WEBVTT

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 Father God, we come to you this morning as we always should, in humility.

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 Father, we come to your word as we should, in humility.

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 Father, you have good things to tell us and good things to say, as you always do.

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 Father, would you speak to us this morning?

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 Amen.

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 So, take a look at this.

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 There we go.

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 This happened about a month ago.

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 What we're seeing here is somewhere around 2,000 sheep.

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 I think that's probably just a small number of them, but somewhere around 2,000 sheep

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 walking through the streets of Madrid in Spain.

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 It's a crazy picture.

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 We're not used to seeing sheep walking through the middle of a city,

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 certainly not a modern city like Madrid.

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 I don't think I can even imagine the sort of mess that 2,000 sheep would make in the middle of a city.

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 I don't know sheep that well, but I can't help but think that a nervous sheep, a sheep walking through a city,

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 a nervous sheep is going to be a little bit more messy than a calm one.

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 I mean, it's bad enough you go to a country fair and they have two horses to do hayrides or something,

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 let alone 2,000 sheep.

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 It must have been wild afterwards.

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 But what you didn't see, at least I didn't see when trolling through the many pictures that come up

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 when you search for this event on the internet, was chaos.

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 Weirdly enough, what you would expect if you saw 2,000 sheep coming through your city is chaos.

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 You'd expect to see sheep everywhere.

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 You'd expect to see them going down this side street or that.

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 You'd expect to see a few, at the end of the day, still walking around.

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 You know, the shepherds leave the city with 1,500 sheep instead of 2,000.

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 Everybody the next day has a sheep on their lawn cutting the grass.

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 You know, somebody would hit one and there'd be traffic through the city for the next few hours.

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 Sometimes some hapless farmhand would be collecting sheep for weeks afterwards.

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 But there are no reports of anything like that.

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 At least not that I could find.

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 I tried to find some and couldn't.

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 And I figured that if there was problems with this event, there would have been news of it.

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 I mean, what's better than a news story about a bunch of sheep going through Madrid?

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 A bunch of sheep making a mess in Madrid, making chaos erupt, right?

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 That's a better news story.

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 But I couldn't find any.

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 Apparently, the sheep were paraded in and paraded out with a minimum of hassle,

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 whatever minimum of hassle means for 2,000 sheep walking through a city.

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 But it wasn't like that.

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 It wasn't an aimless flock of sheep.

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 These sheep were guided by a shepherd.

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 By shepherds.

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 And we're not surprised to hear that.

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 Shepherds like these guys in the next picture.

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 They guided the sheep into the proper areas of the city and into the holding areas where the sheep could rest.

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 And we're not surprised to hear that there were shepherds involved because leaders are needed in so many areas of our life,

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 whether or not there are sheep involved.

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 When sheep are in a tricky situation, like in Madrid here,

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 great sheep leaders are needed to keep things going, to get everybody through.

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 Now, sheep are notoriously dull creatures, or so I've been told.

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 I've never known any sheep personally, so you could probably have a debate with me on whether that's a myth or not.

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 Perhaps they're quite smart.

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 But regardless, when sheep are in a flock, the vast majority can't see beyond the sheep next to them.

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 The ones who aren't stuck in the middle are just as likely to be grazing as they are to be looking out for the rest.

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 They're going to be looking after their own needs, the grass under their feet,

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 and not necessarily looking out for threats in the distance,

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 or for the well-being of the sheep around them.

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 This is why when the Bible speaks about people being sheep, we shouldn't necessarily be insulted.

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 It's actually quite an apt description of our society.

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 The vast majority of people have their heads down, looking to feed themselves, to make their own ends meet.

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 The vast majority of people can't see beyond the person next to them, even if they do want to help.

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 The very smart, the very brave, maybe the very foolish, might get away from the flock.

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 But really, they're just as likely to get lost and confused as they are to make some great discovery.

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 It really isn't that surprising a comparison, even if it isn't the most flattering to our race.

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 Now, in Psalm 23, David wrote about being a sheep.

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 He compares God himself to a shepherd.

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 David is not just part of a flock, but a part of a flock of sheep with a shepherd.

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 And that makes all the difference for him.

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 He says in the Psalm that God leads him to times of plenty.

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 He leads him to times of peace, and he leads him through times of hardship.

