The Good Shepherd
Notes
Transcript
It’s the mid 1500’s in England and King Edward has died. Edward had been instrumental during the English Reformation—causing England to embrace being Protestant instead of Catholic. (It’s okay if you don’t know what those terms really mean). At his death he appointed Lady Jane Grey. But she was deposed and quickly Mary I was named Queen of England. You may have heard of her as Bloody Mary.
Mary quickly worked to dismantle the Protestant faith---the idea that people were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone—and she labored to return England to the Roman Catholic Church. By the end of January 1555, it was law that heretics against Catholicism were to be burned at the stake.
Enter a man by the name of Thomas Hawkes. He had been a leader and religious teacher in Oxford but upon Mary’s ascension to the thrown he quietly stepped down and aimed to live a quiet life as a family man. But then his child was born—and he did want his child baptized by a Catholic priest. Things quickly escalated to the point of June 1555 Thomas was on the schedule to be burned at the stake for being a heretic.
He was consistently called upon to renounce his faith: “No my lord, that I will not, for if I had a hundred bodies I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces rather than I will recant.”
It was the day before his execution and a friend—knowing that he too held the same faith as Thomas and would likely be executed himself—asked his friend for a favor. He was timid. He was scared.
Thomas, Thomas, if tomorrow when you are being burned if the pain is not too great to quench your faith in Christ—give us a sign from the fire. If it’s bearable, if God gives you grace as your body is burned, raise your hands to heaven. Raise them, Thomas. And then we’ll know.
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The apostle Peter has written to a group of believers letting them know that a fiery trial is awaiting them. They are going to suffer for following Christ. But it is worth it.
I want to set this up for you…this is what has happened so far in 1 Peter. Lots of talking about suffering. But also lots of talk about victory in Christ and vindication and that it’s worth it and to hang onto Jesus in the midst of this suffering.
Here is the picture that I have in my head…it’s far more tame than it ought to be…but it’s a couple of little kids at the top of a massive water slide that they’ve never been down. You look into that thing and it’s scary…it’s dark…the water is raging…you look down…this is sure and certain death for an 8 year old. So what do they need in that moment? What will get both of them onto the slide?
READ 1 Peter 5:1-5
What will get them to go down that slide. It’s for one of them to go first. That was what Thomas’ friends were asking him. Is the suffering worth it, Thomas? And this is what Peter knows. It’s also what he is modeling for them…but he is also calling upon the elders to lead in this. “You go first.”
The ESV just starts chapter 5 with “So...” other translations (and I think rightly so, translate it Therefore...” That’s significant. 5:1 is connected with what we’ve just read. Therefore....because there is a fiery ordeal, because judgment begins at the house of God…because this suffering that is coming is a sign of both his presence and His provision…because of that…elders, y’all get on the slide first.
That is what is happening in this passage. And that’s what I want to show you. What are elders…where do they come from in the Bible, what are they called to do....but ultimately I want to point to Jesus.
What are elders....or shepherds...
One place you can find this is in the gospel of Mark 6:30-44. Let me set the story up for you just a little bit. There is actually a good bit of similarity here with what we’ve seen in 1 Peter. It’s about the presence and provision of Jesus…meeting the exhaustion of the disciples. They are in a desolate place, they have 5 loaves and 2 fish and Jesus has the audacity to say, “you feed them”.
That’s shepherd talk, right there. You feed them. And they are flat out exhausted…that’s how this narrative starts. Jesus actually calls them into the wilderness—the place where there isn’t going to be many resources and it says, “they had no leisure even to eat.” You been there? You are tapped out. No more resources left. I’m tired. I’m spent. I’ve done all I can do for today, Jesus.
And let me show you something in 6:33. These, I believe are the same people you’ll see in John 6:44…they are likely a group of militants looking to take Jesus by storm…they have their eyes set on political victory and Jesus is their guy. I say all that to say these aren’t even legit serious disciples.
And so if I’m placing myself in this story in verse 34 I think I can understand a little bit of their annoyance. They are hungry. They are spent. It’s getting late and here you have a group of people who aren’t serious disciples. They don’t see Jesus for who he really is, they just want to make him a political leader.
But Jesus’ compassion is much bigger than their resources. He looks on these confused revolutionaries with compassion and starts to teach them. Which, I think should tell us something about what Jesus thought people really need. He doesn’t feed the five thousand first and then teach them. No, you get the idea that Jesus really did believe that man doesn’t live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
But it’s getting late and Jesus’ sermon is getting long and so the disciples look at their watches, hear their hungry bellies, and probably sense the growing hunger in the crowd. And they come up with a solution. They’ve got nothing left to give at this point. Here we are…at the desolate place…it’s late…we’re hungry, so why don’t we just send them away until morning have them go to the local McDonalds grab a bite to eat and we’ll do this thing again tomorrow. “Buy themselves something to eat”. Do you hear that?
