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Community
Christian Church, Durant, Oklahoma
Sunday
morning, May 25, 2014
Matthew 9:35 – 10:8, “Then Jesus went about all the
cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the
multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like
sheep having no shepherd. Then
He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the
laborers are few. Therefore
pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” And when He had called His twelve
disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to
cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now
the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter,
and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John
his brother; Philip
and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and
Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon
the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot,
who also betrayed Him. These
twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the
way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But
go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And
as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal
the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.
Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew 11:28 – 30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. For
My yoke is easy and My burden is
light.”
Proverbs 27:23, “Be diligent to know the
state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.”
Someone has said it well, when he wrote – “Authority makes some men
GROW – but others only to SWELL.”
A month ago – in conjunction with our Sunday afternoon Leadership
Training, we began a look at the subject of church leadership. And, if you remember – I told you at that time
- a month ago – that this time – this season of Community Christian Church’s
history – has got to be one of the most important – most exciting and yes, one
of the most frightening of any season up to this point for this church family. And the reasons are obvious, aren’t they?
I mean – we are embarking on a journey – a search – a process that
likely won’t be easy, quick or simple.
And, yet, as we look to God for help – as we invite Him to be IN this
process – at the CENTER of this journey – I believe He will bring to pass some
very great results.
And, that’s because – if GOD is in it – if we are looking to Him and
His strength – if we seek His face continually on this trek – His name WILL be
hallowed – His kingdom – His ruling and reigning – will be EVIDENT – and His
work and will are certain to be performed – on earth – through US – if HE is in
it!
This search – this process and journey – is in the direction of church
leadership – asking God to raise up in our midst - HIS men – men who desire to
GROW and who are resisting the temptation to SWELL. Godly men – godly men-in-the-making – and
their wives and families – to lead the flock – to serve and strengthen the
flock and to love people – GOD’S people – like Jesus loves them. That’s the direction God intends for this
trek to go! So, what else do we need to
know, to learn – to pray about – as we go from here?
Well, we’ve already learned a great deal, haven’t we? And, though I haven’t taken us in these
messages – to places like Ezekiel 34 and John 10 and Acts 20 and 1 Timothy 3 –
I expect YOU ARE – and I ask and invite you to do so. For there is so much to know, to learn and
yes, so much to pray about when it comes to the subject of church and family
leadership.
So, there’s your assignment – to dig into those other church and family
leadership passages – and ask God to grow you in your knowledge, understanding
and yes – even in your conformity to what God says to you in those texts.
O.K. – so here we are – ready to look one more time at Jesus’ word and
example – as recorded by the apostle Matthew in, Matthew chapters 9, 10 and
11. And, what is set forth for us here –
in this place – through the words printed in red?
What kind of shepherds – assistant shepherds – does God desire to
oversee and care for His flock? Is He
looking for the kind of men who are interested in GROWING as they learn to lead
– or is He looking for the kind that are interested only in SWELLING?
I TRUST you know the answers to those questions – you see it, here –
don’t you?
Jesus makes it really plain here, doesn’t He? Jesus’ desire – God’s intention – is that the
men who lead His people be FAITHFUL MEN – FAITHFUL SHEPHERDS.
And, so what are the hallmarks of a faithful shepherd? What is God looking for – what ought we to be
PRAYING FOR – as we embark on this journey?
How about this? God is looking
for faithful men – shepherds – real shepherds – who realize and even rejoice in
the fact that their work – is ALWAYS, ULTIMATELY WITH, TO AND AMONG the Wounded
and Weary!
When Jesus urged His disciples to pray the Lord of the harvest to send
forth laborers into His harvest – and then – when He called those very same 12
men to Himself – and gave them authority – when He put them in the position of
ASSISTANT shepherd – He did not give them that authority for AUTHORITY’S
SAKE! You know, to make them SWELL! No!
Rather, He gave them authority – ability – and, with it – opportunity –
Why?
