THE FLOCK OF GOD

The flock of God is the focus of 1 Peter 5. In concluding his letter, Peter offers a word of exhortation, (v. 1, 12), to the church—God’s flock. It is an exhortation to the shepherds and to the sheep. 

He begins with THE CHARGE TO THE SHEPHERDS, (v.1-5). The example of the shepherds and their exposition of the Scriptures are vital for the health of the sheep. As shepherds, pastors are called to feed, lead, and bleed for the sheep. They feed them by proclamation of the Word, lead them by demonstration of the way, and are willing to bleed for them in provision for their welfare.  

These do not work for material gain, but wait for eternal glory. This labor is not to be viewed as a drudgery we’ve got to do, but as a delight we get to do!

The gravity of our responsibility as pastors rests in the reality that the church is not ours, but belongs to Christ. They are not cattle to be driven by domineering, but sheep to be led by demonstration. While we will certainly exhort them, we must be an example to them. You better practice what you preach!  Jesus loves every lamb and we had better. There will be an accountability faced at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If we have been faithful to care for the flock, a special crown awaits the shepherd. 

There is no place for egotism. It is a grace that we are called to serve and it is grace that enables us to serve. Let us clothe ourselves—not with robes of royalty, but dress ourselves in humility.

Peter, then moves to THE CAUTION TO THE SHEEP, (v.6-14). The enemy of the sheep—the devil—is a ravenous, roaring lion. Lambs are no match for lions. They are not fast enough to flee and not fierce enough to fight. Yet, as we humbly admit that, we have available the power of God to strengthen us. Indeed, we are no match for the devil, but he is no match for the Chief Shepherd!  

So, this is a call to humility, (v. 6). A prideful attitude assures us of being overcome. It turned a beautiful angel into a demonic spirit, and Satan uses the same ploy to get at us. 

There is further a caution against anxiety, (v.7). The roar of the lion is meant to paralyze us with fear. We are to cast all our cares on the Lord, knowing that He cares for us!

Then, we have a command for sobriety, (v. 8 ). By no means do we ignore the peril with naïveté, but have an awareness with sobriety. We are not to be afraid, but we are to stay alert. The danger is real. The devil wants to destroy and devour the flock. 

We must have stability, (v.9). Do not race off, but brace up!  Should we have to suffer for our stand, do not back down. Satan will use his minions to attack us. He hates us. This world is not a friend to grace. Others have suffered for the cause across the centuries, and in many countries do so today. Why should we think to be the exception?  

Trust in God’s sovereignty, (v.10-11). The Lord reigns!  Christ is conqueror. The grace of God will usher us into the glory of God. 

Abide in the community, (v.12-14). We are not in this alone. There is a community of faith to encourage us. Love on one another. There is a refuge in the church for the believer—an oasis of peace. We may have peace of mind, because of our peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen.

CHRIST’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE FALSE SHEPHERDS

In the Bible, any leader of God’s people might be referred to as a shepherd—whether it be a prince, prophet, or priest.  In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees had taken the position of being spiritual shepherds in Israel.  Jesus calls them, “hirelings,” or as the ESV renders it, “hired hands.”  It was a labor to perform and not a love to pursue.  They were about prestige, power, and possessions.

In contrast, we see Jesus as FAITHFUL RATHER THAN FAITHLESS.  A good shepherd would be loyal to the flock when a predator attacked, but a hired hand would leave the flock to save their own skin.  I think about so many so-called shepherds today who are fleecing the sheep for their own benefit rather than feeding the sheep for the flock’s blessing.  They get on TV and tearfully plead with poor widows to help fund their ministry and feed the needy, while they live in luxury.  What a contrast to Jesus, who was a giver and not a taker!

Another way to describe the contrast is SACRIFICIAL RATHER THAN SELFISH.  Jesus would lay down His life for the sheep.  The hired hands run for their lives.  Jesus described His mission in Mark 10:45, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Here is a strategic difference: the Good Shepherd loves the sheep for He has paid a price—a ransom for them—His own life.

Look at what Jesus says about these hired hands:  “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.” (John‬ ‭10:12).  Every one of His sheep are precious to Jesus.

Do you love the church?  That is His flock.  How do you respond when called to serve the sheep?  If you are a leader, do you do it in love?  Be careful how you criticize one of Christ’s sheep and how you treat them. The Good Shepherd is watching!

RESTORED

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”  (John 21:15) 

The old car sits rusting in a field—an eyesore that once roared down the highway.  Then, one day, someone buys the decaying carcass, takes it into his garage, where with skilled hands, the vintage vehicle is restored—a classic car now turning heads as it speeds again across the asphalt. 

This is the message of the Gospel.  It is what Christ will do to a life wrecked by sin.  Peter experienced such a restoration as recorded in the twenty-first chapter of John’s Gospel.  Three times he had denied Jesus and now three times Christ asks him if he loves Him.  It was as Peter stood by the distinctive smell of a charcoal fire that his failure occurred and it would be again beside a charcoal fire that Peter’s forgiveness will be experienced.  Peter’s denials had been in public and now his repentance must be done in public as well. 

Each time, Jesus confronts Peter with the question, “Do you love Me?” followed by Peter’s affirmation of that love and concluded with a commission by Christ.  In the first case, Jesus asks if Peter loves Him more than the other disciples do.  This took the fisherman’s mind back to when Jesus predicted that they would all abandon Him in His hour of trial, and Peter’s response was to assure the Lord that though the rest of the disciples did, he would stand firm.  The Rock—for so his name meant—became Jello and slid into the shadows.  Now, his bravado is banished and Peter makes no such claim to love Christ in a way superior to his colleagues. He does say that he loves Jesus, but the love Christ inquires about is agape—God’s kind of love—while Peter acknowledges a lesser love using the word phileo—brotherly love.  Humility has replaced his swagger after his denials of Christ.  Then Jesus told him to prove it by feeding His lambs.  Peter would always recall this and later charge pastors to feed God’s flock with Scripture (1 Pet.5:2).  Our love for the church equates to love for Christ—and will be expressed not by profession, but action. 

A second time Jesus confronts Peter—not asking about his love in comparison to his comrades—instead targeting Peter’s love specifically.  Peter’s response is identical; Christ’s is different.  He tells the fisherman to “Tend my sheep.”  Shepherds are responsible not only to feed the sheep, but lead the sheep—guiding them for they tend to wander and guarding them for they are defenseless against predators.  The specific term Jesus uses here means, “little sheep.”  In the first commission, He refers to lambs and now little sheep—the next stage of their growth.  God’s people need tending at every stage of their spiritual development. 

The final time Jesus condescends to meet Peter at his level asking him if he indeed has phileo love for Him.  Peter, doubtless under conviction over his denials, is grieved and appeals to the Lord’s omniscience, “You know all things; You know that I love You.”  Jesus again calls on Peter to feed his sheep—and the word denotes a mature sheep.  We never grow beyond our need for the Word. 

Jesus is in the restoration business.  If you have failed, you can be forgiven—and brought to a place of usefulness again.