For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
I have to confess that I do not have any direct personal experience with sheep (outside of seeing one in a petting zoo once or twice). I do know a couple of people who have had experience working with sheep and neither one much cared for it. Sheep are dirty, stubborn, stinky, and troublesome. It is interesting that Jesus would choose to use sheep as a metaphor for people as often as he did.
What I do have experience with is going astray. I have LOTS of experience there. I don’t know how much trouble a lost sheep can get into, but people seem to have an unlimited range of options when it comes to going astray. I am pretty sure that everyone reading this has their own experience in this department, so there isn’t any need for more description here.
Since verse eleven in Chapter 2, Peter has been talking about submission. In general, we are to submit to Jesus (see Chapter 1), and then Peter started explaining how we apply that submission to Jesus in our daily lives. Those who submit to Jesus submit to everyone. It is our role as an ambassador of Christ’s love.
When Peter writes, “you were like sheep going astray,” he refers to a time before we submitted to Jesus. What did we do then? Didn’t we try and impose our will on other people? Isn’t going astray as simple as that? Doesn’t it come down to our will versus God’s will?
From verse 21 to 24 Peter explains why we entrust ourselves to Jesus. Now he brings us back to being in Jesus. Yet we can only remain in him if we submit to him. Jesus is the Shepherd. He is the Overseer. We are just the sheep. Never forget that. We are just the sheep.
When I say we are the sheep, I mean all of us. The next verse begins Chapter 3 of Peter’s letter. In it, he continues the same thoughts he has been developing in Chapter 2. So far, his whole letter has been about submission; both Jesus’ submission to his Father, and our submission to Jesus. Next, he is going to talk about submission in the family, but it is very important to keep in mind the context of his entire letter. It is not about us, it is about Jesus.
Application: Jesus is in charge. Keep that in mind. Check in with him every day.
Food for Thought: How can we know when we are with the Shepherd?
You said it in your last few words. I have to remind myself all the time “It’s not all about me.” Those words that echo in my mind actually make me smile now because I can feel the Holy Spirit help guide me to glorify Jesus by being a better example of our Lords flock.
Thanks Tim!
I appreciate you and I appreciate the encouragement of your affirmation. The Holy Spirit does indeed guide us to glorify Jesus better.
Tim. You are a great example to the flock and there is fruit in your life that demonstrates that the Lord is at work.
Signs of being with the shepherd include the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. It will demonstrate itself through a growing love for the Lord and for others. It will be demonstrated through selflessness, sacrifice, service, forgiveness and all the one another’s we see in Scripture. If we are with the Shepherd, His characteristics will begin to rub off on us.
Rich,
I love that you bring up Galatians 5: 22-23. Those are excellent markers demonstrating God’s work in our lives.
The verse that comes to mind was in my Bible reading this morning. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3. It’s interesting and wonderful that, when we make it about Him, we receive the greatest benefit…His perfect peace, which is a great indicator that we are with “the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.”
JEC,
I love your comment today because you point out the relationship between keeping our mind on God (Jesus, the Holy Spirit and his Word) and the Perfect Peace that flows from that. Our part is to keep our focus on Him.
Great stuff Guy’s. Thank You!!!
How can we know when we are with the Shepherd?
My wife commented one day, “ you see God in everything “, I told her I’m trying, but I still have Mrs.Tooles little boy to deal with. The one fact I am totally convinced of is God has been involved in every good thing in my life.
There is power in the voice of God!
When we need it (with me this has been times of stress) He will speak to our hearts, He will not waste words and will go directly to the point in perfect clarity. There is no doubt, no question who is speaking.
He will also quietly speak to our thoughts, call your daughter, go to the hardware department, that person needs help, and more. These moments I realize God was directing me after I have acted and I am so thankful that He so very involved with details in my life, and uses me to do His will.
Do we know our wife or husbands voice? The voice of our children? Of course we do, we also know the voice of our God.
John 10:4, His sheep know His voice, however he speaks we know it is God.
He will guide us in doing His will, living within His will, we need to learn, grow through Bible Study, prayer and fellowship with other Christians.
1 Corinthians 2:16, Know that you have the mind of Christ (guided by His purposes),
2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
Gods voice will bring calm and peace that transcends all understanding in the midst of chaos and insanity.
Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus .
Ron,
Hearing the Voice of God is an amazing experience. I am so glad that you have shared that with us today.
But I don’t want to be a sheep,..why can’t I be a dog? What about being a city boy with a heart out in the country,..Either way I am still dirty, stinky, stubborn and a bit troublesome at times so I guess I will have to be just a sheep,..dang it anyhow!
One way I know that I am with the Shepherd is by Him cleaning me up, taking me back into the fold, and giving me a seat right next to Him at the table,..His table is abundantly full of the finest food and drink,..
So fortunate to have a Shepherd that loves me enough to allow me back into the fold after going astray,..He could have just turned His back on me and moved on,..but by His great grace He hung around for me to turn around,..Hallelujah,.. what a Shepherd!
John,
You make me laugh, brother! I want to wave my magic wand and go, “*POOF* you’re a dog!” but I don’t have that power either. I think one of the hardest things as people is to hear the truth about ourselves. Jesus chose an interesting metaphor for us. Sheep can be cute, but they are also all that other stuff you mentioned, too. When we realize that, we are on the threshold of humility, and that is exactly where he wants us.
I was thinking in terms of psalm 23 that the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. There’s a peace when you let the shepherd guide you. And the shepherd carries a rod and staff. When I sin, I sense His displeasure. It brings me back to knowing God’s word and His will.
Rob,
I am so glad that you reminded us of the 23rd Psalm. What a beautiful passage to illuminate today’s verse. I think it is worth including in its entirety:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
(KJV)
Ok. Let’s try this with a little help form the Holy Spirit.
We should strive to be like Jesus our Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep John 10:11. Adam was called lord over the animals, Abel is Identified as a keeper of sheep Gen 4:2. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all herdsman, Moses kept his father in law Jethro flock. Moses prayed May the Lord appoint over the congregation one to lead them out and bring them in, so they will not be like sheep who have no shepherd Num 27:17. King David was famous as the shepherd king of Israel. Psalm 78:72. Jesus depict his own servant lordship I am the good shepherd John 10:11. Psalm 23 is full of the shepherd’s presence. He is our shepherd but God calls Christian men to bear his image before the world, to imitate him we should rejoice if he uses us to self sacrifice like him for the flock. Jesus is our shepherd who has done the ultimate act of service to his sheep his beloved flock that he purchased with his own blood, His death on the cross.
…….. my head hurts.
Tim,
Your head should hurt! Mine does, too … now. 🙂
You have tied together important themes and you haven’t been sheepish about it. Not a baaaaahhhd job if I do say so myself.
I love how the Word is consistent throughout. Your connections highlight the the power of the sheep/shepherd metaphor and their roots in Biblical history. Nicely done!
👍🏻