Shepherding God’s Flock – part 6
Acts 20:17-38 (32-38)
May 5, 2013
As you know we have spent the last month or so looking over this passage of Scripture in which Paul has addressed the elders of the Ephesian church
And outlined for them exactly what is expected of a shepherd.
I realize that six weeks is probably longer than you may have wanted to spend on this passage, but I find it to be a very important subject.
But here tonight as we bring this text to a close I want to remind you one more time why this is such an important concept.
I know that while studying this it can feel like
The only one who really needs to know this stuff is the preacher.
But that is not true.
And here is the main reason:
SHEPHERDS AFFECT THE FLOCK
We won’t hash back through it again, but all you have to do is go back and read Ezekiel 34 and see the adverse effect that bad shepherds had on Israel.
We read Hosea 4:6
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
We read Jeremiah 10:21
Jeremiah 10:21 “For the shepherds have become stupid And have not sought the LORD; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered.”
We read in Micah 3:12 as Micah was addressing the leaders of Israel:
Micah 3:12 “Therefore, on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.”
Shepherds affect the flock.
If you have godly shepherds who set a good example and feed the sheep and protect the sheep and guide the sheep according to the will of God – you get a healthy flock.
If you have ungodly shepherds who neglect the sheep, and starve the sheep, and only feed themselves, and flee when the wolf comes – you get a slaughtered flock.
This was sort of the reality that Jesus presented for us:
Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
And of course the point being that you can identify a false prophet
By the type of convert he produces.
But don’t fail to understand that if your shepherd is a false prophet
The bad fruit they are speaking of
Is in fact the congregation he shepherds.
There is no such thing as a bad shepherd with a healthy flock.
In short, the truths about being a godly shepherd
Matter just as much to the sheep as they do to the shepherd.
Paul even explicitly stated this:
TURN TO: 1 Timothy 5:17-22
Paul is actually speaking here about how the flock
Should respond to their elders or shepherds.
• When you have those who “rule well” indicated by their hard work “at preaching and teaching”, Paul says to give them “double honor.”
That is what you are looking for.
• And there should also be a measure of protection extended to that shepherd. “Do not receive and accusation against” him without “two or three witnesses.”
He is going to be attacked,
Don’t hesitate to extend to him the benefit of the doubt.
However:
• “Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all” They don’t even get the luxury of that private visit.
They hold a high profile position and so when they continue in sin,
It must be dealt with in a high profile manner.
• Verse 21 even goes so far as to remind you not to be partial in this.
• If a shepherd is living in sin, don’t cut him slack just because he did a good job at your daddy’s funeral.
The health of the church is at stake.
And finally verse 22, “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.”
This speaks of the ordination process.
When you call out the called – so to speak.
And you ordain or commission a person to the office of elder.
Paul says to be careful about doing that,
And don’t be in a hurry to make a man an elder.
If you do that hastily and he turns out to be a wolf,
Then you share responsibility for his sin.
The flock that he ravishes will look to you and ask,
“Why did you endorse him?”
YOU GET THE POINT.
It is important for everyone to know what a true shepherd is.
So with that in mind we have spent a great deal of time here
Studying this “pastor’s conference” that Paul set up
With the elders of the Ephesian church.
We want to know what is expected of a shepherd.
#1 Paul’s Example of How a Shepherd Lives
A. How I Served (19)
1. With Humility
2. With True Concern
3. With Endurance
B. How I Spoke (20)
1. Powerfully
2. Profitably
3. Publicly
4. Personally
C. How I Shared
#2 Paul’s Expectation of What a Shepherd Receives
A. Submission to the Spirit (22)
B. Suffer Hardship (23)
C. Succeed through Sacrifice (24)
#3 Paul’s Exoneration of His Own Shepherding Record (25-27)
#4 Paul’s Exhortation to How they should Shepherd
A. Requirement (28)
1. Guard yourself
2. Guard the flock
3. Shepherd the church
B. Reality (29-30)
C. Reminder (31)
So Paul has been very thorough with these men
About being true shepherds of God’s flock.
Well tonight we get to the final point in Paul’s message.
#5 PAUL’S ENTRUSTING OF THE FLOCK TO THEIR CARE
Acts 20:32-38
This is the point that the whole sermon has been leading up to.
Paul had shepherded the Ephesian flock for three years,
But God has a different course for him to walk.
• Paul is headed to Jerusalem to face his bonds and afflictions.
• Ultimately he is headed to Rome as a prisoner.
• And his time for departure from Ephesus is here.
But he will not leave until he knows
That the Ephesian church is well-cared for.
And so now, having exhorted them in regard to their role,
He now actually passes the torch to them.
