Shepherd God’s Flock
1 Peter 5:1-4
Feb 22 we ordained Charles Han as a pastor. March 3 Dan Whang was ordained, and today, we’d like to recognize him.
With Charles’ ordination, it was good for me to reconsider what a pastor is called to do. And so with Dan’s ordination, I thought it would be good for him, for our elders and pastoral staff, and our congregation to consider some words from Peter addressed to pastors/elders.
Note: I believe the words elder, shepherd, overseer, pastor are interchangeable. The instructions are to the elders/overseers/shepherds/pastors.
1. Context: Suffering and Judgment
The context of 1 Peter is a church under persecution and suffering.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)
There will be judgment, which starts with the church, and then moves to the unbelieving world.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
This judgment is to purify the church and punish the world.
Then in 5:1, “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you.” (in the Greek)
In light of the suffering in the church and the judgment of God that purifies the church before it punishes the world, Peter addresses the elders.
His charge is simple: Shepherd God’s flock.
The church is suffering, Shepherd the Flock. Take care of my sheep. God’s people are suffering. They beaten and bruised, and in need of tender care.
The church will be purified in judgment, Shepherd the Flock. This judgment will start with the leaders. Be prepared to be held accountable.
You may recall, but when we looked at 2 Tim 4 at Charles’ ordination, Paul had given his charge to Timothy in the context of persecution and suffering. He also gave his charge in light of the fact that Jesus is our judge and we will be held accountable.
There is an urgent need and a serious responsibility to Preach the Word and Shepherd the Flock.
2. Charge: Shepherd God’s Flock
There are so many Bible passages that develop this image of a shepherd with his sheep.
From John 10, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we can make some quick observations
A. The shepherd knows his sheep by name and his sheep know him (vs. 3, 4, 14): Relationship
sheep will run away from a stranger (v. 5)
the picture is one of relationship: they know, trust, have spent time together, are familiar/comfortable with. He knows them individually. The sheep trust him.
B. The shepherd gives full and abundant life (v. 10): Blessing
not like thieves who come to steal, kill, destroy
But shepherds are there to serve and bless others. The people around them find themselves more blessed, more full, more abundant.
I can think of some people I know: there are some around whom I feel they want to get something (help, tips, good deals). Most people don’t try to take nor try to give. But there are some whom I feel they always give something.
C. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (vs. 11, 15, 17): Sacrificial Love
hired hands don’t care about the sheep and run away from danger
the good shepherd cares about his sheep, he cares so much he’d be willing to risk his life to save them.
There were two boys who were running around sand dunes one day. They never returned home. Parents got concerned, a search party went out. They finally found one boy up to his neck in the sand. “Where is your brother?” “I’m standing on his shoulder.”
That’s a picture of Christ. He says, stand on my shoulders. I will die so you can live.
As an aside, one aspect of this is that shepherds protect their sheep. In the NT, we see Paul urging and demonstrating protection, protection from false doctrine. This ties back to the charge to Preach the Word, that elders protect and proclaim a clear and uncompromising gospel.
I’d like to affirm that our brother Dan is a wonderful shepherd. These three characteristics describe his ministry:
He builds individual relationships, he knows his sheep by name.
I have to confess that Dan is a lot better than me. I struggle to know everyone’s names. Dan is a more relational guy, and I celebrate how God has made him and am glad to have him on our staff.
He serves to bless them, to give them life abundant.
He sacrifices his time, money, comfort, energy for them.
I’m sure we could have a nice line of testimonies of college students who have felt his shepherding care.
3. Instructions/Warnings
Returning to our passage, Peter address elders/pastors.
In the midst of persecution and suffering,
In the midst of purifying judgment,
Peter warns the elders (P. Dan and the rest of us). They must be
willing, not forced [not lazy or half-hearted]
eager, not greedy for money [not greedy]
setting examples, not lording over [not power-hungry, proud]
A. Eager, not obliged
Peter is probably addressing a situation where elders were being reluctant, hesitant, perhaps feeling a bit forced. They’ve lost motivation. It may be because of the weight of ministry or the pressures of persecution. So he says elders should be willing, eager—they want to shepherd the flock. It must not just be a job. They are to be internally-motivated.
I think for elders/pastors today, there is still the danger of losing motivation. We all start with great enthusiasm and passion, but over time, we can become half-hearted, distracted, lazy. After time (5, 10, 15 years); there’s something about a pastor who has faithfully ministered for 30, 40 years. After marriage and kids, after the bachelor years. After some failures, criticisms, hurts and pains.
So there is a warning: be eager, not obliged. We must not let this become something we have to do. This is to remain something we want to do. We’re to be careful of drifting into half-heartedness. We’re to keep the passions hot. [more on motivation later]
B. Not greedy for money
The Bible teaches and we believe that an elder should be supported, to have his needs provided for, particularly those whose ministry it is to teach the Word. But on the other side of that, there is now the danger of being tempted by money.
No pastor at Renewal is here for the money. I don’t think the danger is that Dan is motivated by greed.
However, it is easy for pastors to care about money in other ways. We want financial security, we want some of the pleasures and comforts that money can bring. Some may be obsessed with spending their money, some may be obsessed with saving their money. The danger is caring too much about money.
Last week P. Dan quoted Pr 30:8, 9. We ask for neither poverty nor riches but just our daily bread. Too much and we may feel we don’t need God, too little and we may be tempted to steal.
