Relationships of shepherds and sheep

Turn if you will to Isaiah and chapter 40. Isaiah and chapter 40 and just one verse. Verse number 11, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd.

He shall gather the lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young. I would take it that that is a lifetime goal for a man that would seek to shepherd God's people. Thinking of the ultimate shepherd himself, the Lord Jesus and his care.

Of course here it is his care for restored people, Israel, but of course we know he is as well our shepherd even at this very moment. Now turn if you will to the New Testament and we will look together at Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20 and verse number 28.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood or with the blood of his own. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own cells shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.

Therefore watch, remembering that by the space of three years I cease not to warn every one of you night and day with tears. And now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among them that were sanctified and so on. That will be enough for us to read here.

Turn if you will to 1 Thessalonians and chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse number 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly and love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you brethren, warn or admonish them that are unruly or disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men, see that none render evil for evil unto any, but ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all men.

Hebrews and chapter 13. And just breaking in and perhaps just picking up at verse number 17. Obey them that have the rule.

Now that's not the idea of rule as we would think of a monarch ruling, but rather the idea of leadership. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves but they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you. Finally of course 1 Peter and chapter 5. These are all very familiar and hardly anything new that can be said about them, but just to link them together and to hopefully emphasize, underline some things already well known to us.

Chapter 5 verse number 1. The elders which are among you I exhort to also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither is being lords over God's heritage but being in samples to the flock and when the chief shepherds shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that's fadeth not away. Now I trust that God will add his rich blessing to the reading of his word along with what we have already looked at this week and we've come to the relationship that shepherds and sheep have with one another.

Now younger believers or perhaps some who God has not called to shepherding and caring for the assembly in that sense might think this meeting really then has very little bearing very little relevance for me but let me first of all say we're gonna look at both sides of the coin although admittedly look primarily at the responsibility of shepherds to sheep but briefly at sheep to shepherds but there may be young men here that God will raise up one day to that position to that responsibility and if nothing else I would hope that as we look at this subject it would communicate to everyone especially younger believers and to our sisters something of the tremendous burden something of the tremendous responsibility that this work is and if nothing were gained if nothing were gained by our meeting other than hearts impressed to go home and to begin to pray for those that have the responsibility of caring for God's assembly then it would be a very profitable time and a very useful meeting so I want to just look at the great subject then of shepherds and sheep if you like sometimes people like trendy or catchy titles for things I have called this the feed lead but don't stampede the feed lead but don't stampede the people of God they're responsible to feed them to lead them but never to stampede them and so with that before us just to help you think of what's before us let me just briefly mention a response to the constraints we looked at that in 1st Peter chapter 5 and if you just want a simple way of understanding that section just look at those somebody was saying one of Churchill's quotes about prepositions just look at the prepositions that are in 1st Peter chapter 5 not by not for not as that's gives you an idea of what he is speaking of there he's speaking about a mental attitude not as he says by constraint that he speaks of a motive not for filthy lucre that he speaks of a manner not as Lords over God's heritage so the constraint then comes from the chief shepherd as he raises up men and as he would seek to fit them and call them to service maybe some would wonder not by constraint why would men have to be forced to take responsibility in assembly some would tell me that they know of places where there are men who are only too anxious to take the place of being shepherds and leaders and overseers and would just love the chance to have their time to take control of things well I think there are at least two reasons maybe the easiest one and the one on the surface is these were days of persecution these were days of outward pressure upon the people of God and in days of persecution you know who comes in for the first and the fiercest of the persecution the leaders so to be a leader amongst the people of God in this day the day when the Peter is writing to the people of God would have meant to put yourself on the line in terms of first to receive the persecution so there would be a natural reluctance but is it also possible that what Peter is talking about here is the responsibility is so great the responsibility is so heavy to think that the chief shepherd has committed to under shepherds the care of what is so precious and so vital to him and to think of that responsibility falling upon my shoulders a tremendous reluctance to seem as though I'm pushing myself forward to take that kind of a responsibility to put myself forward as being one that is ready and able and only too anxious to do that no