Latest / The Daily Word / October 24 – Shepherding God's Flock
Transcript
- Jenny: Well hello everyone. It is October twenty fourth, Pastor Jenny here, and we are continuing our journey through the New Testament. We're really going through it through the second time this year, and we are picking up the pace in order to be able to complete it. Of course, it took us really about the first half of 2026 to complete the New Testament. So or really it was more than the first half. So the question is how do we complete it then going through it again this last little quarter. Well the way we do that is it's gonna begin doubling up on some reading. So get your reading glasses on. But again, we've already been through it once. So we get to read it with different eyes and I think the Lord always newly and afreshly highlights something to us. I don't know about you, but I I love watching movies again. I've gotten more into reading books more than once. and I'm always catching something fresh I didn't catch the first time. so hope you're catching some new things if you've been on this journey with us all throughout this year. and then of course as we come around next year we're gonna continue reading and going and pouring over and studying the scriptures. God's always speaking, always has something for us. But today in our reading we have Acts chapter 19 and chapter 20. And what really stood out to me in today's reading, of course I'm a pastor, and this is gonna really lean into leaders, pastors, shepherds, but it doesn't mean that you have to be a pastor, because if you're caring for someone under you in any capacity, maybe you're a teacher, maybe you're a coach, maybe you're in any sort of leadership in your workplace. maybe you're a student and you're leading the group project. You have people you're caring for. Maybe you're at home and you're the oldest sibling. Whatever it may look like, I think that there is an application that can be taken from this. But I do want to share both what Paul exhorts the elders in the church for at the time and it's a commissioning that really carries into all of the churches both past and present, I think. the leadership at least, and not only for the leadership but for us as those who are being shepherded because we are we should all be being shepherded by someone. We should have someone that is shepherding us, pastors caring for us, and we need to know how to respond to them. So all that to say I leaned into Acts chapter twenty. really it's verses seven the whole passage would be verse seventeen. through thirty-eight. I'm not gonna read that whole passage, but just so you know the section I was in, if you want to go reread that section to see where I'm pulling from, really verse 17 through 35. And this is really it's notated in my study Bible that it was Paul's emotional farewell address to the Ephesian elders. And it says in its written form, this passage also became a permanent word of warning and instruction to all the Gentile churches that Paul had established. And so that comes out of the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible commentary by Pastor Jack Hayford. but with that in mind, understanding the context and what Paul was doing in this passage, talking to the elders of the church, I'm gonna pick up in verse 28. He says, Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which The Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. And again, I want to highlight, I think when we read things like the Church of God, we can think in our context, that means whoever, whatever church I go to, Lake Shore, you know, again, what whatever context you're in, I don't know where you're listening to this at. So maybe you're anywhere, in the US or around the world, just insert the name of your church. But it's not referring to strictly within the walls of your church. The church of God is the body of Christ, the body of believers. So again, I want to highlight what is your context? Who are you caring for? That's a part of the body of Christ. Who are we shepherding? So therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore, watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you. To God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. So I really am just gonna pause with that section and highlight a few things. So I think it's important, verse twenty-nine, to notate that after his departure after Paul's departure, he says, Savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. So what Are sheep going out to the wolves? No. Wolves come in to the sheep. So as shepherds, we have to be on the lookout for who is coming in. What is coming in to disrupt, to try and kill, steal, and destroy. We have to be aware of what is disrupting, what is trying to attack the nature of what God is establishing. And as the sheep and who's being cared for, we need to make sure we're heeding the instruction and the advice, the counsel of those over us to be aware of, you know, my shepherd has set some boundaries in place. And if they're advising, I don't go beyond this border because they do see wolves on the outskirts. Or, hey, you know, w the wolves are here. What do wolves look like to us? It looks like doctrines of demons, it looks like different things that are gonna sway and pull us away, because it's not just the wolves that will come in. It's verse thirty says, Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves So what is that? That's idolatry. That's Men wanting to pull men to themselves. That's exactly what Satan did. It's pride. and so we have to recognize that too. We as shepherds, we have to watch for our people putting God first. Are we loving God and loving people? And when those things are disrupted, then we see these things take place. The wolves are coming in, men are rising up. And so this warning in verse thirty one, therefore watch and remember, Paul says for three years I didn't cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. Paul saw the writing on the wall, he knew what was going on, and that's why he's providing sound doctrine and teaching. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. We have to hold fast to God's word. To his scriptures because it is what helps to anchor us, gives us something to hold on to, so that we are not easily swayed by every blowing of the wind, the scripture says. You know. So, shepherds, it's important that you're watching for the wolves, for those who are rising up. Sheep, it's important that you're listening to the shepherds that God has entrusted and put over you. this is a working together that takes place. But going back to verse twenty eight, it says, Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock. Shepherds, we're responsible first and foremost for ourselves. Before we're ever responsible for the flock, we're responsible for our own hearts and our own relationship with the Lord, among which the Holy Spirit has made us overseers. these people don't belong to us. These sheep don't belong to us, they belong to the Lord and He has entrusted us, with them. He it's very clear, he purchased them with his own blood. And so we have the privilege and the honor to care for, to shepherd, and to protect them while they're under our care, I'll say, for however long God sees that necess sees us fit to do that in the time frame given. So That's what stood out to me today. we'd love to hear from you guys on what God's speaking to you. So don't be shy. Share with us. Reach out to us. find us at church to let us know what's God been speaking to you lately, what's he encouraging you in in your reading and time with him. Well, Lord, we thank you for your word. Thank you, Jesus, that you first and foremost are our shepherd. Lord, I thank you that you lead us beside still waters. That you are always with us, that you protect us, that you comfort us, and that you feed us. So Lord, I pray for those that you have entrusted to shepherd and care for your flock. I pray, Lord, that they first and foremost would stay connected to you, that they would abide in you. And as we as shepherds continue to invite abide in the good shepherd. I thank you, Lord, that that is where we find our strength, our hope, and our comfort to then be able to overflow and pour into those that you have entrusted to us. Lord, as sheep, would you help us remember and remind us that you have gifted us with shepherds who are after your heart, shepherds who are abiding in you and care for you and you care for them. And so, Lord, just as you care for them. They care for us. So Lord, help us to walk in a trusting relationship one with another, trusting, Lord, that you have put them over us for our protection, our safety, and to be cared for, to be protected from the wolves and also from those that would rise up amongst us. Lord, we thank you that you're building your church and that you are sanctifying us. We submit ourselves to you today. We surrender to you. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.