Feeding and Tending Jesus' Flock
- David Fairchild
- Jun 28, 2009
- Series: Topical
TEXT
John 21:10-19: “Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 16 He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ 17 He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Our Triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit created all things. The Father planned creation, the Son was the agent of creation and the Holy Spirit was the power of creation.
God made man in His image and likeness, breathed life into him and then gave him charge to cultivate and rule over God’s good creation with care and concern.
God didn’t make man to get glory or to get love. God created man because the Father, Son and Spirit shared a relationship of glory and love for all eternity. Love and glory flow effortlessly from the persons of the Trinity into one another in a beautiful community of praise. Cornelius Plantinga puts it this way:
The Father… Son… and Holy Spirit glorify each other… Self-giving love is the dynamic currency of the Trinitarian life of God. The persons within God exalt, commune with, and defer to one another… Each harbors the others at the center of his being. In constant movement of overture and acceptance each person envelopes and encircles the others. [So] Creation is neither a necessity nor an accident. Instead, given God’s interior life that overflows with regard for others, we might say creation is an act that was fitting for God… In creation God graciously made room in the universe for other kinds of beings. God’s splendor [glory] becomes clearer when the Son of God powerfully spends himself in order to cause others to flourish… Jesus Christ’s pattern of life in the world reproduces the inner life of God.
That puts it well. God creates the universe and places man in it and by doing so He makes room for us to share in the love, joy, praise and glory of Trinitarian life with God. Creation makes sense because God loves to pour Himself out in self-donating, self-giving love. God loves to share that which is the best and most valuable. God loves to share His glory.
But like Satan, man wants to rule himself and be his own lord and king. Instead of continuing in response to the self-donation of God, man begins to look inside himself to find his own meaning and his own love and glory apart from the relationship He shares within the Trinity. This isn’t bravery; its suicide and stupidity. God punishes our first parents for following in the footsteps of Satan and believing the lie that they can live for their own glory without the One who made them.
The binding tether that connects man with His God, man with other men, man with God’s good creation, and man within himself is now cut. Man drifts from these relationships, untethered. He is tossed around by every emotion, every thought, every relationship, and as he is beaten and battered by the waves of disappointment, pain and shame, and is finally broken upon the rocks and shattered into pieces at his death.
Though God could have easily drawn the curtain of history, He shows His grace and His willingness to share again the very best He has. He makes a promise to Adam and Eve in the garden that one day the seed of the woman would bring a victor that would crush the liar and all his lies. This offspring would be wounded by the serpent, but He will rise up and stomp upon the head of the enemy of God and do for us what Adam and all mankind has failed to do; save us from death and defeat our greatest foe.
The story of the Old Testament is a story of God initiating and pursuing man as He works out His incredible redemptive plan to recover what’s been lost in the Garden.
As history unfolds, the plot thickens and the characters are more clearly revealed. By the time we get to Isaiah we begin to see more clearly who we should be expecting to come and restore what has been lost and broken.
God brought a people to himself and these people, the Jews, are the recipients of this great mystery. They are to look forward to the One promised to Abraham that through his seed was going to bless all the nations.
Then one day, in a small village outside of
God gave
Filled with the Spirit, Jesus pours himself out by pursuing and serving the last, the least, and the lost of this world. The promised Shepherd becomes a lamb for the sake of His Father’s flock. The King who is a servant, this Lion who is a Lamb finally pours Himself out fully by taking the collective punishment that all our sins deserved, and all the sins that God’s children through history deserved.
He is beaten and by every blow we see the effects of our sin. He is flogged and whipped and by every stroke our sins our healed. Until, at the moment all of creation has waited for, God punishes sin, Satan, and death on a Roman cross as His Son pours His blood out so that the flock of God, the children from past into the future can come to the Father and receive His mercy and pardon for all that we’ve done. God donates His Son, His very best, so that He could have as His prized possession, you and I, the very worst.
In a crazy turn of history, He makes His Son who knew no sin, become sin for us that we would become the righteousness of God. He is treated as our sins deserve and we are treated as His righteousness deserves. God reverses what man has severed.
His Son, the promised Messiah, then does what no one could ever do. He defeats death by rising from the dead and becomes the first-fruit, the first-taste of new creation. Where death and misery has reigned for thousands of years, Jesus now reigns as Lord of all creation and King of His people.
This reconnection of our relationship to God, to one another, to creation and to ourselves is for a reason. God wants us to pick up where Adam and Eve failed. To be glory-bearers. To be image-bearers. To cultivate for His glory and to share in the life of the trinity in such a way that we call others to taste and see that the Lord is good, that His grace is sure, and that their pardon is waiting in the hands of the Shepherd of their souls.
