Of Sheep and Shepherds – week 3
1 Peter 5:1-11
We’ve been talking about sheep and shepherds. We’ve read two very familiar sections of the Bible in our first two weeks. This week and next, we’ll look at two less familiar references to sheep and shepherds.
The sheep and shepherd imagery runs throughout scripture. Often it’s a verse or a line here or there. It’s assumed that we’re already familiar with the ideas conveyed in the imagery. However, it’s good for us to pay attention because there are two differing ways in which we see the metaphor of sheep and shepherd used.
The first is what we’ve looked at the past two weeks. We read Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd…” Then last week we read about Jesus’ statement, “I am the good shepherd.” In both of those settings, the imagery of sheep and shepherd has to do with us and God. God is our shepherd, whether we pray with David using the name of Yahweh, or we listen to Jesus and recognize the truth of the metaphor as we follow him. Our God cares for us as a shepherd cares for his sheep. Our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – guides us and provides for us much like a shepherd with a flock of sheep.
There’s a second, related use of this metaphor as well. This shows up in today’s reading from 1 Peter. Pastors are shepherds, and the people of God gathered as church are the flock being led and cared for. However, this understanding can never stand apart from the image of God as our shepherd. Pastors are sometimes referred to as “under shepherds.” That’s a title not found in scripture, but useful in reminding us that the shepherding which pastors perform is always done in service to the good shepherd.
This second use of the sheep and shepherd metaphor is where we’ll spend our time this week and next. We needed to start with references to God as our shepherd, because the second use of the metaphor loses meaning without that foundation. The connection to pastors can be abused and the meaning twisted if we disconnect the metaphor from it’s foundation. God is our shepherd who cares for us. Pastors serve as shepherds when they take part in God’s care and provision for his sheep.
With all this in mind, let’s turn our attention to what we read earlier from the Apostle Peter.
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… (1 Peter 5:1)
Let me pause there, because our use of church titles in the English speaking world doesn’t always match well with what we read in scripture. When we read “elder” in this verse it’s not quite the same as “elder” in this congregation. Peter is writing to men in the congregation who served as pastors. Our elders serve in more limited ways. Much of that is for good intention, but the use of the same title makes things confusing. For now, just understand that Peter is writing to men serving as pastors. They probably had varied levels of training, and may have come from differing backgrounds, but they were all ordained as clergy and shared shepherding responsibilities for God’s flock. Let’s keep going.
…shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2-3)
Don’t do this… do that. That’s the pattern here. Peter gives the negative first. He tells these shepherds what they should not do. Then he gives them the positive. He does this three times.
The first negative is “not under compulsion.” Don’t do it because somebody’s forcing it on you. Don’t be so lazy that you do your job only because people are nagging you. I’ll admit, there are weeks that I have to talk myself into doing parts of my job. I don’t feel like writing a new sermon every week. There are items which hangout at the bottom of my task list for weeks at a time before I talk myself into doing them. And yes, writing a board report each month can serve as a reckoning because I’m confronted with the realities of what I said I would do and what was actually accomplished. That’s the negative. Peter calls shepherds away from that.
In fact, if you think about it. We’re all called away from that. Don’t follow Jesus under compulsion. Don’t call yourself a Christian because somebody’s forcing you to do it. Don’t be so lazy about your faith that you’ll only engage when somebody else pushes and prods.
If you’re like me, this is easier said than done. But the call for shepherds like myself, and for sheep like all of us, is actually the same. Do it willingly. So, how do we turn this around? How do we get to a place where we want to do the things we’re called to? I’ve got some thoughts, but let’s look at Peter’s other instructions first.
Next, Peter warns pastors not to serve in their roles “for shameful gain.” Serving as an under shepherd is not about getting ahead, acquiring more, or leveraging position. Those are poor motivations for ministry. But they’re also poor motivations for coming to church. So again, sheep and shepherds this in common.
We’re talking about greed here. Can greed actually drive people to church? Sometimes… Some of you have seen greed for power play out among church members, or between church members and a pastor. We can chase “shameful gain” measured in money, or influence, or compliments, or whatever might stroke our own egos. In other words, we can come to church for the wrong reasons. Likewise, pastors can serve for selfish reasons. Peter reminds us that this is wrong. He calls on pastors to serve eagerly. How do we get there? How does a pastor make himself eager to serve? How does a Christian like yourself become eager to serve? What’s the secret formula to make us eager to do the things we don’t want to do? Let me finish with the negatives, and I promise, we’ll get there.
