Sunday Message Summary, 16 April 2023
The Church of Jesus Christ is fundamentally founded on shepherdship. We notice from John 21:15-17 that the Lord’s greatest concern and need for His church is shepherdship. This is the one thing that is lacking in the Church today. Shepherdship is the cornerstone of the Church. God’s people (His lambs and sheep) need a God-ordained human shepherd to feed and to tend them (nourish, lead, teach, and guide). The Kingdom of GOD is thus premised on shepherdship. Even the devil knows that to get to God’s sheep he must attack the shepherds. What the devil attacks the most is the leadership of the church, and it is the devil who makes people despise the shepherds GOD has placed them under.
There can be no sheep without a shepherd. GOD has committed our lives and our provision to shepherds (Hebrews 13:17 NKJV). When we are under the pastor and ministry where GOD has placed us, the LORD will bless us. This also means that disobedience and insubordination to our leaders comes with consequences. Without a shepherd, sheep are vulnerable and there is no protection from the devil (Ezekiel 34:5 NKJV). In the Kingdom of GOD, one is either a shepherd or are under a shepherd. Anything outside of that is unscriptural, and many Christians are powerless as they seek to establish their own righteousness. The Chief Shepherd, who is the Good Shepherd, has committed us under His own shepherds, because the leadership of GOD is the leadership of shepherdship. God’s leading and caring for His church is through His shepherds (Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJV). Furthermore, for there to be peace, unity and understanding in the Body there needs to be shepherds. When GOD brings us to where He wants us to be, He gives us shepherds according to His heart (Jeremiah 3:14-15 NKJV).
True church leadership of GOD is rare. One does not choose to be a shepherd, but shepherds are meticulously chosen by the LORD because a shepherd must be a gift that brings joy. A true shepherd is a servant and has a peculiar heart which anyone can see. Shepherds are compassionate, loving, humble, tender, and caring servants of GOD (1 Peter 5:1-3 TPT). To lead the people of GOD should be a pleasure and not just a religious duty. The key prerequisite and qualification for a shepherd is love for the flock. A shepherd has a heart for each individual sheep knowing that each one has been purchased by the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28-29 NKJV). For one to be a shepherd they must be selfless and humble. Moses, for example, was more humble than all men who were on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3 NKJV) because he was a true shepherd. Only a shepherd lays down their life, discomforting and inconveniencing themselves for the sake of the flock (John 10:15 NKJV; Matthew 20:28 NKJV). Furthermore, a true shepherd knows the Chief Shepherd and he himself is known by Him.
Shepherds have a responsibility to guide, protect, and oversee the flock, and judgement is coming for every shepherd (Hebrews 13:17 NKJV). The greatest and most powerful weapon of a shepherd is their voice, i.e., the Word of GOD in their mouths (John 10:2-5 NKJV). Shepherds ought not to lead people by threat and fear, leading the flock under duress (1 Peter 5:1-4 NKJV). Shepherds don’t do it for money, nor do they go by number, trying to get people by hook or by crook. False shepherds distort the truth in order to win people (Acts 20:30 TLB), but shepherds that come from GOD are not bossy, domineering, controlling nor full of self. No human being in God’s creation is supposed to dominate another human being.
God’s leading and caring for His church is through His shepherds
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