospel and the truths of God as found in the Scriptures! The qualified elder will lead the church to the one whom can satisfy all their needs, and that is what Jesus did in his earthly ministry and still does today through elders and the church as a whole! Remember we are to imitate our elders, to imitate Jesus. Are you taking opportunities to lead others to Jesus, who provides eternal life, just as Jesus, the Apostles, and every qualified pastor has? Are you often making excuses like, “That person wouldn’t listen” or “What if I don’t know how to respond to their objections” or “I just don’t have time” or “That would be so embarrassing to talk to them about spiritual things”? Remember, Jesus took every opportunity to lead people to the green pastures, the still waters, where hunger and thirst for spiritual life and righteousness WILL BE SATISFIED. Trust me, we’ll never do this perfectly, but we must imitate Jesus, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.

The second way that provision of our needs demonstrates that Jesus is qualified to be an elder is that it demonstrates his faithfulness to his bride.

As Kyle preached on, an elder must be the husband of one wife, meaning that he must be faithful to his wife or eventual wife-to-be. While this obviously is in relation to intimacy, in order to be good and godly husband a man must to more than not commit adultery or lust after other women. For example, in Exodus, 21:10-11 we see that it is a man’s duty to provide his wife with food, clothing and intimacy. In fact, Paul says in 1 Timothy, 5:8 that if a man does not provide for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

So Jesus, shows himself to be a faithful husband to his bride, the church, in that he provides both for our physical and spiritual needs!

Jesus also demonstrates his faithfulness to his bride by laying down his life for us.

In John, 10:15, Jesus says he lays down his life for the sheep. In coming to earth, taking on flesh, and sacrificing himself for our sin, Jesus demonstrated humility and selflessness. As Philippians 2 says, Jesus Did nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit but considered others as more important than himself. He looked not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.

And this example of selflessness has become the standard of how a Christian man should treat his wife:

Ephesians 5:25–32 CSB

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, since we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Jesus literally laid down his life. And a husband must be willing to do so.

Cory Compatore (trump assassination)

Jesus laid down his life in other ways:

He left his comfort and riches in heaven to live on earth

He used his time and energy to heal people and to teach them while he lived on this earth

When he needed to rest, and crowds followed him, he had compassion and spent time with them

These are all examples in the ways a husband ought to be faithful to his wife. Not only that, but also to manage his household well. Like Jesus, an elder ought to be a prime example of laying aside his own wants and needs for the sake of his wife and children. And if a man does not lay down his desires for the sake of his family, how can he hope to shepherd the household of God?

Jesus is the ultimate example of this, with the elders being the living-breathing embodiment of Christ’s example, and we strive to follow our elders in imitating Christ.

Jesus is faithful to the church and manages the household of God through discipleship

- Lets take another look at Ephesians 5:25-32

Ephesians 5:25–32 CSB

We see in this passage that Jesus laid down his life for the church, for the purpose of making her holy. Holy has multiple usages. In dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus made us Holy, he set us apart for salvation. But another kind of making holy is also in view as we read “cleansing her with the washing of water by the word.” I believe this is the function of teaching and discipleship. Jesus, through the scripture and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, convicts us of sin and righteousness and brings about holy living in his people. In his earthly ministry he often answered questions saying “it is written.” He explained the Law. He interpreted the Prophets. He walked and talked with the disciples, training them into spiritual maturity such that when he ascended into heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit, these men were ready to shepherd the church.

That is the kind of example we need for our elders, our fathers, and even our mothers! Are we as fathers disciplining our wives and children? Are we, as Israel was commanded, talking about Scripture when we lie down, when we get up, when we come in the home, when we leave the home, are we incorporating it into our home decor? (And no, that’s not an excuse for another Hobby Lobby trip, and all the husbands are thanking God that store is closed today, we all know we don’t need another sign). Fathers and mothers, how intentional are you being to protect your children from and combat the messaging of the world? Are you spending time explaining the scripture to them, or as much of modern America, are you depending on church once or twice a week to be enough to fight against the messaging in our media and our school systems?

