Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32
As we sat in Bible study Sunday morning our pastor was teaching us about conscience and convictions. We were all gleaning from his teaching (as we always do) and each of us was sharing and it was really a beautiful time of growing in the Lord, collectively. Suddenly or Pastor took out his phone and started texting. He tried to continue teaching but you could tell that he was clearly distracted by his phone and he continued to try to both text and teach until he apologized, explained that this was a family member In the body of Christ and that he really needed to take a moment and reach out to this person. He asked that, as a group, we would prayed for This family member. We did and we prayed for Pastor as well and that the Lord would really use him in whatever this situation was.
As you read this it may sounds rather condemning that my pastor would begin to text in the middle of a lesson.
But what he was doing was modeling himself after our Savior (The Good Shepherd), Jesus Christ. In John 10:11 Jesus Himself says “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”.
Our Savior is the Good Shepherd. John 10:11 says so and so does Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The scriptures also says, in Ezekiel 34:11, “For thus says the Lord God, I, myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.”; in Luke 15:4-7 – “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” He will leave and has left the flock to seek out each one of us lost sheep. Thank you Jesus, for finding me and carrying me on your shoulders Lord.
That is our Pastor’s heart. He knew where we the flock were, but this other lost sheep, he needed to find/reach out to and draw them back in or strengthen them and minister to them.
The term Pastor, is a title that has pretty vast qualifications. And many men hold that title. But a shepherd, is a calling and a gifting. It takes a special equipping and a special heart to be a shepherd. You have to have a supernatural love, for the flock.
Prior to Jesus crucifixion he stood in the upper room and told the disciples that they would all fall away that very night. (Then Jesus said to them, “you will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will scatter.’ Matthew 26:31. But Simon Peter says, “though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away”. (Yes Peter, the Savior of the World, the Son of God, was wrong ; ) lol. Probably exactly what I would have said : ). Then Jesus prophecies that not only would Peter deny him…he would do it 3 times! (Jesus said to him, truly I say to you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Matthew 26:34. And, just as Jesus prophecies, Peter denies having known his own Savior, 3 times. Peter is so upset with himself and feels so unworthy that he doesn’t even continue evangelizing and promoting the gospel, he simply goes back to being a fisherman. When our Savior is raised from the dead however, He seeks out and appears to Peter. He asks Peter, 3 times, if he Loves Him. Each time, Peter responded yes and each time Peter said yes, Jesus asked him to feed His sheep.
Jesus reinstated Peter to the position of shepherd over His sheep. He needed someone here to feed and care for His people. Just like He commissioned Peter, our Lord commissions Pastors today to feed His sheep. It is not a call that should be taken lightly, because he has the responsibility for nurturing, leading, teaching and caring for the very souls of those in his flock. It is a 24/7 job.
I am thankful for our Shepherd/Pastor and I pray that, if you have a Shepherd/Pastor who has a heart that loves the flock in your church with a supernatural love that can only come from God and if he is trying to be all that a true shepherd sent by God should be, I pray that you would honor him. October is Pastor appreciation month, reach out to him and let him know that you are grateful that he allows the Lord to use him so mightily in your life and church. I also pray that you would step up and be a help to him in your church. Take care of something, even something little, that he won’t have to worry about so that he can focus on the sheep. Most of all I pray that you would show your gratitude, praise and Honor to our Good Shepherd, Savior for being the one who came and found you when you were lost and then faithfully supplied your Shepherd/Pastor to keep watch over you.
If you are not in a church, this is part of what you are missing. I assure you that if you can find a body with a pastor who is this devoted to you and your brothers and sisters in the church, you will want to belong.
If you do not know The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. Then, reach out to me and let me know that you have prayed that prayer, so that I can be praying for you and can help you to draw closer to our Good Shepherd and Savior, Jesus Christ and grow in your relationship with Him. He adores you and is coming after you, His lost sheep. (But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6)
