Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
September 23, 2001 P.M.
The Character Of Shepherd Leadership
Reading - John 10.11-16
Our lesson tonight concerns the character of leadership.
In our Sunday evening lessons... We have learned...
- First... That God is searching for willing and qualified leaders.
- Secondly... Last week we found that He is interested in shepherd style leadership.
- Thirdly... Using the 23rd Psalm... We examined the responsibilities of shepherd leaders.
Tonight we will be discussing the CHARACTER of Shepherd leaders... Especially Elders.
First and foremost... Let’s note that Elders are SHEPHERDS.
Biblical shepherds were not day laborers who showed up for work at eight in the morning in a stranger’s pasture, put in eight hours, and then went home. Biblical shepherds lived with their sheep, day and night, year after year.
-Shepherds helped birth the lambs.
-They led their sheep to pasture and fed them.
-They protect them from harm day and night.
-They teach them,
-Discipline them.
The sheep know the shepherd’s voice and touch and they followed him. They have confidence in him and follow no one else. Your see, the flock has a genuine trust in the shepherd’s desire and ability to... Lead... Feed... Protect... and Discipline.
The sheep know the shepherd has their best interest at heart. They know that he placed their best interest before his own and that he is willing to lay down his life for them. There is a genuine relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. In fact, because of long and frequent contact... the shepherd smells like the sheep.
And SPIRITUALLY there is a reason for this... Because he is one of them.
Shepherds in the church today must not be strangers, merely plugged into a job, just to fill an organizational chart.
-They must be men who smell like sheep.
-They must be a people person.
-They must be those interested in the spiritual health and welfare of the flock.
Secondly... Elders are to be mentors.
Elders are to be men we would like to be like spiritually.
-They are to be men who have experience and wisdom.
-They know the trails of life... They know where the green pastures and quiet waters are.
-They are men who have walked with Jesus.
-They must have experience in soul restoring and leading in righteousness.
-They are to be encouragers... motivators... and examples on how to live life.
Thirdly... Elders are equippers.
Georgia said... Randall... You know that is not a word.
-Elders are men who prepare us for works of service.
-Elders help us discover our God given gifts and talents.
-They help us find our place of work within the flock.
-They help train us in ministry.
-They equip us to do the works that God has prepared in advance for us to do.
-They encourage us to be able to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and how to live self-controlled upright, godly lives in the present age. Eager, zealous, of good works as we wait for our hope and the glorious coming of the Good shepherd, Jesus.
Now with these thoughts in mind.
I want us to turn and read some scriptures together...Listen for the kind of men God wants for leaders in His church.... Are you ready?
First to Acts 6.1-4.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are of good report... Known to be full of the Spirit... and wisdom.
Now From Acts 20.
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church... Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!
Now to First Timothy 3....
Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap... (And now to the leaders wife)... In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
To Titus 1.6-9... Titus 1.6-9.
An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
And First Peter 5.1-4...
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow-elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Hebrews 13.17...
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
From these scriptures we want to draw a portrait of an elder...
His character... His heart... His mind... His Disposition... His Life-style... His purpose... His priorities... etc,... READY???
First... Shepherd leaders must be men filled with the spirit.
As the Jerusalem church selected the seven to care for the Grecian widows, the instructions were to select seven men of honest report... Full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? It means men under the influence...leading...and guidance of the Spirit.
Men who are drunk on the Spirit of God verses the wine of the world.
In practical terms... It means men who will make themselves available to God.
God is not looking for great men in the church today to serve as leaders. He is looking for those who will make themselves available for His use. Those who are willing to be set aside for his purposes.
You see, God can take any man... An ordinary man... An individual like you and me and He can and will make him great in his Kingdom... If we will be available.
-Abraham was not a great man when God called him. But he was available... He went where God wanted him to go.
Moses was not a great man. Just a lowly shepherd caring for his father-in-law’s sheep in the Sinai Desert. But he... (after some argument and excuses)... made himself available.
-David was a teenage shepherd boy when God called him. But, he was available... He was willing to be used by God against some terrific odds... RIGHT?
-Peter and John were fishermen... In fact... the entire twelve apostles were an unlikely bunch.
But... They made themselves available... And as a result they turned the world upside down.
Perhaps this is a good place to stop and talk about God equipping leaders to serve.
When God called Moses... He began to excuse himself by saying... Who me!!... Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and demand the release of a whole nation?
You may be thinking...
-I have no education...
-No formal leadership training..
-No special talents.
Remember what God asked Moses?... What is that in your hand?... A shepherd’s staff... Throw it on the ground... It became a serpent... Put your hand in your robe, pull it out... It was Leprous... Put it back... and when Moses removed it, it was whole again.
Let me read God’s own words when he called Joshua to replace Moses as the leader of Israel. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
Paul declared... I can do all things through Christ who gives me my strength.
Is there any doubt that God can and will equip and use ordinary men to accomplish His task in the kingdom. Ours is to say Yes!... to leadership... Yes! to God... Yes... Lord... I am available.
Like Isaiah we should be saying... Here am I Lord... Send me.
Dwight L. Moody once said... The world has yet to see what God can and will do through, with, by and in the man who will totally give himself to God. Who will be available to God. Who will be filled with the spirit.
Are you willing to serve this church family... If God calls you to serve as a shepherd... I pray that you are.
