A Shepherd's Role

Brethren, when the apostasy came upon the people of God in full force shortly after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong – no evangelist and no church leader took a stand for the truth.  The people of God had no man on earth willing or able to shepherd them in their time of great confusion.  Many ministers who were once seemingly on track started preaching watered-down, false doctrine.  Most of the faithful brethren fled the apostasy before most of the ministry spoke up. What is the proper role and duty of the faithful and true ministry?  In John 21, Jesus Christ told Peter, “Feed My sheep.”

Jesus warns us to be very cautious because of the false ministers that abound in the end time. "Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."  (Matthew 24:11)

Sadly, this past year has witnessed more minister led division among the people of God.  There is no one man that all Church brethren would recognize as their leader.  We are a people without a physical shepherd that all the flock can look to.  Is this the way it is supposed to be?  "My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place."  (Jeremiah 50:6)  We are talking about the ministry here – they have failed in their duty to be good shepherds.

It is God who has ordained the role of Pastor.  Ephesians 4:11 says that "He gave some... pastors [shepherds]... For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." How can we know what the duties of a Pastor are?

The answer is, Jesus Christ is our Shepherd and He is our example of what a Pastor [shepherd] should be.  Yes He is, but how many of us actually believe it.  So many of God’s people today are like the ancient Israelites – in need of a shepherd.  Their eyes were not on Christ.  Moses prayed to God for a replacement for himself – a good leader for God’s people – a shepherd for the sheep.

"Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.  And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua …"   (Numbers 27:15-18)

The painful scattering and separation of God’s people continues.  There is no leader in the greater Church of God who is recognized by all the scattered brethren.  No one leader today would be able to warn all the Church brethren when it is time to flee.  Some leaders teach that their group is more special to God than any other group of God’s people.  Leaders want the power and the control.   It is only in looking to Jesus Christ that we can learn the proper role of a shepherd.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, He is the Great Shepherd, and He is the Chief Shepherd

1. GOOD SHEPHERD  Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)  Jesus died for us.  He lay down His life for us.   A good Pastor will be laying down his life for the brethren as Jesus did.  "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14)

2. GREAT SHEPHERD  "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant... "  (Hebrews 13:20)  Jesus rules from heaven and brings us toward perfection in a Covenant relationship.

3. CHIEF SHEPHERD  "When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away."  (1 Peter 5:4)  The Chief Shepherd rewards His own, and returns to restore the Kingdom of God over all the earth.

Jesus is our role model.  Let us walk in His steps.

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Sermon:

"A Shepherd's Role"