A copy of God's Word, which I hope is with you and well read and meditated on day and night and treasured in your heart.
! And turn with me to the book of Acts chapter 20.
This morning's text for our consideration is Acts chapter 20 verses 25 through 38.
That's to the end of the chapter. This is the second half of Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders.
Last week we looked at the measure of successful ministry as Paul holds up his ministry as an example in the beginning of this address.
He shows us ways in which we can see that a ministry is successful, which so often does not look the way the world measures success.
This week we'll look at specific exhortations that Paul gives to the Ephesian elders.
That's the turn he takes as we begin in verse 25 this morning.
Paul in effect says to them, to these Ephesian elders, shepherd the church well in the following ways.
So today there's very clear instruction to the leaders of a church.
Explicit instruction to the leaders of a church.
But I also want us to consider the implications of this text for all of us.
As we're all given some measure of charge over someone, somebody that we're responsible to, to shepherd.
And particularly this morning, I want fathers and future fathers to consider some of these implications.
As that's the case, I'm going to structure our study of Acts 20, 25 through 38 in six points.
They do not alliterate this morning.
And they are as follows, and of course I'll go back through them.
But I want to give you the structure in your mind before we read the text and launch into our study.
Faithful shepherds, number one, look after themselves.
Number two, lead their people.
Number three, protect their people.
Number four, pray and study.
Number five, serve the weak.
And number six, love and are loved.
So let's read together our text for today.
But I think to be fair to Paul's address, we ought to back up and start in 17.
So we looked at verses 17 through 24 last week.
But I want to start reading in 17, and then we'll pick up at verse 25 and read to the end of the chapter.
Before we read, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us.
It was written for His glory and for our good.
And as such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
So I'll begin in verse 17 of chapter 20.
Now from Miletus, He sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to Him.
And when they came to Him, He said to them,
You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews.
How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable
and teaching you in public and from house to house,
testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now behold, I am going to Jerusalem constrained by the Spirit,
not knowing what will happen to me there,
except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.
But I do not count my life of any value nor as precious to myself.
If only I may finish my course in the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus
to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
And our text for this morning begins here.
And now behold,
I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.
Therefore, I testify to you this day that I'm innocent of the blood of all,
for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers
to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
I know that after my departure, fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
And from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples after them.
Therefore, be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.
Now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way,
we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
how he himself said,
it is more blessed to give than to receive.
And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
And there was much weeping on the part of all.
They embraced Paul and kissed him,
being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken.
They would not see his face again.
And they accompanied him to the ship.
Now in verse 25,
Paul states that he will never see these men again.
He's confident of this fact.
He'll never see them again.
So these are his parting words, right?
In his thinking, these are his parting words.
Later, he writes a letter to them.
So there's more instruction given to the church of Ephesus.
But in his mind, these are parting words.
It's the last time he'll speak to them.
And I think that that fact really punctuates this address, right?
The closing address for the church at Ephesus in Paul's thinking.
What does Paul deem of greatest importance to remind these men of before his departure?
Verse 25 is clear about that, right?
You'll never see my face again.
And the first point that Paul makes about the faithful shepherd
is that faithful shepherds look after themselves.
They look to themselves.
The beginning of verse 28.
Pay careful attention to yourselves.
In order for the man of God to lead others to God,
he must be pursuing and growing in holiness.
That is to say, you cannot lead others faithfully
if you yourself are not walking uprightly.
If you yourself are not excelling in things of holiness.
If you're not ahead of the people that you're leading.
Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2, verses 20 and 21.
And do you recall where Timothy's at when Paul writes 1 and 2 Timothy?
He's in Ephesus.
Now in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver,
but also of wood and clay.
Some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,
he will be a vessel for honorable use.
Set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house,
ready for every good work.
So as faithful shepherds,
we must be putting off those things that are dishonorable.
Putting off sin.
And putting on rather than righteousness.
Right?
Excelling in holiness.
And as such,
the faithful shepherd is set apart as holy.
Sanctified as holy.
I think one of the most wonderful examples I've ever heard,
household simple example of what it means to be set apart in this way,
and something we do in our families,
the idea of a special birthday plate.
If any of you do that.
But we have a plate at our house that's bigger than you should ever eat off of,
and very colorful,
and it says on it,
I am very special around the edge.