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 He says in the Psalm that God leads him all the way to plenty.

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 He guides him through so many things.

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 That's the God that David followed.

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 That's God is David's shepherd.

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 I'm sure that for the sheep going through Madrid, it must have seemed like the valley of the shadow of death.

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 But their shepherds guided them through, presumably, the green pastures beyond.

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 A shepherd mitigates a lot of the problems that sheep have in a flock.

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 A shepherd is tall and watchful.

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 A shepherd doesn't have to have his head down all the time.

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 A shepherd can see threats coming.

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 If a lion is coming, a shepherd is able to see him in the distance, long before he's actually a threat.

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 A flock of sheep with a shepherd is defended.

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 Even when there's no immediate threat of danger, even if the pasture that the sheep are in right now is green,

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 maybe the next pasture is greener and safer and better.

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 The sheep may not know how to get there, but the shepherd does.

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 God led the Israelites out across the desert when they left Egypt,

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 out to find green lands, promised lands.

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 Israel had a hard time throughout their entire journey through the desert,

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 looking past the circumstances right ahead of them.

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 They had a hard time seeing past their need for food, their need for water,

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 and frequently were like that, too.

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 Yet like a good shepherd, he led them all the way across,

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 by a cloud during the day, by a pillar of fire at night.

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 God was a shepherd when they needed one.

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 God was a shepherd, just like David describes much later.

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 Now David had a son, and his son had a son,

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 and generations rolled until one day, without giving up any of his authority,

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 God sent Jesus.

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 God became flesh and dwelt among us.

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 Jesus takes up this same image of shepherd.

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 When we see a large crowd that Jesus is looking out on,

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 he sees the need of them.

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 He sees the aimlessness of them.

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 And he says these people are like sheep without a shepherd.

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 In one of his parables, he tells people that he is the good shepherd.

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 A hired shepherd, he says, will run at the first sign of danger.

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 When something threatens the people they're leading,

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 they'll run.

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 But not Jesus, not the good shepherd.

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 He cares for his people so much that he will die for them.

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 When danger comes to them, when someone threatens them,

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 he is willing to lay down his life to protect and save them.

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 It's an inspiring image of our Lord.

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 We, like sheep, tend to have our heads down,

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 not noticing threats to us,

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 not bothering with people on the other side of the flock.

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 The bravest of us walk away from the flock,

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 thinking that maybe we know better.

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 And we end up on various and dangerous paths, undoubtedly.

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 Like Isaiah prophesies, we, like sheep, have gone astray.

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 Each of us has turned to our own way.

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 Think of any good Canadian saying,

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 well, if that path works for him, let him go.

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 Let him turn to his own way.

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 Who are you to judge?

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 You're just another sheep, wandering just as aimlessly.

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 Jesus, however, in another of his parable,

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 describes another shepherd,

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 leaving the entire flock of sheep

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 to follow just such a wandering sheep,

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 turned to his own way.

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 If each of us has turned to our own way,

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 then just as Isaiah continues,

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 God has laid our iniquities,

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 our wrongdoings, our wanderings,

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 as an aimless sheep on him,

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 on the good shepherd.

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 The good shepherd died so that his sheep

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 could be saved from their fruitless wanderings.

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 Now when Jesus had indeed laid down his life for us

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 and had been raised again,

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 he continued using this image of sheep and shepherd.

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 John records this conversation

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 between Jesus and Peter,

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 recorded in the Gospel of John.

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 We'll go there quickly.

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 I have it bookmarked, so you don't need to go there.

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 John 21, 20, if you need to find this again sometime.

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 I hope my bookmark's still there.

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 Oh, there we go.

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 So this is John 21, verse 16.

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 When they had finished breakfast,

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 Jesus said to Simon Peter,

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 Simon, son of John,

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 do you love me more than these?

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 He said to him,

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 Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

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 He said to him,

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 Feed my lambs.

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 He said to him a second time,

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 Simon, son of John,

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 do you love me?

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 He said,

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 Yes, Lord,

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 you know that I love you.

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 He said to him,

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 Shepherd my sheep.

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 He said to him a third time,

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 Simon, son of John,

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 do you love me?

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 Peter was grieved

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 because he had said to him a third time,

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 Do you love me?

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 And he said to him,

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 Lord, you know everything.

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 You know that I love you.

