Shepherds and the Flock

Introduction

Like many of you, I grew up going to church. I don’t ever remember a time when we didn’t regularly attend services on Sundays and Wednesday nights. But growing up going to church could be a little confusing. Because sometimes in a kid’s mind, you see things or remember things not exactly as they really were. I can remember it was tradition where I grew up going to church, then when someone was baptized, that we we always did the exact same thing with every baptism. We would sing two songs, always the same two songs. We had those two songs for baptism, and that’s the only time we sang those songs. It was like it was wrong to sing them some other time. But we had those two songs, one before and one after, and then right after the baptism, we would have a prayer.

Well, unfortunately, baptisms weren’t as frequent as we would like them to be, and so as a little kid, I got things mixed up in my mind. And my mom told me after I’d grown a little bit, she says that, you know, when you were a kid, you didn’t want to be baptized. Or you were worried about being baptized. Because I had remembered it wrong. In my childlike mind, I had remembered that they would say a prayer while the person was under the water.

And my mom told me that I had made a request as a child. There were two members. Let me tell you about two members of the Beulah Church where I grew up. One was my uncle. And he was long, well, it’s an understatement to say that he was long-winded. Everything he said took forever to say. And his prayers were long-winded. So I can remember even as a kid and as an adult, it was his prayers were so long that when you opened your eyes, it was like coming out of a movie theater. The lights hurt your eyes. And so we on one end of the spectrum, we had my uncle who led very long prayers. And then we had another man who was very nervous type.

And his prayers were so fast and so short. They sounded like the legal disclaimer at the end of an ad on the radio. I mean, he was he was so wound up and nervous that his uh dear God and Amen, I kind of ran together in those prayers. And my mom said that I had made a request that when I get old enough to get baptized, don’t let my uncle lead the prayer. I want Billy Joe Marshall to lead the prayer. You know, we can kind of confuse things, especially as kids about church and what’s going on. And, you know, as funny as it is to tell stories about your childhood or other kids you may have known that confuse things about what’s going on in church.

It’s it’s also possible for adults. We can get things about church confused and not remember them exactly as they are. To aid in that confusion, the religious world has changed much of what we read about of the work and the organization and even the worship of the church in the New Testament. And we, if we’re not careful, we can let that worldly concept creep into our mind and make us confused as adults about the church and what it is and how it ought to function and what worship and organization is to look like. And so from time to time, it’s good for us to kind of go back to the basics, isn’t it? And remind ourselves about the church and things of the church, and especially at particular times in our existence, it’s time to talk about per certain aspects of it.

1. Elders, Shepherds, and Overseers: The Same Work

And so this morning I’d like to talk to you about the church and its shepherds. Because, again, there is confusion that can easily creep in. And so let’s talk about the shepherds and the flock. First of all, and I don’t usually put my verses up on the screen for a reason, but this morning I want to illustrate something for you. So look at 1 Peter chapter 5, whether you turn in your New Testament or just look at the wording on the screen here. In 1 Peter chapter 5, Peter is going to talk to this group of people. And so he says, the elders who are among you I exhort. I, who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed.

And he tells them to shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers. This is a very interesting text, not just because the instructions are given to these elders, but it’s a particularly interesting text because of three words that are used in this context. We have first the word elders that he addresses, and then in its verb form, he tells them to shepherd the flock, and then again says that you are serving as overseers. In this one text, in these three verses in 1 Peter chapter 5, we find the three words that the New Testament uses to describe this work, these men elders, shepherds, and overseers. And so those are three terms all used to speak of the same group of men, the same work that they’re doing.

We see that very similar language in Acts chapter 20. When we look in Acts chapter 20, where Paul is speaking to the Ephesian elders in verses 17 and 28, in a part of that discussion, it says, From Miletus, he, that is the Apostle Paul, sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church, and he would tell them in verse 28, therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to, again, in the verb form, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his blood. And so in 1 Peter 5, verses 1 through 3, and Acts chapter 20, verses 17 and 28. Again, we see those three words: elders, overseers, and shepherd, all used to describe the work that these men are doing.

