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Big Idea: Peter addresses the elders of the churches exhorting them to care for and lead God’s people faithfully.
Sheep need a shepherd.
Reminded of this truth while Jo and I were watching a show on a streaming service where a novice farmer was trying to move a flock of about 20 sheep from one paddock to another. (Clarkson’s Farm) Should have been straight forward. The paddock gate was wide open and directly in front of them. However, one renegade sheep decided to go over a stone wall and onto the main road. The rest of the flock followed suit. Funny to watch on TV. Frustrating and fraught with danger in real life.
Sheep need a shepherd.
While we might giggle at the misadventures of these uncooperative creatures it is sobering to learn that in the Old and New Testaments the metaphor of sheep is often used to describe God’s people.
Isaiah 53:6 immediately comes to mind. We all like sheep have gone astray (bah bah do bah bah) Each of us has turned to his own way
From God’s perspective, all of us are like sheep who stupidly dive over the wall into the path of death rather than go through the open gate to life.
And so one of the key themes of the Bible is that we are sheep who need a shepherd.
Sheep need a Shepherd.
In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel we discover that not any old shepherd will do.
There are some bad shepherds out there. God confronts some of these bad shepherds in Ezekiel 34:3-4.
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.
These guys are bad shepherds. They use and abuse the sheep for their own ends. They don’t care for the sheep in any way.
Sheep need a Good Shepherd.
In the New Testament we discover that the Good Shepherd is Jesus.
John 10
Jesus says, v14 I am the Good Shepherd.
What does a good shepherd do? … v15 I lay down my life for the sheep.
Earlier in this gospel John the Baptiser calls Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
The once and for all sacrifice to deal with all of our sin.
The author of our passage explains what it means that Jesus has taken away the sin of the world.
1 Peter 2:22-25
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. [unlike us Jesus never went astray] 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. [Even as he suffered injustice Jesus did not blame or despise or reject God the Father] 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
I wonder if you understand your need for forgiveness? I wonder if you have stopped straying and come to Jesus? Committed to following him?
Hear his words, I am the Good Shepherd, I lay down my life for my sheep – here is the offer of eternal life. Stop straying, call on Jesus the one who laid down his life so that you might be forgiven. A suggested response – I’m sorry, please forgive me, help me to follow you.
Everyone needs the Good Shepherd.
And while we live in this life we continue to be sheep who need a shepherd.
As you may have noticed not everyone thinks that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, or that he is someone worth following.
So Peter warns us … … (v12) do not be surprised at the fiery trials, expect them. … (v14) when you are insulted because you trust in Jesus remember that you are blessed [Sermon on the Mount]. v13 But rejoice … as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
Persevere in times of suffering and insult because glory is coming.
Marathons. For some reason when you get to my age all your friends want to participate in a 42 km race! Not to win but to finish. A marathon is finished by perseverance.
Perseverance in suffering, pushing on to glory
That is the context of our passage – but a far better outcome. And it gives us greater understanding as we seek to ordain more men into eldership in our church.
In this passage we see that sheep need shepherding and shepherds are mature models of Christ.
1. Maturity
Read 5:1-2a
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight …
Notice the themes of suffering now but glory to come.
Peter is writing to the elders as one who is also charged with oversight and experiencing the same conditions. Suffering and glory.
Bit like the sign on the gym wall … No pain no gain.
Suffering then Glory. It’s in the context of this reality that Peter exhorts the elders to shepherd the flock of God and to exercise oversight. Shepherd and lead the God’s blood brought people in your churches.
School sheep. Dogs got in and carnage ensued. Horrible task to pick up, clean up, and patch up after that attack. Diligent in locking them away safely each afternoon. The welfare of the sheep weighed heavy.
As we await glory only the Jesus the Good Shepherd, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls, can feed souls, bind wounds, comfort and guard his people in the valley of the shadow of death and bring them to eternal glory.
So we need mature elders who can lead us to Christ. Eph 4:11 God promises in Christ that he will gift these men to the church.
Sheep need shepherds.
We are looking for men who are mature in the faith and not ashamed of Christ. Who are not confused or derailed by suffering – personally, or in others. Men who will confidently declare the gospel in the face of objections and opposition. Men who can actually help others as they face those pressures and encourage, correct and guide when doubts arise. Men who are convinced of Christ’s promised return and the glory that will then be revealed. And who live now in light of that truth. Men who will carefully and consistently remind us of these things and walk us through them when we get wobbly. Men who will actively and imaginatively ensure that men and women our church are trained up to help encourage, correct and guide each other in living faithfully now with an eye on the future.
That’s what mature elders do. They continually bring us to Christ. They shepherd us to the Good Shepherd.
And we thank God that he raises up such men among us for this work.
2. Models I don’t mean fashion models. But I do mean, or Peter actually, models of Christ.
Read v2b-3
not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
I was once the interim moderator of a church who years before had approached leading businessmen in the town and made a deal that if they came to the church they would be made elders. Ecclesiastical status mixed with worldly prestige. A recipe for disaster.
The health of that church never recovered. They completely misunderstood the nature and role of any leadership in the church.
Eldership: Not status but service.
Reformer John Calvin describes Peter as warning against sloth, desire of gain, and lust for power.
Serve willingly not because you are being coerced. Serve eagerly, looking for opportunity to serve. Serve humbly. As Jesus said, it is the rulers of this world that lord it over others, but leaders in his service serve. So, elders are not domineering but humble.
Peter is calling on elders to exhibit the attitude of Christ, to be an example of Christ minded living in the world.
Eldership is service not status. Men modeling Jesus in the church and to the world.
The nature of the world we live in is that there is no end of discouragements to stay the course. Elders will experience the displeasure of people, much effort for little visible reward, the fact that Satan prowls around looking to devour and sometimes his wicked devices succeed.
But here is the goal.
Read v4
4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
On Friday Jo and I had our annual Zoom meeting with the guy who oversees our Superannuation. Retirement fund. I know what you are thinking; we live very exciting lives. Let me tell you, that our plan for that night was to do our tax as well!
Past performance does not guarantee future returns. This world has no certain reward.
But look what we have in Christ. Crown of glory not only for faithful elders, but for all who like them persevere in Christ. His sacrifice has secured our future, better than we can know. What a promise.
Sheep need a shepherd. Praise God that he raises up men who, by the enabling of Christ will shepherd us to that last and glorious day.
Please pray that he would be at work to raise up men to lead us and pray that he would guide us as we call them to that post.
Conclusion I don’t know how you feel about being likened to a sheep.
After watching that Farming Series on Prime I was reminded how dopey they can seem sometimes.
Also, that sheep don’t need a celebrity shepherd.
Not captains of industry. We need men willing and able to set aside the time to shepherd and lead.
Comforting that God knows that his Sheep need a shepherd.
And that in Christ God has sent the Good Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd to save us and bring us to glory.
Praise him that because of his great love for us he will raise up under-shepherds/elders to help us see the day, to persevere until his return.
Let’s sing his praises.
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