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 Jesus said to him,

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 Feed my sheep.

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 The good shepherd himself,

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 without giving up any of his authority,

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 has commissioned Peter to be a shepherd as well.

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 The chief shepherd,

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 as Peter calls him,

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 to the readers of 1 Peter,

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 has called him to be a shepherd as well.

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 Now, if you have a large flock of sheep,

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 like the ones that march through Madrid,

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 you need more than one shepherd.

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 The chief shepherd might be the owner of the sheep.

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 He might be a family member of the owner.

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 He's the one who makes sure

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 that the sheep are taken care of,

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 that there's enough people

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 to make sure that the sheep don't wander.

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 He is the one who's making sure

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 there's enough people

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 to make sure that the sheep

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 don't wander down every side street.

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 When he tells Peter to shepherd his sheep,

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 the risen Jesus is about to leave.

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 He's about to go to the right hand of the Father.

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 But first, he's making sure

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 that his flock is taken care of.

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 He's going to make sure that they are fed,

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 and he's going to make sure that they are led.

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 Jesus was about to send the Holy Spirit

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 to the church, a momentous occasion.

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 But he's also going to make sure

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 that there are human leaders

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 who would lead by Jesus' example,

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 just like Peter.

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 And that leads us finally

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 to the book of 1 Peter.

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 Peter is an apostle, yes.

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 Peter is one of the original disciples, yes.

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 On top of that,

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 he has been called personally by Jesus

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 to be a shepherd.

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 Now, that's some serious prestige.

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 That's some serious authority

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 coming directly from the lips of Jesus.

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 The authority of a shepherd

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 given by the chief shepherd.

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 But Peter isn't wielding his authority here

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 in an overhanded sort of way.

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 It seems to have been common

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 from the beginning of the church

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 that wise men should guide the church.

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 People who were older in the faith,

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 people who were elders in the faith,

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 you might say.

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 Probably in many cases,

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 they were older in years,

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 but not necessarily.

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 Peter doesn't come to them

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 as an overhanded leader.

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 Peter addresses his readers

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 as fellow elders,

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 not as a master, as a fellow.

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 In effect, Peter is saying,

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 one elder to another,

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 let me tell you what this should look like.

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 One leader of the church

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 to another leader of the church,

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 let me tell you.

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 And then he pulls out this image,

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 again, of shepherd and sheep.

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 Without any fanfare at all,

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 he tells the elders of this church

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 that they are to be shepherds as well.

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 Elders of the church, like George,

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 are to be shepherds.

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 And you can see why this might be

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 a very serious thing.

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 God, the shepherd of his people,

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 sent his only son to be the shepherd of his people

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 and to save not only his people,

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 but the entire world.

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 The chief shepherd then commissions Peter

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 to also be a shepherd,

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 to do the same thing.

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 And it turns out that all elders of the church

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 across the world

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 are to be the same,

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 shepherds.

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 The job that Peter got

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 from the very mouth of Jesus

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 is the same one

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 that elders like George have.

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 The job that Jesus took

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 and came to earth with

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 is the same that he gave to Peter.

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 It may sound like I'm trying

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 to describe something like

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 the divine right of kings for church leaders,

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 but that's not really the entire story.

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 It might sound like I'm trying to tell you

00:14:05.580 --> 00:14:06.399
 that you need to listen

00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:07.860
 to the elders of the church

00:14:07.860 --> 00:14:10.019
 because they have the authority of Jesus,

00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:12.060
 but that's not the entire story.

00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:16.240
 Think again of the image of shepherd.

00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:19.759
 When the chief shepherd arrives,

00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:22.259
 whose well-being is he there to check on?

00:14:22.940 --> 00:14:24.019
 Is it the shepherd's well-being

00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:25.480
 or the sheep's well-being?

00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:28.200
 Well, it's the sheep, of course.

00:14:28.300 --> 00:14:29.220
 It's not for the sake

00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:31.580
 of the shepherds that they're hired.

00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:33.220
 It's for the sake of the sheep

00:14:33.220 --> 00:14:34.940
 that the shepherds are there at all.

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:38.279
 If the chief shepherd, Jesus,

00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.960
 died to save his sheep,

00:14:40.659 --> 00:14:41.240
 you and I,

00:14:41.779 --> 00:14:43.080
 and then called elders

00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:46.100
 to shepherd the sheep as well,

00:14:47.040 --> 00:14:49.000
 what do you think he's expecting

00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:50.519
 of his shepherds?

