Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
How to Be a Good Shepherd
Times of persecution demand that God’s people have adequate spiritual leadership. If judgment is to begin at God’s house (1 Peter 4:17), then that house had better be in order, or it will fall apart! This explains why Peter wrote this special message to the leaders of the church, to encourage them to do their work faithfully. Leaders who run away in times of difficulty are only proving that they are hirelings and not true shepherds (John 10:12–14).
The New Testament assemblies were organized under the leadership of elders and deacons (1 Tim. 3). The words elder and bishop refer to the same office (Acts 20:17, 28). The word bishop is often translated “overseer” (see 1 Peter 5:2, and note that this title is applied to Christ in 1 Peter 2:25). “Elder” refers to the maturity of the officer, and “bishop” to the responsibility of the office. The word pastor (which means “shepherd”) is another title for this same office (Eph. 4:11). The elders were appointed to office (Acts 14:23, where the verb “ordain” means “to appoint by the raising of hands”). Apparently each congregation had the privilege of voting on qualified men.
Peter was concerned that the leadership in the local churches be at its best. When the fiery trial would come, the believers in the assemblies would look to their elders for encouragement and direction. What are the personal qualities that make for a successful pastor?
A VITAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHRIST (5:1)
Peter did not introduce himself in this letter as an apostle or a great spiritual leader, but simply as another elder. However, he did mention the fact that he had personally witnessed Christ’s sufferings (see Matt. 26:36ff). The Greek word translated “witness” gives us our English word martyr. We think of a martyr only as one who gives his life for Christ, and Peter did that, but basically, a martyr is a witness who tells what he has seen and heard.
It is interesting to read 1 Peter 5 in the light of Peter’s personal experiences with Christ. First Peter 5:1 takes us to Gethsemane and Calvary. “The glory that shall be revealed” reminds us of Peter’s experience with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–5; 2 Peter 1:15–18). The emphasis in 1 Peter 5:2 on the shepherd and the sheep certainly brings to mind John 10 and our Lord’s admonition to Peter in John 21:15–17.
The warning in 1 Peter 5:3 about “lording it over” the saints reminds us of Christ’s lesson about true greatness in Luke 22:24–30, as well as the other times that He taught His disciples about humility and service. The phrase in 1 Peter 5:5, “Be clothed with humility,” takes us back to the upper room where Jesus put on the towel and washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17).
The warning about Satan in 1 Peter 5:8 parallels our Lord’s warning to Peter that Satan was going to “sift” him and the other apostles (Luke 22:31). Peter did not heed that warning, and he ended up denying his Lord three times.
It is interesting to note that the verb “make you perfect” (1 Peter 5:10) is translated “mending their nets” in Matthew 4:21, the account of the call of the four fishermen into the Lord’s service.
In other words, Peter wrote these words, inspired by the Spirit of God, out of his own personal experience with Jesus Christ. He had a vital and growing relationship with Christ, and this made it possible for him to minister effectively to God’s people.
The pastor of the local assembly must be a man who walks with God and who is growing in his spiritual life. Paul admonished young Timothy: “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Tim. 4:15 NIV). The word progress in the original means “pioneer advance.” The elders must constantly be moving into new territories of study, achievement, and ministry. If the leaders of the church are not moving forward, the church will not move forward.
“We love our pastor,” a fine church member said to me during a conference, “but we get tired of the same thing all the time. He repeats himself and doesn’t seem to know that there are other books in the Bible besides Psalms and Revelation.” That man needed to become a “spiritual pioneer” and move into new territory, so that he might lead his people into new blessings and challenges.
Sometimes God permits trials to come to a church so that the people will be forced to grow and discover new truths and new opportunities. Certainly Peter grew in his spiritual experience as he suffered for Christ in the city of Jerusalem. He was not perfect by any means; in fact, Paul had to rebuke him once for inconsistency (Gal. 2:11–21). But Peter was yielded to Christ and willing to learn all that God had for him.
If I have any counsel for God’s shepherds today, it is this: Cultivate a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and share what He gives you with your people. That way, you will grow, and they will grow with you.
A LOVING CONCERN FOR GOD’S SHEEP (5:2–3)
The image of the flock is often used in the Bible, and it is a very instructive one (see Ps. 23; 100; Isa. 40:11; Luke 15:4–6; John 10; Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:20–21; 1 Peter 2:25; Rev. 7:17). We were once stray sheep, wandering toward ruin, but the Good Shepherd found us and restored us to the fold.
Sheep are clean animals, unlike dogs and pigs (2 Peter 2:20–22). Sheep tend to flock together, and God’s people need to be together. Sheep are notoriously ignorant and prone to wander away if they do not follow the shepherd. Sheep are defenseless, for the most part, and need their shepherd to protect them (Ps. 23:4).
