“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold.” (Jeremiah 50:6, ESV)
I was fishing with a good pastor friend one afternoon and we discussed the pastoral ministry. We talked about the preponderance of good preachers who had ministries that failed. Then he made this comment, “There is a lack of true shepherds in the church today.” As I thought about this, I have come to the realization that the lack of true shepherds in the church is one of the greatest problems in Christendom today.
This is not a new problem. It has existed over the centuries. It is prevalent today as it was in the Israel’s past. The Lord gave this message to the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah, “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray” The defeat of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem can be attributed to this very problem and is prevalent in today’s church.
In the book of Hosea we read, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6, ESV). Yes, shepherds are to feed the sheep. However, this feeding is not at the core of what a shepherd does for the flock. At the core of a good shepherd is loving care for the sheep. Everything flows from the shepherd’s heart of love for the sheep.
The perfect model of a good shepherd’s heart is seen in only one person, Jesus Christ. He so loved us that He laid down His own life for us by dying on a cross so that we could experience the blessings of heaven. The shepherds that are needed in the church today are those that are willing to follow the model of Jesus, humbly giving up on their own ambitions, wants, and desires for the sake of their flock. It means sacrifice and going the second mile. This will never happen through personal human effort alone. It will only happen when the love of Christ is manifested in and through the heart of the shepherd.
Too often in churches today we find great speakers who lack heart. Too often we find pastors who are so intent on building the empire that they forget the great commandment to love. As happened in the nation of Israel this lack of love manifested will hinder and destroy the very thing that the pastor is trying to build.
I have seen it and unfortunately missed this profound truth myself. Love does cover a multitude of sins. The pastor who truly loves his people does not have to be the greatest orator of all time. He will be successful if he humbly, lovingly, and sacrificially serves the flock. With this attitude of heart, the flock will loyally follow.
What if the heart of love is missing? What if the priorities do not align with the heart of the Lord? In these cases, the pastor must seek the Lord all the more and renew that love relationship with Him and His body, the church. This involves confession and prayer that he will experience and manifest Christ’s heart of a loving shepherd to those under his care.
Before I sign off on this, it is not just the issue for the shepherd. The heart of love is an issue for every believer. Remember this new command that Jesus gave us.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34, ESV)
This is the kind of Spirit driven love that edifies, that is builds up the body of Christ for the glory of God.