00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:52.200
 If the owner of the sheep

00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:53.279
 is willing to die for them,

00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:54.519
 you can be pretty certain

00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:56.560
 he's looking for something similar

00:14:56.560 --> 00:14:58.440
 from his shepherds.

00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:00.420
 Again, you can see why

00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:03.419
 who becomes an elder

00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:06.559
 might be a very serious thing

00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:08.339
 for both the person themselves

00:15:08.339 --> 00:15:09.439
 and for the people

00:15:09.439 --> 00:15:10.479
 that are being led.

00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.019
 An elder has, as an example,

00:15:14.599 --> 00:15:15.419
 Jesus himself.

00:15:16.459 --> 00:15:17.719
 It shouldn't be surprising, then,

00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:18.819
 that both Peter and Paul

00:15:18.819 --> 00:15:19.679
 spend a lot of time

00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:21.439
 talking about what elders

00:15:21.439 --> 00:15:22.779
 should look like in the church.

00:15:22.779 --> 00:15:26.120
 Peter here gives us

00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:27.600
 three characteristics, then,

00:15:27.959 --> 00:15:28.559
 that our elders

00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:29.939
 should be striving for.

00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:31.079
 I'm going to lose

00:15:31.079 --> 00:15:31.939
 all my papers here,

00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:32.679
 so excuse me.

00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:34.919
 Let's try again.

00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:37.759
 So the first characteristic

00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:38.779
 that he's looking for

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:39.839
 from his elders

00:15:39.839 --> 00:15:42.659
 is that they should be

00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:43.299
 an example.

00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.399
 Our leaders should,

00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:46.759
 as one of the translations

00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:47.240
 puts it,

00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:49.139
 not be lording over us.

00:15:49.599 --> 00:15:50.419
 The essence here

00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:51.319
 is power.

00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:53.179
 Our elders' motivation

00:15:53.179 --> 00:15:53.939
 for leading us

00:15:53.939 --> 00:15:55.219
 can't be power.

00:15:55.979 --> 00:15:57.579
 It can't be the want of power.

00:15:57.699 --> 00:16:00.120
 It can't be the chasing of power.

00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:02.639
 If the leaders

00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:03.379
 who are leading us

00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:04.560
 are thirsty for power,

00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:05.460
 we're in deep trouble.

00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:07.620
 A power-hungry leader

00:16:07.620 --> 00:16:08.799
 is perfectly happy to lead,

00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:11.460
 but will be much less likely

00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:12.620
 to take into account

00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:13.600
 the well-being

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.120
 of the people he's leading

00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.060
 than he will be

00:16:16.060 --> 00:16:17.440
 satisfying his own needs.

00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:19.980
 One of their goals

00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:21.399
 might be to lead effectively,

00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:24.860
 but probably one of the other goals

00:16:24.860 --> 00:16:26.659
 will be power in itself.

00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.879
 Perhaps by intimidation,

00:16:29.060 --> 00:16:29.399
 threats,

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:33.139
 many sorts of manipulation.

00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:34.899
 This kind of leader

00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:36.299
 is a classic sort of hypocrite,

00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:37.740
 a person who insists

00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:38.980
 on their followers

00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:39.799
 giving up power,

00:16:40.459 --> 00:16:42.740
 but resists any attempt

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:43.959
 at oversight themselves.

00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:45.679
 I've seen a boss

00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:46.860
 or two like this

00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:47.699
 in jobs that I've worked.

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.079
 I'm pretty certain

00:16:49.079 --> 00:16:50.720
 that most of you have too.

00:16:50.819 --> 00:16:51.539
 It's very common.

00:16:52.179 --> 00:16:52.879
 In a workplace,

00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:54.259
 I'm sure you know

00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:55.199
 that it's destructive

00:16:55.199 --> 00:16:57.379
 to have a power-hungry leader.

00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:59.500
 In the church,

00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:00.919
 where we deliberately

00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:02.000
 make ourselves vulnerable

00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:02.759
 before God

00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:04.099
 and frequently before other people,

00:17:04.740 --> 00:17:07.140
 it can be absolutely devastating.