And it only gets used on someone's birthday.
So I get to eat off of the I am very special plate on my birthday.
So the plate is set apart for the purpose of celebrating a birthday.
And that's what Paul's communicating here to Timothy.
Right?
And what Paul's communicating to the Ephesian elders,
and what he's communicating to us.
If we want to be useful to the master of the house,
we must be pursuing holiness.
We must be becoming a vessel for honorable use.
Faithful shepherds are out ahead of others in their pursuit of holiness.
In their pursuit of the God who is holy.
Faithful shepherds ought not be like the Pharisees
of whom Jesus said the following in Matthew chapter 23 verse 27.
He said to them,
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you are like whitewashed tombs,
which outwardly appear beautiful,
but within are full of dead peoples, bones,
and all uncleanliness.
And this is not to say that the faithful shepherd is perfect.
This just means that the faithful shepherd is pressing on,
by the grace of God,
in perfection.
A Puritan pastor by the name of Richard Baxter
wrote a book called The Reformed Pastor.
If you have any inkling of becoming a pastor,
you need to read his work.
In it he said this,
Take heed to yourselves,
lest you live in those sins
which you preach against in others,
and lest you be guilty of that which daily you condemn.
Will you make it your work to magnify God,
and when you have done,
dishonor Him as much as others?
Will you proclaim Christ's governing power,
and yet contemn it and rebel yourselves?
Will you preach His laws and willfully break them?
If sin be evil,
why do you live in it?
If it be not,
why do you dissuade men from it?
If it be dangerous,
how dare you venture on it?
If it be not,
why do you tell men so?
If God's threatenings be true,
why do you not fear them?
If they be false,
why do you needlessly trouble men with them,
and put them into such frights without a cause?
Take heed to yourselves,
lest you cry down sin,
and yet do not overcome it.
Lest while you seek to bring it down in others,
you bow to it and become its slaves yourselves.
Oh, brethren,
it is easier to chide at sin
than to overcome it.
And so faithful shepherds
look after themselves,
examine themselves,
press on by God's grace
in holiness themselves.
Secondly,
faithful shepherds
lead their people.
You see this in the last part
of verse 28.
Take careful attention to yourselves
and
to all
the flock.
And Paul here is referring
specifically to
the Ephesian church.
And I would
suggest
those who would be added to that number.
Right?
To all
the flock.
In which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers
to care for the church of God
which He obtained
with His own blood.
Whether you have been charged by God
with the care of a church
or with the care of a family,
in some cases both,
you are to give those people leadership.
If you are a man,
then you most likely
have been given the responsibility
to lead someone.
Do not shrink from that responsibility.
Do not think that your job
ends with the chauffeuring
of your wife and children
to school
or to practice
or to church.
Do not think that your responsibility
to your family
and friends
and neighbors
and co-workers
ends
with an invitation
to a church event.
We are meant
to lead
the people
that God has given us
charge over
in our lives.
Sometimes that's more clear
than in other cases.
Certainly,
fathers,
we know
who we've been given
charge over.
What is the tool
of the faithful shepherd
in leading
His people?
The Word of God.
It's the Word of God.
Paul states in verse 26
and 27
as an example himself.
He says,
Therefore,
I testify to you this day
that I am innocent
of the blood
of all.
The saying is,
I have done
everything I could
possibly do for.
Verse 27,
I did not shrink
from to glaring to you
the whole counsel
of God.
Paul says
that he has done
everything
that he could do
to lead
the Ephesians
because
he had boldly
declared to him
the whole counsel
of God.
Now,
I do not believe
that this means
that Paul preached
an expositional sermon
on every text
of the 39 books
of the Old Testament.
What they had
in that day
as their Bible.
I don't think
that it means that.
I do believe
it means
that Paul was
very clear to them
how a man
is to be saved,
God's purpose
in his salvation,
and the way
of obedience
to God,
which meant
he preached
a lot of that text,
but probably
not every bit
of it.
They understood
all things
necessary
to be in relationship
with the Lord
and to please Him.
The whole counsel,
the whole purpose
of God.
He gave to them
a biblical theology.
There is great need
in our day
for faithful shepherds
to lead their people
by the Word
of God.