And has he does, there are two pieces of advice that Paul gives them.
Neither of these come in the form of a command,
But are Paul’s advice in regard to shepherding God’s flock.
1) TRUST GOD (32)
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Paul is leaving.
• He will not be readily available to answer questions.
• He will not be around to guide you through difficult waters.
And so he reminds these elders who they need to depend on.
You have to trust God.
“I commend you to God”
That is to say, “I put you in God’s hands”
“commend” there is the same Greek word that Jesus said on the cross.
“Into Your hands I commit My Spirit”
Paul is handing these men over to God.
And this is common:
Acts 14:21-23 “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
Now, in one sense Paul is saying, “I’m not going to fill my life with anxiety and worry about the type of job you do. I’m putting you in God’s hands.”
But on the flip side he is simultaneously telling these men
Where to go for help.
When you begin to shepherd God’s flock:
• Where do you go when doctrinal perversions arise that you need to
confront?
• Where do you go when wolves come lurking to destroy the flock?
• Where do you go when there is a fork in the road and you want to
guide the flock?
Up until now they could run to Paul.
Now Paul says they need to run to God.
And so without stating it specifically
Here we have Paul encouraging these men to pray.
You must seek God
Obviously we can’t go on a full tilt sermon just on prayer here,
But the reality is that a church is dead without it.
And the reality is that a shepherd who doesn’t pray
Is setting his flock up for certain destruction.
What did we read from Jeremiah?
Jeremiah 10:21 “For the shepherds have become stupid And have not sought the LORD; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered.”
John MacArthur wrote:
“There is no substitute for prayer, for prayer acknowledges dependence on God and lines us up with His purposes. Prayer also allows God to glorify Himself by answering. Without it the undershepherds’ attempts to feed, lead, and guide the flock will be in vain. Good intentions, good ideas, or good programs cannot overcome the effects of prayerlessness.”
The church doesn’t operate by human ingenuity, deductive reasoning, or majority vote. The church operates and thrives only according to the will of God and any man that aspires to the office of overseer, must be diligent to seek that will.
Paul was encouraging these men to pray.
And time would fail us if we tried to list all the examples of this
That Scripture provides.
• See Moses spending 40 days on Mt. Sinai seeking the will of God.
• Read through the Psalms and find David’s many sleepless nights seeking God.
• Look at Jesus often seeking to get off by Himself and pray.
• Or just recognize some of the references to prayer by the leaders of the church here in Acts.
Acts 1:14 “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
Acts 2:42 “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Acts 12:5 “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.”
• Listen to Paul in his letters to the churches.
Colossians 1:9 “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,”
Romans 1:9-10 “For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.”
In the letter to the Ephesians we learned what he prayed:
Ephesians 1:18-19a “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
And
Ephesians 3:14-19 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”
I hope you get the idea.
The church is not a physical institution,
It is a spiritual one and prayer is required.
Only God is sovereign.
• We don’t know how to pray without Him
• We can’t understand the Scriptures without Him
• We have no power for evangelism without Him
• In fact: Sinners can’t even come unless He draws them
Seeking God is required.
But that is only half of the equation.
(32) “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
This is obviously the other side of the coin
And represents the highest duty of the shepherd.
PRAYER AND THE WORD.
Remember when the grumbling broke out because some of the widows were being overlooked with the distribution of food?
Acts 6:2-4 “So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
It is a two-sided commitment.
Seeking God through prayer and finding God’s will through the Scripture.
Paul encouraged Timothy:
2 Timothy 3:14-17 “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
We have already talked in detail about the importance of
The shepherd preaching the word.
Paul was adamant about how he proclaimed what was profitable
And preached to them “the whole purpose of God.”
This is not talking about preaching.
THIS VERSE IS TALKING ABOUT SEEKING.
And for the shepherd there is a difference between
Seeking God’s word and preaching God’s word.
Certainly at times the two can definitely overlap as the shepherd preaches what God has revealed, but the two are still distinct things.
The shepherd must seek God in prayer and study God’s word,
That is where he finds direction to shepherd God’s flock.
It is the word of God’s grace “which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
In Ephesians we learned that God gave spiritual gifts,
Ephesians 4:11-16 “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
The word is what builds believers up into what God desires them to be.
Furthermore:
1 Timothy 3:15 “but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”
And these realities only intensify the reality
That the shepherd needs to know God’s word.
In short, Paul is leaving, but if they want to know how to lead the flock,
THEN SEEK GOD THROUGH PRAYER AND HIS WORD.
• It is sufficient to “build you up”
• It is sufficient to cause you to receive “the inheritance”
So Paul first tells these men to trust God.
2) AVOID GREED (33-35)
Again, this isn’t a direct command, but it is very good advice.
