Untitled Sermon (53)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
I want to welcome you again this morning.
First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.
I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.
I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
Over the past couple of years we’ve been doing that through the NT book of Acts. A book written by a First Century disciple named Luke who wrote it for a couple of reasons:
First, to give us a history of how the church started, who was there, and the circumstances that surrounded it.
Second, in a way, to give us a template on how to accomplish the mission that Jesus gave us to take the gospel to the entire world. With that said, if you haven’t been with us I would encourage you to go online to http://www.mcf.life or to our Facebook page where you can watch previous messages.
Today however we are picking back up in Acts 20
as the Apostle Paul continues his journey towards Jerusalem. A journey that will eventually take him to Rome.
However, as we learned last week, along the way Paul is going to make a couple of pitstops. One of those pitstops will be in the port city of Miletus. A pitstop that Paul takes in order to meet with a group of elders from the city of Ephesus before he sails on towards Jerusalem. Luke writes:
And what we’ve learned, is that Paul wanted to meet with these Elders in order to give them a final goodbye.
A final goodbye speech that will consist of four sections.
The first section is a review or recounting of Paul’s history with the church at Ephesus as Paul reminds them of how he approached and led them to faith in Christ. A witnessing focus that we finished out last week.
The second section entails Paul’s prediction of what he believes is going to happen to him in the days to come. Something we are going to look at today.
The third section involves Paul’s words of warning for the church in Ephesus and of what they may face in the days to come.
And finally it will end with a blessing as Paul prays for them and encourages them.
But as we’ve discussed, not only is this a goodbye speech, it’s also meant to serve as a lifestyle model. A model of Paul’s faith journey. A model he hopes the church at Ephesus will be inspired to pattern their faith journey after.
Which is why Paul began his speech by referencing his witnessing strategy. A strategy that involved a commitment to sacrificial living, a commitment to declaring the truth, and finally a commitment to proclaiming the Biblical Gospel.
This then led to the second part of this speech, which focuses on Paul’s journey towards Jerusalem and the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit. Something Paul was committed to regardless of what it meant for him, and something we should be committed to as well.
And as we learned, to be led by the Spirit means we first must be open to being led by the Spirit, second we must be willing to follow the Holy Spirit into uncertainty, and finally we must be willing to endure hardship, knowing that through the hardship God will accomplish His plan and purpose in and through our lives.
That being said, if you haven’t been with us the last few weeks, I would encourage you to go online to www.mcf.life or our Facebook page where you can watch or listen to messages leading up to today.
Today, however we are going to move into the third section of this goodbye speech as Paul now focuses on the future of the church at Ephesus.
And so, in order to set up where Paul is taking us today, I want to begin by taking you back to a question I asked a few weeks ago when we first started to look at Paul’s goodbye speech. And the question was this:
Previous Question - Have you ever been in a situation where you had to give what you thought could or would be a final goodbye to a friend, family member, or loved one?
You may recall I asked that question because overall that’s what this final goodbye speech from Paul represents. It’s his final words to a group of people he deeply cared for.
And I ask you to reconsider that question again, because while the entire speech represents a final goodbye, this next section represents what you might call the bullseye of the question.
In other words, while he wants them to listen to everything he’s saying, what he’s about to say is of upmost importance for the future of the church at Ephesus.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.
A few weeks ago I talked about the death of of my Grandfather, which took place when my dad was 13 years old.
You may recall right before he died, he brought my dad and each of his siblings in one at a time so he could give a final goodbye and give them some parting words.
And while I don’t know the specifics of what he told each of them, one of my Aunts actually shared with me something specific her dad told her.
She said he looked at her, and in a very serious tone he said, “Cathy whatever you do, don’t marry so and so. He’s not an honest or trustworthy person, and I don’t want you to have anything to do with him.”
You might wonder, “Who was So and so?” Well, so and so was a particular young man my Grandpa didn’t like, and he felt if my aunt married him, it would bring nothing but trouble into her life.
And so in order to protect her future, his dying wishes were that his daughter would stay clear of him in order to live the kind of life he hoped for her.
In a real sense, that’s what this next section is all about. It’s the Apostle Paul giving his final words of hope and warning for the church in Ephesus.
In fact, we know this is what this next section represents, because listen to how the Apostle Paul begins:
25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.
