Shepherds After God's Own Heart

and I'll give you shepherds after my own heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Shall we look to the Lord in prayer once again?

Our holy God in heaven, the father of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, want to thank you for your goodness and your mercies, which I knew every morning. Thank you, oh God, in heaven for giving us another opportunity to sit around your word and feed from it. So we ask, oh God, that you may bless the reading of your word and the exposition of it for the salvation of sinners and sanctification of saints. This we ask in Jesus' name, amen.

Well, friends, the Thames pastor, elder, bishop and shepherd, they are used interchangeably in the Bible. They refer to the same group of people. And pastors are Christ's precious gift to the church. Jesus Christ has given pastors to the church because the church is precious to Jesus. Because Christ loves the church, the church exists because Christ died for her, because Christ rose again for her, and even now, Jesus Christ actively sustains the church by his grace.

One of the clearest demonstrations of Christ's ongoing care for his church is that he does not leave the flock without shepherds. He does not leave the flock without shepherds. Our Lord Jesus says in John 10, verse 11,

I am the good shepherd.

Christ is the true shepherd of the sheep.

He knows his people. He gathers them. He protects them. He feeds them. And friends, he laid down his life for them at the cross. but the good shepherd also appoints under shepherds. The pastors are under shepherds. Christ is the shepherd. In his wisdom and kindness, Christ raises up men to care for his flock through the ministry of the word, friends. These men do not replace Christ. They serve under him. They do not own the church. They steward what Christ purchased with his own blood. They accord to shepherd Christ's people according to Christ's word and for Christ's glory. That means eldership is not about status. Pastoral ministry is not about status. It is not about prominence or self-expression. It is about stewardship. It is about sacrifice. It is about faithfulness. That's what eldership is about.

So this morning, friends, we turn to Jeremiah 3, verse 15. And I quote once again,

and I'll give you shepherds after my own heart. who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

In this one verse, God gives a beautiful picture of pastoral ministry. A beautiful picture of pastoral ministry. And there are three truths I want us to consider this morning.

Number one, we'll consider the provision of shepherds. Who provides shepherds? The text tells us, I, meaning the Lord,

I will give you shepherds.

Number two, we'll consider the posture of shepherds. What kind of shepherds does God provide? The text tells us shepherds after his own heart. Number three, we'll consider the priority of shepherds. What is their job? What is the wake of these shepherds? The text tells us

who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

God is still gracious

Before we look at these three points, allow me to give you the context in which Jeremiah 3 verse 15 is found. The book of Jeremiah was written during one of the darkest periods in Israel's history. The nation had abandoned the Lord. Idolatry filled the land. Covenant breaking characterized the people of God. There was spiritual corruption. Leaders were corrupt, and so were their followers. In Jeremiah 3, Israel is pictured as an unfaithful bride. She had gone after false gods and forsaken the Lord.

And yet, remarkably, in the midst of judgment, God is still gracious. And that's something wonderful about God. Even in the midst of judgment, He's gracious. God speaks with words of mercy. Jeremiah 3.14 says,

return all faithless children, for I am your master.

God calls rebellious people to repentance and restoration. And it is in that context that this promise is given.

And I will give you shepherds after my own heart.

In other words, part of God's restoration plan for his people involved raising up faithful leaders, faithful shepherds, faithful pastors.

There are previous shepherds that failed them. The kings, the priests, the prophets often led the people astray. Instead of feeding the flock, they scattered it. Instead of teaching truth, they promoted corruption. But God promised a future generation of shepherds. Now friends, we must understand carefully that this promise had an immediate historical fulfillment after the exile, before we applied to the church. It had an immediate historical fulfillment after the exile. When God brought his people back from Babylonian captivity, he raised up good leaders who instructed the people in the world.