Peter says there may be a reluctance on the part of some and so they need to be encouraged so the response to the constraint but I want you to think of a recognition that controls overseers we are accustomed and rightly so to thinking and linking shepherds overseers with the idea of authority in God's assembly but I'm going to suggest to you the authority in God's assembly is never in an office nor is it in a person the authority in God's assembly is in the Word of God the Word of God in the hands of men now let me show you that from Scripture you remember when the Lord Jesus Christ was moving in the temple and you recall when there were those who were buying and selling and had made his father's house a merchandise the Lord Jesus could have stood upon his authority and said take these things hence but he says it is written my house shall be called a house of prayer of all nations but ye have made it a den of things what does he do he establishes for us right there that what controls activity in the house of God is the Word of God you recall as well in Acts chapter 15 that scene when there was a difficulty in the early days of the assemblies when men were teaching false doctrine and it pleased the disciples the Apostles to meet together in Jerusalem you recall how Paul and Barnabas go up to Jerusalem and they have that meeting there with the Apostles and elders and remember what happened there don't you was it Peter first gets up and Peter says you remember how that God through me did choose to send the gospel to the Gentiles and they gave ear to what Peter had to say and they said fine Peter that's very good sit down and then Barnabas and Paul stand up and speak about the miracles and the signs that God had brought through their hands to Gentiles well that certainly seems that the that God is is working among Gentiles we can't deny that but that wasn't enough then James stands up and James says that as it was written James brings the Word of God to bear upon the situation so that the experience of a Peter as foremost an apostle as he is the experiences of a Paul and Barnabas and the miracles and signs that's fine but that's not quite enough to carry the day when it comes to a decision that they're making relative to the assembly but when James says this is what the Word of God says to this agree the words of the prophets I will recall what he says they're visiting and building up and so on he says to disagree the words of the prophet and when they heard that they all with one consent everyone was brought to unity of mind on the basis not of the authority of a Peter not on the experience of a Paul but upon the basis of the Word of God so the authority in God's assembly is the Word of God in the hands of men who God has raised up to guide the assembly so we always must keep in mind that this book is ultimately the authority and that God has given that responsibility to men to handle this book to live this book to know this book and to bring it before the people of God the authority the assets of men that lead vital that they be men who are marked by character men who are marked by godliness but in a very very down-to-earth way men who are marked by approachability men who are marked by confidentiality men who are dealing with things that are the most confidential and private in individuals lives and the need for that and then again men who are approachable men whom the people of God do not fear seeking out and are not going to be afraid that you know if I say something they're going to jump all over me they're gonna just put me down and I can't tell them about that men who are approachable men who have a listening ear the Lord Jesus in all of his dealings with men it's remarkable to trace how gracious how tender how kind how patient think of a bearing with the twelve disciples and all of their denseness and all of their ignorance at times and how patiently he dealt with them always available to them always approachable the most available man that ever moved here the Lord Jesus we should be marked by that as well but let me mention as well the relationship that should characterize shepherds themselves I guess maybe the easiest way of just conveying this is to ask a question who shepherds the shepherds who shepherds the shepherds so that I learned then that there is an accountability and accountability among overseers one to another and to the Lord no one man is above the shepherding of God's assembly men are accountable to each other and accountable to the Lord so there is an accountability there's a unity as well there is a unity in an oversight it is not a democracy it is not a majority rule it is moving in unity we saw that in Acts 15 together it has pleased the Holy Ghost and the Apostles and elders together there was oneness of mind the assembly moves the oversight moves as a unit in harmony in fellowship together and they move as one some might say practically well what do you do when there is a difference you do nothing you pray you wait upon God you look to God to bring about unity and when necessary and it may be necessary at times maybe necessary for the oversight to tell the assembly we are not sure before God what we ought to do we'd like the assembly to pray for God to give us wisdom I don't think overseers would lose esteem and the sight of the people of God if they honestly admit we are finding this a difficult decision we are finding this a difficult step to take we would like the assembly to make it a matter of prayer for the next week to make this a special burden that God would give us the wisdom needed to take a step together the absolute need for unity as brethren move together for God accountability unity harmony as well as a mutuality of respect and appreciation one for the other that God has raised up different men and brought them together an oversight for the sake of balancing one another and being able to wisely move together as they would seek to help God's assembly but having said that let me then move to the responsibility that is conferred upon overseers I can't tell you with what tremendous force adverse that we read together in Hebrews 13 came to me recently we have