The Heaton File

Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” (Daniel 9:17-19)

Daniel’s Prayer Of Humility

The prayer of Daniel is one of the most powerful statements of faith in scripture. Daniel had grown old in the captivity, as nearly seventy years have passed since he first came to Babylon. Reflecting on the words of Jeremiah, Daniel knows the purpose of God’s punishment was from the sin of the people. The Law of Moses declared the penalty for rebellion and God kept His word. It would be fair to say Daniel was one of the few righteous in Judah along with his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem. He and his friends overcame great tests of faith seeing the Babylonian empire dissolve before the might of the Persians. A new king sat on the throne but Daniel was undeterred. His faith in God was stronger than ever.

Reading the text of Daniel’s prayer (beginning in verse 4) a sense of shame comes from the heart of Daniel as he pours out a penitent spirit for the sins of the people. Their rebellion is his rebellion. The unfaithfulness of the people is his unfaithfulness. Humility flows through the confession of Daniel to his God. This man of God knows that presenting supplications before God cannot come from an arrogant heart. It is not because of the righteous deeds of Daniel prayer will be answered but because of the great mercy of a loving Father. Prayer is not defined by the pride of the petitioner but the compassion of a merciful God. Jesus defined the model of prayer by wrapping all the petitions of prayer with the understanding it was only according to the will of the Father. “Thy will be done” is the wing that bears the plea to the ear of the Lord God. What is man that he can demand anything from Jehovah?

Daniel’s prayer is a model of action. He implores God to hear, forgive, listen, act and not delay. The reason for prayer is so that God will be glorified. Answering the supplications of a humble man will bring the mercies of the Lord to bless those who seek him with a humble heart. Failed prayers come from hearts that demand things from God expecting the answer to be according to man’s will. Insincere prayer has ‘sin’ at its core. The prayer of Daniel exemplifies the powerful message of sorrow for sin, repentance, pleading for mercy and granting of God’s will. True prayer can be nothing less.

The measure of any Christian is his prayer life. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)

Christian Liberty And American Liberty

One of the most important lessons in Bible study is to understand the context of the message. Reading the New Testament epistles in light of the culture and period is paramount to gaining a better insight into how the letter was received. When Paul wrote his letter to the beloved of God in Rome, he was writing to a people that lived in the midst of Emperor worship. The government was as corrupt as any nation has been. Immorality was rampant, corruption was common, political assassination was not unheard of and the iron hand of the Roman army secured the peace in forceful oppression. This was not the land of the free and home of the brave.

The book of Romans is a great treaty on the foundation of faith and salvation. It included strong language for the Roman citizen who bore the mantle of being a Christian. Subjection to the Roman government was not a request but a command. The language of Paul would be incredulous suggesting God established the authority of the Roman government and resisting the powers would be sinful. However, the truth for the child of God is they served a higher purpose and subjected themselves to the authority of the Roman government because they were Christians. The Roman saints understood this subjection was measured by the words of Peter who declared obedience to God comes first before men. There are strong lessons for modern American Christians today that come from their example.

Living under the Roman rule was more oppressive than any time in the history of the United States. Ironically, what has caused more problems for the American Christian is the belief that God is bathed in red, white and blue. The Lord has been recreated in the totem of American patriotism allowing children of God to use their civil freedoms in the misguided notion to lambast, hurl vicious attacks and spew ungodly condemnation upon the administration of government. Freedom of speech and bearing arms has turned godly people into ungodly examples of rebellion against the governing authorities ordained of God. Resisting the authority of government is sin – plain and clear sin. Those who resist the government of the United States of America bring judgment against themselves.

We have no freedom but the freedom found in Christ and that comes from being a servant of God. Do not let the word ‘servant’ fail to impress the meaning of our relationship to the Lord. He is our master and we are slaves to His will and His will alone. This subjection to government applies to the citizens of the United States, Cuba, Brazil, France, Ethiopia, India, Russia, Liechtenstein and Nauru. Every nation in the world falls under this heading. Paul admonished the Christian living in the city of Rome to be subject to a government appointed by God. The Roman Empire fell because God destroyed it. Nations rise and fall according to the will of God. The United States will cease to exist one day because it has cast off the glory of the Lord. No matter what comes, children of God obey Him first.