Notice how Paul begins this section. He begins by declaring to them that this will be the last time they see him and these will be his final words to them.
As as a result, this moment would have caused the Ephesian Elders to lean in. Because what Paul is about to say represents his last wishes as they move forward in his absence.
Words that are meant to give direction. Words that are meant to protect them. Words that are meant to help them to continue to be a light in the darkness in the days to come.
That being the case, these are words that should cause us to lean in as well. Because the truth is, God is doing something special at MCF. And I believe God has big plans for our church in the days to come.
And I don’t know about you, but I want to continue to be a light in the darkness. In fact, I want our light to grow brighter and brighter and brighter. I want our influence to spread. I want MCF to become a power house for Jesus in Marshall County and the surrounding region.
But for that to happen we have to be committed to doing some things that will allow for that.
You say, “What things?”
That’s what we are going to talk about today.
Because what Paul is about to say to the Ephesian elders will ultimately determine their future influence, the future health of their church, and what it will take for them to maintain forward momentum.
So, with that as our basis, I have one gaol today.
Today’s Goal - To determine what it will take for MCF to continue to be a healthy, growing, and vibrant church?
In other words, what must we be committed to if we want MCF to not only have an impact today, but in the days, weeks, and years to come.
And what I’d like to suggest to you is based on the passage today, is that it will require three commitments from us.
Two of which we will look at today, and the third next week as we finish out this section. Commitments that I believe will assure MCF continues to grow and reach people for Jesus not only today but in the days to come.
So, what are the commitments?
Let’s find out as Paul begins to share his final words to this group.
Picking up in verse 26 he says:
26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
The first thing I want you to notice, is that as Paul issues his final words, he begins by pointing them back once again to how he has ministered to them.
And in doing so he reemphasizes a necessary commitment a church must always have if it wants to continue to be a vibrant, healthy and growing church. And I would state it like this:
If we want to continue to be a healthy, growing, and vibrant church:
MCF must be committed to telling the whole truth to the lost no matter what.
And when I say lost, I’m talking about people who don’t know Jesus. Or people who have grown up in a religious setting but have never had a relationship with Jesus.
Which is what Paul is talking about when he says he did not shrink back from declaring to them the whole counsel of God.
In other words, Paul told them everything they needed to know about what it takes to be right with God. Which means, he told them all about Jesus and Salvation through faith in Him. And this is important for a couple of reasons:
First, it’s important because if people don’t know the whole truth, they won’t know what true salvation is and what a relationship with God entails.
Which means if we want people to be saved, we have to be willing to point them to Biblical truth. We have to be willing to tell them about Jesus and what following Him entails.
Second, it’s important because if we don’t tell people the whole truth, we will be held responsible for not telling them.
That’s what Paul means when he says:
26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
Paul says because he told them the whole truth, he is innocent of their blood.
So, what Paul is basically saying is, “Listen, I’ve told you the whole gospel. And as a result, I am innocent before God of what happens beyond this point.”
In other words, I’ve done my job. I’ve told you about Jesus. I’ve left nothing out. And now the decision is yours. You will either choose to follow Jesus or you won’t. You will either choose to walk in righteousness as a body of believers or you won’t.
And what most scholars believe is that in saying this Paul is referencing a passage from Ezekiel 3 where God commissions the prophet Ezekiel to declare the word of the Lord to the people of Israel. Look at what God says to Ezekiel:
17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
In this passage God gives the prophet Ezekiel specific instructions on what he is to declare and then a warning and consequences if he does not declare it.
So, what are the instructions? The instructions involve sharing every word that the Lord gives him with the people of Israel. Which means Ezekiel is to leave nothing out. He’s to tell them everything God has said no matter what. Every word.
The warning then comes as God tells Ezekiel what the consequences will be if he fails to deliver all of God’s words. What are the consequences? There are two:
The first consequence - People won’t get saved.
Look at what God says, “If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity...” Ezekiel 3:18a
In this passage God says, Ezekiel, if you don’t deliver the word to the wicked person, when the wicked person dies, they will die in their sin.
Which means, by being silent, people are going to die not having the opportunity to hear the Words of God and repent.
I’d say that’s a dyer consequence, wouldn’t you?
Which leads then to the second consequence:
The second consequence - We will be responsible for their lost soul.
