“And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.”
My husband is a pastor, and one time (last week) he thought it would be a great idea to have a real live sheep wandering the auditorium while he preached his sermon related to these verses. By God’s sovereign grace, no live sheep were available for this illustration. But his efforts to obtain one made for a great sermon opener.
Sheep are messed up, confused, dirty creatures. And more than any other comparison in the Bible, we followers of Jesus are compared to sheep. The funny thing is, a shepherd actually likes sheep. A disgruntled shepherd would have a pretty lonely, boring, smelly life. If you don’t like sheep, don’t be a shepherd. But if you can tolerate the mess, shepherding God’s “flock” comes with eternal rewards. My husband and I often joke about our amazing “retirement benefits.”
Here’s your freedom for today: serving God is an honor. Sure, we can care for others because we have to, or because we want them to do them same for us. We can be begrudging shepherds. Or we can receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit given to leaders in his kingdom, and recognize that the lowliest places here on earth are the most highly exalted in heaven. Stepping into God’s calling on your life is perhaps the greatest eternal privilege. Whatever mission God has you on today, live it out fully with a grateful heart.