In Amos 8,
verses 11 and 12,
God issues
a frightful prophecy
which I believe
that our nation
and our community
is now
participating in.
Listen to these words.
Behold,
the days are coming,
declares the Lord God,
when I will send
a famine
on the land,
not a famine
of bread
nor a thirst
for water,
but of hearing
the words
of the Lord.
They shall wander
from sea to sea
and from north
to east.
They shall run
to and fro
to seek
the Word of the Lord,
but they shall
not find it.
Is Christ's family
church
and our influence
in our community
a place
where people
can find
the Word of the Lord?
Let's be
bastions
of light
so that our people
know God's Word
and can share it
with those
who so desperately
need it,
those who run
to and fro.
God's Word
is good
for His people
and we should be
concerned about
the good
of God's people
because God's people
were obtained
with Jesus'
own blood.
Jesus died
for the church.
It is true,
if you have placed
believing faith
in Jesus Christ,
that Jesus died
for you.
But I think
it's wrong
for us to constantly
have this personal
relationship
with Jesus Christ
mentality
because Jesus died
for the church.
He saved a people
for His own possession.
And beloved,
if you love Jesus,
you will love
the church.
And therefore,
you'll be concerned
for the way
that it goes.
So faithful shepherds
lead their people.
Thirdly,
faithful shepherds
protect their people.
Faithful shepherds
protect their people.
Verses 29-31,
and we'll pick up
a little bit
from verse 26-27.
Paul says
that people
will come
from outside
and inside
the church
to deceive
the disciples.
So both from
without
and within.
How is it
that our people
are deceived?
How is it
that people
are led astray?
through the
transmission
of ideas.
This is how
they're led astray,
which means that
in our day,
we will have to be
all the more
vigilant
as media
brings ideas
of all varieties
to the minds
of our people.
The teeth
of the ravenous
wolves,
the fierce
wolves,
are ideas.
we affect
people
at the level
of their
thinking.
Men,
you must
protect your
homes from
ideas that
are not
consistent
with the
teaching
of God.
And this
is a work.
We have
to be paying
attention
to what's
coming into
the minds
of our
wives,
to our
children,
our extended
family,
our friends,
our co-workers.
We must
pay attention
to all
of the winds
of philosophy
and their
contradiction.
to the
word of
God.
We find
ourselves
every day
in a war
of ideas
and the
faithful shepherd
protects
his people.
We must
be so
careful in
the matter.
Listen to
the warning
of Jesus
from Matthew
chapter 7
verse 15.
He said,
Beware
of false
prophets
who come
to you
in sheep's
clothing,
but inwardly
are ravenous
wolves.
So we
see someone
who appears
to be a
follower of
Jesus,
and therefore
we listen
to whatever
it is
they may
have to
say.
Some will
be part,
seem to
be part,
of God's
people.
Will not
be at all,
but they
will work
to devour
sheep.
What do
fierce,
ravenous
wolves do
amongst
sheep?
They don't
sit quietly.
They devour
sheep.
The faithful
shepherd is
like the
Berean
believer who
searched the
Scriptures to
see if these
things were
so.
And beloved,
we live in a
day that we
need a new
reformation.
In Luther and
Calvin and
Zwingli's day,
people didn't
know the Bible
because the
Bible was
printed in
Latin.
It's difficult
for them to
know the
Bible.
We have no
excuse.
We have
the Word of
God in
our language
with lots
of helps.
We have
no excuse
not to be
like those
Bereans,
to search
the Scriptures,
to be sure
that the
things that
are being
told to
us are
in fact
true.
And we
have a
standard
of that
truth.
We ought
to say
less and
less,
I believe,
and more
and more,
the Bible
says.
Paul issues
similar warning
in Romans
16,
verse 17
and 18,
where he
says,
I appeal
to you
brothers,
to watch
out for
those who
cause
divisions
and create
obstacles,
contrary to
the doctrine
that you
have been
taught.
Avoid
them.
For such
persons do
not serve
our Lord
Christ,
but their
own appetites.
And by
smooth talk
and flattery,
they deceive
the hearts
of the
naive.
Beloved,
the church
is meant
to be set
apart from
the world
so that
it can
serve
the world.
We're
meant to
be distinct
from
the world.