Being spirit filled... Also means that we be spirit led... spirit influenced.
Listen to Paul in Romans 8... And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. For if you live according to the flesh nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Being Spirit filled means that we will submit to the spirit’s leading through the word.
That we will be drunk... not on wine... but on the Spirit.
It means that church leaders must be men who will live by the BOOK!!
Secondly... A shepherd leader is to be a man of experience... not a novice. He is to be experienced in the word. An Elder must be one who has been in and around the WORD OF GOD for a good while.
He must be able to rightly divide the word of truth.
He must be able to teach.
A shepherd is a pastor and teacher.
He must be able with the Word to convince and convict the untaught and the false teacher.
An Elder must be able to teach the Word positively. Meaning he must be able to encourage others by sound doctrine.
An Elder must be able to encourage others... through the Word... with the Word..
An Elder must also be able to teach the Word negatively.
He must be able to refute those who oppose sound teaching.
There are times when an Elder must use the word to reprove... rebuke... exhort... and instruct in righteousness.
An Elder must be experienced with life.
He is to be an older man... A mature man... Note, not a near dead man... Just older. You see... God not only equips us through the Word... But also through life experiences. An Elder is one who has lived long enough to have a track record. He has learned and gained wisdom through experience.
An Elder has experience with Jesus.
An Elder is one who has spiritual experience.
He knows Jesus personally.
He is one who has walked with Jesus... In His footsteps.
He also has experience with the devil. An Elder is one who has wrestled with temptation and sin... And won.!!... And won!
Years of spiritual combat equips us to guide others in their pursuit of righteousness.
Elders are familiar with the fiery darts of the devil.
Elders know how to put on... wear... and use the whole armor of God.
An Elder is to be an experienced family man. Spiritual leadership skills are to be tested first in the family... Before they are tried on the flock... The church of God. The family is where our true leadership skills and character come through. Scripture tells us without reservation that... If a man cannot lead his family spiritually... Then he is not qualified to lead the church.
Read the qualifications again from first Timothy and Titus.
David Lipscomb rightly said... The family is the nursery of the church.
It is where one learns to be a shepherd leader.
An Elder must have a good experience with his wife.
The husband of one wife.
Literally in the Greek... A one-woman man.
An Elder cannot be a woman chaser.
He cannot have eyes full of adultery.
Sexual immorality shatters trust.
If he can’t keep himself pure... be faithful to his wife... How can he keep the church pure.
His family experiences also extends to the children.
Do his children believe?... Are they well behaved?
Does he know how to lovingly discipline them?
Are they under submission?... Or generally unruly?
God says... A man who cannot manage the care of his own family cannot manage the church. This is a crucial issue in shepherd leadership. You see... If a man cannot faithfully lead his wife and children... There is a good chance that he cannot faithfully lead the church of God.
Number three... An Elder must be a man of self-control... self-discipline. Elders are to be men of respect... and above reproach.... Both inside and outside the church. Sheep are not likely to follow unstable shepherds. For instance... He must control his temper.
He must not be overbearing... Violent... Hostile... Vindictive... but one who returns good for evil.
He must not be quarrelsome... but peace loving.
He does not love money. An Elder must one who will not allow money to control or influence his decisions.
He must be honest... above reproach in money matters.
An Elder is one who has learned to control his appetites.
God has given us drives... desires and appetites... An Elder is one who has shown discipline when it comes to Position... Power... Women... Wine... Drugs... Money... etc.
He is a disciplined individual. He must not allow his desire for money or power to control or influence his decisions.
Then number four... An Elder must be a lover. When it comes to selecting Shepherds who will lead us to heaven... If you ask me to choose between worldly leadership qualities and compassion... I’ll take compassion.
God is a lover... God is love.
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten.
God demonstrated his love in this... When we were yet sinners... Christ died for us.
Biblical shepherds were compassionate... Spiritual shepherds must be men of compassion.
For instance...
-Elders are to be lovers of God.
-They must be lovers of the people of God... the church.
-They must love the lost.
They must love the sheep who have gone astray.
Luke 15 contains the story of a shepherd who left the ninety-and nine and went searching for the lost sheep. Lost people matter to God... Lost sheep matter to shepherds.
Jesus gave his life for sinners...Shepherds must be willing to give of their time and energy for the lost and the straying.
Then lastly tonight... Elders are to be lovers of hospitality. Shepherds take the time to reach out to people. The Greek means... Open to strangers.
Jesus said... I have sheep not of this fold.... Jesus came to bring them into the fold.
An Elder’s hospitality has little to do with entertaining... But a lot to do with soul saving.
We’ll talk more about this next Sunday morning.
We talked about it this morning... The character of an Elder does not have to be perfect. But they must be men who strive for the perfection of the Good Shepherd.
With the lesson tonight... I hope and pray that tonight I have given you a portrait... A picture of a Shepherd’s heart.
May God bless our study together.
If you are here tonight and need to come to Jesus... The GOOD SHEPHERD... You can... by faith...repentance...and New Testament baptism...immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins.
Perhaps we just need to submit in some way to His shepherding guidance...
Maybe we need to submit to the shepherds of this flock in some area.
Maybe we need the prayers of the church... Just to live a better life.
Come to Jesus as we stand and sing this invitation song.
Will you come???
