Leadership…the very thought of it tempts one to a smug sort of pride. A “just a little better than…” attitude quietly surging in the heart. Leadership…position, power, influence, respect, prestige. The circle of friends closest to Jesus clamored for it. They fought with each other over it. A couple of them even went so far as to have Mom make an insider’s request for it. “Lord, when You come into Your kingdom, can Johnny sit on one side of Your throne and Jimmy on the other?” Schooled in the cultural image of leadership, the disciples eagerly lined up for the assignment.
But the leadership for which Jesus calls and equips rests at the other end of the perception spectrum. It is not Gentile lordship. It is not power, position and prestige, but rather, humility, lowliness, and slave-like service. It is costly and sacrificial. It is others-focused, not self-promoting. It is of the stature of the despicable vocation of the family of Joseph, who, when preparing his father and brothers for introduction to the Egyptian Ruler, instructed them in this way. “When Pharaoh calls you and says, “What is your occupation?” you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’…for every shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians.” Genesis 46:33-34
Loathsome. A long way removed from the image of “position, power, influence, respect, prestige”. Loathsome, maybe to those who have cultural values, but honorable and glorious to those who appreciate the narrative of Scripture and the modeling of Christ.
- Moses was schooled for four decades in the pastures as preparation for the honor of leading the flock of God out of Egypt and through the wilderness.
- David was the overlooked youngest of eight boys who was assigned the task of caring for the family’s flocks. In fact, one of his brothers attempted to squelch his spirit in Goliath’s shadow with the put-down, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?” 1 Samuel 17:28
- God elevated the calling of “shepherd” to a position of honor when He wrote, “From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him to shepherd Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands.” Psalm 78:71-72
- It was into the hands of a prepared shepherd that God was willing to entrust His own treasured possession, His people.
- And it was the “loathsome” role of shepherd by which God described His personal attention, protection and provision for His people when He inspired David to write, “The Lord is my shepherd…” Psalm 23
- When Jesus came to rescue His own, He came bearing the heart of a shepherd. “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were ‘harassed’ and ‘thrown down’ like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:6
- Then, so as to contrast His care with the self-serving abuse of the Ezekiel 34 shepherds, Jesus declared, “I am the Good Shepherd”, or better put, “I am the Shepherd, the Good one!” John 10:11
As Pastor Wiersbe declared, “Everything rises or falls with leadership.” And the leadership that causes the Church of Jesus Christ to rise is the skillful, sacrificial leadership of its shepherds.
“Shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28
See you Sunday, Church!
Pastor Tom
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