Wednesday, August 18, 2004
“Lord Jesus, shepherd Your people!”
Isaiah 40:10, 11
10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might,
With His arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
As I've sought to care for the flock of God, I've seen how limited my ability is to accomplish the supernatural task of tending God's sheep. As my heart was breaking for people I have come to love, the Shepherd began to reveal something of Himself to me. I began to rediscover, Jesus's sufficiency as the Great Shepherd of the Sheep. I began to see Jesus’s ministry as Shepherd from a fresh perspective.
The first time in Scripture God is referred to as ‘Shepherd’ surprised me. I thought that it would be about the Lord shepherding His flock. Surely the relationship would be likened to a shepherd to corporate group, like ‘the Shepherd of the House of Israel.’ I was wrong.
Surprisingly, Israel (Jacob) referred to God as ‘my shepherd.’
Genesis 48:14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16 The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; And may my name live on in them, And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."
Jacob proclaimed that the result of God’s shepherding activity in his life was knowing His oversight, redemption from evil, blessing, divine destiny, multiplication in the midst of a hostile world.
“My Shepherd” … this is Psalm 23 language, isn’t it? Let’s read that familiar psalm.
Psalm 23 - A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
It’s amazing at how individualized the Shepherd’s attention is. Only God can do this. Notice how the individual celebrates the Shepherd’s care. Let’s review these verses:
1. The LORD is my shepherd I shall not want
2. He makes me lie down
He leads me
3. He restores my soul
He guides me
4. Though I walk in deep darkness
I fear no evil
You are with me
Your rod and staff comfort me
5. You prepare a table for me
In the presence of my enemies
My cup overflows
6. Goodness and mercy shall follow me
I shall dwell in His house
What a psalm. What a Shepherd! What individual care. What an expression of personal confidence. If this psalm is indicative of what a personal relationship with Jesus is about, then let’s get the Shepherd to be more active in the lives of those we love.
The Lord’s determination to be each one’s shepherd has profound implications for the way we lead and pray. We should point God’s sheep to Him and pray they enter into a relationship with their Shepherd.
People need this relationship with their Shepherd.
The counsel of the Shepherd
John 10:1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." … 10… I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
The Lord has promised to lead us by His voice. The Shepherd is caring for His flock, but the flock is gathered to Him through individual sheep responding to His voice. Those who respond to His voice are the ones who can see the initiating leadership of the One who ‘goes ahead of them.’ Those staying in the fold refuse to obey the voice of the Shepherd and never know the abundant life He came to give.
The Father has commanded true disciples to listen to the Son. Luke 9:35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!"
This command is in harmony with Moses’ prophecy about the coming prophet. Deuteronomy 18:15 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.
The ones who have heard the Lord speak to the deepest part of their spirit are often surprised as they hear what He has to say. He encourages places which are hidden from human view. He often addresses matters that are completely obscured by the busyness of our souls. Many times, we are concentrating so intently upon certain aspects of life that we completely miss what Jesus is after. His encouragement is always valid, relevant and when received, strengthening.
When Messiah comes with reproof, it is often to challenge our hearts where we have become desensitized to the Word, the counsel of brethren and the occasional message hidden behind the difficulty of our circumstances. That is when the Good Shepherd most decisively acts. His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him.
Psalm 95:7-11
7 … He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you would hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, …
9 "When your fathers tested Me, they tried Me, though they had seen My work.
10 "For forty years I loathed that generation,
And said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways.
11 "Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest."
Jesus intends to cause us to inherit all He has planned for us. We are warned to pay attention when He speaks. If we don’t listen, we may end up disqualifying ourselves from becoming or doing all He wants for us in this life.
For this reason, we’re warned to pay close attention to the Voice of our Shepherd. Philippians 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. We must recognize that it is possible to harden our hearts. When the Shepherd draws near and gives encouragement, direction or reproof, it is wise to pay close attention!