Loyalty to Christ safeguards the lesser loyalties. (Ralph W. Sockman, The Highway of God, 1941)

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. (Proverbs 11:22)

The Pig And The Beautiful Woman

Beauty is said to be skin deep. For the pig, it does not go that far. For a creature that offers a bounty of tasty morsels, it fails in the beautiful class. Under the Law of Moses, the Jew was forbidden to eat unclean animals and the swine fell under that category. It represented everything that was contemptible to God and an abomination. Peter used the swine as a picture of the degradation of spirit that returns to the filth of sin. A hog can be washed and made to look clean but given the chance will return to the swill of a hog mire reveling in the filth. Taking a creature of such disrepute and putting a gold ring in its snout is an example of a beautiful woman who is without loveliness on the inside. The picture is vivid.

The Jews have a saying the snout of a pig is walking dirt. A ring in the nose reduces the rooting that is natural for a pig. Putting a gold ring is for show and is quite a contrast with the nature of the swine. A woman who is beautiful on the outside but has no redeeming qualities of character is like a hog with a gold ring. The blending of physical beauty and moral deformity is the image found in this proverb. Vanity has led many women (and men) to become so proud of their appearance they fail to see how disgusting they are on the inside. When sin entered the world, the vanity of fleshly beauty became one of the calling cards of pride. Women who exalt their outward beauty have no grace in their hearts. They believe that outward beauty is the most important thing in life spending thousands of dollars to keep the image of youth. The irony of the pursuit of beauty is that it is fleeting. Age is the great reminder that what is on the outside will perish.

A woman without discretion is quite the fool. Seeing a swine with a gold ring, we take note of the gold rather than the pig. A vain woman may be beautiful on the outside but she is empty on the inside. Parents who teach their daughters to be vain are creating a woman who will find little comfort in the knowledge of God. Like a gold ring in a hog’s nose, a woman with no moral compass is unclean. The wise man will conclude his admonition with the reminder that charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Outward beauty is a mirage. Inward beauty is eternal. It all comes down to whether the pig has a gold ring in its nose.

A pretty face and a very ugly soul. It is nice to be beautiful, but it is far better to be good. When you feel tempted to be proud because you are good-looking, ask yourself, “Is my soul good-looking and beautiful to God?” (J. J. Ellis; The Biblical Illustrator)

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)

Teaching One God In Ephesus

Paul’s message to the Ephesian church was striking. He boldly declared the unity of the Spirit in the oneness of the body, spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism and God. This would be received with mixed emotions by his readers but how much more today. Standing on a street corner in Ephesus declaring there is one body probably did not ring a message of alarm. Earlier Paul had explained the body was the church and he declares that God only has one church. Painting a sign with “There is ONE church” and walking around the town square would bring more puzzlement than reaction. Changing the sign to read, “There is ONE God” would have brought a lot of attention.

When Paul visited Ephesus on his third missionary journey, a riot began thanks to the efforts of a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana. The temple of Diana was a centerpiece of idol worship to Diana and in the time of Paul the Greek god Artemis. Preaching there was one God would be an affront to the pagan worship of multiple gods. Standing on the street corner of America with a sign declaring, “There is ONE God” would hardly take notice and causes little stir. Returning to the early days of the church when Paul was in Ephesus and he stood on the street corner with a sign “There is ONE church” there would be little concern. It would be doubtful Demetrius would take notice or even care. Having a sign “There is ONE church” in modern day America would take great notice and probably great disdain. What has changed? The truth two thousand years ago is still the truth today. There is one God and there is one church.