God puts it like this, “…but his blood I will require at your hand.” Ezekiel 3:18b
In other words, because you failed to deliver the truth to them, Ezekiel, you will be held responsible for their fate. Their blood will be on your hands.
Why? Because you knew what could save them but you didn’t tell them.
Again, not something any of us would want to be responsible for.
So, when Paul says he is innocent of their blood, what he’s saying is, “Listen, I’ve told you everything about the Gospel. I’ve told you everything Jesus has done for you. I’ve told you what it takes to know and be right with God. As a result, I am innocent of your blood.”
Here’s what this is saying to us. If we want to be a church that continues to have an influence that matters. A church that leads people to truth. A church that God is pleased with. Then we have to be a church that is committed to telling the whole truth of the Gospel no matter what.
Because the fact is, if we’re not committed to that, then people aren’t going to get saved.
Yes, they might come to church.
Yes, they might get more religious.
But they won’t get saved. Why? Because if we’re not committed to telling them the whole truth, they will never experience true salvation.
So, a great question would be, “Why wouldn’t we be committed to telling the whole truth?”
Well, it could be for a number of reasons:
It could be because we are scared of offending them.
It could because we’re afraid of what they might think of us.
It could be that we really don’t care about them. Which would say a lot about our own faith.
But whatever the reason is, when we fail to tell people the truth of the Gospel, we rob them of the opportunity to know Jesus. Which is a tragedy since the truth has the power to set them free from sin and death. Jesus puts it like this:
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus says the truth sets people free.
In addition to that, when we fail to tell people the truth, we are going to be held responsible by God for not proclaiming the truth to them.
This actually became one of the major problems for the church at Ephesus, and probably why Paul was warning them.
And we know this because if we go to the book of Revelation, which was written about 40 years after the book of Acts, in His Revelation to the Apostle John, Jesus actually has a strong word for the church at Ephesus. Listen to what he says to them:
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
In this passage Jesus commends the church at Ephesus for their commitment to the truth, but condemns them for their loss of passion to share the truth.
That’s what He means when he says they had abandoned their first love.
In other words, while they had been a church committed to the truth, they had lost their passion and failed to share that truth with others.
As a result, the consequences aren’t good. BecauseJesus says He’s about to come and remove their lampstand.
What does that mean? It means He’s about ready to wipe the church at Ephesus off the map. Why?
Because they no longer represent Him and His desire to reach the lost. Instead they’ve become a church that is inward focused. And from Jesus’s perspective, that means they are no longer worthy of representing Him.
Strong words, right? And to be frank with you, that’s why many churches are dying today.
It’s not because of Covid. It’s not because young people aren’t interested in church anymore. It’s not because they don’t have an updated building. It’s because they’re either not telling the whole truth or they’ve lost their passion for telling people about truth.
And as a result they’ve become a powerless church. In fact, they no longer qualify to be a church. They are now a church that Jesus has removed his lampstand from because they no longer represent His passion to tell the truth and reach a lost and dying world.
And I promise you, if you were to look at why churches have moved from being vibrant to empty, one of the reasons would be at some point they either stopped telling the truth or they lost their passion for the lost. At some point they quit trying to reach people and tell them the truth.
Here’s what this is saying to us. If we want to be a church that continues to make an impact for Jesus in our community, our county, and our region, and in the world, then we have to be a church committed to telling people the truth about Jesus no matter what, and we have to be a church with a passion to reach the lost.
Which means, we can’t be afraid to tell people something they don’t want to hear. We can’t be afraid to stand up for truth. We can’t be afraid to warn people of the consequences that come when they fail to put their faith in Jesus.
Because at the end of the day, our conviction to tell the truth and our passion to reach the lost with the Gospel is what will determine if MCF will continue to be a vibrant church versus a church that is in decline.
MCF, I want to be a church that is committed to telling the whole truth and reaching a lost world for Jesus. But for that to happen, we all have to be committed to telling people the truth, no matter what.
This now leads us to a second commitment we need to be willing to make if we want to continue to be a healthy, growing, and vibrant church:
2. MCF must be committed to caring for the people who are here, and the people God is going to bring.
Paul states it like this:
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.
There are a few key statements that I want you to notice in this passage when it comes to caring for people.
The the first is the statement, “Pay careful attention” which literally means to “be alert” or to “take heed”. It’s the idea that a person needs to be on the lookout.