I can broaden this category to say that as elders, we need to be careful of allowing other temptations to dilute/compromise our love for Christ and His flock.
We’re warned not to care too much about money. Money is a real temptation, for pastors too.
But we could also add, we’re not to care too much about reputation, fame, popularity, comfort, recreation, entertainment, etc. Paul’s words in 2 Tim 2:3-4 are, we are soldiers who must not get too involved in civilian affairs. We want to please our commanding officer. We are servant of Christ, given a charge to shepherd His flock.
It’s not that elders/pastors can’t have hobbies and interests. But we are to be cautioned against being distracted from or diluted in our call to Shepherd the Flock.
C. Leading by Example, not Power
We need to be cautious of the love of power. Some love to have authority, prestige, dominance. Some love to be up in front, holding the mic, calling the shots. Some love to have their way. But Peter warns the temptation of power and urges a different kind of leadership—servant leadership, lifestyle leadership.
Peter sets an example himself. He could have addressed these elders as an apostle, as someone with authority over them. But he “appeals as a fellow elder.”
The leadership influence of a Shepherd is not to come so much by virtue of his position. Nor is it to come from his gifts or abilities. His main influence is that of an example. It is about the quality of his life, his private character, his genuine faith, his own walk with the Lord.
There are plenty of gifted pastors/elders who are impressive at first, but after you get to know them over time, their character and faith are not as impressive.
Others may not be as gifted or impressive, but after you get to know them, their character and faith are powerful examples. In the long run, this is where one’s ministry will thrive.
In particular, in the context of 1 Peter, I think Peter pictures things like
Faithfulness in hardships.
Persecution. Readiness to endure hardships and persecution. Pastor/elders are to set an example of faithfulness in or readiness for persecution.
I remember seeing an old movie about Korean Christians/pastors suffering Japanese persecution. And I remember crying, because I thought if my Dad were alive in that time, he would have never denied Christ and suffered all the way to the end.
Living for a future hope.
To show God’s people that this life is not what we’re living for. This world is not our home. In the midst of persecution and suffering, we rest in our future hope, our future glory—we’re going to go home. Jesus is coming to take us home.
4. Motivation
I think it is interested to note how Peter in trying to inspire these elders/pastors.
He does not say, Look at these needy sheep, so how much they need you. He does not appeal to human compassion.
He does not say, It is your duty to take care of these sheep, be faithful servants. He does not appeal to a sense of duty or responsibility.
I see two main motivators in this passage.
A. We have a future glory.
Peter points out that Jesus is coming back, and when he appears, we will receive the crown of glory.
In v. 1, Peter says he is a fellow elder who is a witness of Christ’s suffering and who will share in a glory to be revealed. He is saying this of himself and these other elders, that they all are testify to Jesus’ death and resurrection, and they all will share in a future glory. A big theme: future glory.
Jesus is coming back, and we will share in His glory. And there is a particular honor for those who have Shepherded God’s flock. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
B. This is God’s flock.
vs. 2, this is God’s flock that has been entrusted to your care.
It’s like saying, these are God’s children, and he’s asked you to care for them.
That thought is implied in vs. 4, Christ is the Chief Shepherd. Christ is the shepherd of God’s flock, and we are his under-shepherds.
It’s easy for pastors/elders to feel a certain possessiveness: this is my flock, I need to care for my sheep. And in a sense, I don’t think that’s entirely wrong or bad.
But that perspective must be counter-balanced with a greater perspective—this is God’s flock, and Christ is their Great Shepherd. We are working on Jesus’ team in the care of God’s flock.
The point is, we don’t just shepherd them because we care for them. We shepherd them because God cares for them. It is our passion for God from which all our other passions must flow. We love God, they belong to God, so we feel weightiness in wanting to give them the best care we can.
We have a particular charge, an entrusted care. We’re warned not to become half-hearted, not to be distracted, not to give in to temptations of money or power.
5. Applications
A. We are all to shepherd one another
The ministry of shepherding care is not just reserved for pastors. Instead, we believe that there is a sense that as all of us are priests, all of us have the HS
All of us are commanded to love one another, to encourage one another, to pray for one another, to serve one another, etc., this ministry of shepherding care is something the body of Christ does for one another.
Although the pastors and elders will do their best, even so, that will not be enough to adequately shepherd all the people who come to Renewal. Instead, we hope that we can lead by example, but that the rest of the body will shepherd one another. That’s the church.
B. Be comforted by the Chief Shepherd
We’ve found a Shepherd, someone who came to give not take, who ministers to us in a relationship (He knows us by name), He lays down his life (fully committed). We’re not orphans, it’s not us against the world. We have Someone on our side.
And this is to be a community that reflects that. His care for us overflows in our care for one another.
For all us, myself included, there are times when we feel the need to be shepherded, to have someone come around us, get to understand us, serve and strength us, demonstrate tangible love to us. May that time is now.
But the greatest encouragement is that there is a Chief Shepherd, a Good Shepherd.
The description in John 10 isn’t mainly instructions for how elders are to shepherd. It is a description of how Jesus is our Shepherd. That’s the main story.
He knows your name
He has come to give and bless, to give us an abundant life
He has laid down his life for you. He says, “Stand on my shoulders, and live.”