It is difficult in a country filled with every variety of church to believe there is one church. People get upset when they hear preachers of truth declare the one church and one body. This is not unlike how Demetrius reacted when he heard Paul decrying there were not multiple gods. Jesus came and built one church because there is one God. One head can only have one body and Christ has only one church. Worshipping with the church of man’s choice is going back to the idol worship of Diana. The riot in Ephesus did not change the word of God. Refusing to believe there is one church will not change the word of God. Truth is founded on the certainty of one God and one faith. The teachings of the one church is the one hope and one baptism made possible by one Lord. There is one God and Father of all. Believing in one God demands belief in one body or one church. Jesus is the head over all things to the church, which is His body. There is one Jesus. There is one church. There is one body.

We desire unity of religion but not when purchased at the cost of the unity of truth. (Fulton J. Sheen, Communism and the Conscience of the West, 1948)

These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” (John 11:11)

Sleeping At A Funeral

Attending a funeral is a sad occasion. A loved one has died, families are filled with grief and hearts break for the loss of companionship. The act of dying is the act of living. Birth brings life yet in the moment of life, death looms over the horizon. Most people live as if there is no death but all men die. The paradox is found in the reality. Customs vary from culture to culture in the manner of grieving and burial but the single kernel of truth to every civilization is the reality a loved one has died. For the child of God the truth has always been that death becomes sleep. Belief in life after death has been in the mind of righteous people because of the hope of an eternity with God. Death does not have the pain of sorrow as deeply when we realize our loved one sleeps to awaken to life eternal.

News came to Jesus His friend Lazarus was sick. He delayed two days before beginning his journey to Bethany. When the time came to leave, He told His disciples that Lazarus was sleeping and Jesus would go and wake him. The disciples knew Lazarus was very sick and assumed the Lord was saying Lazarus was just sleeping and would get better soon. Jesus plainly told them Lazarus had died. Arriving at the tomb, He called forth Lazarus from the dead and the man came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes. A powerful miracle was done of raising a man from the dead after four days. There was an unseen miracle the disciples had missed earlier.

Death is sleep. After a long days labor, the body is tired and worn. In creation, God has formed the body in such a fashion that sleep is necessary. Everyone must sleep at some time. There is no choice. The body has also been created to die. In the Garden of Eden, the second tree in the midst of the garden was the tree of Life. Death comes because we are separated from the tree of Life. Sin brought about the penalty of death and Jesus took that sting away when He rose from the dead. Man begins in life, dies and then lives again. Resurrection to life is the joy of God’s promises. If there is eternal life after death then dying is nothing more than going to sleep and awakening in the morning of joy. Like the physical body, life brings weariness, toil and sorrow. Death for the child of God is going to sleep and awakening in glory. There is no fear in sleep because it brings rest. Death is not feared because it means rest is coming.

The view of death as sleep helps to bring comfort to a family. It also gives hope to the child of God knowing that death is closing the eyes awakening to see the Father. There are many who will never experience death. At the coming of the Son of God death will be taken away. Those who remain on the earth at the coming of the Lord will immediately be swept into glory and eternal rest. Until that time, we shall all sleep. Lord come quickly.

Why dost thou look to have rest here since this is not thy resting place? Thy full rest must be in heavenly things. (Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, 1441)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

The God Of Comfort

Fatherhood is the foundation of a strong and healthy family. The leadership of the father is important to finding strength in time of storm, as his guidance will give assurance all is well. Every relationship we understand in the earthly realm of fatherhood pales in comparison to the blessings of being children of the heavenly Father. The Lord God is our Creator. He formed us and made us for His glory. Made a little lower than the angels, man is the image of the heavenly so that we can share in His glory one day. Everything about us declares the incredible wisdom of divine creation. In a personal way, He is our Father. He is a father of mercy showing His kindness to our frailties. He is the potter and we are the clay. His will molds us to perfection because He created us to show His glory in our lives by submitting to the hand of the heavenly Father.

