THE GIFT OF SHEPHERDS

(INTRO) YOU MIGHT BE A SHEPHERD IF…

[1]WELCOME: Good morning Church! If you’re new with us on campus or you are joining us online thanks for being with us. If you’re online with us because you’re checking out Christianity and Cornerstone, or you are sick or traveling, we’re glad you’re engaging. We also want you to know that online engagement is helpful, but it’s not a substitute for being involved in face-to-face community. The reality is that powerful transformation is about being connected with people, knowing, and being known, and working out how to live the Jesus way together. So please consider our online option as either an onramp or a way to stay engaged when sick, traveling, or unable to join us in person. In person community is far better than online connection. That perfectly fits with our teaching…

SERIES: that we are in called 5: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers. We’ve been unpacking the list of gifts in [2][Eph. 4:11] “11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” The main idea is that the mission that Jesus started while here on earth is still going on. In order to do keep doing the mission Jesus started, he gave each of us a role and a responsibility. We talked about Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists. Today we’re talking about…[3]

· SHEPHERDS: Like we’ve done over the last couple of weeks, here are some phrases. If any of them seem like they describe you, then you might be a shepherd. [4]“I like to provide a safe and comfortable environment where people feel they are welcome, that they belong, and are listened to and cared for.” (They love connecting and caring) [5]“I get concerned, and maybe even upset, at other people’s difficulties and problems even if I haven’t experienced them myself.” (Empathy and sympathy) [6]People sometimes tell me that I care too much for others. (This can be good and bad as we’ll see.) I am willing to challenge or confront people in order to help them mature. (this is a mature shepherd) [7]I sometimes have a difficulty setting boundaries with needy people. (I know I got some of you now! This is classic shepherd. It’s beautiful and dangerous.) As we’ve said before, some of you are excited to hear about your gift today. And some of you are like, this isn’t me, but please listen. We need to be able to see and appreciate the beauty that each role provides to the body of Jesus and the mission he has for us. We also need to know how to help them grow and encourage them to live out their calling. So, if you’ll open your bibles to [8][John 10:11-18], we’re going to look at the perfect example of a shepherd, Jesus himself, and then we’re going to get practical about what this looks like in the church and in the mission of Jesus. Let’s pray…[9][READ SCRIPTURE]

(TEACH/APP) THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND HIS SACRIFICE

I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD: The passage we just read was written by one of Jesus’ followers named John. [10]As he was writing his account of who Jesus was and what he came to do, he included seven statement that Jesus made about himself. Each of them started with the phrase “I Am”. This would have been significant to Jewish people because it purposefully reminded them of the way that God revealed who he was to Moses. When Moses asked God what his name was, he said “I am who I am”. Jesus was saying, the same God who spoke to Moses, is the same God speaking to you right now. And one of those statements is the one we just read. [11]I am the good shepherd. Which shouldn’t surprise us since God is described as a shepherd. Think back to the 23rd Psalm. The Lord is my shepherd. The image of a shepherd was common and full of meaning. As we’ll talk about, a shepherd made sure that sheep were guided to where they needed to go, had enough food, and were protected. All these things were things that God had done for his people. That wouldn’t have shocked anyone. What Jesus said however was shocking. The first shocking realization is that Jesus is saying he is God. This is why he was killed. For claiming to be God. So don’t let anyone tell you Jesus never claimed to be God. This is what you’ll hear from Muslims and Mormons and liberal theologians in college religion classes. So, it was scandalous to them that he was claiming to be God, but equally shocking was his statement that…[12]

· THE GOOD SHEPHERD WILL DIE FOR HIS SHEEP: He compares two kinds of people who watch over sheep. One who is doing it simply because they get a paycheck. When danger comes, they don’t care about the sheep, they only care about themselves, and they run away. They leave the sheep helpless and defenseless and allow them to be slaughtered. He’s actually making a statement about the religious rulers of the day. They loved having authority, getting money from the people, but didn’t love people. Jesus contrasts them with himself. He says, I’M WILLING TO LAY DOWN MY LIFE SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE. I’ll personally sacrifice myself so that they can escape destruction. And that’s exactly what he did. He saw that we were wandering and needed guidance. He looked at this world and saw that we were helpless and in danger. So, he came to guide, provide, love, and protect us. And ultimately, he laid down his life to save us both in this life and the life to come. [13]THE GREAT SHEPHERD DOES THIS FOR THE SHEEP BECAUSE HE LOVES THEM. Jesus as the great shepherd and perfect example then gives this role and responsibility to his church. If love is the great motivator, and Jesus the perfect example, what does it look like to live out your calling as a shepherd practically. Well…[14]

(JC) DOING WHAT THE GOOD SHEPHERD DID (JC)

· A SHEPHERD CARES FOR INDIVIDUAL SHEEP: I love that Jesus said that [15-16]“I know my own and my own know me,” [John 10:14] That word “know” isn’t simply knowing things about a sheep. It means I know this particular sheep. I’ve spent enough time around it to know how it differs from the rest of the sheep. I know how it interacts with the other sheep. This one sheep started out as a runt and needed some extra care. This sheep tends to head butt the other sheep. A good shepherd is someone who has spent enough time with the individual sheep to know what they’re like and how to best lead them. That also means that as they spend time with the individual sheep the sheep know they can trust that shepherd. When a shepherd spends time pulling out burrs from their wool, nursing them when they are sick, and even just speaking to them, they know that the shepherd cares for them. They are drawn to the sound of their voice. In order to do this…[17]

o A SHEPHERD MUST SMELL LIKE THEIR SHEEP: Practically speaking, this means a shepherd interacts with sheep more than one day a week. A shepherd is someone who regularly is spending time with the people they love and care for. They’re building relationships outside of Sundays. In student ministry they talk about showing up to basketball games and choir concerts, and birthdays. A shepherd is always wanting to connect in the everyday life of the people they love and be part of their lives, both the ordinary and the special moments. And as they spend time with people…[18]