And so there are three words in our New Testament that speak to this office or to this work. And they have been translated. Here’s three columns that represent those three words. It ends up becoming five words because two of the words are variously translated. And so we have the words elders, and to my knowledge, every time that word is used, it’s translated the same way in the English language, elder. Then we have the word that is translated in those two texts as in its verb form, shepherd, and it can be translated in two different ways. Shepherds are pastor. That it’s the exact same word, different words in English, but even in English carry with it the same concept. But in the original in the text, it’s the exact same word.

Shepherds are pastors. And then we have that word overseers that we saw in 1 Peter 5 and Acts chapter 20. Sometimes that word, depending upon your translation, may be translated bishop. Overseers, bishops, the same concept. So we have three words, two of which may be translated two different ways, but all three of these words, or all five of these English words, all speak to the same word. Now, do you recognize immediately where we already have run into some confusion? Because all of the religious world doesn’t use these words that way. There’s some segment of the religious world that will use the word bishop in another way, of some office that we don’t even read about in the New Testament, that oversees multiple churches and kind of has a power above that of elders and shepherds and overseers.

And so the word bishop certainly becomes confused because, again, the religious world, so many people use that term in a way simply that we just don’t read about in the New Testament. That middle column, the word pastor is often misused in the religious world to apply just to preachers. When again, in the New Testament, the word, there’s various words for preachers, ministers, evangelists, preachers, but the term pastor is never applied to the work of simply preaching the gospel. The word pastor is the same word shepherd, and is always and only applied to this work of the overseers and the elders. And so again, we quickly see there’s already some confusion there, and we need to be careful in our language and in our description to use New Testament words and New Testament ways.

2. The Qualifications or Characteristics of These Men

And so we have these men, this office, this work, and we have two primary texts. Turn with me, if you will, first of all, to 1 Timothy chapter 3. The apostle Paul, who spoke to those Ephesian elders there in Acts chapter 20, by the direction and the inspiration of God, wrote letters to two younger evangelists, Timothy and Titus, first and 2 Timothy, and then the book of Titus. In 1 Timothy chapter 3, and in Titus chapter 1, he spoke to these evangelists and told them about the work that they needed to do in the appointing of elders. And so when we look at the New Testament pattern, we have really two or three examples. In the book of Acts, we read about Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journeys, going, really going back to many of these cities that they had already visited, where Christians had been created, have been baptized, and churches had been formed.

They go back into those places and they appoint elders in all of those cities, or again, shepherds, pastors, overseers, bishops, all the same terms referring to the same work. And so we have the pattern of Paul and Barnabas appointing the elders in these different cities. And then Paul now giving instructions to basically the next generation of evangelists, Timothy and Titus. And so he would tell Titus, we’ll get there in just a minute, stay in 1 Timothy 3, but he tells Titus and Titus chapter 1, this is why I left you in Crete, so that you might appoint elders in that location. And so we see that these qualifications are these characteristics of these men have been given to these men, these evangelists. And so it’s the evangelists’ role to appoint these elders.

Now, not in some dictatorial way, as he had appointed these elders, but he has been given the instructions to teach and to inform of these qualifications, to make sure that these things are done. Because I believe we also see in Acts chapter 6 and the appointing of that work of how it is to be done, that they’re to look out from among you. And so this is really a congregational effort in the idea of appointing these men. But the primary role, or maybe the guiding role of this was given to the evangelist. And so to these evangelists, Timothy and Titus, Paul would say this look in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1. This is a faithful saying. If a man desires the position of a bishop, now again, you’re look at our chart up here, your translation may say overseers.

Same word, same concept. If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? Not a novice, lest he be puffed up with pride, and he fall into the condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

So here in 1 Timothy chapter 3, and corresponding to it in Titus chapter 1, Paul gives these evangelists the what we call the qualifications, maybe a better term is the characteristics of these men who were to serve in this office or this work in the local churches. Now, a couple things about this list of characteristics. Number one is that obviously in the application of this, there has to be some human judgment. Take, for example, just one of the qualifications. He says they must be gentle. Well, what does that mean? That means if I’ve ever seen you stomp on a roach, that you know that you’re not, that wasn’t gentle. You know, so we understand that there’s some human judgment in that of what that means and how that is to be applied.