Sheep are very useful animals. Jewish shepherds tended their sheep, not for the meat (which would have been costly) but for the wool, milk, and lambs. God’s people should be useful to Him and certainly ought to “reproduce” themselves by bringing others to Christ. Sheep were used for the sacrifices, and we ought to be “living sacrifices,” doing the will of God (Rom. 12:1–2).
Peter reminded the shepherd-elders of their God-given responsibilities.
Feed the flock of God (v. 2). The word feed means “shepherd, care for.” The shepherd had many tasks to perform in caring for the flock. He had to protect the sheep from thieves and marauders, and the pastor must protect God’s people from those who want to spoil the flock (Acts 20:28–35). Sometimes the sheep do not like it when their shepherd rebukes or warns them, but this ministry is for their own good.
A faithful shepherd not only protected his flock, but he also led them from pasture to pasture so that they might be adequately fed. The shepherd always went before the flock and searched out the land so that there would be nothing there to harm his flock. He would check for snakes, pits, poisonous plants, and dangerous animals. How important it is for pastors to lead their people into the green pastures of the Word of God so that they might feed themselves and grow.
Sometimes it was necessary for a shepherd to seek out a wayward sheep and give it personal attention. Some pastors today are interested only in the crowds; they have no time for individuals. Jesus preached to great multitudes, but He took time to chat with Nicodemus (John 3), the woman at the well (John 4), and others who had spiritual needs. Paul ministered to people personally in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 2:11) and loved them dearly.
If a sheep is too rebellious, the shepherd may have to discipline him in some way. If a sheep has a special need, the shepherd might carry it in his arms, next to his heart. At the close of each day, the faithful shepherd would examine each sheep to see if it needed special attention. He would anoint the bruises with healing oil and remove the briars from the wool. A good shepherd would know each of his sheep by name and would understand the special traits of each one.
It is not an easy thing to be a faithful shepherd of God’s sheep! It is a task that never ends and that demands the supernatural power of God if it is to be done correctly. What makes it even more challenging is the fact that the flock is not the shepherd’s; it is God’s. I sometimes hear pastors say, “Well, at my church …,” and I know what they mean; but strictly speaking, it is God’s flock, purchased by the precious blood of His Son (Acts 20:28). We pastors must be careful how we minister to God’s sheep, because one day we will have to give an account of our ministry. But the sheep will also one day give an account of how they have obeyed their spiritual leaders (Heb. 13:17), so both shepherds and sheep have a great responsibility to each other.
Take the oversight (v. 2). The word bishop means “overseer, one who looks over for the purpose of leading.” You will notice that the shepherd is both “among” and “over,” and this can create problems if the sheep do not understand. Because he is one of the sheep, the pastor is “among” the members of the flock. But because he is called to be a leader, the pastor is “over” the flock. Some people try to emphasize the “among” relationship and refuse to follow the authority of the shepherd. Others want to put the pastor on a pedestal and make him a “super saint” who never mixes with the people.
The effective pastor needs both relationships. He must be “among” his people so that he can get to know them, their needs, and their problems, and he needs to be “over” his people so he can lead them and help them solve their problems. There must be no conflict between pastoring and preaching, because they are both ministries of a faithful shepherd. The preacher needs to be a pastor so he can apply the Word to the needs of the people. The pastor needs to be a preacher so that he can have authority when he shares in their daily needs and problems. The pastor is not a religious lecturer who weekly passes along information about the Bible. He is a shepherd who knows his people and seeks to help them through the Word.
Being the spiritual leader of a flock has its dangers, and Peter pointed out some of the sins that the elders must avoid. The first was laziness—“not by constraint but willingly.” His ministry must not be a job that he has to perform. He should do God’s will from his heart (Eph. 6:6). Dr. George W. Truett was pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, for nearly fifty years. Often he was asked to accept other positions, and he refused, saying, “I have sought and found a pastor’s heart.” When a man has a pastor’s heart, he loves the sheep and serves them because he wants to, not because he has to.
If a man has no conscience, the ministry is a good place to be lazy. Church members rarely ask what their pastor is doing with his time, and he can “borrow” sermons from other preachers and use them as his own. I met one pastor who spent most of his week on the golf course; then on Saturday he listened to tapes of other preachers and used their sermons on Sunday. He seems to be getting away with it, but what will he say when he meets the Chief Shepherd?
Next to laziness, the shepherd must beware of covetousness—“not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.” It is perfectly proper for the church to pay the pastor (1 Cor. 9; 1 Tim. 5:17–18), and they ought to be as fair and generous as possible. But making money must not be the main motive for his ministry. Paul stressed this in his qualifications for an elder: “not greedy of filthy lucre” (1 Tim. 3:3); “not given to filthy lucre” (Titus 1:7). He must not be a lover of money nor devote himself to pursuing money.