Men like Ezra, men like Nehemiah. Talk about Zerubbabel. When you go to Nehemiah chapter eight, you will see them there feeding the people God's word. That was a genuine fulfillment of Jeremiah 315, but it was only a partial fulfillment. Because even after the exile, Israel still waited for the ultimate shepherd, who is our Lord Jesus Christ. The deeper exile of sin had not yet been fully solved. The people needed more than political restoration. They needed spiritual redemption. And that full fulfillment comes in Christ.

Christ is the true and greater shepherd promised by God. He is the shepherd after God's own heart. Christ is the shepherd after God's own heart. In the fullest sense, he is the shepherd after God's own heart. He came to gather his scattered sheep. He came to rescue us from the exile of sin. He came to lay down his life for the flock. Through his death and resurrection, Christ gathers his people into one flock under one shepherd.

The provision of shepherds

Let us now observe our text once again, those three points. Observe with me, number one, the provision of shepherds. The provision of shepherds, our text says,

I'll give you shepherds. I'll give you shepherds.

Notice the source of shepherds. Faithful shepherds are gifts from God. They are not ultimately man-made. They are God-appointed and God-given.

Dear members at Jefferson Park Baptist Church, do you see your pastors that way? Do you see your elders that way as God's gift for you? Do you see your leaders as Christ's way of providing for you, as Christ's way of caring for you? When God restores the people, he does not merely forgive them and leave them wandering.

He provides leadership. He provides oversight. He provides care. That is why you have elders. It is because Christ loves the church so much. And he cares for the church. The church is not a random crowd. It is a flock and sheep needs shepherds. This is why eldership is not ultimately the invention of denominations or church traditions. It is Christ's loving provision for his church.

It is in Ephesians chapter four where we are told that Christ gave pastor teachers to the church gave them as a gift to the church. And this responsibility is solemn, friends. In Acts 20, verse 28, Paul tells the Ephesian elders, and I quote,

pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock to care for the church of God,

emphasis,

to care for the church of God. which you obtained with his own blood.

The church is precious because Christ purchased her at Calvary.

Allow me to apply this point firstly to the elders of this church and even our dear brother who was ordained this morning. This office is not a trophy, it is a trust. You are not entering a stage of self-exaltation. You are entering a life of accountability before God.

These sheep belong to Christ. He redeemed them at a price. Therefore, shepherd them carefully. shepherd them prayerfully, shepherd them humbly, shepherd them faithfully. This is a reminder to all of us as elders, as pastors. But to you members of Jefferson Park Baptist Church, receive faithful shepherds as gifts from Christ. Receive them as gifts from Christ.

Pray for them. Do you pray for your elders? Or maybe you consider them superheroes. Pray for your pastors. Pray for the elders. Encourage them and support them. A faithful elder is one of heaven's mercies to a congregation. Do not despise what Christ has given you. Do not despise the elders Jesus Christ has given to care for you as a church. Treasure them. Encourage them.

The posture of shepherds

That's number one, but observe number two, the posture of shepherds. The Posture of Shepherds, our text tells us,

after my own heart. After my own heart.

Well, but God is not impressed merely by the existence of elders. The crucial question is, what kind of men are leading his people? What kind of men are leading his people? It must be men after his own heart.

This speaks of alignment with God's character, alignment with God's desires, alignment with God's priorities, alignment with God's will. A shepherd after God's own heart loves what God loves, hates what God hates, submits to God's word. A shepherd after God's own heart pursues holiness. He walks in humility and repentance.

And as I said earlier on, the tragedy during the days of Jeremiah was that the leaders led the people astray. They were not being good examples. They were immoral leaders. And friends, immoral leaders are dangerous to the church. It doesn't matter how gifted They can be. The people suffered because their shepherds were far from God. So what does a shepherd after God's own heart look like? Is that your question this morning?

The qualifications of elders

Well, the Bible has not left us to guessing. The Bible is clear. It tells us the qualifications of elders. The clearest New Testament answer is found in 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 to 7. And there Paul gives four broad categories of elder qualifications. Four of them. Observe with me. Number one, domestic qualifications. His home, the elder's home. Paul says the elder must be

the husband of one wife. and one who manages his own household well.

