The Shepherds Calling
The Shepherds Calling: There is a hierarchy within the Body of Christ. This mechanism was instituted by God for the care and well being of The Church, The Fellowship, and The Family. To work within these guidelines produces a safe and secure environment for spiritual growth. We will cover this and how this relates to the leaders in the church. We will compare this to the response of the fellowship concerning the care of the leadership, and the need for the body to abide within these guidelines. It all starts with Jesus as the Head of The Church.
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Jesus Our Shepherd
Jesus- Head Of All Spiritual Powers
Colossians 2:9-10 “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power,”
Jesus- Head Of All Creation
Revelation 3:14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God, says these things:”
Jesus- Head Of The Church
Colossians 1:18 “And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things.”
Ephesians 4:15-16 “But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; (16) from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love.”
Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He [God] has put all things under His [Jesus’] feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
The Church Over The Fellowship
Acts 20:26-28 “Therefore I testify to you on this day that I am pure from the blood of all. (27) For I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God. (28) Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood.”
Titus 1:7-9 “For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not full of passion, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for ill gain; (8) but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate, (9) holding fast the faithful Word according to the doctrine, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convict the gainsayers.”
1 Timothy 3:1-5 “Faithful is the Word: If anyone reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. (2) Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching, (3) not a drunkard, not contentious, not greedy of ill gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, (4) ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor. (5) (For if a man does not know to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”
The Husband Over The Family
Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. (24) Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”
God Over All
God-Jesus-Church-The Husband-The Wife-The Kids
1 Corinthians 11:2-3 “But I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and you keep the doctrines as I delivered them to you. (3) But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”
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The Goal Of This Hierarchy Of Authority
Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, (26) that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, (27) that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
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The Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. (19) Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.”
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The Church’s Responsibility Toward Their Leaders
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 “But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.”
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Biblical Leaders Are There To Set An Example
That Is Meant By God To Be Followed
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.”
1 Corinthians 4:16 “I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Ephesians 5:1 “Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.”
1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 “We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen, (5) and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake. (6) You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, (7) so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.”
Hebrews 6:11-12 “We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, (12) that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.”
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Leaders Are Meant To Keep People
From Going Astray From The Narrow Path
James 5:19-20 “Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
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Leaders Serve God & Must Always Seek To Make Him Happy
-Even if it makes everyone else mad!-
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Galatians 1:10 “For now do I persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 2:3-8 “For our exhortation to you was not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, (4) but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who tries our hearts. (5) For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor with pretense of covetousness; God is witness. (6) Nor did we seek glory from men, neither from you nor from others, being able to be so with heaviness, as apostles of Christ. (7) But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse warmly cherishes her children. (8) So affectionately longing for you, we were willing to have imparted to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because you have become beloved to us.”
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Sometimes This Creates Separation
Galatians 4:16 “So then did I become your enemy speaking to you the truth?”
Warning: I will not allow bad examples to be made within the group, nor any action to be glorified that promotes rebellion and sin. This is my polite warning- I will start calling it out.
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This Is My Message For Us Today
“Your Thoughts Are Not God’s Thoughts”
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways, says Jehovah. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
“Don’t Trust Your Own Reason”
Proverbs 3:5-8 “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (7) Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. (8) It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.”
Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. (11) There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. (12) They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”
“Your Heart Is A Liar”
Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it? (10) “I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
“Your Ways Are Trash”
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
Romans 7:14-25 “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin. (15) For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do. (16) But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good. (17) So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. (18) For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good. (19) For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice. (20) But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. (21) I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. (22) For I delight in God’s law after the inward man, (23) but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. (24) What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law.”
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“NEVER- EVER TRUST YOURSELF!”
2 Corinthians 1:9-11 “Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, (10) who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; (11) you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.”
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“TRUST NO ONE!”
Psalms 118:8-9 “It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man. (9) It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.”
Micah 7:5 “Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!”
Jeremiah 17:5 “Yahweh says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.”
Galatians 1:6-9 “I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”; (7) and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. (8) But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. (9) As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.”
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“Only Trust The Bible”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, (17) that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
“And The Guidance Of The Holy Spirit”
John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.”
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-Recap:
The Church is set up with a hierarchy starting with God, Jesus, Church Leadership, and the Husband. We are called to follow the example being set for us wherever we find ourselves in this list. Just as Jesus only did what He saw God do, church leadership is to follow the example of Jesus. Church leadership is also called to show and demonstrate the example of Jesus. The same goes for the Husband as he leads his family. This is not meant to be domineering or controlling. This function is to provide spiritual protection and guidance. Failure to follow these guidelines opens us all up to the possibility of demonic attack.
Note: I will always act out of love and concern. Yet, I must focus squarely on what pleases God. We are walking into the end of time where much harder choices will have to be made, and much greater sacrifices will be asked of us. We must be able to get the most simple and elementary choices right if we ever expect to give God our all. This is the focus for this group, to prepare people to endure and survive and be a light for Christ. If any one of us is walking in sin, choosing to sin, flirting with sin, or doing anything at all that will give the devil a place, we all must raise our voices and look after each other. This is mandated in scripture. We must be a pure and Holy body of believers. There is no other option. So, out of a spirit of love for God and the Body, I will always be obligated to talk to all of you about some very tough topics.