Acts 20:28

So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church,

purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as

leaders.

I suspect that most people would choose not to be compared with sheep! It would

hardly be seen as a flattering description! Sheep are rarely viewed as the brightest of

animals and are generally understood to be easily led. However, God’s people are

frequently described as being like sheep in both the Old and New Testaments. It isn’t

surprising therefore that, as Paul addressed the Ephesian elders in his final talk with

them, he spoke of their responsibilities for caring for the flock. Paul knew that the

church, like any flock of sheep, needed to be protected, fed and cared for.

The responsibility for caring for the church was so great that the person had to be

appointed by the Holy Spirit. That is still the case today. If an individual feels an inner

conviction that this is something that they should do, while that should always be

greatly welcomed it also needs to be carefully weighed and assessed by others who,

listening to the Holy Spirit, will seek to discern whether this is God’s will.

The responsibility of the shepherd always involves guarding the flock. In Psalm 23

David, who had himself been a shepherd, reflected that the Lord’s “rod and staff

protect and comfort me” (v4). The rod and staff, or shepherd’s crook, were the means

of defending the sheep from attackers but also of rescuing those that got into

trouble. The shepherd had an active and continual role of protecting the sheep and

that’s exactly the role that church leaders need to perform today. Life is full of threats

and temptations and the shepherd must be continually alert.

There are many different aspects to a shepherd’s role, but they are summed up in the

word love. We see that supremely in the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who

gladly laid down his life for his sheep. We need to thank God that the Holy Spirit

continues to appoint people to the awesome responsibility of church leadership.

Question

How do you understand the role of the shepherd in church life today?

Prayer

Thank you Lord for those whom you set apart for leadership in the Church in our day.

May they be faithful in guarding, feeding and caring for their flock. Amen