…not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve…
Summary: Peter points to a dangerous distraction that tempts some who are shepherds. He wants those who are shepherds to be ”eager to serve.”
This part of Peter’s advice to shepherds is easy to gloss over. At least it is for me. I tend to live in a world where everything is going to turn out okay. As a believer in Jesus, I am assured that it will turn out that way. (John 3:14-15) Yet, here on earth, we live in a broken world among broken people. As we saw in our meditations on Jude, the threat of the ungodly creeping in among believers is very real. And what better perch to cling to than that of a shepherd?
Judas was one of those chosen by Jesus to be a shepherd. He was sent out with the Twelve to proclaim the “kingdom is near” and “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy [and] drive out demons.” (Matthew 10:1-15) Yet Judas was devoured by his desire for material gain. John tells us that Judas was a thief who stole from what we would call the church funds. (John 12:6)
Peter encourages shepherds to be mindful of their role: Be willing to watch over the flock and be eager to serve. Eagerness suggests that more than just willing, the shepherd Peter is talking about is anxious to please and “chomping at the bit” to serve.
Application: Since we are all shepherds of something God has given us to watch over, let’s be willing and eager to serve.
Food for Thought: Who is being served by the willing and eager shepherd?
Those that have ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to respond,..the broken, afflicted and discouraged are on the list too,..they are looking for hope, love and even mercy. Then unexpectedly they receive grace,..I know I have,..
So in a sense everyone including the shepherd are being served,..because it’s a win win situation here,..the lost are found, the broken are rebuilt sorta speak, the discouraged are encouraged and then the shepherd gets to experience and see the impact and change the gospel has in that persons life,..
This morning before the crews left for their work assignments,..one of the guys was saying that another needed to learn how to pray because he is going to need it,..so the guy that was said to have needed to learn how to pray say’s,..Oh yeah,..I know how to pray,..we all looked at each other,..then I said okay,..give it up,..it was such a blessing to hear one of the crew men lift his heart up to God in the presence of these other men,..so cool! What a blessing it is today,..
John,
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your story today. I laughed until I cried. “Okay… give it up.” I can just picture it! What a joy to lead others as you are doing and then to challenge them to lead as well.
Nicely done!! 🙂
Who is being served by the willing and eager shepherd?
Mark 10:45, For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
2 Corinthians 4:6-7, “Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.”
Jesus came as The Servant of God, for the benefit of the many He serves. We are each one of the many. We remain on earth, as eternal beings serving God, by allowing Christ in us to serve others thru us.
Ron,
Thank you! Great verses. You summarize it well, too: Jesus is both the Servant of God and the servant of man. When he came to serve, he served both us and His Father.