· BUILDS COMMUNITY: Jesus is a collector and connector of people. When you look at Jesus, he is constantly bringing people together. What kind of people? All kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds. Rowdy fisherman, traitorous tax-collectors, and religious terrorists were just a few of the labels we could put on the disciples. But then you also see lepers and prostitutes around him. Jesus loved picking up and playing with little kids. He invited men and women, poor or wealthy, young and old to be part of his community. If they were people, Jesus loved them, listened to them, and then connected them to himself and to others. A shepherd loves building relationships. They love listening to people’s stories. They love creating environments where people can be together and build strong connections to one another. As they are building community…[19]

· A SHEPHERD SEEKS OUT THE FRINGE AND THE WANDERING: They are constantly on the lookout for the people who aren’t connected yet. Who are the people who are lonely? Who are the people who feel left out? Jesus alludes to this when he says [20-21]“6 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” [Jn. 10:16] He was referring to the gentiles, which is everyone else who is not a part of the Jewish nation. The great shepherds heart was that the flock continue to grow. For those who are not connected to the family of God to be invited and accepted. A shepherd is constantly watching the edges to see who can be brought into closer community. A shepherd is also SEEKING OUT THE WANDERING SHEEP. One of the most sobering passages about God talking to his people who are supposed to be shepherds comes from [22-25][Ezekiel 34:1-6] He says there are those who have strayed you didn’t go looking for. And what happens to them? They become food for all the wild beasts. This is what happens to those who wander away from Christian community. They end up hurting, helpless, and ultimately our spiritual enemy comes to try to destroy them.

o There are many times when someone comes up to me and asks, “hey where are so and so? I haven’t seen them in a while.” There are a few things that I want to mention about shepherds seeking out wandering sheep. The first is that, if you find yourself noticing who is missing, chances are you’re probably supposed to be a shepherd. That’s the kind of thing that a natural shepherd is really good at. They have a sixth sense of knowing who is wandering away. The second is that, if you do notice, please, by all means, let me and the elders know. But before you do, why don’t you personally pick up the phone and call them. Don’t text. Personally connect with them. Tell them that you miss them. Ask them what’s going on in their life. [26]Lastly, Do you know the largest number of people in ministry that Jesus ever oversaw? [WAIT!!! 27]72! Let that sink in. The greatest shepherd ever had ongoing ministry relationships with 72 people. Guess what that means for us today? None of us are Jesus. My guess is that unless you are an exceptional shepherd, probably 20-30 people to a shepherd is a maximum amount of people they can truly care for. [28]A church will shrink to the size of it’s capacity to care for the sheep. Neil Cole writes “Of all the APEST gifts in Ephesians 4, I believe [shepherds] is the one we most need for people to fulfill in the body of Christ.” The staff and elders are called to do the work of shepherds, but we all have different gifts. That means [29]SHEPHERDING MUST BE THE WORK OF THOSE GIFTED FOR IT IN THE BODY, NOT JUST THE LEADERS. If you see people wandering, chances are Jesus expects you to go chasing after them. I’ve got two more quick things to say about shepherds.

· [30]A SHEPHERD IS A PEACE MAKER, NOT A PEACEKEEPER. One of the deep values of a shepherd is for unity in community. They hate conflict. And many times, they will do whatever they can to smooth things over. Oh, so and so has an issue with so and so. I’ll just listen to them and then smooth things over, or I’ll be the go between. They’re trying to keep the peace. However, community will always involve conflict because we all struggle with sin and selfishness. A mature shepherd will say the hard things that need to be said. It might mean when you pick up the phone to check on someone who has been missing and they say they’ve been gone because of sports? It might mean asking them if that seems to align with the priorities of Jesus? Oh, you’re watching online instead? Is that because of good reasons, or just because it’s convenient? How does that align with taking up your cross and following Jesus? I recognize those are a little blunt. A good shepherd would say that better than I just did. It might mean dealing with people who are sideways with each other but won’t talk to each other. It might mean setting up the time for them to talk directly to each other and refusing to engage in gossip about either person. Mature Shepherds seek to bring healing and reconciliation, not simply resolution! Lastly…

· [31]A SHEPHERD IS NOT A SAVIOR: Because Shepherds are natural care-givers they are prone to burn out. They are constantly meeting the needs of other people. The danger is that they’re doing it because they like being needed. They want people to like them. That often means they have a hard time drawing boundaries and saying no to people who constantly take. Deep down they need two things. They need to know they are loved not for what they do for others. They are loved because they belong to Jesus. Secondly, they need to know that only Jesus can fully meet the needs of others, and that they need to trust that Jesus is at work even when they need to say no!

SHEPHERDS WE LOVE YOU, WE NEED YOU! YOU ARE VITAL TO BUILDING SOMETHING THAT THE WORLD DESPERATELY NEEDS.