had we had some losses in the assembly with which I'm associated and they have been very very painful and very difficult and as I was praying for some that are a couple that is involved the words of Hebrews 13 came to me as they never had come before they that must give an account that a day is coming when I have to give an account before the chief shepherd as to how I have treated his sheep and whether I have done all I could I'm not speaking about myself alone but the oversight the shepherds whether I have done all I could to preserve them and then to see them restored to tremendous burden it's a tremendous responsibility to care for the people of God as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy I would take the joy aspect and not with sorrow as being present and the account is being future they that watch for your soul so let me then just look with you for a few moments at the responsibilities conferred upon overseers let me just give them to you briefly then we'll look at them one by one I would see first of all the provision for food the provision for food a vigilance for foes provision of food a vigilance for foes and encouraging a fruit a guiding of the flock are looking to the future and a restoring of the fallen that would seem to me to encompass the work of those that would guide and leads God's assembly some young Christians think that the job of an overseer is to sign letters design halls consign people to jobs a sign of chores and one day resigned from their position and that's the whole sum and substance of it that is nothing that is nothing relative to the genuine work of shepherding God's people so let's look at those very briefly and then we'll look at another aspect I want to think about the provision of food Paul tells us doesn't he or when he is speaking to the overseers at Ephesus he tells them feed the flock of God which is among you you remember as well with the Lord Jesus Christ told Peter when he called him back to service on that occasion on the shore feed ten feed my sheep and lambs and so on so that one of the chief goals of a shepherd should be this to feed God's people the same thing that Peter says in his as he is writing to shepherds doesn't he to feed the people of God the idea of tending caring providing food bringing them into pastures where they can feed all of that is involved so there's at least three things involved in feeding aren't there number one I should be exercised to feed I should be exercised to feed the people of God and that's going to mean spending time in the Word of God it's going to mean coming to a Bible reading on a mid on a midweek night with something from the Word of God that is going to be a help to the Christians something that they can take away you know a take-home message as they would talk about something that be able to live on and to enjoy so it involves my being ready to feed the people of God and that's going to take effort it's going to take time it's going to take exercise it's going to take getting into the Word of God it's also going to take a sense of getting your finger on the pulse of the assembly not that you preach to what people want but you begin to feel need you begin to sense burdens you begin to know that the trials and difficulties that believers are having and as a result that creates a burden in your own heart for the Word of God and what can I bring from God's Word to help them so it means my feeding it means also seeing that they're fed now that may sound like what you're saying the same thing not quite I may sense that you know the assembly really needs help with assembly truth or be wonderful if we could have meetings on prophetic truth to stir the believers and we ourselves are not able for that and so we we bring someone in we invite someone to come along that is able so that we see that the believers are fed we are not only giving food ourselves but we are providing for them what is needed to feed them and to encourage them and to help them in the Word of God and then thirdly it means bringing them into pastors where they can feed he you recall the the Psalm 23 and what it says of the ultimate Shepherd he makes me to lie down in green pastors pastors of tender grass he leads and brings and causes me to lie he pastures and so it's the responsibility of shepherds as well not just a feed personally not just up bring others in but to try to bring the people of God into green pastures where they can enjoy and profit from the Word of God a provision of food if we can feed the people of God we will go a long way towards preserving and maintaining assembly testimony not just a matter that we have our meetings and we go through our routine but to see that every gathering of the people of God results in the Christians leaving with something in their souls to enjoy you recall don't you and it is a it is a searching commentary I think Paul writes when he is writing to the Corinthians ye come together not for the better but for the worse I wonder how many of our gatherings if we are honest we'd be able to say that we came together for the better that when we leave we left better than we came and that when we leave God has gotten something he could not have gotten had we not met together we have left for the better Paul says you didn't come together for the better it was for the worse the result of your coming together better if you didn't come together like that so that every gathering of the people of God should be with this in view feeding helping sustaining providing food for for God's people the provision of food of vigilance for foes now Paul makes clear there is going to be internal and there are external foes some of us are almost paranoid about looking for foes that's the only thing we can do and it's like every man mount the battle station get your gun get your spyglass and just keep an eye out for the enemy they're coming but you see the Word of God is balanced feeding the people of God first vigilance for foes as well but balance together not just all negative and always looking for what's wrong and trying to put it down trying to to quench fires but as well feeding in a positive way the people