Helping the Chief Shepherd
We’ve all no doubt seen or heard of sheep dogs or border collies. At times there are competitions in which the collies are pitted against each other to showcase their skill at herding sheep around barriers and into a pen as the shepherd directs. The shepherd has trained his collie to respond to the shepherd’s voice and commands. The collie that can direct the sheep into the safety of the fold per the instructions of the shepherd in the best time and with the best form, receives the top prize in the contest. An interesting thing occurs as this contest is being held, and while these animal ‘work’. Whenever the sheep are going ‘the right way’, and at the right pace, the collie doesn’t push or guide. He simply watches for straying sheep, remaining alert to possible dangers, and keeping his ear attuned to hear the voice of the shepherd. He then acts accordingly.
Let’s apply this spiritually. As we live this life, in this, the New Testament age, we have a choice as to which “fold” we belong. The Lord is the “chief Shepherd” according to 1Pet. 5:4. This verse also tells us, that this is when the “crown of glory” which will not fade away is to be given to those who follow Him. In Heb. 13:20, He is also called the “great shepherd”. Christ, in John 10:14, referred to Himself as “the good shepherd”, and says: “and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him because they obeyed His gospel to become His sheep and will continue in His Word to remain one of His sheep. In John 10:14, the Lord foretold that those other than the Jews “shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” However, since Christ wouldn’t physically be with His sheep, He ordained that He would have those to help Him.
In John 14, Jesus, the great Shepherd, told His apostles elect He was going away. Jesus spent three years preparing those He had hand-picked that they might continue in His work after He died, was buried, resurrected to die no more to purchase the church, and ascend back to the Father. We read in 2Cor. 5:20, that these apostles were His “ambassadors”, or official representatives, here on earth. But He did not leave them without guidance. In John 14:26, He informed them of the “Comforter”, the Holy Ghost, who would “teach you (apostles) all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Additionally, in John 16:13, Christ told them how the Spirit would help them, help the chief Shepherd. He said: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. These “assistants” to the chief Shepherd received the baptismal measure of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, A.D. 33, and ushered in the New Testament age.
Following the establishment of the Lord’s church, these helpers of the chief Shepherd, spread the Word, and guided by the Holy Spirit, set up church government. In Acts 14 as Paul traveled about preaching the Word, we see in verse 23 that elders were ordained. We have the qualifications of elders recorded for us in 1Tim. 3 and Titus chapter 1. These men are in place in their congregation to help the chief Shepherd as they labor to keep the sheep heading in the right direction in accordance with the rightly divided Word of God. We see their function in Acts 20:28 as Paul revealed this to the Ephesian elders when they met him in Melita. He told them to: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The purpose for this admonition is seen in the 29th verse - For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
But what are new, or small, or struggling congregations to do as there are not enough qualified men desiring to serve as elders? We are to see to it that men are “well-fed” in the Word of God and can grow and be developed to faithfully serve God in this honored role. Meanwhile, each of us, as part of the flock have a responsibility to our fellow sheep. It is our obligation, upon seeing one of the flock beginning to stray, to help guide them back to the right. We see how the Spirit had Paul direct Timothy in this in 2Tim. 2:25-26: “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” Let’s do our part to help the chief Shepherd as we prepare for eternity.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
