We Shepherd First
We are Gospel-centered servants who believe every moment is a shepherding moment. We don’t use people to get tasks done, we use tasks to get people done.
Written by Matt Shelton, published May 2021
We all know what it’s like to have someone want more from us, than for us. Sometimes we can view God this way and when we do it leads us to treat one another as tools and not people, as resources and not image-bearers of God, as enemies and not brothers and sisters in Christ. This is not the way of Jesus and this is not the way of his Church. We shepherd first.
Throughout scripture, God uses the imagery of shepherding to describe his relationship with his people and specifically how he will keep his people to the end. Jesus is our good shepherd (John 10:11), the head of the church (Colossians 1:18), “for he is our God, we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Psalm 95:7). Sheep are dependent on their shepherd and rely on them for guidance, sustenance, protection, and care. The sheep can do nothing for the shepherd, but he serves them with the purpose that those who have been entrusted to him will make it safely to the end and in our case, fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and keeping our faith in Jesus. (2 Timothy 4:7)
Shepherding is one of the ways that God invites us into his work and makes us more like Jesus. Jesus is our Chief Shepherd and he appoints and entrusts under-shepherds (your pastors/elders) to take responsibility for his flock, but we are all called to shepherd those who Christ entrusts us with. There is no accidental authority, no coincidental relationships. God intends to work through us to care for each other. Just like Jesus told Peter (John 21:15-17), if we love him, we will love who he loves, we will feed his sheep, we will tend to his flock, or as the NIV translates it, we will take care of his people. As we grow in our pursuit of shepherding first, let’s first look to Jesus in Psalm 23 and let him shepherd us. He is fierce about keeping us to the end and the good news is, “he who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 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 goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Jesus is leading you, he is responsible for you, and in him you lack no good thing (Psalm 34:11). In times where we feel like God is withholding something from us, look to Jesus, our good shepherd and know it’s gonna be ok, he is all we need. We shepherd first when we go to Jesus first, when we look to him for guidance, direction, and life. He will lead us.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters (or waters of rest). He restores my soul.
Did you know Jesus is leading you to rest? “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). I often think that Jesus is primarily concerned about what I do or don’t do, but he actually sees me. He sees what I need and leads me to rest in him. What a joy it is to serve and follow someone who cares more about my soul than what I can do for him! Jesus is a good shepherd because he is for the good of his sheep. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3) We shepherd first when we consider the needs of others above our own.
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” (Mark 6:30-31)
“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Where do you feel threatened right now? What things in your mind are at risk or maybe fragile? Where do you feel attacked? The scriptures teach us that the Lord is with us and as the good shepherd, he will protect and defend us to the end. We don’t have to be afraid, the Lord is with us. Whatever you're going through, Jesus is fighting for you and we get to fight for one another. Whether from lies of the enemy or the temptation of sin. We shepherd first when we protect and defend one another with Christ at our side, the truth of God, and the power of the Spirit.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
“You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.” (Deuteronomy 3:22)
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
In what ways are you looking for escape instead of victory? Where do you fear that God’s goodness and mercy might stop? Jesus is our good shepherd and he will see us to the end! He is already preparing a table for us for the victory he will bring! It won’t always be like this, we can’t lead others as if there is no hope, as if God’s goodness and mercy will run out, as if the victory isn’t already ours in Christ! Jesus has overcome the world and he will provide for us beyond what we need to see us through safely to the end. My cup overflows! We shepherd first when we “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23)
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Shepherding first is all about leading those entrusted to us to follow Christ, our good shepherd, that we might fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep our faith in Jesus. (2 Timothy 4:7)
Who has God entrusted you to shepherd? Write the names of the people God has put in your life, at home, work, school, your neighbors, your city group, your serve team, your followers on social media, etc. Start praying for them and consider how you can shepherd them so that they might fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep their faith in Jesus. (2 Timothy 4:7)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6: 9-10)