of God Paul says elsewhere I would have you wise concerning that which is good and simple concerning that which is evil giving the people of God food to enjoy making them healthy but as well a vigilance for foes Paul says men will arise men will try to come in and indeed there are foes to be faced it is wonderful and I think that we don't appreciate it enough it is wonderful that to such a tremendous extent assemblies have been preserved from false doctrine and from much that has afflicted the world around us and I think really without going into a lot of detail I think really it is a testimony to to God's wisdom in having us assemblies autonomous because if you had a central head all you need do is affect the central head you know the central governing committee infiltrate that with error and then of course that would immediately disseminate to every place but the autonomy of local assemblies preserves us in a such a remarkable way that you know who'd want to bother with these little companies and how would you get from what you know tremendous to think of how God so wisely and carefully has preserved us but there still needs to be a vigilance for foes because Paul says they will arise they will come and it is the responsibility of others of those who are caring and shepherding the people of God to care for and preserve God's people and encouraging a fruit that's part of the responsibility of those that shepherd God's people how do we then who are in a place of responsibility how do we encourage fruit in the lives of the people of God how do we encourage Christ likeness how do we encourage growth how do we encourage appreciation of the scriptures how do we encourage worship how do we encourage brethren to take a more active role in the assembly and to have their voices heard well certainly prayer is involved perception is involved I'll use the word praise and you'll understand what I mean not by overdoing it and flattering but rather the idea of encouragement and also prodding is involved all of that is involved as as we look over the flock that's of course another term that is used in the New Testament for the shepherd the overseer the overlooker the one who was looking over looking over to see where can I be of help who who can I prod who can I encourage how can we help this one to move forward in Christian living not just a matter of coming open the door turning on the lights giving out the hymn books closing the door closing lights locking it going home but it is a task that involves exercise praying for each in the assembly and thinking about how can we help this one to move forward how can we help that sister in her Christian life what can we do to stir the little gift we see developing in that brother or that sister prodding and praying and praising knowing how to approach and to deal with individuals to encourage and to guide them as they would seek to grow for God encouraging of fruits the guiding of the flock how does how does this come about it's interesting the word that is used many times both in Hebrews and Peter the idea of not a ruler but a leader one that stands before one that goes before so that's the idea that is I lead by my own example I lead by my example first of all whether it is privately whether it is publicly or whether it is personally I lead by example the character of my life the character of my testimony I am leading by example so that you will understand what I mean when I say that an assembly can rise no higher than its leadership an assembly can rise no higher than its leadership so if you want your assembly to rise higher than you should pray for your leadership and if you are a leader and I want your assembly to rise then you should pray that God will help you as well to rise in your spiritual life the assembly will go no further than that it follows the example of its shepherds of its leaders and if the assembly is merely a convenience if the assembly is merely you know something that we do because that's what we've always done and we know don't know anything else and everything you know then that's what the assembly will be like the leadership sets the tone it guides the flock by its example one of the the ways back in Numbers chapter 9 and 10 that God guided the people of God in the wilderness you recall that scene they had spent a year at Sinai they had built a tabernacle it had erected and then on the was it the second month the second year the tenth day of the month for the first time the pillar cloud began to move there really were four things God brought together there that guided his people in that chapter I call it God's original sight and sound show you know there was the the sight of the cloud there was the sound of the trumpet there were the steps of the priests as they carry the ark but also the fourth thing was that there were the standard bearers as they moved the standard bearers carrying the flag of the tribe God says they go first and then the tribes follow them so you see there are different ways God has chosen to guide us the cloud his sovereign dealings things we can't control it was at times very inconvenient when that cloud began to move when that cloud suddenly took its journey and lifted itself and began to move it meant a lot of work the tabernacle coming down everything packed away wagons going people striking their tents everyone moving on and when it stopped that's where they stopped and if it was a day if it was a month it was a year whatever it was however inconvenient it was to them as men when the cloud moved they move they couldn't control it sovereign control of God the sound of the trumpet the Word of God those two trumpets that would sound out to warn them to alarm them to ready them whether it was for worship or warfare whatever it was the Word of God guided them the trumpets guided them and made them ready and intelligent as to what they ought to do the steps of the ark that's following the Lord Jesus isn't it the steps of the ark as I trace his life through the New Testament I learned how I should walk but then there was that final thing the standard bearers and if you couldn't see the cloud for some reason and somehow