00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:08.660
 And I hope you haven't come out

00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:09.539
 of churches like that.

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.519
 I've seen some,

00:17:11.619 --> 00:17:13.180
 and it is truly devastating.

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:15.299
 The second characteristic

00:17:15.299 --> 00:17:17.160
 that elders should be displaying

00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:18.539
 is an eagerness to serve

00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:19.859
 as opposed to

00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:21.160
 an eagerness for gain.

00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:22.700
 Now, this is far

00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:23.540
 from a prohibition

00:17:23.540 --> 00:17:26.580
 for paying our pastors,

00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:27.640
 our leaders.

00:17:28.300 --> 00:17:28.980
 It's a warning

00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:30.080
 against leaders

00:17:30.080 --> 00:17:31.440
 who are motivated

00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:32.720
 by gaining money.

00:17:34.100 --> 00:17:35.900
 A leader who is out for money

00:17:35.900 --> 00:17:36.480
 will be one

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.800
 who weighs their decisions

00:17:37.800 --> 00:17:40.380
 not on their love

00:17:40.380 --> 00:17:42.200
 for Jesus and his church.

00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.640
 They're weighing their decisions

00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:47.259
 on the return of investment.

00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:50.480
 These are the sorts of leaders

00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.559
 who are counting their hours

00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:52.740
 so that they're not underpaid

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:54.319
 versus counting their hours

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.920
 so that the parts of their life

00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:58.339
 are well served.

00:17:59.140 --> 00:18:00.359
 The last characteristic

00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.480
 that Peter brings up here

00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.460
 is one that catches

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:04.660
 a lot of different motivations.

00:18:05.879 --> 00:18:07.059
 A leader must serve willingly,

00:18:07.299 --> 00:18:08.359
 not under compulsion.

00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:10.799
 Not because life's circumstance

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:12.700
 pushed the leader into it.

00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:14.660
 An elder shouldn't be leading

00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:16.200
 because seminary

00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:16.840
 was the only school

00:18:16.840 --> 00:18:17.440
 that let him in

00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:18.559
 and he didn't want to go

00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.180
 to trade school.

00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:20.440
 They should be leading

00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:21.920
 because they genuinely want to.

00:18:22.900 --> 00:18:24.400
 Peter seems to be making sure

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:25.580
 that the elders

00:18:25.580 --> 00:18:26.600
 that he's talking to

00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:28.819
 are motivated properly

00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:29.920
 for the job

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:30.600
 that they've been given.

00:18:31.860 --> 00:18:33.900
 Just like the hireling shepherd

00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:34.759
 that Jesus mentions

00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:36.400
 in his parable,

00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:38.340
 at first sign of Deja,

00:18:38.819 --> 00:18:40.400
 motivations like money

00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:43.080
 and power fall away.

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:44.580
 Peter's writing

00:18:44.580 --> 00:18:45.700
 to a persecuted church.

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:48.759
 Leaders of a persecuted church

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:49.700
 are going to be targeted.

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:52.259
 Their motivations

00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.780
 are going to be tested

00:18:53.780 --> 00:18:54.820
 sooner or later.

00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.780
 Again, think to the occasion

00:18:57.780 --> 00:18:59.100
 that Peter was called

00:18:59.100 --> 00:19:00.700
 that we read in the Gospel of John

00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:03.360
 to shepherd Jesus' flock.

00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:04.640
 What was the question

00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:05.920
 that Jesus asked?

00:19:06.620 --> 00:19:07.720
 Peter, do you love me?

00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:09.100
 Yes?

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.360
 Okay then.

00:19:10.900 --> 00:19:11.759
 Shepherd my flock.

00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:13.300
 Jesus,

00:19:13.780 --> 00:19:15.660
 what does he want to know?

00:19:16.080 --> 00:19:16.720
 What does he want to know

00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.200
 about Peter?

00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:19.380
 He wants to know

00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:20.560
 where his allegiance is,

00:19:20.780 --> 00:19:22.700
 what his motivation is.

00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:24.780
 Is Peter going to be

00:19:24.780 --> 00:19:26.540
 shepherding because he likes power?

00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:28.420
 Is he going to be shepherding

00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:29.280
 because he loves money?

00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:31.440
 Is he going to be shepherding

00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:33.320
 because he has nothing else to do

00:19:33.320 --> 00:19:34.360
 now that Jesus has left?

