Feeding His Flock

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;” (I Peter 5:1-2a)
Though it is true that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, still it is especially true that all those who claim and believe that the Creator of the universe is their father, are indeed His special possession. No greater honour could be done to any man than to be called into the work to feed the flock of God. Those who are elders, whether preaching or ruling, are given the highest calling that must never be in any way minimized.  In the above text, Peter begins with a word of exhortation to the elders of the church. There is a deep humility here. Peter identifies himself as a fellow elder. He is neither proud nor arrogant. He counts himself as an elder in the household of God, the very place where God’s judgment begins. He will not escape – nor does he desire to – the consuming, purifying, and strengthening judgment of God. Who are elders? Elders are shepherds. Peter commands them “shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Peter 5:2).
One of the most beautiful pictures in the Bible is God as shepherd. The prophet Isaiah declares: “The Lord God will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). When the risen Lord Jesus meets Peter by the seashore, he says to him, “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17) He is “the chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4) Our shepherding Savior  does not drive us like a herd of cattle, but leads us, for we are sheep. He knows each of us by name. For our sakes, he places himself in danger. He drives away ravenous predators and malevolent robbers. When one of us goes astray, he finds us, and brings us back into the safety of his eternal shelter.
Elders are shepherds. They are under shepherd of the great Shepherd of the Sheep. An elder is anyone in position of authority over a group of people to direct. What do elders do? They exercise oversight of God’s sheep.
The biblical image of God as our shepherd is a powerful reminder of how much we need each other in the community of faith. When writing about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the psalmist said, “ God made His own people go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; and He led them on safely, so that they did not fear” (Ps. 78:52-53).
As part of God’s flock, we who have trusted Christ are under His guiding, protecting hand while being surrounded by the shielding presence of others. We are part of a larger body of believers in which there is safety and accountability.
Beloved, Jesus did not ask Peter if he loved His sheep, but if he loved Him. Affection for God’s people in itself will not sustain us. His flock can be unresponsive, unappreciative, and harshly critical of our efforts to love and to serve them. In the end, we will find ourselves defeated and discouraged. The “love of Christ”—our love for Him—is the only sufficient motivation that will enable us to stay the course, to continue to feed the flock of God. The church needs elders who will not lose their nerve when tension emerges between younger and older generations. The going might be rough at times, but our commitment must be to pass along the wisdom of biblical worship and life from past generations to the generation that follows us. Only the Love for the Chief shepherd can make elders to accomplish this. May we not disappoint the Chief shepherd in Jesus name.
Have a blessed week as you prepare to receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

 Your brother and friend
‘Seyi Pirisola