you couldn't quite hear the trumpet or you missed the sound of the trumpet at least you could see the flag at least you could see the men who were in the forefront bearing the testimony for God and you could follow them and so God has given standard bearers leaders that guide by their example and guide the flock now of course it is again primarily as the Word of God controls me as the Word of God controls my life and my steps that then as Paul says be followers of me as I also am of Christ but it would be a tragic thing be a tragic thing if I am walking in such a way that a young believer follows me and ends in disaster there's a story in our Bible of tragic proportions a young man and because of a fall of a nurse he was lame for the rest of his life you know who I mean don't you Mephibosheth because a nurse had a fall he never walked Paul says as a nursing mother I took care of you at Thessalonica be careful of your walk if you are going before the people of God because if you should stumble and fall it may well be there might be a Mephibosheth who will never walk for God as a result and so then guiding the flock by my personal example and by my life but then also one of the great responsibilities of overseers is looking to the future looking to the future I guess this has a special place in my own soul and experience the assembly in which God chose to place me we lost four overseers in about 18 months and they had never brought anyone else along to share the responsibility and suddenly almost unexpectedly responsibility falls on your shoulders and you feel so ill-equipped so unready because it's totally new to you responsibility of overseers is to look to the future not just a matter well now who shall we decide to make an overseer but just the opposite who is God raising up who is there that God is working with and beginning to who is showing that the character and that the concern and the capacity for for this great work who can we encourage in this who can we begin to shape I have often thought I would far rather far rather begin to have an influence on men now that are going to lead later than to wait till somehow I'm gone and expect that they will automatically learn a care for God's assembly involves looking to the future looking for the men that God is raising up and preparing for his work let me end by mentioning or in this section at least by mentioning the final responsibility and that is recovering the fallen I am a firm believer and I make no apology that it's shepherds who seek sheep not sheep who seek shepherds there are places and there are men who feel that when a person has left the assembly when a person is disciplined out of the assembly when a person has had a stumble and fallen then we sit back and wait and we wait till they have repented and they come to us and they want to be back in fellowship and then we talk to them to me that seems to be so far into scripture so far into the picture the Lord Jesus is giving us of shepherds and sheep that a shepherd seeks the sheep a sheep left to himself will never seek the shepherd that's the whole point isn't it the whole point of the Proverbs of the parable of Luke 15 and elsewhere is that the shepherd is active seeking sheep and when a sheep is lost when a sheep is astray the last thing he will do is find his way back on his own he needs a shepherd to go seek him he needs a shepherd with a care and with a heart and so I think that the responsibility of shepherds is to seek sheep that have strayed sheep that have fallen sheep that are in need the response now I know I live in the real world please don't think I'm living in a glass bubble I live in the real world to know how hard it is you go they don't want you look don't call leave us alone we don't want it anymore I know that but shepherds seek sheep if God had taken my nose early in my unsaved days as final be a tragic thing for me he kept seeking kept coming kept trying kept dealing he is a shepherd who seeks those who have fallen but let me just say one thing about that effect better than that turn with me first of all back in the Word of God to Matthew chapter 12 now there was a man in Great Britain who used to say you can read your Bible casually or you can read your Bible carefully so read carefully now verse number 11 Matthew 12 verse number 11 and he that is the Lord Jesus said unto him what man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out how much then is a man better than a sheep now having read that carefully come to Luke chapter 14 and read that carefully for a moment as well look down at verse number 5 Luke 14 in verse 5 the Lord Jesus speaking again and he answered him saying which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day and they could not answer him what was the difference all you say one was a sheep and the other was an ox that's simple isn't it is that all when it came to an ox or an ass you could pull it out when it came to a sheep he says he will lift it out it's a huge difference you farm boys know what I'm talking about you know I get scared around those beasts anyway you know you know the big difference you can pull you know you don't pull a sheep you don't put a rope around its neck and begin pulling a sheep he says you get down where it is you get under it yet you get your pants dirty you get your shoes a little dirty your hands get dirty you get under it and you lift it out got a feel the weight of it don't you have to feel how heavy it is you also feel its heartbeat get very close to it big difference you can pull from a long distance but you can't lift long distance you have to get there be where they are big difference so when it comes to asses and oxes you can pull when it comes to sheep you have to lift now they're going to say if what you have are oxes and asses in your assembly then you can pull them but if what you have are sheep then you gotta lift them okay gotta lift them it's the only way the only thing that's going to work is getting down getting under getting with them and lifting them out that they might again be brought back to where God intends them to be let me just come quickly to reality that's what I was going