We’ve got nothing left to give. Let them take care of themselves. Pass the buck of suffering. Not my problem. We’ve got to worry about putting food in our own stomachs and getting a bit of rest. And then Jesus says it…”You give them something to eat”. What a stab that must have been. How? How can we do this Jesus? We’ve got nothing left to give. What do you want us to do go drop 10 grand and give them something to eat?
He’s dropping this problem right in their lap. Don’t miss this. And put yourself there. You’ve got an issue that fits here don’t you. You look around and all you have are 5 loaves and 2 fish. It ain’t gonna cut it. Your resources just aren’t enough. So what do you do in that moment?
This is the question that lingers over the Garden. It’s the question that lingered over the wilderness. It’s the question that lingers over the disciples? And I’m convinced it’s over us even today. Am I going to trust God to accomplish His purposes with His resources or am I going to trust what I’ve got to bring to the table? Will I trust in my resources or His?
And at this point we need to stop and make a couple of comments. First, the compassion of Jesus is always greater than our strength. And the need of the people is always greater than our resources. You combine these two things and it’ll flat wear you out. If you don’t learn the lesson of the loaves I think you’ll be miserable in life and ministry. Because the answer to the lesson of the loaves isn’t found inside you. What we have to bring to the table is woefully inadequate.
5 loaves and 2 fishes. They do the math. That can’t feed 5000 hungry dudes fired up about military conquest. You wouldn’t even try this. You don’t want one of these guys angry with you b/c he didn’t get his cut. So their only solution—we got nothing—turn them away and let them fend for themselves.
There’s another background to this though....and I promise we’re getting to our text…I think if we spend some background here you’ll see how alive these verses are in 1 Peter. Look at
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
But then there is a promise in Ezekiel that God himself would come and be the Good shepherd who would feed his sheep. He will be the Chief Shepherd. He will be what Israel wasn’t.
And do you see what is happening in this story from Mark 6. The disciples are responding just like the Ezekiel 34 shepherds. Have them feed themselves....they weren’t seeing them with the eyes of the chief shepherd. Shepherds feed the sheep the word of God.
One more place…John 21. This is after Peter has denied Jesus three times. The rooster crows. The Lord looks at Peter. Peter goes out and weeps bitterly. I wish we had time to really tease that out and feel what he was feeling upon his betrayal. Am I ever going to be restored? Thi s is all after that.
John 21 is after Jesus has resurrected. Peter is in a boat…and he sees the resurrected Lord....and he throws ON his outer garment…he puts ON clothes to jump in the water…which is hilarious. They are also 100 yards away from the shore with all the fish in the boat…so what does Peter do? Exactly what you’d expect impulsive Peter to do. He jumps out of the boat…leaves all the other disciples behind to tend to the fish…and he desperately swims to Jesus.
I just love this. That’s what happens when the Lord restores a man, when he takes him from that pit of brokenness and whispers those words to him, “I still want you. I still love you. You haven’t blown it, there is hope, there is forgiveness”. A beautiful picture of worship.
But what about Peter as an apostle? The guy denied Jesus—is he still the rock upon which the church will be built? What about him as a shepherd? Has he blown it?
READ John 21:15-19
Much has been made about the Greek words in this passage. Phileo, phileo, agape. But I really don’t think that’s the point. John has been changing words all throughout…he switches from lambs to sheep…but you don’t hear sermons about that. His point is that Jesus asks him 3 times. The same number of his denial. Jesus is restoring Peter. He getting into that deep wound, that place of deepest shame, and he’s building him up. That’s what is happening here…but for our purpose notice the charge…feed my lambs. Shepherd the flock, Peter.
Do you love me Peter? Peter says, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you”. He banks on the Lord’s knowledge. There is something in this. It’s not the same prideful and arrogant boast. He’s going to the Lord’s knowledge now and not his own. He doesn’t say, “Lord, I know that I love you. Of course, I love you—that’s a stupid question—even if all these other disciples don’t love you—you can bet that I do”. Nope. He’s been broken.
The Lord accepts his answer. That is significant. And so is his charge. “Feed my lambs”. “Feed my sheep”. It’s actually connected to his charge in Luke 22 as well. There he told Peter, “when you have turned.....that means he knew Peter would fail…but he also knew Peter would repent…when you’ve turned go and strengthen your brothers. Strengthen your brothers. Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. And then Jesus words to him are right where he started… Follow me.
Now fast forward about 30 years and you’ve got a much older Peter. Climbing up towering steps after having plunged himself down that massive water slide…sopping wet....and he’s telling the elders here.... “I’ve been down the slide. I’m still going down that slide…you go first. Elder…they need you to go down that slide, first.