Because of family or church situations, some pastors have to engage in outside employment. Paul was a tentmaker, so there is no disgrace in “moonlighting.” But, as soon as possible, the members of the church ought to relieve their pastor of outside employment so he can devote himself fully to the ministry of the Word. Pastors need to beware of getting involved in moneymaking schemes that detour them from their ministry. “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer” (2 Tim. 2:4 NIV).
The phrase “a ready mind” means “an eager mind.” It is the same word Paul used in Romans 1:15—“I am so eager to preach the gospel” (NIV). It means a willingness to serve because of a readiness and an eagerness within the heart. This is the difference between a true shepherd and a hireling: A hireling works because he is paid for it, but a shepherd works because he loves the sheep and has a heart devoted to them. Read Acts 20:17–38 for a description of the heart and ministry of a true shepherd.
Be an example to the flock (v. 3). The contrast is between dictatorship and leadership. You cannot drive sheep; you must go before them and lead them. It has been well said that the church needs leaders who serve and servants who lead. A Christian leader said to me, “The trouble today is that we have too many celebrities and not enough servants.”
It is by being an example that the shepherd solves the tension between being “among” the sheep and “over” the sheep. People are willing to follow a leader who practices what he preaches and gives them a good example to imitate. I know of a church that was constantly having financial problems, and no one could understand why. After the pastor left, it was discovered that he had not himself contributed to the work of the church but had preached sermons telling others to contribute. We cannot lead people where we have not been ourselves.
Peter was not changing the image when he called the church “God’s heritage.” The people of God are certainly His priceless possession (Deut. 32:9; Ps. 33:12). This word means “to be chosen by lot,” as the dividing up of land (Num. 26:55). Each elder has his own flock to care for, but the sheep all belong to the one flock of which Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd. The Lord assigns His workers to the places of His choosing, and we must all be submissive to Him. There is no competition in the work of God when you are serving in the will of God. Therefore, nobody has to act important and “lord it over” God’s people. Pastors are to be “overseers” and not “overlords.”
A DESIRE TO PLEASE CHRIST ALONE (5:4)
Since this is the epistle of hope, Peter brought in once again the promise of the Lord’s return. His coming is an encouragement in suffering (1 Peter 1:7–8) and a motivation for faithful service. If a pastor ministers to please himself or to please people, he will have a disappointing and difficult ministry. “It must be hard to keep all these people happy,” a visitor said to me after a church service. “I don’t even try to keep them happy,” I replied with a smile. “I try to please the Lord, and I let Him take care of the rest.”
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who died for the sheep (John 10:11), the Great Shepherd who lives for the sheep (Heb. 13:20–21), and the Chief Shepherd who comes for the sheep (1 Peter 5:4). As the Chief Shepherd, He alone can assess a man’s ministry and give him the proper reward. Some who appear to be first may end up last when the Lord examines each man’s ministry.
One summer day, I stood amid the ruins of a church near Anwoth in Scotland. The building at one time seated perhaps 150 people. By modern standards, it would not have been a successful church. But the man who pastored that flock was the saintly Samuel Rutherford, whose Letters of Samuel Rutherford is a spiritual classic. His ministry continues, though today his church building is in ruins. The Chief Shepherd has rewarded him for his faithful labors, which included a great deal of persecution and physical suffering.
There were several kinds of “crowns” in those days. The one Peter mentioned was the athlete’s crown, usually a garland of leaves or flowers that would quickly fade away. The faithful pastor’s crown is a crown of glory, a perfect reward for an inheritance that will never fade away (1 Peter 1:4).
Today a Christian worker may labor for many different kinds of rewards. Some work hard to build personal empires; others strive for the applause of men; still others seek promotion in their denomination. All of these things will fade one day. The only reward we ought to strive for is the “Well done!” of the Savior and the unfading crown of glory that goes with it. What a joy it will be to place the crown at His feet (Rev. 4:10) and acknowledge that all we did was because of His grace and power (1 Cor. 15:10; 1 Peter 4:11). We will have no desire for personal glory when we see Jesus Christ face-to-face.
Everything in the local church rises or falls with leadership. No matter how large or small a fellowship might be, the leaders must be Christians, each with a vital personal relationship with Christ, a loving concern for their people, and a real desire to please Jesus Christ.
We lead by serving, and we serve by suffering.
This is the way Jesus did it, and this is the only way that truly glorifies Him.
QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION
OR GROUP DISCUSSION
1. How would you describe the general condition of the church?
2. What has contributed most to the present condition of the church?
3. Read 1 Peter 5:1–4. How does Peter describe himself in the passage? Why?
4. What qualities help a pastor to be successful?
5. Why did Peter use the image of sheep to describe God’s people?
6. How do pastors/elders “lord it over the people” in their congregations? How can churches deal with this in constructive ways?
7. What should be a pastor’s motivation? Why?
8. How should congregations respond to their pastors?
9. How can you support your pastor in specific, practical ways?