And so we take these God-given characteristics. We apply carefully, very carefully, our human judgment in estimating these men, whether they meet those qualifications. And then those men are appointed by men like Paul and Barnabas, Timothy and Titus to the work of elders, bishop, overseers, shepherds, and pastors. Now, we don’t have the time this morning to go detail by detail into these qualifications, but I encourage you, especially at this time, to look at these lists. Take Timothy and Titus. Here’s a good exercise. It just takes one piece of paper. Take one piece of paper and draw a line, right smack dab in the middle and write 1 Timothy 3 on one column, Titus 1 on the other column, and then list those qualifications. What you’re going to find more times than not is that Timothy and Titus were told the exact same thing.

Maybe a little bit different wording. Here’s one example. Let’s just look at one example of them being told the same thing, but maybe a little bit different wording. Here Paul told Timothy, in uh look in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 4: one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. And so to Timothy, he says, these men who are to do these work must rule their house well and have their children in submission with all reverence. Well, now turn over, it’s probably just a couple pages in your Bible to Titus chapter 1. And look at the corresponding language in Titus chapter 1. And in verse 6. It says, if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

3. The Responsibilities of the Shepherds

Little bit different wording, but I believe saying the exact same thing that elders, potential elders, must be able to rule their house well, that their children will be obedient to them, submissive to them in all reverence and subordination. And so take these qualifications, look at them, and we’ll apply them in this process that we’re undergoing. But now let’s talk about the work and the responsibility, and it’s really a twofold responsibility that’s kind of indicated hinted in the title of the lesson, shepherds and the flock. And so let’s just quickly look at both sides of this equation. What are the responsibilities of the shepherds? The shepherds are to be an example. Look with me again in 1 Peter chapter 5. As you’re turning over back to 1 Peter chapter 5, the text that we looked at that showed those three terms used for this office or this work.

I’ll remind you that Paul told the elders at Ephesus that they were to take heed to themselves. And so one of their primary responsibilities, before we even get to the flock, is to themselves. They’re to take heed to themselves. Paul told Timothy and these characteristics in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2 that they’re to be men of good behavior. But notice what he says in 1 Peter 5 and in verse 3, nor is being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. So in my order, at least, I would put this as the first duty of an elder that he is to take heed to himself, that he’s to be of good behavior, that he’s to be a good example. And if you think about it, that’s absolutely essential to the work of shepherd, because as indicated in these texts, the shepherd is to lead or to guide.

That’s not shepherding. And so the example is the shepherds will say to the flock, you go that way, I’m going with you.

So it’s not just a title that is worn. It’s not some honorary title that we bestow upon someone, but it’s a work, it’s a verb. They are to shepherd. The term shepherd means to tend or to feed the flock. Again, to guide the flock. It includes in providing spiritual nourishment and training. They’re to protect, Paul told those shepherds in Acts 20, to protect the flock from wolves, whether they are within or without. And again, in Acts chapter 20, the responsibility of a shepherd in shepherding is to protect the weak. They are to oversee, again, in 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 2, he says, Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers. And again, none of these terms are just honorary titles.

They’re descriptive of the work and the role that they’re to have. And so they’re to oversee. They are to, as a shepherd would do. And I see these terms, overseer, and again, sometimes translated bishop and shepherd as being very, at least complementary, if not crossing over one another, is the idea that’s what a shepherd’s going to do. He’s going to take care of the flock. He’s going to see the flock, see to the needs of the flock, and make sure that those spiritual needs are met. And then lastly, again, stay in 1 Peter chapter 5, is that they’re to take responsibility for this flock. He says there that you’re to shepherd the flock, serving as overseers, being examples. And so there’s the responsibility. But look specifically now in Titus.

Now that we’ve seen what those responsibilities are, notice how Paul to Titus describes this work. Titus chapter 1, again, is where we find the qualifications listed there. But notice in this list of characteristics, he also speaks to the responsibility. In first, in Titus again, chapter 1, look at verse 7, what he says. Titus chapter 1. And in verse 7, he says, For a bishop, or again, could be translated overseer, must be blameless as a steward of God. I know you’ve heard lessons and Bible classes and even understand the concept of stewardship. Stewardship is the idea of something that you are overseeing for someone else. And so these shepherds are shepherding the flock, but they’re shepherding someone else’s sheep. They are overseeing someone else’s flock. And that, of course, that’s God’s Jesus Christ.

