I Peter 5:1-4
 

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

          249 years ago our country established its independence from England.  In doing so, the people involved wanted to make our new nation the best that it could possibly be.  No doubt there were lessons from the past that were a benefit to the organizers of the 13 colonies.  You don’t always have to “re-invent the wheel.”  At the same time, they also looked to incorporate new ideas that they believed would make the nation better.  249 years later we are still trying to find the perfect fit between past and present and future to give the citizens of the United States the best possible place to live.
          Just shy of 2000 years ago, the Apostle Peter wrote a letter to his friends and fellow pastors.  The topic of his letter was the care of God’s people.  He wanted to give them the best possible conditions to live their lives of faith.  Drawing from events of the past and advice for the future, Peter summarized his message with the advice, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care.”
          Inspired advice from the throne of God is always worth our attention and consideration.  Peter, writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, provides a textbook lesson on how we as Christians can help others to know and live the Christian life.  Let’s consider the call that we all have to…
 

“Be Shepherds”
 
I.  Note where the advice comes from
II.  Note why the advice comes

 
          It isn’t unusual for us to seek out the advice and counsel of experts when we are facing a new task or decision.  This has become much easier in recent years with the availability of YouTube.  I have taken on a number of tasks that I might not have tried in the past, but now feel more comfortable trying because I can watch a video to show me what needs to be done.  Maybe you’ve benefitted in this same way.
          As we seek counsel on how to serve as the men and women in God’s family that we have been called to be, we might not think that a professional fisherman would be the first person that we would consult.  Peter was a fisherman.  He knew how to catch fish.  His chosen profession changed though, when Jesus called him and 11 others to be “fishers of men.” (Mt. 4:19) Jesus then began and intensive 3-year training session for these men, instructing and showing them how they could “Be shepherds of God’s flock.”
          As Peter neared the end of his life, he was ready to pass the torch to others whom God had chosen to “Be shepherds.”  He wrote in the first verse of our text, “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: ² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;….”  Peter viewed himself as a “fellow elder” (“elder” being the word that most closely resembles today’s “pastor.”)  He had personally witnessed “Christ’s sufferings,” with the understanding that it all happened so that he, and many others, could “share in the glory to be revealed.”
          Peter had learned his lessons well.  He had his ups and downs during his training under Jesus.  He was impulsive and eager, but sometimes talking and acting before thinking.  Over time, he learned to see people as Jesus saw them and to love them as Jesus loved them.  Writing this letter in his 60’s, in prison under the Roman persecution of Christians, he was eager to pass on what he had learned.  He knew that what Jesus had taught him was advice and counsel that all who serve the Lord could use.
          So, Peter wrote to his colleagues and urged them to be “eager to serve,” and “examples to the flock.”  I wonder how many people have read these words.  Included as part of the Bible under the watchful eye of the Holy Spirit, these words were written for an immediate audience of readers, but also for an endless succession of readers.  With Jesus as the “Chief Shepherd,” as Peter referred to him, there is no better teacher or example for God’s people to imitate and follow.  His track record was perfect, as he noted, “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” (Jn. 18:39)
          2 parables that Jesus told about a woman who lost 1 of her 10 coins and a shepherd who lost 1 of his 100 sheep illustrate what it meant to “Be shepherds.”  Each searched tirelessly until they found what had been lost.  Often times 9 out of 10 or 99 out of 100 is good enough, very good in some instances.  It wasn’t good enough for Jesus who considered every single soul placed into his care of utmost importance.  He had no favorites and he never crossed out anyone’s name from his list.  He came to be “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (Jn. 1:29)
          His standards are to be our standards.  We are saved because he was willing to give up everything to save us.  With his command, given through Peter, but given nonetheless by Jesus himself, our goal is to “Be shepherds” in the same way that Jesus shepherded his flock.  Peter was about to give his life because he refused the orders of the Roman government to cease all Christian activity.  His love for the flock that he had been given, and unknown thousands or millions who would read his letters in the future, put his Lord and his ministry above everything else in his life.
          “Be shepherds” is an important responsibility that we have been given as we shepherd those in our lives and under our care.  It becomes clearer why we are called to do this when we see why we are given this command.
 

II.  Note why the advice is given

 
          The command given by God through Peter already indicates the need.  “Shepherds” had to watch their flocks to keep them from harm.  There were many ways that they could harm themselves.  Sheep, I have read and been told, are not good at meeting their own basic needs.  They will stand out in a storm instead of seeking shelter.  They will eat what they are given, but rarely seek food on their own.  And they are often oblivious to the predators that are constantly looking for them.  In addition to these dangers, thieves were not uncommon who would steal the sheep and deprive their owners of the revenue that they could generate.  In other words, sheep needed to be watched, and watched carefully.
          I’m always a little leery to compare people to animals because it is easy to misrepresent the point being made.  In this case, though, it is the Bible that has given us the comparison.  Peter said that we were to “Be shepherds” which implies that those we are to take care of are the “sheep.”  I believe that we will all agree that we often, like sheep, need help, we need protection, we need the assistance of others in a variety of situations.
          None of these situations is more important than in the case of our spiritual safety.  There are spiritual dangers around every corner.  Evil influences, ungodly role models, appealing worldly temptations, and “soul-thieves” will always be a part of our lives in this imperfect world.  Rather than closely following our Lord and his guidelines, we are tempted to take shortcuts that, we are promised, will bring the same results.  Instead of walking the narrow path of obedience to our Lord we are assured that the wider, more tolerant path will also get us where we want to be.  The devil has so many disguises in his closet that it is almost impossible to be aware of his presence at all times because sometimes “bad” things look “good.”
          By his grace, God has put his sheep “under his care.”  He has done this so that “…when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”  2 things need to be understood here.  1.)  The “Chief Shepherd” will appear.  We don’t know when, but he will return to "judge the living and the dead.”  And the judgment will be final.  We need to be ready.  We need to be shepherded for that moment in time.  And 2.) we will receive a “crown of glory that will never fade away.”  This is the ultimate goal of our lives here on earth.  Yes, there are other necessary responsibilities and obligations for us.  But this is the most important.  John wrote, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10)
          God desperately wants us to wear those crowns one day.  He provided the “Chief Shepherd” so that we can one day wear those crowns.  And he has also provided “shepherds” in our lives and trained us to “shepherd” one another.  As we celebrated the 249^th anniversary of the independence of our nation, we did so with the hope that there will be more blessings to come.  As we looked back nearly 2000 years to the freedom that Jesus won for us, we look ahead with the certainty that there will be more blessings to come, one day the perfect blessing of heaven.  God help us all to “Be shepherds” of his flock as we follow our Good Shepherd to the pastures of heaven.  Amen.