Jesus prepared his disciples to deal with opposition whether it be religious opposition, intellectual opposition, or physical opposition. He continues to do this in the church. He is certainly managing his household well by training up his sheep, who hear his voice, to be faithful followers.

Jesus manages the household of God by disciplining us.

Let’s look at Hebrews 12:5-11

Hebrews 12:5–11 CSB

And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives. Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

As we read in 1 Timothy 3, an elder must raise children who are under control. In other words, he must discipline his children and they must not be unruly. And this is something that Jesus does. According to this passage, Jesus disciplines us. He rebukes us and at times has us suffer consequences for our sins to train us up in holiness - to teach us to forsake our sins. He has given us the Holy Spirit to convict us so that we can no longer go about sinning in blissful ignorance.

We can see that Jesus confronted sin all throughout his ministry. He is recorded warning people to turn away from their sins. He rebuked James and John for wanting to call down fire from heaven on people. Jesus chastised Peter for cutting off the ear of a man when Jesus was being arrested before his crucifixion.

And I would like to take a look at one last example of Jesus being our example in managing his household through Discipline:

Before Jesus was arrested, he told the disciples that they would all abandon him. Of course they all chafed at the idea, especially Peter. Jesus told Peter that he would deny Jesus three times before the night was over. And, of course, Peter did. He felt ashamed. He ran and wept. After Jesus was resurrected he appeared to Peter and the other disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. There, we see what is commonly referred to as Jesus’ restoration of Peter. The exchange goes like this:

John 21:15–19 CSB

When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

While Jesus did restore Peter, this exchange is a rebuke to Peter - it is a challenge of his devotion. We see this when we look at the original language in particular. In Greek, there are multiple words which we translate to “love” in English, so this rebuke, this challenge, is often missed.

Jesus asks Peter, “Do you agape me?” He is asking Peter if he loves him unconditionally and with an unparalleled loyalty.

Peter responds, “Lord, you know I Phileo you”

This is the word that would be used among friends and brothers. Certainly one is devoted, but it is not to the level of Agape.

Jesus responds “Feed my Lambs”

They repeat the exchange 2 more times but the last time Jesus asks “do you phileo me?”

Essentially Jesus is challenging whether Peter even has the professed lower level of love and devotion. We can see that in Peter’s response, he was grieved that Jesus kept asking and questioned Peter’s devotion.

And what did Jesus do in every cycle in this exchange? He instructed Peter to fulfill his calling: to follow Jesus and shepherd the fledgling Church.

Jesus didn’t let Peter’s failure go unaddressed. But the way he rebuked Peter in this story brought about reconciliation and called him to greater faithfulness and obedience.

This is the kind of discipline that we ought to be doing as parents. I am even convicted by this. Its hard. But we need to call our children to live in an obedient way, treating them with love, lifting them up to fulfill what God has called us to do: Imitate Christ, and make disciples of the nations, especially the families they will have one day.

Conclusion:

As we conclude our time together I would encourage you to do these things this week:

1) Give thanks to God that we have Jesus as our Elder.

2) Give thanks to God for faithful pastors.

3) Pray for Pastor Kyle and any other pastors you know.

4) Reflect on how well you are doing in discipling your family.

5) If you find sin, humbly come to God, and ask for forgiveness.

1) Give thanks to God that we have Jesus as our Faithful Shepherd and Elder. Give thanks that no matter how men may fail us, Jesus never has and never will.

2) Give thanks to God that he is still equipping and sustaining faithful Pastors like Pastor Kyle.

3) Pray for Kyle and any other pastors you know, that God would continue to grow them, to embolden them to defend the church against false teachings, and enable them to shepherd their families well.

4) Reflect on how well you are doing in discipling your family. Are you struggling in the area of godly discipline? Pray and seek counsel on how to deal with that. Are you struggling in training up your children in the faith? Find ways to incorporate scripture into family life and bring it into conflict with what the world tells us.

5) If you find sin, in your reflections on today’s sermon, humbly come to God, and ask for forgiveness. He takes great pleasure in showing mercy. He loves restoration, even though the process may sting. God is faithful and just to forgive us of sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let’s pray.

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