God is our Father and like an earthly father, gives us comfort. There are many trials faced in life that need the presence of a father figure. The strength of a father’s hand, security in the presence of sorrow and assurance that all is well come from the throne of the Lord God. These attributes show us comfort in time of trouble. It reminds us that God cares about us and knows our troubles. We are never alone. The clouds of despair are driven away knowing our Heavenly Father cares for me. He has a name for every star and He knows my name. Out of six billion souls that dwell on the earth, the God of comfort understands every molecule of my life. When I sorrow, He comforts. Questions are answered through the power of His word. Vitality returns when I kneel in prayer. There is nothing I lack because my God is a God of comfort.

In the midst of my trial, I can find strength to help others. The showers of peace come from the hand of the Father and with this comfort, I am able to serve others. There are others who need comfort and by my example, I can help them find the God of comfort. Many people try to ease their pain seeking the wisdom of men. Only through the hand of the God of comfort will we find the true peace that passes all understanding. How can the misery of this world be viewed with happiness? What part of death cannot be overcome without the comfort of the Lord God? The life of a child of God shines forth to others who sorrow there is a God who is of all comfort. No greater blessing can be found than in a relationship with Jesus Christ. With this comfort, I am able to bring solace to others.

Thank you God for your love and your comfort.

Where there is sorrow there is holy ground. (Oscar Wilde, De Projundis, 1905)

And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time. Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him. (2 Chronicles 16:7-14)

Who Do You Rely On

The scale of war in the days of Asa, king of Judah was incredible. Asa had an army of three hundred thousand soldiers from Judah and two hundred and eighty thousand men of valor from Benjamin. Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Asa with an army of a million men with three hundred chariots and was defeated by the king of Judah. The victory was not because of the shrewd military wisdom of Asa but the power of the Lord. Asa was one of the few good kings in Judah. He implemented many reforms that steered the people back to the Lord. It was in the thirty-sixth year of his reign he made a fatal decision. Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and created a land block against Judah. Asa made a treaty with Ben-Hadad king of Syria to align against Baasha which was successful.

Hanani the seer came to Asa telling him that because he relied on a foreign king rather than the Lord, the rest of his reign would be filled with wars. Asa seemed to have forgotten the powerful victory over an army twice as big as his own when fighting the Egyptians. He had told the Lord it was nothing for God to destroy his enemies. Why he chose to seek help from Ben-Hadad is not known but he decided not to rely on God for help. Hanani reminded Asa the Lord is always looking for those who would rely on Him so that He could deliver them. God stands vigil to offer victory to those who need his help. A loyal and trusting heart would first seek deliverance by the hand of God.

The eyes of the Lord continue to run to and fro throughout the whole earth seeking hearts that are loyal and waiting for the power of God to act. His power is still active. The will of the Lord can still be accomplished through the hearts of loyal servants who trust in His power to deliver. Paul would later tell the Corinthians saints God will always – emphasize always – make a way of escape for His people. There is nothing the child of God lacks when it comes to the power of overcoming. The Lord God will not put on us more than we can handle reminding us that whatever comes upon us we can overcome. The army of the Lord stands ready to fight for us.

It is easy to trust in man more than God. Asa decided to trust in his own wisdom seeking help from Ben-Hadad. It was the wrong decision. God will always deliver. What a difference it would have been if once more he would have trusted the Lord as he did against the Egyptians. Whatever trials or tribulations are experienced in life must be faced with the assurance that with God’s help we can overcome. It may not stop the consequences of what oppresses us but the victory is found in knowing God will be the deliverer. The answers of God are always the right answers. He has never lost a battle. His will has changed the face of the earth and can change our lives if we but let His way be the only way we will follow. Relying on human wisdom will bring sorrow. Having reliance for the power of God will bring untold blessings. All scripture is given to us so that we will know the power and wisdom that is eternal. Now that is a great story.