And this reason this statement is important, is because again it represents terminology that goes back to the prophet Ezekiel as God commissions and commands Ezekiel. Because in Ezekiel 34 God makes a similar statement to Ezekiel. Look at what He says:
7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
In this passage God declares that Ezekiel is to be a watchman over Israel. And to be a watchman means he is to act as a vigilant guard. A guard who is on alert for what he has been tasked to protect and care for.
And so in a similar way, Paul is now commissioning these elders to become watchman who are on alert. Watchman who have been commissioned to protect.
The question then is, “What are they watchman over and what are they to protect?”
That leads us to the second statement I want you to notice, because Paul goes on to say:
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock...” Acts 20:28a
Paul says they are to be watchman over the “flock”.
So, who is the flock? The flock is the church in Ephesus who these elders have been given charge over. And we know that’s what Paul is referring to because he goes on to say, “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...” Acts 20:28b
Paul now expands on his watchman analogy as he uses a third statement by referring to the Ephesian elders now as “overseers”
So, what’s an overseer? The word here for overseer literally means Shepherd. And by Shepherd we are talking about a person who watches over a flock of sheep.
So, what Paul is basically saying to them is, “Guys, along with declaring the whole truth, your job is to be like an alert Shepherd who watches over the flock that has been given to you”, which for them is the church in Ephesus.
So, a great question would be, “Why is Paul stressing this and why is it so important that they do this?”
He’s stressing it and it’s important for three reasons:
Reason #1 - It’s important because Paul says the Holy Spirit has made them the shepherds over the flock.
In other words, the Holy Spirit has appointed them to look over a specific group of people. Which means, this is a high calling. Something God has appointed them to do.
Reason #2 - It’s important because these people they are to watch over aren’t just anybody. They are people who have put their faith in Jesus. As Paul puts it, they are the church of God.
Another way to say it would be, “They are the assembly of God’s people.”
Reason #3 - It’s important because since they are God’s people, they are very important to God.
In fact, Paul goes on to add this:
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.
Notice what Paul says. He says these are people God paid for with His own blood. Meaning, these are people that Jesus died for. That’s how important they are too him.
All that to say, when Paul commissions these elders to be alert and to take care of the people of God, this is a high calling and is necessary for the future health of the church. Because like sheep, the people of God need shepherding. They need somebody who will care for them just like Jesus would.
Now, you might be thinking, “I get that pastor. Sounds good. But how does this apply to us?”
It applies in multiple ways.
First and foremost, it applies directly to me. Because the fact is, I’m the Shepherd that God has called to lead and care for MCF at this point in time. Which means my job is to make sure that the people God brings to our church are protected, nurtured, and cared for.
And I hope you know, it’s a calling I take very seriously, because at the end of the day, I’ll be held more accountable for it than anybody. The Apostle James puts it like this:
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
James says, if you’re a lead Shepherd for Jesus, you’ll be held more accountable.
But not only does this apply to me, it applies to you as well. Because the fact is, we are all responsible for the health of the flock. Because in a real sense, we are all Shepherds.
You might ask, “How so?”
Well, it goes back to how Jesus has set everything up. You may recall in the Gospels, Jesus had 12 disciples. Twelve men that he spent three years shepherding. And then after three years, he made them shepherds. In fact, he uses shepherd terminology as he commissions Peter for ministry. Listen to how Jesus puts it:
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.
In this passage Jesus commissions Peter to feed the sheep. Who are the sheep? The sheep are the people Peter will minister to throughout the course of his life.
And what was true for Peter is true for all of us. Because at some point after becoming a Christian, God is going to call you to be a Shepherd.
You might ask, “How so?” Let me give you a few examples:
Let’s start at the family level, because if you’re a father or mother, guess what, you’re a shepherd.
Which means you’re the one God has appointed to oversee the spiritual health and well being of your children. The one that God has given oversight of one of his precious children. Which means, it’s your job to Shepherd your kids. To direct them, to guide them, and to disciple them in the way of the Lord.
You might say, “Pastor, I thought that was your job. I thought that’s what MCF Kids and MCF Youth is for.”
No, those are just supplemental helps for you. And while we appreciate the Shepherd's God has put in our kids area, they are not the main Shepherd in your kids lives. The main Shepherd is you.
And that’s a high calling, right? Which means, some day mom and dad, you will stand accountable before God for the way you shepherded your children. The way you raised them. What you taught them about God and what you didn’t teach them about God.