00:19:35.100 --> 00:19:36.060
 Is he going to be shepherding

00:19:36.060 --> 00:19:37.140
 because he has no other choice?

00:19:37.140 --> 00:19:40.600
 What Jesus seems to want to hear

00:19:40.600 --> 00:19:42.460
 is that Peter will be serving

00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:44.700
 because he loves Jesus so much.

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.220
 In his letter,

00:19:47.340 --> 00:19:48.759
 Peter ends his exhortation

00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:49.800
 to elders

00:19:49.800 --> 00:19:52.560
 with this encouragement.

00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:53.220
 This, again,

00:19:53.280 --> 00:19:55.360
 is from 1 Peter 5,

00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.460
 verse 4.

00:19:56.460 --> 00:19:58.880
 And when the chief shepherd

00:19:58.880 --> 00:19:59.380
 appears,

00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.660
 you will receive

00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:02.740
 the unfading crown of glory.

00:20:04.180 --> 00:20:04.900
 Once again,

00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:05.779
 he's pointing out

00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:07.440
 who truly cares for the sheep.

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.960
 Who is it that's rewarding

00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:09.980
 good leaders?

00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:11.360
 It's Jesus.

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.319
 It's Jesus

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:13.860
 who cares for the sheep.

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:15.059
 For you and I,

00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:17.259
 enough to hold a leader

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:17.920
 to account

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:20.059
 for the good things

00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:20.600
 that he does

00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.400
 for his flock

00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:22.460
 and not.

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:26.660
 And on the other flip side,

00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:29.040
 the person that the leader

00:20:29.040 --> 00:20:30.060
 is trying to please

00:20:30.060 --> 00:20:31.340
 is not you and I.

00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.800
 It's not the flock.

00:20:34.620 --> 00:20:35.040
 Now,

00:20:35.080 --> 00:20:35.759
 before you ask

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.600
 after the service,

00:20:36.860 --> 00:20:38.880
 talking about George

00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:39.620
 and what an elder

00:20:39.620 --> 00:20:40.400
 should look like

00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.800
 in the church

00:20:41.800 --> 00:20:43.320
 while he's gone

00:20:43.320 --> 00:20:44.820
 was actually his idea.

00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:46.040
 So,

00:20:46.300 --> 00:20:48.240
 it's not talking

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:48.960
 behind his back

00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:49.880
 if he knows you're doing it,

00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:50.060
 right?

00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:52.379
 Actually,

00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:53.559
 if you take a look

00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:54.000
 at the blog

00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:54.759
 in your bulletin,

00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:56.240
 George himself

00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:57.759
 has written about

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.159
 his views

00:20:58.159 --> 00:20:59.619
 of what an elder

00:20:59.619 --> 00:21:00.639
 in the church

00:21:00.639 --> 00:21:01.139
 looks like.

00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:02.220
 Now,

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:03.019
 I'll leave it to you

00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:03.679
 to have a think

00:21:03.679 --> 00:21:05.240
 about what kind

00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:06.079
 of leader we have

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.720
 in this congregation,

00:21:07.899 --> 00:21:08.559
 the Church of the Messiah.

00:21:09.419 --> 00:21:10.099
 But first,

00:21:10.179 --> 00:21:10.879
 I would suggest to you

00:21:10.879 --> 00:21:11.519
 that what George

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.579
 needs a lot more

00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:14.339
 than a proper critique,

00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:15.460
 what George needs

00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:15.940
 a lot more

00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:16.659
 than our opinions

00:21:16.659 --> 00:21:17.259
 or criticisms

00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:18.399
 of him

00:21:18.399 --> 00:21:19.460
 is our prayers.

00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:21.039
 As our leader,

00:21:21.159 --> 00:21:21.799
 George has taken

00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:22.919
 a responsibility

00:21:22.919 --> 00:21:24.299
 for our feeding

00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.659
 and for our leading

00:21:25.659 --> 00:21:27.279
 and that

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:29.700
 makes him eligible

00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:30.819
 for a never-ending

00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:32.460
 or an everlasting crown

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.179
 like Peter mentions,

00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.440
 but it's also

00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:35.419
 a very heavy burden.

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:38.179
 What he needs

00:21:38.179 --> 00:21:39.259
 more than

00:21:39.259 --> 00:21:40.639
 our opinions

00:21:40.639 --> 00:21:43.559
 is our prayers.