Of course, the husband of one wife has got everything to do with sexual purity. An elder must treasure sexual purity.

If he is married, he must be faithful to his wife. And we are told he must also be one who manages his own household well. Before a man shepherds the church publicly, he must shepherd his family privately. The home is the proving ground of ministry. A man's marriage should display covenant faithfulness. His leadership in the home should reveal spiritual maturity and loving oversight.

I'm not talking about elders where when subjected to a secret ballot, their wives can't vote for them. Because they are doubting, well, the church knows them at least, but I know him on something else. The Bible is very instructive, domestic qualifications, not perfection, but faithful leadership. It's not asking for perfection. but faithful leadership. That's the first qualification, domestic. Second, doctrinal qualifications. Doctrinal qualifications, his teaching ability must be clear.

And this is important because of his work. We'll see soon that the work of an elder is to give knowledge and understanding. So he must be able to teach. Paul says the elder must be able to teach. This connects directly to Jeremiah 3, 15. God's shepherd must feed the flock with knowledge and understanding. An elder is not merely an administrator, organizer.

He is a teacher of divine truth. He must know scripture. He must love scripture. He must defend scripture. He must faithfully explain the scriptures. The church desperately needs men who are saturated with the Word of God. It desperately needs men who are saturated with the Word of God. Elders who are committed to studying God's Word.

Observe number three. So we do not only have domestic qualifications in terms of their home. We have, number two, doctrinal qualifications in terms of their teaching ability. But number three, we have their disposition of qualifications, their character. Paul describes a man who is self-controlled, a list of things, respectable, hospitable, gentle, not quarrelsome. No, no, not a lover of money. This concerns the man's temperament.

The church does not merely need gifted men. It needs godly men, friends. The church needs godly men. A man may be intelligent, articulate, and charismatic in their personality, and yet utterly unqualified because of his character. Godly shepherds must reflect the gentleness and the holiness of Christ. They must reflect those two. But finally, under these qualifications, number four, developmental qualifications, His spiritual maturity.

Paul says the elder must

not be a recent convict and must have a good reputation with outsiders.

Time has got a way of testing a man. Trials has got a way of exposing a man. Reputation has got a way of confirming a man. So in terms of developmental qualifications, this is talking about a spiritual maturity. You must not be a new convert, but also you must be in good standing with the society, with the community.

Allow me to apply this point first to the elders and to my dear brother who has been set apart. Brother, your first calling is not to lead others. It is to walk with God, that's your first calling. It is to walk with God. It is to read the scriptures for your soul, not reading the scriptures just to go and teach. It is to guard your private life, to protect your communion with Christ. Do not drift from the word of God.

A shepherd cannot lead people where he himself is unwilling to go. But to the church, pray for your shepherds once again. Not merely for effectiveness, but for holiness. In your prayers, pray that the Lord may keep your pastors, that the Lord may keep them holy. A gifted but ungodly shepherd is dangerous, as I said earlier on. The church needs men whose hearts genuinely belongs to God.

The priority of shepherds

So dear friends, we have so far looked at two things. Number one, we've considered the provision of shepherds. that it is God who provides shepherds. Number two, we've reflected on the posture of shepherds, how these shepherds who are after God's own heart are to conduct themselves. But observe finally, number three, the priority of shepherds.

The priority of shepherds and the text, Jeremiah 3 verse 15 tells us

Who will feed you with knowledge and understanding? Who will feed you with knowledge and understanding?

Here we see the central responsibility of pastors. It's feeding. Shepherds feed sheep. and the nourishment of the church is the word of God.

Knowledge and understanding refers to sound doctrine rightly understood and faithfully applied. This is not shallow teaching. This is not entertainment. This is not motivational speech. This is the careful explanation of God's word. And after explaining it, applying it in the lives of people. The primary task of pastors is to feed the flock with God's word. To feed the flock with God's word.

