A Shepherd For The Sheep

Baa. Baa. Running here. Running there. Sheep go to and fro, they need to be guided.
I raised sheep when I was a young girl. I love sheep.
I had breeding ewes, meat lambs, and always had babies aound.

All during my 4H and FFA years, I raised sheep to show and sell.  They are great animals.
But something I came to realize, if my sheep got separated from me or the flock, they didn't do well.
Shhh. don't tell anybody I said this, but they weren't blessed with common sense. Some might even say sheep are dumb.

They REALLY need a shepherd.

I find it interesting that Jesus calls his people sheep. He himself is our great Shepherd.
But He knew that His sheep, just like the sheep I had growing up, would need a shepherd to guide them as they go through life.
We, like sheep, sometimes lose our way. We wander from the fold. Get into danger. We need help.

Acts 20
²⁸ 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.

An Overseer.
An Elder.
A Shepherd.
When you look up that word elder, it is the same word used for shepherd, overseer and bishop. All the same thing.

A gift from God. A man who has chosen to keep watch over God's flock.
Not an easy job.
Not a job to take lightly.
A job with pretty tough qualifications.

Titus 1
⁵ The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. ⁶ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁸ Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. ⁹ 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.


I love the Shepherds where my husband serves as the senior minister. They are wonderful men who love their sheep. They care about the welfare of the people. They protect their sheep. They correct their sheep.

I love them all.

Tomorrow, a dear friend, will be ordained as a Shepherd, Overseer, Elder.
I have watched this man grow and mature in the Lord.
I am excited about his desiring to serve God in this way.

Adam Snow, I know you will faithfully serve Jesus, and I am blessed to be able to be a part of this special day.
Your new flock will be blessed by your love and guidance.

I am so thankful God gave the gift of shepherds to the church. I know as a wandering lamb, it is comforting to know that God has men watching over me and making sure no wolves attack!
Baa. Baa. Safe and sound in the fold.

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Shepherds

Growing up, I raised sheep. Spent many hours everyday caring for their needs. They are needy animals! I was often dirty and nasty when I got done and needed to hit the shower right away. I certainly would not go anywhere after being in the sheep pen without cleaning up first. Reading the story of the shepherds outside of Bethlehem, made me think a little. They might have missed the King of Kings had they worried about how they looked or smelled. They might have missed Jesus.

Serenaded by angels with a song of redemption.
Heard the message of the Savior's birth first.
Expressed humble worship for the King of Kings.
Perhaps a bit dirty, or smelly, but chose not to
Hesitate or find an excuse for not running to Jesus.
Elated after finding Jesus, because all was just as they had been told.
Responded immediately to the call of God and told others about Jesus.
Deepened faith , because of what they heard, saw, and chose to believe.

Simple, humble servants, who left all to look for Jesus.

Luke 2:8-20

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

 ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.