00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:46.740
 what we really want

00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:47.359
 is a leader

00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:48.779
 who we don't really

00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:50.839
 question very often

00:21:50.839 --> 00:21:51.799
 as far as

00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:53.240
 how he compares

00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:54.559
 to what we see here

00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:55.139
 in 1 Peter

00:21:55.139 --> 00:21:56.460
 and in Paul's letters

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:56.839
 as well,

00:21:57.740 --> 00:21:58.440
 whether or not

00:21:58.440 --> 00:21:59.000
 he matches

00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:59.799
 what we see here.

00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:01.659
 He needs our prayers

00:22:01.659 --> 00:22:02.220
 that he would

00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:03.480
 lead

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:04.839
 ever more like

00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:05.519
 Jesus led

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.740
 and ever more like

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:07.480
 we are a church

00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:08.500
 being led by Jesus.

00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:09.720
 So,

00:22:09.819 --> 00:22:10.440
 that said,

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.480
 let's pray for

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:12.799
 George and the leaders

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:13.359
 of the church.

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:16.279
 Father God,

00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:16.879
 we thank you

00:22:16.879 --> 00:22:17.960
 for people

00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:18.700
 who are willing

00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:19.200
 to lead,

00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:21.299
 people who love you

00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:22.879
 enough to lead.

00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:24.359
 Father,

00:22:24.419 --> 00:22:24.960
 we thank you

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:27.200
 that we have

00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:27.799
 a pastor,

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:29.680
 a shepherd

00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:30.539
 of this flock,

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:31.180
 an elder.

00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:32.299
 Father,

00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:32.919
 we thank you

00:22:32.919 --> 00:22:36.139
 that he is

00:22:36.139 --> 00:22:37.919
 by many accounts

00:22:37.919 --> 00:22:38.759
 a good leader.

00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:39.139
 Father,

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.000
 we ask that

00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:41.859
 you would

00:22:41.859 --> 00:22:42.440
 in turn

00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:43.120
 lead him

00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:43.420
 well.

00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:44.120
 Father,

00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:44.460
 would you

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.019
 lead him

00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:46.019
 to be

00:22:46.019 --> 00:22:47.380
 ever less

00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:47.920
 motivated

00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:48.440
 by money,

00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:49.240
 ever less

00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.700
 motivated

00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:50.360
 by power.

00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.059
 Would you

00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:51.519
 lead him

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:52.080
 to be

00:22:52.080 --> 00:22:52.660
 ever more

00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:54.019
 motivated

00:22:54.019 --> 00:22:55.700
 by love

00:22:55.700 --> 00:22:56.039
 of you?

00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:57.860
 Father,

00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:58.580
 we ask

00:22:58.580 --> 00:22:59.080
 this for

00:22:59.080 --> 00:22:59.420
 George,

00:22:59.559 --> 00:22:59.900
 we ask

00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:01.120
 this for

00:23:01.120 --> 00:23:01.460
 David,

00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.120
 we ask

00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:02.660
 this for

00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:03.380
 leaders,

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:04.580
 elders,

00:23:05.320 --> 00:23:05.799
 in churches

00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:06.600
 across the city

00:23:06.600 --> 00:23:07.420
 and across the world.

00:23:08.140 --> 00:23:08.480
 Father,

00:23:08.600 --> 00:23:09.539
 we accept

00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:09.920
 that you

00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:10.559
 have given

00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:11.039
 us leaders

00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:11.759
 and Father,

00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:12.139
 we ask

00:23:12.139 --> 00:23:12.359
 that you

00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:12.700
 would make

00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.079
 them ever

00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:13.720
 better leaders.

00:23:14.659 --> 00:23:14.919
 Father,

00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:15.659
 we ask

00:23:15.659 --> 00:23:16.440
 this in

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:16.720
 the name

00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.159
 of Jesus.

00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:18.000
 Father,

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.399
 you make

00:23:18.399 --> 00:23:19.039
 this possible

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.440
 through Jesus.

00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:21.200
 Father,

00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:21.700
 we thank you

00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:21.940
 and pray

00:23:21.940 --> 00:23:22.440
 these things.

00:23:22.579 --> 00:23:22.779
 Amen.