My

Co-workers together…

1 Corinthians 3:9 “For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.”

1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”

It is not our work it is His.

God has given us the priviledge to be involved in what He is doing in this world today.

He calls us to be His ambassadors…

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

God reconciled us to Himself

Gave us the ministry of reconcilation - to make known God’s plan of salvation and grace to others.

The message - God wants to reconcile the world to Himself in Christ - not to count mens trespasses against them

He has entrusted us with this message.

Therefore we are to be ambassadors for Christ - God wants to speak through us!

an ambassador does not have his own message

an ambassadors does not have his own agenda

an ambassadors in the mouth piece of those he serves

an ambassador should bring honour to those who he serves, not dishonour

an ambassdor often makes an appeal on behalf of those he serves

6. Via His ambassadors God implores man to be reconciled to Him.

7. For our sake Jesus died. For our sake He became to sin for us. So that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This is the big picture.

This is why we hold camps.

Not to entertain or make a nice time for the children.

But we have a mission from our Master.

We are ambassadors for Him.

We have a message for this world.

A message that can transform lives for eternity.

A message that can be the eternal doom or eternal blessing for the hearer.

Did you know that is why you are here?

Not just at camp, but in this world today!

We need to take our work seriously because it is His work, not ours.

William MacDonald once wrote:

“The disgrace of the church in the twentieth century is that more zeal is evident among Communists and cultists than among Christians.”

John 21:17 “He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

When we read this verse, our attention is often drawn to the command: "Feed."

We think about ministry, preaching, teaching, and shepherding.

But before Jesus speaks of Peter's responsibility, He reminds him of ownership.

He does not say, "Feed the sheep."

He does not say, "Feed your sheep."

He says, "Feed MY sheep."

The smallest words in Scripture often contain the greatest truths. The word "MY"reminds us of who the sheep belong to.

Every pastor, elder, missionary, Sunday School teacher, youth worker, and Christian servant needs to remember this truth:

THE SHEEP BELONG TO CHRIST

"MY" SPEAKS OF POSSESSION

A. THE SHEEP BELONG TO HIM

Psalm 100:3 “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

Christ has absolute ownership rights over His people.

Why are they His?

1. He Created Them

Everything belongs to Him by creation.

The Shepherd made the sheep.

2. He Purchased Them

The church was bought with His own blood.

Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

Every believer bears the mark of Calvary.

The sheep belong to Him because He paid the highest possible price for them.

3. He Redeemed Them

Like a shepherd searching for a lost sheep, Christ came seeking sinners.

He found us wandering and brought us into His fold.

Christ not only made us—He purchased us with His blood.

No wonder He says:

"MY sheep.”

B. “MY" SPEAKS OF PERSONAL AFFECTION

This is not merely ownership.

It is the language of love.

A mother speaks of "my child."

A husband speaks of "my wife."

A shepherd speaks of "my sheep."

The word "my" reveals relationship.

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,”

Jesus knows every sheep individually.

He knows:

* Their struggles

* Their fears

* Their weaknesses

* Their tears

* Their burdens

Not one sheep is forgotten.

Illustration

A shepherd may have hundreds of sheep, yet often knows each one.

Christ knows millions of believers and knows every detail of every life.

You may feel insignificant to others.

You are not insignificant to Christ.

You are one of His sheep.

C. "MY" SPEAKS OF PROTECTION

The sheep are safe because they belong to Him.

John 10:27–28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Notice again:

"My sheep."

The security of the believer rests not in the strength of the sheep but in the strength of the Shepherd.

Sheep are weak creatures.

They easily wander.

They easily become frightened.

They easily become trapped.

But the Shepherd watches over them.

Believers may stumble, but Christ never abandons His own.

Because they are “His sheep”

D. "MY" SPEAKS OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO SERVE

This was the lesson Peter needed to learn.

Jesus did not say:

"Build your kingdom."

"Gather your followers."

"Make disciples for yourself."

He said:

"Feed MY sheep."

The flock belongs to Christ.

The preacher is not the owner.

The elder is not the owner.

The missionary is not the owner.

The church members are not our sheep.

They are Christ's sheep.

Practical Applications

When we teach:

We teach Christ's sheep.

When we counsel:

We counsel Christ's sheep.

When we correct:

We correct Christ's sheep.

When we lead:

We lead Christ's sheep.

This should produce:

Humility

We are caretakers, not owners.

Sometimes we like to be in control.

We consider ourselves as leaders and therfore “little bosses”.

If we have a tendency towards this consider Christ.

Made Himself of no reputation

Took the form of a servant

Humbled Himself

Washed His disciples feet

Elders are called not the rule over the flock

Carefulness

We must handle Christ's sheep gently.

Accountability

One day every under-shepherd will answer to the Chief Shepherd.

1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

# V. "MY" SPEAKS OF A GLORIOUS FUTURE

The Shepherd will not lose His sheep.

Every one of them will arrive safely home.

The day is coming when the Chief Shepherd will gather His flock together.

No sheep missing.

No sheep forgotten.

No sheep left behind.

Revelation shows a countless multitude around the throne.

Every one of them once belonged to Christ on earth.

Every one of them still belongs to Christ in glory.

The word "MY" stretches from eternity past to eternity future.

His sheep by redemption.

His sheep by preservation.

His sheep forever.

Conclusion

The entire sermon can be summed up in one tiny word:

“MY”

When Jesus says "MY sheep," He reminds us:

They are His by creation.

They are His by purchase.

They are His by love.

They are His by protection.

They are His by eternal purpose.

And when He says to Peter, "Feed MY sheep," He reminds every servant of God that ministry is caring for a flock that belongs to Another.

May we never forget whose sheep they are.

The flock is not ours.

The ministry is not ours.

The church is not ours.

The sheep are Christ's.

What is perhaps most remarkable about it all is that He still says:

"Feed MY sheep."