We're
meant to
contend
for the
faith.
Turn with me,
please,
to the book
of Jude.
You can
mark Acts
20.
We will
come back
to it.
Turn to
the book
of Jude.
It's just
before the
book of
Revelation.
Jude was
one of the
brothers of
Jesus.
We are not
sure who
this letter
is addressed
to specifically,
but we know
that it was
addressed to
either a
church or
to a
region of
churches.
It could
have been
an open
letter,
quite
possibly.
Anything
we might
think is
really
conjecture.
We're not
exactly
sure.
However,
it is
addressed to
Christians,
and it
contains the
theme that
the church
must contend
for the
one true
faith once
for all
delivered to
the saints.
That's in
verse 3.
And people
of faith
must preserve
to the
end by
resisting the
false
teachers and
following
the truth.
So I
want to
read to
you just
a few
verses from
Jude,
beginning
in
verse 3.
This is
verse 3
and 4.
Beloved,
although I
was very
eager to
write to
you about
our common
salvation,
I found
it necessary
to write
appealing to
you to
contend for
the faith
that was
once for
all delivered
to the
saints.
Seems
that Jude
really just
wanted to
write and
rejoice in
this common
salvation.
Just speak
of these
beautiful
doctrines that
they believed
together,
but instead
he's
compelled
instead
to say
hold fast
to those
things that
we've said
we believe
to be
true.
Verse 4,
4,
certain people
have crept
in unnoticed.
Wolves
and sheep
clothing
who long
ago
were designated
for this
condemnation.
ungodly
people
who
pervert
the grace
of our
God
into
sensuality
and deny
our only
Master
and Lord
Jesus
Christ.
And then
skip down
to verse
10.
But these
people
blaspheme
all that
they do
not
understand
and they
are destroyed
by all
that they
like unreasoning
animals
understand
instinctively.
Woe to
them
for they
walk in
the way
of Cain
and abandon
themselves
for the
sake of
gain
to
Balaam's
heir
and
perished
in
Korah's
rebellion.
We won't
get into
all of
that.
These
are
hidden
reefs
at your
love
feast.
Hidden
reefs
cause
ships
to
shipwreck.
As
they
feast
with
you
without
fear,
shepherds
feeding
themselves,
waterless
clouds
swept
along
by
winds,
fruitless
trees
in
late
autumn,
twice
dead,
uprooted.
Wild
waves
of the
sea
casting
up the
foam
of their
own
shame,
wandering
stars
for whom
the gloom
of utter
darkness
has been
reserved
forever.
So Jude
gets rather
poetic
to say
these are
serious
infractions
to the
church
of God.
Serious
matters
that must
be dealt
with.
These
people
are
damaging
to the
church
of
Christ.
I'm
in no
way
suggesting
that we're
unloving
toward
these
people,
but we
must
contend
for the
truth,
for the
sake
of
God's
people.
We
must
stand
for the
truth.
So the
faithful
shepherd
must
protect
their
people.
But the
aim is
not just
that our
people would
know some
things about
God,
that someone
could recite
to us
orthodox
doctrine,
just knowing
it,
but that
they would
know
God.
Not too
many decades
after Paul
says his
final goodbye
to the
Ephesian
elders,
the apostle
Paul receives
a vision.
So this is
20 to
45 years
later.
I'm on the
longer side
of that.
About four
decades
later,
the apostle
John receives
a vision
which is
recorded in
the book
of Revelation.
So turn
with me to
Revelation
chapter 2.
By the
time of
the apostle
John's
vision,
what had
happened
to the
Ephesian
church?
Beginning in
verse 2,
Revelation 2.
Jesus says,
I know
your works,
your toil,
and your
patient endurance,
and how you
cannot bear
with those
who are evil,
but have
tested those
who call
themselves
apostles and
are not,
and found
them to be
false.
So they're
commended,
in verse 2,
right off the
bat,
good for you
guys,
right?
You have
been holding
orthodox
belief.
Good.
In verse
3,
I know
you are
enduring
patiently
and bearing
up for
my name's
sake,
and you
have not
grown weary,
but I
have this
against you,
that you
have abandoned
the love
you had
at first.
Remember
therefore,
from where
you have
fallen,
repent,
and do
the works
you did
at first.
