The Caring Shepherd

Peter probably stood before Jesus with a span of mixed emotions… Regret, love, wonder, what would Jesus say to him now that He was resurrected???

No stern conversation came, just three questions with what I see as a clear directive… John 21:15-17

“Tend my lambs”

“Shepherd my sheep”

“Tend my sheep”

TEND: to feed, or take care of

SHEPHERD: look after, responsibility, oversight and care (watching / awareness)

As we are considering the Role of Biblical Shepherding… I remembered this mandate and in considering the Caring Shepherd i thought it best for us to look at a very familiar passage of scripture… Psalm 23

Interestingly enough, each time I approached working on this message over the last few weeks I found my heart over and over being comforted as it was hurting in so many areas.

A good reminder I need my Shepherd first and foremost if I am to shepherd his sheep

I as an under-shepherd go to Him FIRST… then I lead others (FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE)

No doubt this passage offers up some challenges to a Pastor’s heart as an under-shepherd

The vivid picture given here and the illustration of God as a shepherd compounds with a heavy weight of responsibility the words written by Paul to Timothy and Titus as he challenges them in their role as Pastor/Shepherds

As I allowed myself to be immersed in this beautiful Psalm, I let go of being a shepherd for a while and remembered that I too am a fellow sheep

A lamb under The Shepherd, leading His sheep

This brings comfort, knowing He is ultimately responsible and fully capable

It also places a heavy weight on my heart as I realized deeper His love for His sheep, and the tremendous responsibility I am under

Allow me in the time we have to share some of the things that meant a great deal to my heart as I looked into this Psalm...

The Lord Is My Shepherd...

Allow that to sink in… Tim addressed this already this afternoon.

Consider the statement again… IF, the Lord is your shepherd… YOU BELONG TO HIM!

Notice with me too… the intimacy David refers here to God…A shepherd

Not a King in a palace far away ruling

Not a Warrior off doing battle for you

But a shepherd with His the sheep, He knows them, watches over them, cares for them.

We must first remember this for ourselves… THEN as under-shepherds direct our people’ s focus to Him!

We belong to Him!… Because of that David can state this following truth about our Great Shepherd:

I Shall Not Want!

David does not make this statement based off of life circumstances but rather on what a good shepherd does! David should know… he was a shepherd.

Look at God’s Role with me as The Good Shepherd:

Rest in green pastures… looking out for what is best, feeding his sheep

Caring keeps them moving to healthy pasture

Looking for good grass, no weeds, no cheat grass

Green pastures have the daily dew of the morning

As an under-shepherd we too need to care… we should not leave our people spiritually starving

Aware of what is around, making sure that what they are consuming is healthy

He refreshes our thirst! Pure quiet waters, he gives what is good and healthy

He restores the soul… this is above and beyond saving the soul

There would be times David would write that life's circumstances would cause the soul to be downcast

Do we recognize when our people need refreshed?

Make a place to be refreshed QUITE WATERS

The path of righteousness… keeps us from getting in a Rut!!!

We are creatures of comfort, don’t change… God leads us where it is best in righteousness out of our comfort into what is best.

Are we willing to sometimes do the harder leading to lead the right direction… do our lives follow Christ

WHY DO THIS!!!??? Why hassle with us and do all this?

For His Name Sake… we are His!

His care of us reflects on Him!

Do we desire our people to follow us or Him, who gets the glory?

He Goes Through Life’s Valleys With Us...

He does not shield us from them

He does not go another way

We are talking difficult valleys too, we walk these valleys with our people

In the shadow of death!

Dangerous times

Dark discouraging times

In all these times there is some fear, unknown, BUT we don’t have to fear evil!

The enemy can’t touch us… the shepherd is near

Are we near? Are we available?

Look at the ability of our shepherd!!!!

Takes away fear

He brings comfort… not because the situation isn't there, but because He is there with us!

Notice His tools of comfort…PROTECTION!!!

The ROD… short stick or club (thrown or used to beat off predators or sometimes to correct a wandering sheep)

Proverbs talks about the rod of disciple conjoined with a fathers love

The STAFF… the symbol of a shepherd. (Used to help little lambs find their mother, help them in a tight spot, lift them up, and even place it along side of the lamb as it walks to assure the lamb the shepherd is close by)

We all need lifted up, especially in the valleys

He has the ability to comfort, assure us of His presence

But are we willing and able to PROTECT!?

Lastly and by far not the least...

There is Great Blessing Being His Sheep!

Of all creatures sheep are most vulnerable… they have two tactics with their enemies/predators...

1) the can panic real well and when they do they scatter

2) they huddle together not knowing what is next hoping the shepherd does his job to protect

we gather together for safety, encouragement, need

We remind one another who our shepherd is… Jesus Christ our Savior!!!

So capable is our shepherd, He blesses us in front of our enemies

he doesn't remove us from their presence, rather blesses you and me in their presence

I love to see that our great shepherd anoints us with oil...

A symbol of royalty… we are children of the KING!

Also a symbol and function of healing...

He cares for our wounds

The things that bug you and I in life He treats for it, bringing blessing and healing

David reflects on the blessings from God and has to declare “My cup overflows!!!”

We don’t waste time reflecting on the CUP rather the One who fills it

Timothy Keller

He reassures himself that he is ever under sound, sympathetic, intelligent ownership. What more need he care about? Goodness and mercy will be the treatment he receives from his master’s expert, loving hands.

We too as under-shepherds should care in this way… This is in the good times and the bad, difficult, as we grow weary

Forever!!!

As David wraps up this Psalm, no doubt praising God, he must have considered life...

This life is brief

This life may or may not see an abundance of visible blessings

BUT, the greatest blessing of all… to be considered one of His sheep, to belong to Him....

We get to DWELL in the house of the LORD FOREVER! Our abode, home will be to be in His presence Forever… That is a long time, that is a blessing

As pastors / under-shepherds we need to have an eternal mindset… I appreciate that the Chief Shepherd sent the Good Shepherd to lay down His life for you and me…

Isaiah 53:6 (NASB95)

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

What an amazing God that He would desire to be our shepherd, and that He would want us as His sheep!