Dr. Rodney Plunket

"Shepherding for the Lord"

(a topical sermon on 
serving as an elder)
June 20, 1999

Today is Father’s Day; and, being a father myself, I think Father’s Day is a very important day. However, several weeks ago, the elders realized that this Sunday would be the first when everyone would be in place to install additional elders. Be assured that Broadway loves and honors all of our fathers, but today we feel that we must focus upon God’s view of what shepherds of God’s flock should be and do.

Slightly over three years ago, we added five elders to our group of shepherds. On that day I focused upon a message given by God to the prophet Ezekiel. I want to return to that passage today, for two reasons. Number one, I know of no passage that better presents God’s desire for leaders of the spiritual community. Number two, I believe that repeating the lessons given by God in that passage will help inscribe those lessons more deeply into the very core of everyone of our elders.

Please open your Bibles to Ezekiel 34 and follow along as I read vv 1-16.

The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.

Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild animals, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, I am against the shepherds; and I will demand my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, so that they may not be food for them.

For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

Please hear what these verses are saying. They reveal without any vagueness the way in which God wants God’s sheep to be cared for and how angry God becomes when the shepherds do not shepherd according to God’s desires.

These words of the prophet Ezekiel were written to convey God’s attitude toward those who had led the people of Judah, and God clearly was not pleased with their performance. Why? Because the shepherds had used their positions of leadership to advantage themselves rather than the sheep. In fact, the sheep had suffered while the shepherds had enjoyed good food and garments of wool. God said, "No more!", and He promised to take personal charge of the sheep, and He clearly revealed what the previous shepherds should have done. They should have searched for and rescued the sheep who were lost. They should have fed them in good pastures. They should have treated the injured and strengthened the weak. In other words, they should have served the sheep rather than looking to the sheep to serve them.

The point to be made to the men who presently serve as our shepherds and to those whom we will install today is that you are to serve the sheep. You are to feed them. You are to search for them when they are lost. You are to care for them when they are hurting. You are to strengthen them when they are weak. You are to serve the sheep. You must have the heart of a servant if you are to fulfill your role before God and not incur His anger for improperly shepherding God’s precious flock.

Now look at vv 23-24 of this same chapter. God is speaking, and God says,

I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

In vv 11ff the Lord has said that He will shepherd the sheep; in vv 23-24 he reveals that He will shepherd the sheep through His servant David. By the time of Ezekiel David had been dead for a considerable period. So this reference is to the David-like king whom the people expected in the future, i.e., the Messiah––the Christ. I draw our attention to these verses because it is so important to remember who the real Shepherd of the sheep is. It is Jesus the Christ, a fact also revealed in 1 Pe 5:4.

That means that our shepherds serve under Christ. He is the real Shepherd. Therefore, it is vitally important that all of our shepherds always seek the will of Christ, always seek the will of God; the sheep are theirs. Anyone who cares for the sheep is answerable to the Good Shepherd and to His Father, Almighty God, for the care provided.

The prophet Jeremiah tells us how important it is for the shepherds to know the will of God. His words in Jer 10:19-21 were written because he knew that disaster was coming due to the sinfulness of Judah. Through prophetic eyes he could see that disaster as if it were already taking place; it is as though he is already experiencing the pain of God’s punishment. Hear His words in Jer 10:19-21.

Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is severe. But I said, ‘Truly this is my punishment, and I must bear it.’ My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken; my children have gone from me, and they are no more; there is no one to spread my tent again, and to set up my curtains. For the shepherds are stupid, and do not inquire of the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

My dear brothers, "inquire of the Lord", seek the will of God. Always long to know what He would have you do. Make sure that we are being led by God and by the perfect Shepherd, Jesus the Christ. The shepherds of Jeremiah’s day were stupid because they did not ask what God wanted. Don’t make that same mistake. Spend much time in Bible study seeking to know God. Spend much time in prayer seeking God’s will. Learn to listen for God’s answers. The Bible teaches that if we seek God’s will He will make it known to us. We may sometimes have to wait patiently, but He will make His purposes/His goals known. He will not for long leave us in the dark. Do not be like the ‘stupid shepherds’ of Jer 10:21. Instead, inquire of the Lord; seek the will of God.

Only two points then, two points that relate to each other:

#1. Serve the sheep. Take care of us. Feed us. Love us. Strengthen us. Come looking for us when we are lost. Care for us when we are hurt- ing.

#2. Seek the will of God––the will of Christ––as you shepherd this flock. Spend much time in Bible study. Spend much time in prayer; and, as you pray, allow God to reveal His will to you; have your ears open to hear God’s voice.

Rod Blackwood is going to come to the microphone now to give a charge to those whom we believe God has selected to serve as shepherds of this flock. This is a very important event. Let’s enter into this time with prayer. Please bow with me.

The men who have just been added to this Church’s eldership as well as the men who have been serving are highly committed to their role. They will not be able to serve effectively without our prayers. But how should we pray for them? We must pray for them to shepherd, to serve, to care for the spiritual well-being of God’s people. Pray that the Lord will give them the energy and the wisdom to carry out this role. Too many prayers that I hear prayed for elders are the kind of prayers one might pray for the board of directors of a company in which one owns stock. The elders are not a board of directors. Their primary purpose is certainly not to make financial decisions. Their primary purpose is to help all of us grow spiritually, to grow in this world but with a type of growth that is not of this world. Pray fervently for our elders with this primary focus clearly in mind.

Another item of support which we must give to our elders comes straight out of Scripture. In 1Tm 5:19 we read, "Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses." When we combine this verse with Mt 18:15-17 we learn how to deal with criticism of our elders. In Mt 18:15-17 Jesus says,

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

Notice the process. First, you talk to the person one-on-one, privately. Then, if that is ineffective, you talk to the person with one or two others. Then, if that also is ineffective, you take the matter to the church. May we hear these words and realize that we should never be quick to grant credence to a charge made against an elder. And if we ever hear a charge, we must convince the one who brought it to go and speak to that particular elder about the charge and then, if required, follow the remainder of the process as laid out in Mt 18.

Another element of support which the NT says we should give to our elders is honor. Paul, in 1Tm 5:17, says, "Let the elders who lead well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching."

Brothers and sisters, I urge us to pray for our elders with a focus upon their primary role of serving this spiritual community of faith; I urge us to be slow to hear criticisms and accusations against them; and I also urge us to grant those who lead well "double honor," because the Bible tells us to do that.

Now I want us as the Broadway family to respond to a charge relative to our relationship with our elders. The entire charge will be grounded upon God’s word in Scripture. If you are a baptized member of the Broadway Church and are not an elder, please stand at this time. I will read the charge. At the end of the charge I will be asking the following question, "Congregation, before God and before all of those in attendance do you accept this charge?" If you are willing to affirm the charge that I will issue, I want you to join with me in saying "I do." And I want you to say it loudly enough that our elders can feel the support which we are giving.

Do you, the members of the Broadway Church of Christ, commit yourself to supporting your shepherds by praying for them, by honoring those who lead well, by being slow to criticize them, and by following the process laid out by our Lord in Mt 18 if they sin? Congregation, before God and before all of those in attendance do you accept this charge? "I do!" You may be seated.

John, come lead us in a song.

In just a few moments, John Leonard is going to come and lead us in the song, "Take My Life, and Let It Be." Through this song, a person asks God to take the whole of his or her life––to possess the whole of our being. If you are here this morning and want to give your entire self to God by repenting of your sins; confessing Jesus as Son of God, Savior, and Lord; and by being baptized into the death of Christ; then we want to assist you in that. Please come now, and give yourself to the one who made you and sent the Son to save you. Come as we stand and sing.