So, that’s one example that I think applies to most in the room.
Here’s another example:
If you’re a Christian leading others to Jesus and teaching them about Jesus, then you’re a Shepherd. A shepherd that God is using to lead people to faith. A shepherd that is teaching new believers how to grow in their faith.
If you’re a Connect Group Leader, you are very much a Shepherd. A shepherd over a group of people who are meeting in your home. A group of people that God has given you the privilege of pouring into.
I would even say if you have a job where you work with one or more people, then you are a Shepherd. A shepherd that God has placed in a secular environment. A place where God is going to bring people to you who need counsel. People who need hope. People who need direction.
You see, we are all Shepherds in one since or another, which means we have a responsibility to take care of the people that God brings into our lives or into our church.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, I guess, but why is it so important I understand this?”
It’s important for two reasons:
Reason #1 - It’s important because God isn’t a fan of bad shepherding.
Again we know this based on what God says to the prophet Ezekiel as he references some bad Shepherds. Look at what he says:
1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “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? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 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. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 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.
In this passage God is rebuking the Shepherd’s of Israel who God says have neglected the sheep. How have they neglected them?
First, they neglected them by only thinking of themselves. That’s why God references their priority to feed themselves but not the sheep.
And unfortunately this is what happens in a lot of churches as people come to church and only think of themselves. As they fail to consider the needs of others. As they make church solely about themselves and their needs.
But the neglect didn’t stop there. Because they went on to neglect them as they refused to meet their needs. As they failed to help those who were sick, injured, bound up, or have strayed.
Which again is what happens in churches that are inward or self focused. Because in many ways a church is meant to be like a hospital that broken people are going to come too. And if we as Shepherd's aren’t willing to help them, then they aren’t going to get healed, they’re going to stay bound up in their sin, and eventually they are going to stray back out into the world.
Why? Because nobody shepherded them.
Here’s what this is saying to us MCF. If we want to continue to be a healthy, vibrant, and growing church, then we have to be committed to Shepherding. And yes, it starts with me, but it extends to you as well.
Because the truth is, there is no way I can individually Shepherd, keep track of, minister too, and help every person that walks through our doors or attends our church. Now is that my desire? You bet. But It’s not humanly possible.
But, what I can do is assign some of that responsibility to you. To ask you to help me Shepherd. To ask you to help me identify broken people that need to be healed. To help me rescue new sheep who may be falling back into the world. To help me feed new believers who need somebody to come alongside them and give them direction and encouragement.
For example, every Sunday when I preach, I make a note in the back of my mind of who was here, wasn’t here, and who I haven’t seen in awhile. Why do I do that? So that later in the week I can reach out to some sheep that may have strayed or may have something going on in their life they need help with.
And then, almost every Monday morning in staff meeting I’ll ask the staff this question, “Who hasn’t been in church the last few weeks?”
And I ask that question because I don’t want anybody to fall through the cracks. Because yes, I do my best to observe who’s not been in church. But sometimes I miss some people. That’s where my staff comes in as they begin to highlight people they haven’t seen. And then at that point I ask them to follow up and check in on them on my behalf.
But guess what, that’s not just my job or the staff’s job. That’s your job as well.
For example, most of you sit in the same place every week and you know the people who sit close to you. So, if you notice a few weeks go by and you don’t see so and so, hat ought to signal something to you. That ought to cause you to say, “I wonder where so and so has been. Maybe I should reach out to them and check on them. Maybe I should text, call, or send a message on Facebook and say, “Hey, I’ve missed seeing you in church. Is everything ok?”
That’s you being a Shepherd. That’s you owning the responsibility of taking care of the flock at MCF.
You see how that works.
And the same would be true for meeting needs.
For example, if you know somebody from our church has a need, instead of calling me, maybe you’re the one who should try and meet the need first. Maybe you’re the one that God wants to minister to them.
Now, you might say, “Ok Pastor, but what if it’s a need I can’t meet or something don’t know the answer too?”
Well, that’s when you come to me, or you go to one of the staff, and you say, “Hey, so and so is in need and I’m not sure what to do. Can you help me meet their need?”
We see an example of this kind of structure in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 18 Moses was about to wear himself out trying to Shepherd over a million people. But thankfully his Father-in-law encouraged him to assign some under-shepherds to help him.
