Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:28-32 NIV)
Christians have lots of names for the leaders of their churches. Have you noticed that? What do people call the guy up in front of church like me? We could make a list: Priest. Father. Minister. Reverend… Lots of names! What do we use in the Lutheran church? Pastor. Do you know what the word “pastor” means? Shepherd. The word “pastor” is just the Latin word for shepherd. In our church, that’s what we’re used to calling the leader of our church: Our pastor. Our shepherd.
Do you know where that comes from? The Bible! Our lesson today from the book of Acts is actually written for shepherds—for pastors. So, this sermon is for the pastors who are here today. Could all the pastors raise your hands? Ohhh. Just me. Well, today’s sermon is for me. Because God’s Word has things to say to me too. But you can listen. The apostle Paul is speaking with the pastors of the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a big city in modern-day Turkey. There’s something notable about Ephesus: Paul spent more time there than in any other city. Almost three years! Now, Paul called their pastors together to give them some final encouragement.
He said, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock…” Hold on… Whom is a pastor to keep watch over first? Himself. “Keep watch over yourselves.” Know what’s easy to do as a pastor? Not do what I tell you to do. It’s easy to encourage you to read the Bible and believe in Jesus and trust in God, and then not do any of those things myself. I once talked to an air conditioner repair man. He could fix any air conditioner. Know what he admitted? The air conditioner at his house doesn’t work. Ironic, isn’t it? God doesn’t want that to be the case for pastors. “Keep watch over yourselves.” When a pastor takes care of his own faith in Jesus first, the whole flock benefits.
Because God brought us together. Listen: “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” Who makes someone a pastor? The Holy Spirit. I grew up in Minnesota. As I was growing up, do you think I dreamed to myself: “I hope I get to be a pastor in Oklahoma?” No! Four years ago, you were looking for a pastor. Were you thinking, “We want a tall pastor who sounds like Jerry Seinfeld”? No! Who brought us together? The Holy Spirit did. A third of you weren’t even part of this church three years ago. How did it happen that we’re all here today? The Holy Spirit. God has brought us together. Isn’t that a cool thought?
Because this isn’t my church or your church. Paul said, “Be shepherds of the church of God…” Whose church is it? God’s church! I might be the pastor, but it’s not my church. None of what I do should be about me or my glory or my fame. It’s God’s church! That also means it’s not your church. None of what we do should be about your glory or your personal preferences. It’s God’s church. Our church has existed for 52 years. God-willing, it will outlast all of us. Because a true Christian church isn’t based on its pastor or its people. It’s based on Jesus Christ and his Word.
Why? He’s the One who bought us with his blood. “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” This is an amazing phrase: “The church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” It says two amazing things. First, who is Jesus? God. Jesus is not just a great teacher or a good man. Jesus is God! Yet, what did Jesus—God—do? Die for us. Buy us with his blood. What a statement! I didn’t die for this church. It’s not my church. Jesus died for his church. To take away our sins and make us righteous in God’s sight and win eternal life for us. It’s Jesus’ church! “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”
Got that? Then watch out! At least, that’s what Paul told those pastors long ago. “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” What a warning! Like any shepherd, pastors are to watch out for wolves. Who are they? False teachers. Paul warned that within the Christian church, men would stand up and distort the truth to draw people after them. “Be on your guard!” A Christian shepherd—a Christian pastor—needs to be on guard for false teachers who will lead his sheep to hell.
How can I do that? How can anyone do that? Well, how can you or I do anything? Only by the grace of God. So, Paul said, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” What is a Christian pastor supposed to go back to again and again? God’s Word and God’s grace. What does it all depend on? God’s Word and God’s grace. We need God’s Word too! “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” That’s God’s message to us pastors.