The final negative is “not domineering.” Here’s a question: Is the pastor in charge of the church? Wow, you can answer that from a number of angles. There’s no denying, there are many things I’m responsible for at Calvary/Hope. That doesn’t make me the boss. Still, this one is hard. Leadership brings out insecurity, and there are many insecurities I and others might try to mask with a façade of confidence. Again, it’s ego that gets in the way of honesty and service. That’s why Peter tells pastors to not be domineering. Don’t be bossy. Don’t look down on others. These are pride issues, and pastors can’t be driven by pride. Even as I lay that out, we see right away that pride isn’t a problem unique to pastors. It’s a pitfall for all of us. Any time we look down on others, we fall into this sinful pattern. Peter’s call to avoid this sin is coupled with a call to be an example. That’s the third positive.
Peter calls pastors to serve as shepherds willingly, eagerly, and as examples. As I’ve been pointing out, while not everyone is called to be a pastor, all of God’s people are expected to share these motivations for service. Avoid laziness, greed, and pride. Instead, we’re called to serve others willingly, eagerly, and as an example. This is for pastors… and it’s for all of us.
On the one hand, as your pastor, I will call you to these things. On the other hand, you need to hold me accountable to these as well. You need to expect this kind of attitude from your pastor. That’s not only appropriate; it’s healthy. If pastors are shepherds, you should see the true shepherd at work in their lives and ministry. The things I do as your pastor are supposed to help you see and hear Jesus. You should expect that, and you should look for it, and you should ask to see Jesus more clearly when the example of your pastor’s life seems distorted. If my life is distracting you from Jesus, that needs to change.
As I’ve approached this message, I’ve been asking myself how we regain the right motivation. It’s not difficult to slip into the sins Peter points out – laziness, greed, and pride. How do I regain a motivation for service which is willing, eager, and sets an example? For that matter, how do you regain that motivation in your own calling and in your service? Thankfully, Peter gives us all some direction with these words.
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
At first glance, that sounds like more of Peter’s pattern – don’t do this, do that. It does follow the pattern, but not as something we do. Peter has shifted to what God does. God opposes the proud. God gives grace to the humble. Following this, Peter makes the source of our motivation even more clear.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
This is the source of our motivation. This is central to the right attitude for our service. This is the calling of elders, shepherds, pastors. It’s also a call for all of God’s sheep.
Be humble. This is the action which changes our attitude. Too often, we think of it as the opposite. We think that our attitude drives our actions. When that’s the case, our actions end up being just as wavering and inconsistent as our up-and-down attitudes. The call to be humble, is a call to action which will produce the right attitude.
This is true, but let’s be careful at this point. This sounds really good. It sounds logical, and I could probably prop this up with a bunch of pop psychology. I could explain to you how the right activities will trigger the release of certain chemicals in your brain, and it will change your mood. That’s all good, but that’s not what Peter is getting at. All of that might be true, but it’s not the reason Peter writes these things.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you… (1 Peter 5:6)
This is not a life hack. This is a call to repentance. That’s what it means when Peter writes about humbling yourself under God’s mighty hand. This is a call to confess your need. This is a call to admit all you’ve done wrong. This is a call to bring these things before God and rely on his mercy and grace.
How do we stir the right attitude from which to serve? How are pastors supposed to do this? How are God’s people supposed to do this? Take the right action, and it will change your attitude. Repent before God. Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand. Admit your faults and your inability to correct them. Confess that you don’t want to do things you’re called to. Confess you’ve got a poor attitude. Wait on God’s mercy and forgiveness. Wait on his promise to love you. Wait on his grace and compassion. Wait on the resurrected life of Jesus to bring new life to you, and that new life will bring with it a new attitude.
Confession brings our sins – including the sinful, selfish motivations which can creep into our life as church – and it places these sins on the cross with Jesus. When you humble yourself before God, you give your sinful attitude to your Savior. When your pastor brings his poor attitude to God, it’s laid on the cross. Jesus takes these things to the grave, and when he rises to new life they don’t come back. The new life he gives to you and me comes with a new attitude. The shepherd provides this for his sheep. The shepherd gives his life and makes us willing and eager to serve. He even makes us examples to one another.
That’s the solution. This is what brings the change we need. Don’t do this; do that. Peter’s instruction to pastors reveals our need for a new attitude. It raises the question of how our poor and selfish attitudes can ever change. Peter’s call to all of God’s people gives us the solution. There’s an action which will change our attitude.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
Amen.
Recent Comments