to say I live in the real world reality confronted there are differences among believers and that is why God one of the reasons one of the many reasons God and his wisdom has given a plurality of oversight because believe it or not as as hard as I find it to imagine there are people whom I turn off automatically you know you think you're going to try to help them and there's something about your personality something about your manner that just seems abrasive to them and you know you're the last one that can help them and there's someone else and his personality is different and this overseer is able to get close to them and to be a help so there are differences that are noted among the people of God and we looked at them in first Thessalonians chapter 5 we read about them didn't we we read about those that are unruly those that are feeble minded those that are weak and those that are forward and so let's just look at those very very hurriedly and consider some of those differences there are first of all distressed Saints Saints in distress he speaks about the the feeble minded and the weak now you know I know we joke about the feeble minded but the idea of that is those who are of a small heart you know what that means they get easily discouraged doesn't take much it just seems like they get discouraged at every turn something minor in the family they get discouraged some little difficulty in the assembly they get discouraged and Paul says there are people like that and what you're going to have to do is to comfort them so as far as the the those who are distressed he says there are those who are small of soul and then there are those who are weak those who are spiritually weak those who are feeble and those who are faint-hearted and Paul has reminded them back in chapter 2 they need a nursing mother yeah long-term care need to be supported they may always have to be supported if that should not be our goal but it may be they never will get away from that tendency he says just just keep at it keep it supporting them but then he says it may be as well though that not only are that they're distressed Saints but there can be difficult Saints difficult Saints none like that here I know everyone here is pleasant and sweet easy to get along with but there can be difficult Saints he says some are factious some are constantly in your face you know they're unruly they just want their own thing and every chance they get you know every a lot of you parents here know that kind of child the kind of child that every time you go look the other way they are testing the boundaries testing the limits testing how close they can get or if maybe they can cross the line and just frustrate you enough that you'll give up well unfortunately there are some Christians that never grow up and they keep doing the same thing as Christians just get as close as they can to the boundary just keep pushing the envelope as we say trying to just see how much they can push you before you'll give in Paul says there are some like that some that are unruly and he says you've got to admonish them and then he says not only that but there are some that are forward all the time and you've got to be patient with them so you can see that it's just not a recipe that one size fits all because if you were to encourage take that encouragement ministry and apply it to the factious in the forward or that's all they need away they go and if you were to take that admonishing that rebuking ministry and apply to the feeble and the faint-hearted they would just wilt they would be devastated so he says you've got to match your ministry to the need become discerning of the needs of the people of God and become skillful in applying the Word of God in keeping with the the need difficult Saints detour Saints we've already mentioned that those that are out of the way and finally Saints who are developing is a danger sometimes that we ignore you know the expression that is frequently used in businesses the squeaky wheel gets the grease the one that you're paying all your attention to and praying over and thinking about are those that are causing problems and there's someone who's just quietly developing for God not causing any problem at all the meetings just in their place trying to help and we just ignore them we just kind of overlook them because they're not giving us any problem he says be very careful you don't just ignore them those who are developing those who are seeking to please God you make sure you encourage them and help them along in their Christian life don't just ignore them and overlook them in your ministry and so he speaks there of developing Saints I have to hurry let me just mention very briefly the recompense that is considered for overseers for shepherds ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away every other mention in Peter where he brings in glory it's always linked with suffering so I think the implication is that true shepherding true shepherding is going to be linked with suffering and as a result will be linked with glory in a coming day if you were to go through Matthew's gospel seven times over there is a reference either directly or indirectly to shepherding the very first one for example speaks of the Lord Jesus ruling with a shepherd's rod the last mention the last mention in Matthew's gospel is very touching the seventh mention the Lord Jesus Christ says it's written smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered shepherding meant suffering I think it is one of the most touching pictures in our New Testament it's dwelt on in just a matter of a half a verse one is as the Lord Jesus said sleep on now and take your rest it is enough and the shepherd stands vigil over the flock as the enemy approaches to protect them sleep on that little flock of sheep sleeping at his feet as the enemy approaches to come and take him and he keeps vigil over them what a touching picture what a picture of shepherding he affords us then there in Matthew let me come then just briefly to the sheep and the shepherds what then should be the relationship of every individual to the shepherds in God's assembly well we are told