Namely because greed is one of the tell-tell attributes
Of a false prophet.
We remember Peter talking about false prophets:
2 Peter 2:14-15 “having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”
That is why Peter is adamant to elders:
1 Peter 5:2 “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;”
And when Paul wrote to Timothy he said:
1 Timothy 6:9-12 “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
In the qualifications for an overseer
1 Timothy 3:2-3 “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.”
I’ve always liked the King James version that calls it “filthy lucre”
Obviously greed and shepherding don’t mix.
And yet we continue to be baffled by the rolex wearing TV preacher
Who tries to manipulate his doctrine so as to even pretend
That his love of filthy lucre is actually a sign of God’s favor.
Scripture says otherwise.
And here Paul encourages these men to avoid greed.
“I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.”
Coveting is a dangerous sin.
And it is a root sin for many others.
Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”
Coveting is the heart desire that eventually manifests itself in visible sin.
Coveting things precedes stealing
Coveting sex precedes adultery
Coveting power precedes ruthlessness
The best way for these men to avoid greed is to first avoid coveting.
They need to practice and enjoy contentment.
If you start wanting what you don’t have,
Satan will most definitely open doors of opportunity for you to obtain it.
The simplest way is to control those desires.
Another way to avoid greed is to work hard.
(34) “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.”
Now we know that Paul has said several times
That the worker is worthy of his wages.
• We understand you aren’t supposed to muzzle the ox when he threshes
• We get it that he preaches the gospel is to get his living by the gospel.
No one is refuting that.
But at the same time Paul was preaching those truths
He was also leaving an example of hard work.
And in Ephesus his example was to not only meet his own needs,
But also the needs of his traveling companions.
He was not a lazy man.
And he was a tremendous example to the flock.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”
We know the church takes care of their preachers,
But no shepherd has the right to grow lazy or undisciplined because of it.
Paul was still a hard worker and he reminded these shepherds of that.
If they were elders simply so they could have an easier life
And a steady income they were missing the point.
The ministry is not a place to get rich,
Nor is the ministry a place to escape labor.
Paul encouraged these men not to covet and to work hard.
Another safeguard against greed is to be generous.
(35) “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Here we learn why Paul labored so hard.
It wasn’t just to meet his own needs,
It was also so that he would be able to help the poor.
Shepherds cannot solely be on the receiving end.
• They must be on the giving end.
• They must be an example of generosity to their flock.
I remember a sermon at a pastor’s conference, where the preacher was talking about how preachers have come to be mooches in our society.
His remedy was this, “Go out and buy someone else a coke this week.”
Well that’s good, but I would say it falls far short.
Perhaps you’ve heard of John Wesley, one day so moved that he had spent all his money on pictures for his walls that he had nothing left to help a women from the cold. He began to limit what he lived on, and gave the rest away regardless of any raises.
When he died, they found only a few coins in his pockets,
He had given everything else away.
I don’t pretend to have learned this to the level of Paul or John Wesley,
But you do understand the point.
“remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
This was a paraphrase that Paul stated.
Luke 6:30-36 “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. “If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. “If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
• Continually Jesus taught us to store up treasure in heaven, not earth.
• Jesus wanted us to have the truest blessing of generosity, not the passing pleasures of possessions.
Paul wrote to Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:17-19 “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”
If you want to guard yourself from greed, then don’t covet,
Work hard, and give what you make away.
Such a mindset would keep God’s shepherd with the proper focus.
And that is Paul’s idea.
He wanted them to guard themselves
From the most dangerous temptation in ministry,
The temptation to use the ministry as a means to get rich.
And that is Paul’s closing advice.
And with that he hands the Ephesian church over to their care.
• He wants them to serve with humility
• He wants them to speak with conviction
• He wants them to succeed through sacrifice
• He wants them to seek God
• He wants them to share what they have
These are the makings of a true shepherd.
(36-38) “When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.”
So the pastor’s conference was concluded.
And as we draw this passage to a close
We are reminded of some very important truths.
1) Sheep are valuable to God
2) Wolves are real, seeking to destroy God’s flock
3) Shepherds are necessary to lead, feed, and protect God’s flock.
This is the plan God laid out for how His flock would be cared for.
This is the plan for the church’s leadership.
With that being said, I must encourage you that
The church needs men who will commit themselves
To shepherding His flock.
• The church needs men who will give themselves to oversee the church.
• The church needs men who will “rule well” as elders.
And the church needs the men who set their hearts
On becoming overseers to do it well.
It is a vital part of God’s plan to deliver the church to Christ
As a pure virgin without any spot or wrinkle.
1 Peter 5:1-4 “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
