Shepherdology 101 (1 Peter 5:1-14)
Big Idea: Churches thrive when pastors serve as humble shepherds driven by calling, not obligation, money, or power, while congregants follow with humility and remain alert to spiritual dangers.
It's hard to know what to make of pastors these days. Christian people everywhere are crying out for spiritual leadership. As our culture changes rapidly, churches struggle to keep up, leaving some people feeling lost like sheep without a shepherd.
Pastors, many times, simply don't know what to do. Faced with overwhelming expectations and hampered by unworkable systems, some dash into the fray, and get demolished. Others go in and in short order leave a trail of trouble. Some are trying to understand true leadership but are hindered by business models instead of following Jesus' example. Some become adversarial and wind up with broken spirits and broken churches. Others plod on, with little hope. And many churches end up having a love/hate relationship with them.
And yet we come back to point: Christian people everywhere are crying out for spiritual leadership. Most Christians seek authentic leaders - individuals with credible lives, genuine relationships, and helpful ministries.
As a pastor, I believe most pastors aspire to be meaningful spiritual leaders and positively impact the lives of others. The Bible paints a picture of what a spiritual leader should look like. It's not an image of a church CEO making decisions in an office or boardroom. It's not a picture of a dynamic speaker who can hold an audience in his hand and bring people to tears. And it's not even a learned scholar whose skills are so sharp he could exegete the church bulletin for half an hour. The picture is that of a shepherd.
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care… (1 Peter 5:1-2)
"Shepherd" may seem old-fashioned, but it's still the best metaphor for what a pastor should be. In Bible times, shepherds were as common and familiar to most Middle Easterners as telephones and supermarkets are to us. Almost anywhere in the Bible world, if you gazed across a landscape you would likely see at least one flock of sheep.
A shepherd wasn't really in authority over sheep as much as he was a servant of sheep. When a tiny lamb was born, one of the first sensations felt by the shivering lamb was the tender hands of the shepherd. His gentle voice was one of the first sounds to awaken his delicate eardrums.
The shepherd lived with the lambs for their entire lives – protecting them, caressing them, feeding and watering them, and leading them to the freshest pools and the most luxuriant pastures – day and night, year in and year out… Each sheep came to rely on the shepherd and to know his voice and his alone. They followed him and no one else. (Dr. Lynn Anderson, They Smell Like Sheep)
The sheep, of course, knew who was in charge. They might occasionally feel the shepherd's crook, but only when necessary. In short, as one person puts it, the shepherd smelled like sheep.
I am hungry to be a shepherd to the flock here at Richview. I believe I am here to serve you and live alongside you, demonstrating a credible life so you can trust my voice. I aspire to be a godly leader who understands the urgency of God's mission and guides the church into the twenty-first century as Jesus would.
If you long to be part of a church that functions as God designs, you need to hear this too. You need to be able to pray for your pastor. And what's more, you have some responsibilities too!
This morning, let’s examine 1 Peter 5 and identify three important guidelines for shepherds and three for sheep.
This is how the church should operate. Peter is writing to a church under pressure – experiencing or about to experience great persecution. The theme of his book has been how to live as God’s people in a hostile world. And he wraps up this important book by giving some very important guidelines for shepherds and for sheep.
Guidelines for Shepherds
Three guidelines are found in verses two through four. Let me preach to myself for a minute – but this will apply to some of you. We are all shepherds in one sense. And you should hear this, because you need to pray for your leaders and understand and sympathize with their calling.
Peter provides church leaders with a checklist of appropriate and inappropriate pastoral motives. Things haven't changed very much between his time and our time. Peter gives three guidelines for pastors.
Serve willingly, not out of obligation.
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be. (1 Peter 5:2)
Many pastors neither enjoy nor want to be pastors. To be sure, there are weeks when the pain associated with people-oriented ministries is acute. Over time, emotional and spiritual burnout, along with the need to "cool down" after years of service, can be taxing. Ministry can evolve into a duty. But when a man has a pastor’s heart, he serves the sheep not because he has to, but because he wants to.
In this context, "willing" signifies an unrestricted or freely made choice. Given all the options in the world, I’d choose to be a pastor! God desires our willing service. Nobody should be pressured into a church office which he or she does not really want! I've realized there's a big difference between preaching out of obligation and preaching out of passion.
A pastor came home on a Sunday night. He had re-used an old sermon from a previous church. In fact, it had been years since he had sat down with the creative juices flowing and served up a fresh meal to his flock. His wife honestly told him, "Either reignite your passion for the ministry or leave." Shepherds, are you doing your tasks because you want to or because you have to? Are you performing tasks under a sense of calling from God, or because you have nothing else to do?
There's a second guideline for pastors:
Serve enthusiastically, not for financial gain.