Modern man wouldn’t live with God; now he can’t live with himself. (Stanley Jones, Conversation, 1959)

You shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord: ‘When men fall, do they not rise again? If one turns away, does he not return? Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return. I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turns to his own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the Lord. How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them?’” (Jeremiah 8:4-9)

What A Stork Knows

When God created the world, He filled it with majestic creatures of all kind. On the fifth day the first creatures were formed that filled the waters and sky. The waters abounded with sea creatures and the birds flew above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. Beasts of the field and man were created the next day. The order of creation should be a reminder to man the mosquito was created before man including the worm. Creation established the cycle of life among the animals. Animals respond to the natural world as set forth in the days of creation. The Lord, through Jeremiah, contrast the ways of animals to the rebellion of His people. God created man in His own image for His glory but the animals know more about His glory than man. The stork, turtledove, swift and swallow know their Creator will provide for them. They follow the will of the Lord in creation as ordained from time beginning. Man, the higher creature among all, rebels against the authority of his God refusing to obey him. The brain of a bird is more obedient than the brain of a man.

The tragedy of false teaching is that man should know the truth. Animals know what is true. They observe the time of their coming and know their appointed times. This is not the case with men who refuse to listen to the will of the Lord. Jeremiah blames the false pen of the scribe as the cause of the people’s rebellion. This is the danger of false teaching destroying the faith of God’s people. Rejecting the word of God, they fail to see in the stork and other birds the consequence of failing to follow the voice of the Creator. Truth is older than error but false doctrine is more accepted. The wisdom of men gains nothing. History repeats itself through every generation with man making the same mistakes repeatedly.

Religious people are divided today because of a lack of understanding. The birds of the air know their appointed times but man still looks for wisdom within himself. He wants to follow his own stubborn will rejecting the simple plan of God. Salvation is so confused today many do not know what to do. Satan has successfully clouded the minds of men to believe salvation comes from anything. Rejecting the word of God men build straw faiths that have no hope. The stork is an odd-looking creature with skinny legs and long beak but he knows the Creator. Wisdom comes from the one true God and animals testify to the need for man to know where his life comes from. The judgment of God is clear and easy to understand. Spending times with the creatures of the world will teach that lesson.

Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing. The sun needs no inscription to distinguish him from darkness. (Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man, 1791)

Blessed Are They That Die In The Lord

The headlines declare the death of notable people of the day who impacted the world with their physical prowess in sports, talents in the entertainment field or lasting historical significance on the landscape of the political world. Monuments rise in their honor, institutions are named after them and the annals of history fill with the stories of their exploits. The heroes of the day live on in the memories of the historical significance their lives had on the world about them. Little known are the myriads of men and women who pass through life unnoticed by the world at large but impact a greater sphere of influence in the hearts of a community of believers.

Since time began, the stories of simple people living godly lives and passing to glory received little press with the world at large. Without the record of God’s people preserved in the Bible few would know who Moses, David, Elijah, Mary, Peter, Dorcas and Philemon were. A host of other names fills the register of the saints who have gone home to be with the Lord. In every generation, common men and women never find their names pressed on marble or remembered on pages of history because their lives are spent with the eternal hope of a better land beyond the vale of death. They do not live for the accolades of the praise of men but the honor of a loving God.

Jesus tells the story of two men who lived very different lives. One man was a rich man who lived on a daily portion of incredible wealth. He was well respected in his community as a man of significance and influence. He had five brothers who made up a family that enjoyed the sumptuous lifestyle of the rich and famous. There was little significance given to the other character in the story that was laid at the gate of the rich man. His name was Lazarus. He was a man of great poverty and miserable existence. The beggar was covered with sores unnoticed by those who passed by. He was ignored by the rich man. The life of Lazarus was sustained by the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.

Life was different for each man at an extreme level. What bound them as one was death. There is little doubt when the rich man died great fanfare was given for many days on his behalf. When Lazarus died, hardly anyone gave notice. The difference is how God sees the death of the two men. Lazarus “died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried” (Luke 16:22). Jesus reminds His disciples that life is not about the honor of men but the blessing of God. It was after death that life was at the extreme opposite. Lazarus was in the eternal blessing of God and the rich man was in the poverty of darkness and pain.