Thanks for listening! But I hope you realize something. There’s a message here for you too. If God calls me a shepherd, what does that make you? Sheep. If the Bible calls Jesus our Good Shepherd, what does that make all of us? Sheep. Now let’s make a connection: If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, if Jesus has placed other men as shepherds for his people, what is Jesus saying about every Christian? Every sheep needs a shepherd. Got that? Every sheep needs a shepherd.
We need to talk about this, because somehow today the word “sheep” has become a derogatory term. Do you know what I’m talking about? I hear the word “sheep” used as an insult. Like this: “You’re just a sheep.” In other words, “You’re just one of those foolish people who follows someone else.” The person who says that implies, “But I’m not. I’m strong and independent and a free thinker.” Have you heard people talk like this? Have you heard people insult each other like this? “You’re just a sheep!” It seems like the last thing you want to be is just be a sheep!
The Bible has some powerful news for us: Every single person is a sheep. Every single person is following someone. Don’t let anyone fool you! Every single person is following someone. It’s just a matter of whom you’re following. In fact, being a sheep is at the heart of Christianity. Being a Christian means admitting you are completely dependent on God for everything. You realize that, don’t you? This is one reason why Christianity isn’t that popular these days. This is why so many false teachings seep into Christianity. Every false teaching says, “You can do it on your own. You’re not that bad. You don’t need a shepherd that much. You don’t need Jesus.”
Except, do you know what you call a sheep without a shepherd? Lost. Think of this: When you’re driving down a country road, and you see a sheep wandering along the side of the road, do you think, “That must be a strong, independent sheep!”? No way! When you a see sheep wandering along the side of the road, you think, “That sheep is lost.” That’s what you call a sheep without a shepherd: Lost! Do you know who really likes lost sheep? Wolves. Paul warned about them: “After I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.”
Do you know where this idea of false teachers as wolves comes from? Our Good Shepherd. Jesus taught, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15). There is a great danger for sheep: Wolves. Not big grey dogs. Even worse: False teachers. A real wolf could take someone’s life. These wolves do something even worse. They lead sheep away from their Shepherd Jesus. To where? To hell!
How can we spot a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Paul gives us things to look for: “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth…” What do the wolves do? They distort the truth. They change God’s Word. I was talking with someone about their church recently. They said, “It’s not like it used to be…” What a red flag! Watch out! This is what wolves do. They take the Bible and they say, “That part’s outdated. That part’s too harsh. It’s missing this… We need to add this…” Sound familiar? The greatest danger to Christian sheep isn’t some ungodly force from out there. It’s wolves from within the Christian church who distort God’s truth.
With a purpose. These wolves always have a clear purpose. “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” What is the goal of false preachers? “To draw away disciples after them.” Remember whose church we said it is? God’s church. Whose church do these wolves think it is? Their church. Watch out for that. Any Christian preacher who draws more attention to himself than to Jesus is a wolf. Any Christian preacher who grows his ministry more than the kingdom of God is a wolf. Any Christian preacher who distorts the Word of God is a wolf. Can you see the danger? Every sheep has a shepherd. Who’s yours? Whose voice are you listening to? You’re following someone! I am too.
Remember this: There is no shepherd like Jesus. You know that, right? He says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not care for the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away… I am the good shepherd… and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11,12,14, 15). There is no shepherd like Jesus! He laid down his life for you. Who else has done that for you? He came to seek and to save the lost. Like you. Like me. Every sheep needs a shepherd. Your heart knows that. No one can lead you and forgive you and save you like Jesus can.
“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23).
There is no shepherd like Jesus! And Jesus, your Good Shepherd who laid down his life for you, wants you to have a shepherd who leads you to him. What do we call that shepherd? A pastor. Jesus wants you to have a pastor. To watch over you and your faith. To remind you over and over again that Jesus has bought you with his own blood. To warn you to be on your guard against the wolves—against anyone who distorts the truth. To commit you to God and to the word of his grace. Say this with me. It might sound strange, but say this with me: “I am a sheep.” Now say it with a smile. “I am a sheep.” Every sheep needs a shepherd.
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