Back home once in a while, especially when I'm on leave, I visit other churches, especially churches in the villages. And when the pastor sees you in the audience, he calls you aside and then tells me,

ah, is it okay if you can preach for us?

You don't know me? Maybe we're just friends on Facebook. And I've come to worship with you this morning. I thought you've been preparing the whole week. to feed your flock. And on a Sunday, you want me to preach? No, brother, preach. I've come here to be fed.

Pastors must be serious about studying the word of God. The church does not need novelty. It needs truth. The church is starving for truth in an age intoxicated with entertainment. It does not need trends. It needs the scriptures. It does not need performance. It needs faithful expositors of God's word. In the post-exilic period, that's after the exile, Ezra stood before the people and read and explained the scriptures. Turn with me to that text, friends. Let's go to Nehemiah quickly, Nehemiah and chapter Nehemiah chapter 8, and Nehemiah 8, and we'll read verse 8. Are you in Nehemiah chapter 8? Yeah, Nehemiah chapter 8. And observe with me verse 8. Let me begin from the sixth.

And Ezra blessed the Lord. The great God and all of the people answered, Amen, Amen. Lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Verse 7,

also Joshua, Barney, Sherubbiah, Jamin, Akub, Shabbatiah, Hodiah, Messiah, Kelater, Azariah, Jezebel, Hanan, Peliah, and the Levites helped the people to do it, to understand the law.

While the people remained in their places,

verse 8, what did they do?

They read the book.

After reading, what did they do next?

From the law of God clearly and they gave sense so that the people understood the reading.

We see, during the post-exilic period, Ezra standing and reading the scriptures and explaining the scriptures and applying the scriptures in the lives of people.

Allow me to say a word again to the elders and then the church, and then I'll be concluding. Friends, give yourselves to the ministry of the word. Study diligently, preach clearly, teach faithfully. Guard sound doctrine courageously. Feed the sheep even when it is costly. Preach the word when it is welcomed and even when it is resisted. Preach it. Love the sheep patiently. Endure hardship faithfully. And never forget whose church Jefferson Park Baptist Church is. Belongs to Christ.

And to the members, make sure that you come hungry for the word. Make sure you go hungry for the word to these elders. Do not come merely to evaluate someone. Come to hear the voice of Christ through his words. Receive the truth humbly. Obey it joyfully. A well-fed church is a healthy church. How are we going to conclude our time together this morning?

Christ is caring for the flock

Jeremiah 3, 15 gives us a glorious picture of God's care for his people. The provision of shepherds, God gives shepherds. The posture of shepherds, God shapes them. The priority of shepherds, God commissions them to feed the sheep with knowledge and understanding. And all of it ultimately, friends, points to Jesus Christ, the chief shepherd. He is the true shepherd after God's own heart. He came for exiles. He sought wandering sheep. He laid down his life for the flock. He rose again. He rose again to gather his people forever.

And even now, friends, Even now, he lovingly cares for his church by providing pastors who are the undershepherds. So today, as this brother has been ordained, let us lift our eyes beyond the man to Christ himself. Christ is building his church. Christ is caring for the flock. Christ is providing shepherds. May the elder be faithful, may the church be receptive, and may Christ alone receives all the glory. Amen. Let us look to the Lord in prayer.

Our holy God in heaven, Early on, before I started preaching, and even when the service had just started, we had asked you to be with us. And now we return to say thank you very much for being with us. Thank you, oh God, in heaven for the singing of hymns and spiritual songs. Thank you for the public reading of scripture. Thank you, oh God, even for the ordination of our brother, Daniel, showing us how Christ cares for us. I also want to thank you for the preaching of your word.

We ask, O God, that you cause us to take heed to the word that has been preached to us. That, O God, you cause us to be faithful Christians. You cause us to be a people who love Christ, and a people who loves Christ as our all in all. And now, even as we are coming to the end of this worship service, we ask that, oh God, you may be with us. And this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.