If not,
I will
come to
you and
remove
your lampstand
from its
place,
unless you
repent.
Yet this
you have,
verse 6,
you hate
the works
of the
Nicolaitans,
which I
also
hate.
Boy,
I would
have hated
to be a
Nicolaitan,
wouldn't you?
They had
defended
the church
against
false
teachers.
They hated
the Nicolaitans,
and we don't
know exactly
what the
heresy was.
However,
contextually,
it would
seem that
Jesus is
calling them
to repent
and return
to works
of love,
things that
are driven
and fueled
by love,
things that
are consistent
with God's
moral law.
And so
there's
some conjecture
at this point,
but many
believe that
the Nicolaitans
believed the
heresy of
antinomianism,
which means
without the
law,
that they
had disregarded
that there
was any
necessary to
keep any
of the
commands of
God
any longer,
which is
just not
true.
It has
been
renounced
as a
heresy
again and
again,
this morning
as well.
We're still
meant to
keep the
moral law
of God,
not to
be accepted
by God,
but out
of loving
obedience
to Him.
So probably
that's what
they had
hated,
was that
kind of
teaching.
But,
they were
failing to
love one
another.
They were
failing at
this,
the love
that they
had at
first,
which means
that they
were not
rightly
believing
the truth
of God's
love
for them.
They knew
about it.
They knew
about it,
but they
were failing
to believe
it the
way they
should.
So as we
lead our
people and
as we
protect our
people,
we want to
do so in
a way that
doesn't just
stack up
information in
their heads.
That they
would be able
to refute
false doctrine
and know
right doctrine,
which is
good.
We want to
lead people
and protect
people so
that they
will know
God
himself.
So faithful
shepherds
protect their
people.
Let me at
this point
give you
an unplanned
aside.
If you
are a
follower of
Jesus Christ
and you
are not
committed
to a
local
fellowship
of
believers,
you have
not been
given the
tools that
God intends
for your
protection.
You have
not joined
yourself to
a group of
people who
are meant
to work
with you,
to keep
you accountable,
not to
be your
assurance,
but being a
member of a
biblical church
is an
element of
assurance.
That a
group of
Christ followers
have said to
you,
we have a
confidence that
you are in
the faith.
The biblical
doctrine,
the not
often practiced,
but altogether
biblical
practice of
church
discipline is
about taking
sin seriously
and steering
people as
they should
away from
error and
to the
truth.
Loving
restoration,
walk in the
ways of
God,
it's the
best thing
for you.
We want
you to
know Him
and be
obedient to
Him,
to serve
Him as
you should.
The final
step of
church
discipline is
that a
person is
removed from
the fellowship
of a
church.
Because the
church no
longer can
be confident
that they
are in
fact in
the faith.
Their works
are evidencing
otherwise.
Their unrepentant
sin says
no.
So for
their sake,
we say we
just can't
say this
anymore.
We love
you and
we want
you to
come back
and be in
fellowship
with God
and in
fellowship
with the
church,
but we
just can't.
Yesterday I
heard a
quote by
Jay Adams,
a pastor
and a
newtetic
biblical
counselor.
And he
said this,
if you
are not
a member
of a
local
church,
you
have
excommunicated
yourself.
So be
part of
a biblical
church
with
faithful
shepherds,
a group
of people
who want
to love
you with
the truth
of the
gospel.
I would
suggest to
you that
you are
sinning
not to,
so do
so.
Okay,
back to
the script.
Number
four,
faithful
shepherds
pray
and
study.
Pray
and
study.
Verse
32,
we're
back in
Acts 20
now.
Paul
says,
and now
I commend
you to
God.
And I
recognize
that this
text is
not
specifically
calling
the
shepherds,
these
elders in
Ephesus,
to pray.
But it
is another
example of
Paul and
his
commitment
to
prayer.
And if
we rightly
understand
the gravity
of the
task of
faithfully
shepherding
God's
people,
we will
pray.
I find
my
prayerlessness
is most
often because
I don't
get the
gravity of
it.
It is a
serious,
serious
matter,
which I
am not
capable of
accomplishing
on my
own.
I must
cry out
to God
to help
me in
giving
leadership
in our
church
and to
my
family.
