Sermon Tone Analysis

what we come again to our study of 1st Peter, and if you haven't already like to invite you to turn to chapter 5 of First Peter, In our last time together, we looked at verse 1.

And we saw from scripture who and what Elders are in the church and what they do.

And then we looked at 1st Timothy 3 1 through 7 and Titus 1:6 through 9 and we saw what qualifications Elders were to meet before they became Elders in the church.

We also said that in the New Testament that the writers of scripture uses the terms Elder overseer and Pastor interchangeably were talking about one office the Builder or Pastor or overseer.

We're talkin about one individual or group of individuals.

And so today we're going to pick up where we left off and focusing on verses 2 through 4. As we look again, at one of the main things that Elders do as well as how they are to behave, what is their heart, and what is their passion?

Cenotes what he says as we look here.

And I just want to be begin.

Reading it first one and redone two verse four, it says, therefore, I exhort the elders among you as your fellow Elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker.

Also, the glory that is to be revealed.

Shepherd, the flock of God among you exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily according to the will of God and not for sword game.

but with eagerness, Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge.

But proving to be examples to the flock.

And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading Crown of Glory.

so, as we have been looking at this and learning about this office of Elder, We're now looking at the main duty that Peter picks up on in verse 2. And that is to Shepherd, the flock of God or feed the flock.

we find terms here that pick up the imagery, In the Old Testament, as well as the new you have the terms flock in the term Shepherd.

And it gives us this picture of Believers and Pastors in the New Testament.

But again, it goes back also to the Old Testament and so, as Peter is riding to his Fellow Elders, being an elder.

Also, he issues this command.

In the command, is to Shepherd the flock of God.

This phrase right here, broadly describes, the function of all elders.

when you talk about feeding and you take on that imagery, you understand that that involving care and protection and discipline and guidance, in fact, we understand that this term Shepherd is really pulling from an account that Peter had with Jesus.

So if you want to hold your place right there and turn with me to John 21 and let's take a minute and read about the account that Peter had with Jesus.

Where Jesus, specifically, commands, Peter to Shepherd the flock is found in John 21 verses 15 to 17. it says, so when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John.

Do you love me more than these?

You said him?

Yes.

Lord you know that I love you.

You said to him, tend my Lambs.

He said to him again, a second time.

Simon son of John.

Do you love me?

He said him?

Yes.

Lord, you know that.

I love you.

He said to him.

Shepherd.

My sheep is the third time.

Simon son of John.

Do you love me?

Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me?

And he said to him Lord you know all things, you know that I love you.

Jesus said, to him, pinned my lands.

The best way to Peter could demonstrate his love for Jesus was to obey this command to Shepherd the flock of God.

And that bird to Shepherd any fluids more than just providing food.

It extends to everything required for the safety and well-being of the Sheep.

R.c., Sproul Road.

Today, a pastor is expected to be a psychologist Theologian biblical, scholar administrator preacher teacher, and Community leader.

The minister spend so much time on secondary matters that he has a little time to do his principal work, which is to feed the sheep through preaching and teaching.

The greatest service, your minister can do for you is to feed you not with his opinion.

But with the word of God,

and so, as we Come to that command.

And what follows he's going to show him or show the elders in the church, how they are exactly to do this.

And he gives them eight ways in which they are to Shepherd, eight ways in which they can obey this command and they pick up in versus 2 and 3. and the first one is to Shepherd by command Shepherd, by to man, this is a command from God, the word Shepherd issues than the imperative mood, which is a command and it's telling us here.

As I said, the one main duty that he is to be involved in He is to Shepherd the flock.

That's what Elders.

Do they shepherd the flock of God? Now his emphasis here is recalling that of what the biblical prophets did.

Jeremiah spoke of this land in Jeremiah 13-17 telling us that this is the Lord's flock.

Even telling us we find Zakaria say in his Zakaria 10-3 that the Lord God, the almighty will watch over his flock, and one of the ways in which he does that is through the Shepherds.

There are some pastors that don't Shepherd or feed the flock.

That's a real shame.

Hort, there are some that don't feed them enough.

They don't give them exactly what they need in order to grow in the word of God.

And God gives this warning to that type of Shepherd, especially the fall Shepherd.

Jeremiah 23 says, this woe to the Shepherds who are destroying and scattering the Sheep of my pasture declares the Lord Milford.

That says, the Lord God of Israel concerning the Shepherds who are tending.

My people, you've scattered my flock and dreaming them away and have not attended to them behold.

I'm about to attend to you for the evil of your Deeds, declares the Lord.

Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture and they will be fruitful.

And multiply I will also raise up Shepherds over them and they will tend them.

And they will not be afraid any longer nor be terrified, nor will any be missing declares the Lord.

Are there is a multitude of reasons, why?

This one main task would be avoided.

And what did I would give you is that it's not easy.

Shepherding, the flock of God is not easy.

and as I was thinking about this, I wrote down, Five reasons why it's not easy.

First is this because shepherding is selfless.

The focus is on the Sheep.

And the only time the focus is on the shepherd is when the shepherd is to take he to himself into the ministry that the Holy Spirit has given him Acts 20:28.

And he has to work hard at this task so we find it.

That's when the focus is on him.

But when you're shepherding the flock, it is a selfless task.

Also, it is not Only Selfless, but it's sometimes has no reward.

I think of Jeremiah Jeremiah garnered, the nickname, the weeping prophet and you know why?

He garnered that nickname.

It's because nobody would listen.

That's difficult right there.

To be preaching and telling what God says to God's people and nobody wants to hear it.

But isn't that exactly what Paul said to Timothy?

There's going to come a time when they will have itching ears and they will accumulate ear ticklers, the type of teachers that will tell them what they want to hear instead of telling them what they need to hear.

A third reason that I would give as to why it's not easy.

Is because it's dangerous.

They can be dangerous and you take pulford example, Paul talks about the many times that he was beating.

Many times that he was spend the night and day in the in the sea.

Shipwrecked all the different oils that came upon him to take all the disciples.

All of them were persecuted.

All, but one of them were martyred.

so you can see why that there would be a need for shepherd's because you start advertising that on your brochure, not too many, you're willing to apply

But it can be dangerous.