Thankfully, we don’t have to be in the best spiritual shape to hear from Jesus! The issue is often desire and faith, not personal holiness. Luke records that no matter the character and lifestyle of the person they can still draw near and listen… Luke 15:1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Many times, those who have their lives in order have a lack of hunger to hear from the Shepherd. The Lord responds to the cries of the one lost sheep.
In case we are wondering as to where the voice of the Shepherd is easily accessible, the hungry in heart have been given a secret. Luke also gives a location to find Jesus. Luke 21:38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him. The Lord is often found in the vicinity of corporate worship and prayer.
Micah 5:4
And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.
And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth
It takes faith to believe that people can be guided, guarded and groomed for future usefulness by the Lord, Himself. Some don’t trust the Lord to adequately counsel the believer! However, when the Lord rises up to personally shepherd His people it is effective, holy and produces lasting fruit!
The voices of human shepherds are important. They need to be received. However there is only one indispensable Voice, the voice of the Shepherd.
Wouldn’t it be better to trust the people of God over to the God of the people? They need to learn to listen to His voice and suffer the consequences of confusion or chastisement should they ignore Him… How will they learn? If we are constantly intervening, what are they learning? Are they learning to walk with Him?
We must stop giving people more help than they should receive. Each person needs to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling because it is God that is working in them. The voice of the Shepherd is needed. The strength of the Spirit is needed.
Many of us are deeply concerned about the determination of many believers to delineate their own discipleship boundaries. It seems as if many in the congregations have determined to have ‘a little Jesus on the side.’ He is an addition to life, not ‘the life.’ No matter how we’ve strived with them in the Word or in counsel, it seems as if they’re ‘not getting it’ or are ‘not going there.’ “Let’s not go there’ has become less a joke, than a stronghold which is stubbornly surrounding many hearts.
The good news is that these hearts are not hidden from the Lord. Neither is the fortress of rebellion as impregnable as it appears. Jesus is able to speak to the church. Jesus is able to speak His word to the deepest parts of the soul. His love is able to conquer the rebellious and set the captives free.
We need the Body of the Messiah to arise, in harmony with its Head. True disciples should be able to fellowship and cooperate with one another upon the foundation of each one’s current personal relationship with Jesus. I long to see the day when believers are following Jesus to the degree that we resemble a Body and not a business; a bride and not a board meeting; a living temple and not theatergoers, combatants and not clientele.
The church seems to resemble a service organization or a huge self-help community. Our programs emphasize the meeting of human need, or rather, our clients felt needs. Instead, we’re called to be a holy community of priests who are both before Him and sent to bring Him to others.
1 Samuel 12:23 "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
It is the responsibility of human shepherds to feed the flock of God. But what we are actually called to do is give them the opportunity to eat. Our messages are opportunities for others to eat. Watchmen are called to give the message. It is up to the sheep to receive. We are not to hold them down, pry open their jaws and cause them to ingest the Word of Grace. No, we are called to give them the tools so they may feed and grow. The shepherd leads to the pasture, the sheep eat by themselves. If they’re hungry, they will eat.
Most leaders spend time in study and preparation. However, it seems as if the pastoral role of chief intercessor for the flock is often lacking. Perhaps this is a reason that there doesn’t seem to be the type of spiritual growth we would hope to see. Let’s appeal to the Great Shepherd in prayer and then let us instruct.
Our Messiah, Jesus, is the Shepherd. Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." He is proficient. He is trustworthy. His is the voice they need to hear. He has walked in our shoes – He experienced being led by His Shepherd, God the Father.
The Shepherd is caring for His flock, but the flock is gathered to Him through individual sheep responding to His voice. Those who respond to His voice are the ones who are able to see the initiating leadership of the One who ‘goes ahead of them.’ Those who stay in the fold and refuse to obey the voice of the Shepherd will never know the abundant life He came to give.
Let us pray:
Psalm 28:9 Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.
under mercy,
Pastor David Harwood