Prayer
expresses a
dependence
on God
and biblical
prayer lines
up our
wills with
His.
A
shepherd who
does not
pray
shepherds
in vain.
I love
the Latin
phrase
sine qua
non.
Knowing
Latin helps
me remember
things.
Maybe it
doesn't
for you.
Sine qua
non,
which the
reformers
applied to
prayer,
which means
without
which
nothing.
Sine qua
non.
At least
remember the
English.
Prayer
without
which
nothing.
God moves
in the hearts
of His
people to
pray and
He empowers
our lives
in our
praying.
And we
can pray
in confidence
that our
people would
know God
and walk
in His
ways.
Jesus
states in
John 14
verse 13,
whatever you
ask in
my name,
and He's
not instructing
us just
to tack
His name
to the end
of any
prayer that
we would
pray.
What He's
saying is
whatever you
ask that
is consistent
with my
person,
in my
name,
with my
person,
consistent
with my
character,
and consistent
with my
commands,
which we
have here,
this I
will do,
that the
Father may
be glorified
in the
Son.
So we
can pray
with confidence
that God
would help
us in
giving
faithful
leadership
to our
people.
We can
pray that
with confidence
and know
that He'll
supply what
we need.
So my
encouragement to
you would be
to pray
and then
act.
Pray that
it'll work,
pray that
it'll give
you what
you need,
and do
so confidently,
and then
go lead
by the
Scripture's
standards.
So Paul
commends them
to God.
That's an
example in
prayer.
And he
also commends
them to
the Word
of His
grace.
The Word
of His
grace,
the Bible.
If we
are to look
to ourselves
to lead
and protect
our people,
then we
must be
students of
the Word.
We must
be.
We must
know it
and be
increasing
in our
knowledge
of it
and our
understanding
of its
application.
This means
we must
read.
I find a
Christian who
says they
don't like
to read
to be
inconsistent.
We have
to.
We have
to.
God's
very Word
is conveyed
to us
in words
recorded
on pages.
You have
to read.
It's been
a great
work of
missionaries
throughout
history
to educate
people,
to teach
them to
read so
that they
could read
the Word
of God.
What a
privilege
that we're
readers.
The people
who can't
read in
our congregation
are few
and were
probably
sitting on
the floor
earlier
this morning.
We have
the opportunity
to take
up and
read.
And beyond
the Scripture
as the most
important book
we could
ever read,
we have
such a wealth
of other
things to
read.
That's why
I'm
promoting
reading in
our church.
Books that
systematically
take themes
of the Bible
and lay them
out for us,
help us to
understand and
to comprehend.
We have
access to
the church
across history
which is
such a
blessing,
beloved.
I get to
sit down
on any
given afternoon
of the week
and have a
conversation
with Jonathan
Edwards.
It's a
wonderful thing
that I get to
sit with him
and hear all
that he has
to say
about the
Scripture.
It's a
great thing
that we get
to do
to pick
up and
to read.
If you don't
fancy yourself
a reader,
you need to
start working
at it.
You need to
become a
reader primarily
of the
Word of
God.
Read more,
read more
broadly,
read books
that speak
of God's
Word if
you're reading
books that
aren't God's
Word.
Paul says
to Timothy
2 Timothy
3, 16
and 17.
All Scripture
is breathed
out by
God.
He's the
very source
of it.
And it's
profitable.
It's profitable.
It's good
for us.
For teaching,
for reproof,
for correction,
and for
training in
righteousness.
These are all
just different
words that
give this
idea of
guiding in
the ways
of God.
Guiding
people to
God
himself.
17,
that the
man of
God may
be complete,
equipped for
every good
work.
So if we're
to be
faithful
shepherds,
we must
pray.
We're
dependent on
God to
move into
work in
our activity.
And we
must study.
We must
know this
precious book
that is so
useful in
giving leadership
and protection
to our
people.
So faithful
shepherds
pray and
study.
Number
five.
Faithful
shepherds
serve the
weak.
Faithful
shepherds
serve the
weak.
Verse
33-35
of Acts
20.
For the
sake of
time,
I won't
belabor this
point.
The
faithful
shepherd
does not
look to
his own
self-interest
but rather
serves
others.
Humbles
himself,
becomes the
least of
all.