The death of God’s saints take place daily. Throughout the world, angel’s wings carry the people of God to a place of rest and comfort. A small gathering of fellow disciples will gather to mourn their passing. Some notice will be given in the community of news. By and large, few will know the significance of what these godly lives have impressed on others. Simple men who served as elders of a local church, women who were an influence of righteousness helping a small church grow and examples of saints who face the challenges of life with courage, determination and faith. These are the real heroes.

John sees many wonderful visions in the Revelation. In the midst of the tribulation of God’s people the aged apostle declares, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’” (Revelation 14:12-13). The saints are men and women who serve the Lord faithfully dying with the hope and promise of eternal life on their lips. They have lived before God in faith keeping the commandments of the Lord. Death is not viewed with fear but joy as they face the promise of eternal life. Dying in the Lord is peace, comfort of spirit and joy of sleep to awaken in glory. They take rest from the labors of life.

Men fear death. Saints embrace death. The end of life is found to be a blessing so that tears can be wiped away, sorrow removed and pain forever taken away. There is joy in seeing a life lived fully for 94 years to pass in glory for the hope longed for since early childhood. Incredible faith is found in the eyes of one who faces the certainty of death with the blessed assurance of the joys that lay beyond. There is no fear. Peace fills the heart.

The works of God’s saints live on in the hearts of those who knew them and loved them. Their teaching fills the mind. The faith of their courage helps the fainting heart to find strength and carry on. Few will know the lasting impact of these simple lives upon a host of fellow saints who carry their names with them. Blessed are those who die in the Lord. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

Elders Are Shepherds

The apostle Peter is one of the great figures in the New Testament. He was called by Christ, along with his brother and ten other men, to serve an important role in the ministry of the Lord. Luke describes the beginning of the church in the Acts of the Apostles with emphasis upon the work of Peter from Pentecost to the conversion of Cornelius. Two epistles bear his name as we find that he also served as an elder of the church. Peter was a busy man. He was a husband, father, preacher, apostle and elder. It was the latter work that he exhorts his fellow pilgrims to remember how important their position was in the local congregation.

An elder was a man of unique qualities. Paul outlined the characters of the elder in his letters to Timothy and Titus. Peter’s brief exhortation was to remind elders their work was defined by a life of sacrifice. A shepherd’s life was not easy. The sheep were unable to defend themselves or care for their needs without the constant vigil of the good shepherd. David described in his psalm how exhaustive the work of the shepherd was to take the sheep to green pastures and still waters; protect them from the dangers surrounding them; healing their wounds and seeking after those who were lost. Jesus used the image of the shepherd to show the close personal relationship shared between the sheep and the shepherd who called them all by name. Shepherds were leaders. The flock willingly followed the voice of the shepherd because they knew only one voice and that voice protected and provided for them.

Elders must recognize the role of leadership in the church is patterned after a willing heart to live a life that others would follow. Shepherds lead and members follow. Like the compassionate shepherd, an elder must be approachable and inviting for others to talk with and seek their advice. Serving as overseers of the flock means to look over the spiritual needs of the flock. The Lord has entrusted the lives of the members into the hands of those who serve as shepherds of the flock.

Peter wants the elders to consider how important their example is to the spiritual growth of the members. They live a pattern that others will follow. As shepherds of the flock, their care for the members will show how much they are willing to sacrifice. Every man who serves as an elder must know what it means to be a shepherd as found in Psalm 23 and John 10. To learn the lesson of the Chief Shepherd, an elder must be familiar with Ezekiel 34. Peter affirms the men who serve as elders will face the judgment of the Lord in the manner they serve as shepherds of the flock. They receive a heavier judgment because of the trust given to them by the Lord. The joy of faithful service will be found when the Chief Shepherd appears.

Shepherding the flock of God is a wonderful life of service dedicated to the work of the local congregation growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Not everyone can fill the shoes of those who live as shepherds of God but prayers should be constantly lifted for the men who face the work of leadership with courage and faith. Every congregation needs men who are willing to take the mantle of leadership and care for the flock of God.

Leadership is intentional influence. (Michael McKinney)