And so they have been given the idea of stewardship, which means a responsibility to take care of something that belongs to someone else.

4. The Flock’s Responsibility to These Men

And so they’re to take responsibility as stewards of God, recognizing that they have been entrusted again with the flock of God. So we talked about the shepherds’ responsibility. Now let’s turn it around and talk about what’s the flock’s responsibility to these men, these overseers. We’re to pray for them. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, you don’t have to turn over there, but in 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul instructed Timothy to instruct the saints to pray for our civic leaders, our government leaders. Well, what wouldn’t it follow that if we’re going to pray for those people that we should pray for our spiritual leaders as well? And I know every shepherd, every good shepherd of every local church covets the prayers of the congregation. We need to be praying for these men, accepting, understanding the responsibility that they have been given.

We won’t turn back there again, but you remember Acts chapter 20, when Paul spoke to those Ephesian elders, it says specifically that he prayed with them. And so I want to encourage you, you probably are already including this in your practice, but pray for our shepherds, our overseers. And maybe add this to your repertoire. Pray with them. Call them up or pull them aside sometime and say, Can I pray with you?

And so, would it be all right if we pray about this? Secondly, the scriptures tell us that we’re to esteem them. Look over in 1 Thessalonians. We haven’t looked at this text, but 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

Beginning in verse 12, 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 12 says, We urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and who are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And then he adds this tagline, be at peace among yourselves. And so we need to esteem these men for the work that they’re doing, for the responsibility that they have voluntarily accepted to be placed upon their shoulders. And then we are to follow them. Look in Hebrews chapter 13. It just kind of follows that if shepherds are to guide and lead, and they’re to do so by an example. Remember, he said it’s not a good shepherd who says, Y’all go over here, I’ll stay here.

But it also kind of follows that if they’re to guide and to lead, that part of our responsibility is to follow. Now, obviously, we would add the asterisk, put the asterisk here, is when we’re asked to go in the right direction. We still have the responsibility for our own souls. And if the time ever arises, and maybe that’s part of the warning in Acts 20 to those Ephesian elders, the time arises, then when even those shepherds would guide us in the wrong direction, that we don’t need to blindly follow in that regard. But if they’re leading as examples and as good stewards to God, then we have the responsibility to follow. He says, Hebrews 13, verse 16 says, But do not forget to do good and to share, for whether that’s good sacrifices, God is well pleased.

Obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. And then let them do, and this brings us to our next point, let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. And another responsibility that we have is to ease their task as best we can. And we can do that in different ways. We can do that in the example that we see outlined in Acts chapter 6, where we step up and take care of some of the responsibilities so that they can be burdened with the greater, more spiritual responsibilities.

We can do that by following. We can do that by esteeming and praying for them. We can do that by not backbiting and grumbling and complaining. But to take joy in the work that we’re doing here, recognizing that we’re all pressing toward that same goal.

Breathing air when they did it.

Conclusion

And so I hope in some small way this lesson has maybe cleared up some confusion in your mind or kept out some confusion in your mind about this work, about the work of shepherds and the flock that God has entrusted to them. But it might be possible that this morning I’m speaking to someone who’s not a part of the flock of God. But you’ve not submitted your life and your soul to the great shepherd, Jesus Christ, who watches for our souls. We want to instruct you in what you need to do in order to become a part of that flock, to become one of God’s children. You need to believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. There’s a lot of confusion about that in the religious world.

But we go back to the word, and what does God tell us that we need to do? If that applies to you this morning, if you need to become one of God’s lambs, a part of his flock this morning, then why not submit to his will? Maybe you’ve done that and like that one from the 90 and 9, you’ve wandered away. Jesus is out in the rocks and the thorns looking for you, seeking to bring you back into the flock. Would that happen this morning? Can we help you in any spiritual way as together we stand and as we sing?