Someday he'll
be the
greatest of
all, but
here the
least of
all, a
servant to
all.
Not lording
this over
people like
the Gentiles
do, but
becoming a
servant of
all.
Paul said
to the
Corinthian
church in
2 Corinthians
12-15,
I will
most gladly
spend and
be spent
for your
souls.
The
faithful
shepherd
puts
aside
his
self-interest
and pours
out his
life for
the sake
of his
people.
Dads,
this needs
to be
true of
us.
We are
not meant
to have
family so
that they
can serve
us.
We have
family so
that we
can serve
them to
the glory
of God.
Empty
yourself.
Lay your
life down
on the
altar of
Christ and
then get
up and
love your
family with
the gospel
of Jesus.
And this
is not
burdensome.
This is not
burdensome.
Paul said,
I will
most gladly
spend and
be spent
for your
souls.
So faithful
shepherds
serve the
weak.
Just in
case any
of the
ladies think
I'm calling
them weak,
I'm not.
Sixth,
faithful
shepherds
love and
are loved.
Love and
are loved.
Verse 36,
when he had
said these
things he
knelt down
and prayed
with them
all and
there was
much weeping
on the
part of
all.
They
embraced
Paul and
kissed
him,
being sorrowful
most of
all.
Most of
all,
he said
some things
to them,
some charges,
right?
There's going
to be error
in the
church,
protect the
flock.
Most of
all,
the reason
that they're
so sad
is because
he had
said that
he would
not see
his face
again and
they accompanied
him to
the ship.
So I
take the
all to
mean that
Paul also
wept.
There was
much weeping
on the
part of
all.
If you
do not
love your
people,
sacrificially
love your
people,
most
gladly
willing
to
lay
your
life
down
for
your
people,
pray
with
desperation
that
God
would
work
in
you
a
love
for
them.
You
will
not
effectively
serve
them
until
you're
ready
to
sacrifice
for
them.
If
you
love
people
well,
they
will
love
you.
Paul
wrote
to the
Corinthian
church
in
1 Corinthians
13,
which I'd
like
for
you
to
turn
with
me
to
we
will
conclude
with
this.
He wrote
in
1 Corinthians
13
concerning
love,
the famous
love chapter
which is
so often
read
at weddings
and certainly
applies in
that setting
but it's
written to
the church.
It has a
much broader
meaning,
a much more
layered and
textured
meaning
for our
everyday
lives.
And
Paul
elevates,
he gives
us a
high
view
of what
love
looks like.
Unconditioned,
right?
In the
way that
God has
loved us,
we then
turn around
and we
love
others.
Paul
wrote
this,
if I
speak in
the tongues
of men
and of
angels
but have
not
love,
I am
a noisy
gong
or a
clanging
symbol,
worthless,
no good.
And if I
have prophetic
powers and
understand all
mysteries and
all knowledge
and if I
have all
faith so
as to
remove
mountains
but have
not love,
I am
nothing.
If I
give away
all I
have and
if I
deliver up
my body
to be
burned
but have
not love,
I gain
nothing.
Love is
patient
and kind.
Love does
not envy
or boast.
It is
not arrogant
or rude.
It does
not insist
on its
own way.
It is
not irritable
or resentful.
It does
not rejoice
at wrongdoing
but rejoices
with the
truth.
Love
bears
all
things,
believes
all
things,
hopes
all
things,
endures
all
things.
Love
never
ends.
As for
prophecies,
they will
pass away.
As for
tongues,
they will
cease.
As for
knowledge,
it will
pass away.
For we
know in
part and
we
prophesy
in part,
but when
the perfect
comes,
the partial
will pass
away.
When I
was a
child,
I spoke
like a
child,
I
thought
like a
child,
I
reasoned
like a
child.
When I
became a
man,
I gave
up
childish
ways.
For now
we see
in a
mirror
dimly,
but then
face
to
face.
Now
I
know
in
part,
then I
shall
know
fully,
even
as I
have
been
fully
known.
So
now,
faith,
hope,
and love
abide.
These
three,
but the
greatest
of these
is love.
So
faithful
shepherds
look after
themselves,
lead their
people,
protect
their
people,
pray and
study,
serve
the
weak,
and they
love
and are
loved.
Let's
pray
together.