For the sake of MINISTRY! For
the sake of meeting the needs of the sick, the wounded, the weary – and yes, even
the LOST sheep – in behalf of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
So, what are we to learn from this?
Listen – Men of God – future Shepherds – the call to church leadership
is NOT to gain glamor, but to give MERCY!
Jesus said it Himself, didn’t He – in Matthew 9:37 and 38: “I am looking for LABORERS – workers – not
CELEBRITIES!”
At that time – 2,000 years ago – and at this time – in this place –
Jesus is seeking men – men who along with their wives and children – will join
Jesus in HIS ministry! And, what
ministry is that?
Matthew 9:35 & 36 – Matthew 10:1 – 8: to put it simply, JESUS’
ministry and the faithful SHEPHERD’s ministry are the same – one and the
same! They are a ministry, first and
foremost of the WORD – preaching and teaching and equipping the flock of God to
prepare them to join them in ministry.
And, then, secondly, Jesus’ ministry – the faithful shepherd’s ministry
– is a ministry of MERCY – a ministry of mercy to the fainting, the fearful,
the bruised and the broken.
Yes, it’s a ministry of finding and rescuing those sheep that have
strayed from the Good shepherd who loves them so much. Why?
Because the One those weary and wounded sheep need the MOST is the very
One whose gracious invitation is “Come!”
“Come, unto Me!”
Jot this down – and add this to what we have already shared: “Thy kingdom come – Thy will be done” – We
know those words, don’t we? Listen –
Jesus’ AUTHORITY – His kingdom authority – and His ministering, saving ACTIVITY
– “Thy will be done” – do you see it?
The reason Jesus says, “PRAY the Lord of the harvest to send forth
laborers into His harvest” is because JESUS’ kingdom authority and saving
activity are EXTENDED – I would say, MULTIPLIED – through the work of faithful
shepherds!
Number two – what did we say?
God is desirous of – looking across this congregation – in order to
raise up men who are interest in GROWING – growing in Christian maturity – as
they learn to lead His people – NOT men whose thought and intent is only to
SWELL.
Why is that? Oh, listen closely,
my friends – the reason we NEED shepherds whose heart is to grow, not SWELL –
is because ULTIMATELY – what is their task?
To LEAD THE SHEEP to themselves?
No! Their calling is to lead the
sheep to JESUS! To lead the sheep to
JESUS!
It may sound a lot like what I have already said – but, examine it from
this angle with me nonetheless, will you?
As they minister the WORD to the sheep – whose VOICE is it that
faithful shepherds must seek to be heard? THEIR voices? No!
JESUS’ voice, right?
My Brothers, it doesn’t matter how powerful or persuasive –
authoritative or eloquent you or I might be – when we speak. Listen – there’s only ONE Good Shepherd! Only ONE whose invitation is “Come, unto ME!
. . . Learn of ME!” And, yes – there is
only ONE whose voice Jesus’ sheep – hear me – JESUS’ sheep – really listen to!
A FAITHFUL shepherd’s work is ALWAYS – ultimately – to lead people to
JESUS – not to himself! And, how does he
do that?
He does so by giving VOICE to Jesus’ invitation, “Come unto Me! Come unto Me!”
But, then notice – Matthew 11:28 – 30 – faithful shepherds also are to
use their HANDS – in carrying out their primary task – to lead people to Jesus
– faithful shepherds are also to use their HANDS in order to see that Jesus’
promise – “I will give you REST!” – is fulfilled. Once again, it’s that ministry of MERCY! Jesus gives His assistant shepherds authority
– ability and opportunity – chances to anoint the wounded and weary with oil –
and to pray for them to be healed.
Why? For the shepherds to show
off? To flaunt what Jesus has given them
to do? No!
The Good Shepherd – who also was the Consummate Servant – He gives His
assistant shepherds authority and opportunity – Why? For what purpose? To SERVE!
To SERVE!
We’ve learned a lot about the faithful shepherd’s TASK – his WORK –
with, to and among the sheep – with, to and among the scattered, the lost – the
harassed – in order to lead them to Jesus.
