Acts 20:28-32

Fourth Sunday of Easter

May 3, 2009

Acts 20:28-32 (New International Version)

²⁸Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^[a] Be shepherds of the church of God,^[b] which he bought with his own blood. ²⁹I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. ³⁰Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. ³¹So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

³²"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

In an interview for a campus job, one of our daughters was asked to identify an animal to which she might compare herself. On this weekend when we hear of Jesus as our Good Shepherd we Christians might choose a sheep. Some people’s descriptions of sheep are not flattering, but when we view the care Jesus gives His flock, we find it a most comforting picture. We see such a message in the verses before us, which are part of Paul’s words to the elders of Ephesus.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD LOVES HIS FLOCK

I. He purchased it

II. He protects it

III. He blesses it

Our Good Shepherd’s love for His flock stands out as He purchased it with His own blood. We recently reviewed that act during Lent and Holy Week. Jesus went to the cross bearing the sins of all people. He had none of His own, for He was the sinless Son of God. He died as the payment for our sins. The horrific nature of death by crucifixion was only part of it. Jesus endured the pains of hell, an infinite amount of eternal misery on that one individual. His blood flowed frequently during the process: from the whipping, the crown of thorns, the nails in His hands and feet, even after His death when the soldiers pierced His side. He endured all that and satisfied God’s justice.

Any doubts about the completeness of the payment were cleared when He rose on Easter. The resurrection was God’s stamp of approval on Christ’s payment. It declared the world forgiven. We have great reason to rejoice, and we do so with energy at Easter.

In addition, the Good Shepherd has made us His own. He brought the results of His work to us personally through faith. He rounded up us wayward, sinful lambs and sheep by the Holy Spirit working through His Word. The Spirit planted that faith in our hearts through the Good News of Jesus’ life and death as our substitute and what it accomplished. We hadn’t applied for membership in His flock like we were joining an exclusive club. We could not boast of our qualifications. We were unworthy sinners running in the opposite direction, but the gospel lassoed us and brought us into the sheep pen.

However, we are not prisoners here. We find it to be a wonderful fellowship, as we are surrounded by other sheep equally undeserving but also loved by Jesus and special to Him. The flock is the Holy Christian Church. We are also part of an earthly gathering, a Christian congregation.

Concern for the congregation at Ephesus is what Paul was expressing as he met with the leaders. He had started the church there and served it for three years. Then he had moved on. As he was now traveling to Jerusalem, he stopped by Miletus, a port not far from Ephesus and asked for this visit to encourage the elders as they exercised leadership in the congregation, or actually a group of congregations in the city. The reminder that Jesus had purchased them showed their value in God’s sight and the high regard they were to hold for all of the flock. They should not play favorites but have loving concern for all the souls they served. With such attitudes among their leaders the members could feel assured and secure in the flock of the Good Shepherd.

II.

Having paid a price beyond comparison and made efforts to gather His sheep, Jesus will certainly take care of them. The love of the Good Shepherd shows as He protects us. He cares for us with under-shepherds. Our Savior isn’t personally walking the streets of Lake Mills, tapping individuals on the shoulder and inviting, “Follow me,” as He did when He gathered His original group of disciples. He uses humans in His work. Congregations have called workers who serve as overseers of the souls gathered in them. They too are brought to their positions by the Holy Spirit. Human activities are involved with the work of district presidents and voters’ assemblies but each one involved looks to God and prays for guidance as they prepare lists or issue and respond to calls.

There are instructions here for those who are entrusted with the care of Christ’s lambs and sheep. Like a shepherd there are responsibilities to lead, feed, and guide. We do not die for the sheep as did our Good Shepherd but the task calls for wholehearted service like Paul offered as he gave of himself tirelessly. He spoke here of serving with tears, showing the intense emotion and effort he put forth, perhaps even to the point of exhaustion.

“Keep watch,” Paul instructed. That means to be wide awake, to hold your mind toward the task. It is a constant concern. They were to attend to themselves. You can’t serve others if you are not caring for yourself spiritually. Remember whom you are serving (souls purchased by Jesus’ blood) and follow Jesus’ and Paul’s pattern of loving care.

Protection is needed from false teachers. The Apostle warned the elders just like Jesus once did. “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.” Wolves are ready to devour the helpless sheep. Their identity is not always obvious. Sometimes they wear sheep’s clothing. Then the flock is unsuspecting of the real intent. These wolves teach differently than what the revealed Word of the Lord states. They destroy faith and souls are lost as a result. Each false doctrine is like a fang of the wolf and causes damage to a believer and his or her faith.

In addition to those who would come after Paul and harm the flock, there was a big danger within. “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” They twist and pervert the message of God. They do not announce their intentions. In fact, they may promote their teachings as giving a clearer explanation of the Word or adapting to the times. But they are really drawing loyalty to themselves rather than to Christ. So we dare not grow complacent in our faith, but ever be studying God’s Word and being firmly grounded in the truth.

The situation is serious but do not despair. The gospel prevails. The attacks are many, but we are “shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” That’s a promise you can count on as the Good Shepherd protects the flock He loves.

III.

As a result God’s flock does not merely survive, but it flourishes as He blesses it. He showers those blessings through His Word. Paul continued, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace.” Through the Word is how Jesus shares Himself with us and communicates His love. That Word carries power, as the Holy Spirit is working through it. It brings us God’s grace, which we often explain as His undeserved love. I like to point out it is even more: in His grace Jesus gives us the opposite of what we have deserved.

That grace Jesus brought to us and continues to show us daily as we experience His goodness for body and soul. Daily He provides our needs. Even during a troubled economy, we are still surviving. Some do so because of God’s past blessings that they have accumulated. Others receive the support of caring family or friends or government benefits or are finding that God makes the dollars stretch in ways they hadn’t thought possible. He also turns our troubles for good.

Spiritually the Lord guards us from temptations and pitfalls to our faith. He provides the strength to resist the devil’s schemes and forgives us when we fail.

The Word of God is building you up. You and I are a work in progress. Growth happens as we use the Word. We grow in knowledge of God and His Word and His ways. As we study the Word we receive encouragement from examples of faithfulness. We see warnings in the experiences of those who strayed from God and fell into sin. From the Word we receive greater understanding of God’s will to guide our decisions.

There is an effect to the knowledge gained and that is growth in Christian living. The Spirit fills us with the desire to serve and obey God in response to His love. We live to His glory. Jesus is number one in our lives. We are committed to Him like our confirmands vowed last Sunday to endure opposition and not deny their Lord. We strive to follow His ways. We will not do so perfectly but we are ever growing and are picked up and propelled onward by God’s forgiveness and mercy. He is as some term Him “a God of second chances” and third chances and fourth chances and….Keep coming back to Him in repentant faith.

The Good Shepherd also blesses you by giving you an inheritance. When your earthly life ends you are just beginning to experience what it means to be in His flock. Your soul goes to heaven, where there is an end of sadness, pain, and disappointments. Instead there is only joy unending. All needs will be supplied and we will bask under the marvelous care of our Good Shepherd.

The term “inheritance” reminds us it is a gift from the goodness of God. It is not something we have earned. We know the eternal conditions we should have, and they’re not pretty. However, the Good Shepherd laid down His life for you and opened the door to glory. It is ready and waiting for you.

The place He has prepared for us and the plans He has for us there provide encouragement to keep following the Good Shepherd. Listen to His voice with trust. Know that He will lead you safely now and always.

He loves His flock and He loves you. What else do we need? Follow Him in faith.