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
In this passage Jethro realizes there is no humanly way for Moses to meet the needs of all the people. And so he gives Moses three suggestions:
Suggestion #1 - Moses you focus on teaching people the Word of God. That’s your primary job.
Suggestion #2 - Moses you need to assign individuals who can be an extension of you. Some who oversee thousands, some hundreds, some fifties, and some tens. And to them the small matters should go.
Suggestion #3 - If your under-shepherds face something they don’t know how to handle, they should bring the matter to you.
See how that works? And to be honest, that’s the way it should still work.
Meaning, my number 1 responsibility as the Lead Shepherd of MCF is to feed you with the Word of God. In fact, on a typical week I spend at least 20 hours of my time preparing Sunday’s message.
Now, does that mean I don’t have the time or the responsibility to attend to other matters? Of course not. The truth is, I meet with people and shepherd people all through the week. But I can’t meet with everybody and I can’t meet every need.
That’s where you come in. Because like Moses, I need people, like you, who are willing to help me with matters I can’t always attend to. Matters that come to your attention. Matters where people need help, guidance, or assistance. Matters that God has equipped you to help with.
So, for example, on a Sunday morning, if you see somebody is new to church, what a great opportunity for you to engage with them, give them a tour, grab them a cup of coffee, or maybe even ask them out for lunch.
You might say, “How do I know if their new?” Because they’re walking around like a lost sheep. They’re not hard to spot.
Or maybe you hear about somebody in the church going through a rough patch, so you give them a call and see if there is anything you can do.
Or maybe on a Sunday morning you notice that so and so doesn’t seem themselves. So, instead of ignoring it, you approach them and ask if you can pray for them or if they need to talk.
My point is, when you see a need, when you hear about need, you respond. Why? Because that’s what Shepherds do.
And the reality is, God is going to continue to bring us people who need a relationship with Jesus. People who are hurting. People who are broen.
And along with Jesus they need a church body that is willing to love them, guide them, direct them, and help them become all that God has called them to be. They need some shepherds in their life.
MCF, the fact is, if we want to continue to be a vibrant, healthy, and growing church, we have to be committed to taking care of one another along with the people that God is brining to us.
And I can promise you this, if we do that, our church will not only grow, but it will become a place of healing. A place where people know they can come and find help in their time of need. To a church where we not only tell people the whole truth, but we guide, direct, and shepherd them to a better life.
That’s my hearts desire for our church. That we would we continue to be a church that tells people the truth and then leads them to Jesus.
That being said, as we close, I’d like to issue you a couple of challenges. Challenges that I believe will help us continue to be that kind of church:
Challenge #1 - Who do you need to tell the whole truth too?
In other words, is there somebody in your life that you haven’t been completely up front with concerning the gospel. Somebody you care about, somebody important to you, but you’ve been hesitant to tell them about Jesus.
Let me ask you something, “What’s stopping you? What’s keeping you from telling them the truth? What are you waiting for?”
You might say, “Pastor, I just don’t want to offend them.” or “Pastor I’m just waiting for the right moment.”
I get that. And I understand that sometimes we have to be strategic when sharing our faith. But I also know at some point we just have to be honest. We have to stop beating around the bush. At some point we have to be willing to tell them the truth, even at the risk of offending them.
Why? Because the consequences of not telling them are too great. And what would be a tragedy, is in your hesitancy to tell them the truth, you miss out on the opportunity that God has given you.
So, who do you need to tell the whole truth too?
Challenge #2 - Who do you need to Shepherd?
The fact is, we’ve all been called to Shepherd somebody. A responsibility that God has given to all Christians. The responsibility to not only share our faith, but then shepherd and care for the person we lead to faith. Or to shepherd and care for the person somebody else has led to faith.
So, who are you Shepherding? Who are you guiding? Who are investing in? Who are you ministering too on a Sunday morning? Who are you reaching out to when you fail to see them in church? Who are you helping when a need arises?
MCF, can you imagine what our church could become if everybody in the room committed to Shepherding? If each of us committed to caring for the needs of those who are here and those who God is going to send?
And let me say this, God only sends people to churches where He knows they will be cared for. A church that is committed to shepherding.
MCF, I want us to become a church like that. A church for the broken. A church for the hurting. A church where the lost not only receive the truth, but they are loved and cared for.
Let’s Pray