Now, let’s take a few moments to consider the faithful shepherd’s REWARD
– the faithful shepherd’s REWARD.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews puts forth a provocative challenge
along these lines to his readers in Hebrews 13, verse 7. Take a look at it with me, will you?
He says it like this: “Remember
– keep in mind – those who rule over you – your LEADERS – your shepherds – who
have spoken the word of God to you – whose faith follow – considering the
OUTCOME of their conduct.”
The Hebrew writer says – keep your leaders in mind – FOLLOW their faith
– and – and – do that – do that – How?
By keeping in mind the OUTCOME of their conduct.”
Now, here’s the 64,000 dollar question:
WHAT IS the outcome – the end result – the REWARD of the growing in
Christ – and growing in Christ like leadership – of the faithful shepherd? Peter says that “When the CHIEF Shepherd
appears – faithful ASSISTANT shepherds will receive a crown of GLORY that does
not fade away!” 1 Peter 5:4.
But, what does JESUS say? What
does HE says?
Back to Matthew 10 – Matthew 10:32 and 37 – 40. Here’s what Jesus says:
Matthew
10:32, 37 – 40, “Therefore whoever
confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in
heaven.” “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of
Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not
take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his
life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who
receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Peter says that the faithful shepherd’s reward is a glorious, unfading
crown. What does JESUS say? We read the words – you heard them, didn’t
you? In effect, what Jesus says is: I AM YOUR REWARD – “When you confess ME
before men – I will confess YOU before My Father in heaven.”
In effect Jesus says, I AM YOUR CROWN – In choosing ME – choosing to
value ME and give yourself to ME – even if it meant separating from family and
loved ones who HAVEN’T chosen Me – even if it means losing your LIFE for ME –
guess what? You’re not really
LOSING! No! You are actually WINNING! You will have ME as your crown! To put it simply, the faithful shepherd’s
REWARD is always, ultimately, JESUS HIMSELF!
JESUS HIMSELF!
Which leads us, then, to one final thought – one last question for
those who are considering whether or not God is calling them to step up – to
GROW – to GROW – as they take on the task of church leadership. What is that question?
How? How? How in the world can I be a faithful shepherd?
Matthew 11:28 – 30 – Some of my favorite Bible verses. We have already seen how these words are the
tender invitation of the Good Shepherd to the sheep – VOICED and MADE VISIBLE –
through the faithful shepherd – Jesus’ faithful assistant shepherds. Remember?
Through faithful men of God – and through their ministry of the Word
and their deeds of Mercy - Jesus – the Good Shepherd says, “Come unto Me!” And what an amazing offer that is, isn’t it?
But, listen – here’s the part you may not have considered – men of God
– godly men-in-the-making. You are
thinking about the call to step up to GROW and to LEAD – and yet, mixed in with
all of those thoughts is one daunting – maybe even haunting question: HOW CAN I?
HOW?
Here’s how – the very same One who invites the SHEEP – also tenderly
welcomes the SHEPHERDS – “Come unto ME” – for REST and for REFRESHMENT. Yes, “Come unto Me - LEARN of Me!” Enter into RELATIONSHIP with Me!
Yes, I intend to SEND you out in My behalf – but listen – because I
care just as much for YOU – the shepherd – as I do the SHEEP who are entrusted
to your care – I am inviting YOU to gather with Me – to come TO Me – so that,
after you have been with Me – you might go out and minister FOR Me.
Listen, Brothers – it’s actually very simple – the answer to the HOW
Can I question. And here’s what it
is: JESUS – JESUS – the Good Shepherd –
the Chief Shepherd – is not only the Best and Safest Place for the SHEEP – He
also is the Best Place – the Safest, Strongest Place for the Shepherds! He is!
Sheep – Shepherds – and the Good Shepherd – LORD, give us men – men who
want to know well the state – the condition of the flock. Yes, give us that kind of men! Much more, Lord – will give us men who want to
know YOU!
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