I tell you all of that about Peter because this is where every God-called elder has started. I’ll mention here as well two things…big things but I just have to give them smaller comments…notice that elder and shepherd is interchangeable. That’s all throughout the Bible. An elder is a pastor is a bishop. All those words are used to describe the same office—person who feeds the sheep the word of God, exercises oversight, and tends the flock through prayer.
I’ll also have you notice that this is PLURAL. A single pastor—single elder model has just about killed many of pastors and has harmed many of churches. Lord willing, I’ll show you why that is in just a moment. But the early churches were led by multiple pastors/elders/shepherds in each local congregation.
And every one of them…of us…has a similar to story to that of Peter. I once was blind but now I see. The Lord rescued me and called me to feed his sheep. But there are temptations along the way which every shepherd will face. And you see these in 1 Peter 5:2.
The Ezekiel 34 shepherd life is always an option. But Christ has called us into something much better. Shepherd the flock of God that is among you. I could camp out on that phrase for awhile. God has used that in my life several times. Dietrich Bonhoeffer talked about Christian community a good deal and he said one of the things that kills it more than anything is a wish dream. That’s not being blessed and comforted and thankful to God for the community that you HAVE but to become obsessed with the community you want. That’ll suck the life out of any shepherd.
Shepherd the flock that is right there…the one God has given you. Don’t try to shepherd another flock. Bloom where you are planted. Give your life for THESE sheep that God has given you. That’s what he’s saying....and don’t do it under compulsion, but willingly.
Guys, I’ll be honest. I know how to preach this point to other pastors/elders but I’m wrestling with exactly how to say this. If you come to this text and don’t know why he says “not under compulsion, but willingly” I’m going to wager that you’ve never felt the weight of “exercising oversight”.
I will try to illustrate this. Keep in mind what we have going on here. Peter is saying to the elders, “you go first.” Now what happens if that elder says, “Alright, fine. I’ll do it.” What does that inspire? What does that communicate about Christ.
Or our story of Thomas earlier being taken to the stake. Tell us if it’s worth it. And he mumbles all the way up to the burning stake. Stupid sheep, being a dumb example, ignorant people, ugh, I’m so angry. I’m so fed up with this. What does that communicate about Christ?
Now don’t hear me wrongly. Suffering is tough. Pastoring is tough work. I think Piper is correct here, though:
It is a fearful and wonderful thing to be an elder in the house of God. If the elders lead the church into strength and glory, they will also lead the church into the refiner's fire of God's purifying judgment. They will not stand above the church or outside the church giving suggestions for how to cope with fire; they will lead the church into the fire.
That’s tough stuff. But the key here goes all the way back to what we read in Mark 6. It’s the lesson of the loaves. We cannot be elders in our own energy and by our own strength. We don’t have enough. I feel that every Sunday afternoon. I feel that every Monday morning.
The strength here comes from these little words, “shepherd the flock OF GOD”. I’m a steward. This is God’s church. This is God’s sheep…and I’m one of them. I appreciate these words from Jared Wilson:
How we see God on Monday morning will affect whether we oversee his church willingly or under compulsion. How we view the people in our church will affect whether we oversee them willingly or under compulsion. Our omnipresent Savior is waiting for me in the office on Monday morning, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” he says. I am plum tuckered out on Monday morning. I face ample temptation to wallow. But Jesus promises rest. I may be a shell of a pastor at this time each week, but God is no less God. His might is no less mighty. His gospel is no less power. His reach is no less infinite. His grace is no less everlasting. His lovingkindness is no less enduring.
And I suppose that’s true on COVID Monday’s as well. So, yes a grumbling disposition is always a temptation. And I think the next two are actually connected. Because what happens when you stop ministering out of the Lord’s reserves and the Lord’s goodness and start ministering out of your own—is that you become a hireling.
Not for shameful gain, but eagerly. Just getting a paycheck. You can’t shepherd for the wool. Likewise being domineering. Barking orders. Leading from a place of power instead of humility. So much more that could be said here. But this is the Ezekiel 34 way of being a shepherd. It’s self-absorbed. It’s not about feeding the flock on the word of God. It’s calling folks to do what you aren’t willing to do yourself. That’s why I say what this passage is all about is Peter telling the elders…y’all go first. Lead in suffering. That’s what it means to shepherd. Taste the fire first.
Raise your hands if it was worth it, Thomas....
After he had prayed and warned his executioners to trust in Christ and not burn an innocent man, Hawkes prayed, and they lit the fire. The flames kindled around him and eventually consumed his body. His fingers were charred, he hadn’t moved. No raised hand. Only silence.
But suddenly, with his arms on fire—burning flames all around—he lifted up his hand…and in what seemed an ecstasy of joy—clapped them together three times.
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Feed my sheep.
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So I want to close right here…but I can’t.
I fail. Elders will fail. Chief shepherd will not....that’s why it’s WORTH IT.
We need elders. We need shepherds. Men of God.