by the writer of Hebrews that we are to submit and to obey so submission is vital as far as what God expects of believers in his assembly now we need to be careful that we understand what God means by submission he does not mean a stoical resignation you know I I don't like what they're doing and I think it's wrong and I think they're not obeying the Word of God but I got to submit so I'll keep my mouth shut won't know I think a responsibility that you have as a believer in an assembly is to politely speak to those in a responsibility when you feel the Word of God is being not carried out you might say me speak to the overshoes yes that's not a matter of confronting authority it's a matter of carrying out your responsibility before God because as they move the assembly is represented you're represented and if in your conscience you feel the Word of God is not being carried out then I think graciously in a right way in a right with a right attitude there'd be every reason to ask if you could just speak to them and say here's how I can see the Word of God to teach and I just like you to consider it but then once you have done that you leave it there you don't go around and begin to try to find people to follow your way of thinking and somehow rise up and create a division you have satisfied your conscience and your scriptural responsibility by simply leaving it with them they stand before God as far as the decision-making as far as the leadership but submission does not mean I have no responsibility to the truth of God but submission means I do yield as they lead and I do recognize their leadership and do recognize what they are doing but we submit but secondly could I encourage you to supplicate to pray for them a responsibility to pray for your leaders to pray for those whom God has raised up those whom God is fitting those whom God is leading to the fore to pray for them they have a tremendous responsibility they have a tremendous burden we should be praying for them praying that God would preserve them in their testimony that God would give them the wisdom needed to guide the assembly that God would give them the Word of God to feed his people all that we have looked at today that is their responsibility should be something you pray for that God would enable them and fit them for as they leave the people of God to submit to them to supplicate for them to support them supporting the leaders means not just that we follow their lead it means not just that we pray for but in my home there should never be a criticism of the overseers around the table there should never be that putting down of you know what they do and what they do and they're so old-fashioned and that you know they're so stuck in their ways and you know they you know if that's the case if that is the case and maybe it's just not quite as clear-cut as you think but if that's the case you'd be very careful saying it were small ears can pick it up you'd be very careful saying it where there are other Christians around that will perhaps take up the refrain and begin to expand it it's just your own thinking just leave it there support them back encourage them every way you can and finally let me suggest not just a matter of submitting and supplicating and supporting but seek them out seek them out you might be surprised that they do know a few things you might be surprised that they have been through the school of God and have experiences and insights that maybe you've never thought of and maybe they'll begin to tell you some of the burdens they have about the assembly and suddenly you'll you realize well you know this isn't just such a an ego trip to be a leader in the among in an assembly this is a tremendous burden this is a tremendous responsibility and it will only increase the esteem and the the sense that you will have of seeking to pray for them and supplicate for them and so there is both a responsibility of shepherds for sheep and sheep for shepherds and it is a healthy assembly it is a tremendously blessed condition where indeed shepherds are feeding sheep and sheep are following shepherds where the teaching of Psalm 23 the principles of Psalm 23 are operative when the chief shepherd is able to use under shepherds and to bring the people of God into green pastures and besides still waters and through wagon tracks of righteousness that they might be healthy and might be holy and might be heavenly and might live for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus shall we pray our father we bow in my presence and thank you once again both for the hour we have spent considering the subject before us and for the weekend that has passed and the truth of God that we have looked at there's been a wide range of material looked at through this weekend and we would commend to the all of thy people individually and as families as husbands and wives and collectively as assemblies we commend to thee the shepherds of each of the assemblies represented here and would pray that they will preserve and bless and help and encourage and lead them and grant that skillfully and wisely they may like the chief shepherd know how to lead those that are with young to gather lambs in their arms and carry them in their bosom and to feed all of this is part of the work of shepherding all of this takes character from the chief shepherd for him we give thanks we thank you for the one who is indeed the shepherd of our souls we bless thee that once as a shepherd he laid down his life at Calvary now as the shepherd he is above feeding and tending and caring for us and a day is coming when as a shepherd he will gather his sheep home to the ultimate home of all when we shall know the fullness of all of his shepherd care we bless thee and thank thee for our Savior our Lord Jesus Christ part us now with thy blessing remember the events of the day there will be some traveling long distances watch over them we pray and prosper the assembly here remember the two ministry meetings to follow this week give our brother driver help and grant that the Word of God will indeed come as healthy food for the people of we commit ourselves to the in our Savior's worthy name