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve... (1 Peter 5:2)
Now, the average pastor of a church did not enter the ministry motivated by money. But it's not hard for the temptation to creep in. Peter distinguishes between serving for money and “eager” service, which is driven by a positive emotional desire. He's not saying that pastors shouldn't be paid for their work, but keep greed and selfish interests far away. Ministry is a sacred position – not a profession to practice, but a debt to discharge. Do it not for the money, but for the enthusiasm that comes from the heart.
There's a third guideline for shepherds:
Serve for impact, not for power.
1 Peter 5:3 says, "not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."
"Lording" means domineering or forcefully ruling. Peter denounces leadership that is arbitrary, arrogant, selfish, and excessively restrictive. There is no place for pastoral dictatorship, for emotional intimidation, or the flaunting of power.
Shepherds, what happens when you don't get your way? Are you threatened by the gifts of others? You are not sovereigns, but servants. You are not an authority, but an example.
And shepherds, for those of you who fulfill the job description in 1 Peter 5:1-3, look what is waiting for you according to verse 4: "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." That's what I'm waiting for. That's what I care about. Far beyond the opinions of the flock, however significant they may be, my ultimate accountability is to the Chief Shepherd.
I need you to pray for me and for the other leaders of this church. I need you to pray that God would preserve all of us from succumbing to the temptations of ministry. We need to keep a healthy balance, to rejoice in our service, to find joy in serving as Christ did.
Spurgeon said a century ago:
Every workman knows the necessity of keeping his tools in a good state of repair… If the workman loses the edge…he knows that there will be a greater draught upon his energies, or his work will be badly done… It will be in vain for me to stock my library, or organize societies, or project schemes, if I neglect the culture of myself; for books, agencies and systems, are only remotely the instruments of my holy calling; my own spirit, soul, and body, are my nearest machinery for sacred service; my spiritual faculties, and my inner life, are my battle axe and weapons of war.
Please pray for your pastors!
Guidelines for Sheep
Peter has just given three guidelines to pastors. Now he gives three instructions for sheep.
Follow your shepherds.
One of the greatest needs in the church is not just leadership, but followership. Sheep need to learn the fine art of following credible and gifted shepherds when they lead. I'm convinced that many churches thwart the God-given gift of leadership—they don't allow leaders to lead. But when God gives you a shepherd who is willing to serve you eagerly, willingly, and humbly, follow him!
Verse 5 says, "Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older." There is some debate as to who the “young men” refers to. Most scholars think Peter is referring generically to everyone under the authority of elders, regardless of gender. And his instruction is, follow the lead of your shepherds. In fact, submit to them.
This doesn't eliminate the possibility of disagreement, nor does it require unquestioning support of every pastor. But support your shepherd! Get behind him! When able leadership is present, following the leaders is both healthy and effective. Remember God’s call on your pastor’s life and ministry, as well as the high calling he has to preach and teach God’s truth. And come to terms with your calling to be recipients of that person’s ministry, and support him.
Peter gives a second guideline to sheep:
Cultivate humility.
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:5-7)
Somebody said, “The person who looks up to God rarely looks down on people.” Wrap yourself in humility like a garment. Peter employs a remarkable metaphor. The word clothe was used of a slave who tied on an apron before serving those in the house. We're to metaphorically dress ourselves in servant’s clothing to minister to one another.
We're to humble ourselves to each other, but also, according to verses 6 and 7, under God’s hand. What Peter has in mind is that we submit to God’s will even when we don't understand it. We might have questions about God, but Peter says, "Don't worry—submit to him anyway. Eventually it will all make sense. In the meantime, cast all your anxieties on him." So be humble.
Sheep, follow your leaders, stay humble, and finally:
Stay vigilant.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:8-10)
Sheep should really pay attention when a lion is roaming around. Lions attack sick, young, or straggling animals.
Peter says, “Watch out for the devil when you are being persecuted!” Don't get cut off from other believers, so focused on your own troubles that you don't watch out for danger. Look to other Christians for strength, and resist him. Refuse to succumb to his temptation. Satan flees when a child of God stands up to him in Christ’s strength.
Verse 10 says, when this whole thing is sorted out in the end, we know who wins. We're on the winning side, and despite life's challenges, you'll ultimately become strong and steadfast.
What do you say to sheep who are getting chased around by lions? What do you say to shepherds who are putting their lives on the line for their sheep? Serve with pure motives—based on willingness, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to help others, not on obligation, greed, or the pursuit of power. And to sheep: Follow your shepherds, cultivate humility, and stay vigilant.
I'm deeply grateful to serve as your pastor, and I believe God has great things in store for us. Let me be direct about our roles: you are the flock, and I am your shepherd. My responsibility is to serve you with pure motives, while yours is to follow with humility and vigilance. The enemy prowls around even now, seeking someone to devour, so stay alert! Let's each fulfill our calling—pray for me as I strive to shepherd faithfully, and I'll lead as God directs. When we operate according to God's design, verse 11 reminds us who truly holds the power and deserves the glory: "To him be the power forever and ever. Amen."