Jesus’ mission to reverse what has been lost through sin is given to the church and her identity is formed and shaped by this great calling to love God above all else, and to love others by bringing the Gospel word and showing the effects of the Gospel’s power in deed to the last, the least and the lost of this world.
As the Son rises to sit at the right hand of the Father, the Father and Son pour themselves out again by sending the Spirit to fill and indwell the church so that she would be a witness to the world as she makes disciples of all nations.
We are “good news” people. We are gospel people who live by God’s grace and share it with others.
The book of Acts tells us the story of how this mission began and continues to this day. The gospel goes out and churches are planted. Those churches are by design and nature, missional outposts that show off what new creation will one day look like as they are shaped and transformed by the Gospel word and power.
Kaleo is at a point of history between the forming of the Church by the King’s first coming and the finishing of the church and restoration of all creation by the King’s second coming. Our role then is to move towards new creation and live out Jesus’ mission as He rules from His throne, through His church, to the world, for His Father’s glory.
This also means that the gospel doesn’t end with us but instead shapes us into the image of the Son who, like our Trinitarian God, is other-oriented. We are first caught up in the praise, glory, and love in the Trinity so that we can have self-donating, self-giving hearts.
We are caught up in the mission of the trinity in which the Father, Son, and Spirit pour themselves out so that we would pour ourselves out for the sake of others, to the glory of our great God.
Why Am I Recounting This? The Purpose of this Story
The purpose of retelling and reminding us of this story is really important today. It is because of this story and by this story that our church understands her identity in the world. We are children of God, no longer orphans in this world without Him. We are also His ambassadors in this world as His sent people.
Jesus draws us to Himself so that we can have and live by the love of the Father, then Jesus sends us into the world as His missional people. In fact, when you read Jesus’ words in John chapter 20, you begin to see what He had in mind:
John 20:20-22: “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
Jesus shows them His hands to remind them of what He has done to win grace for them. His life, His death, His sacrifice, His righteousness are a gift for us. Then He tells them that they are sent on the same mission as Him. Instead of accomplishing salvation, we are sent to declare it. Then He breathes His spirit on them so that they are empowered in the same way that He was.
We are a sent people, rehearsing the Gospel by reminding one another of His hands and side. In other words, we are a cross-centered people, living out of its reality.
Kaleo means called (a noun) and to call (a verb). That is what we are. A called people to Jesus, so that we might call others to Him.
The way we continue Jesus’ mission is by following the life of the church in Acts. A Spirit-empowered people, planting Gospel-centered communities called the church. We are about His mission and His mission is to saturate
When you read Acts 13-16, you see the church planting efforts by the Apostle Paul. Paul goes out in teams to bring the Gospel and plant churches. As He does so, he appoints elders to lead this mission as under-shepherds of the true Shepherd.
These leaders, elders, pastors, are to help form and shape God’s people by living out of the power of the Gospel, leading others to do the same and continually calling the church to remember the cross and remember her calling as a sent people.
Of course, this makes sense since the only way you can dare sacrifice yourself on Jesus’ mission is by first living out of the power of Jesus’ cross. When we remember and believe His great sacrifice, we’re empowered by His spirit to sacrifice for others.
The role of the elder is to do just that.
John’s Gospel, Shepherd and Undershepherd
The Gospel of John demonstrates the life of our great Shepherd, Jesus, and it gives us a look at the first undershepherd, Peter. This is important and as we come today to install Tim Cain in this very role. Let’s look at John’s Gospel, chapter 21.
There are a number of qualifications given to us in scripture to help us determine if someone is fit to be an elder of the Church.
1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:4-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4
- Above Reproach (without open blame)
- Husband of one wife (one woman man)
- Sober-minded (mental sobriety, stable)
- Self-Controlled (prudent, good judgment)
- Respectable (of good behavior, virtuous)
- Hospitable (lover of guests)
- Able to teach (didactic, apt to teach)
- Not a drunkard (staying near wine, tippling)
- Not violent (a striker, quick to fight, temper)
- Gentle (mild, patient, gracious, kind)
- Not quarrelsome (not a brawler)
- Not a lover of money (not greedy)
- Manages his household well (in order)
- Children are submissive (subordinate)
- Not a recent convert (a novice)
- Well thought of by unbelievers (a good testimony from those who don’t know Christ, for the sake of the Gospel)
- Believing children who behave
- Above reproach
- Not arrogant
- Not quick tempered
- Lover of good
- Upright
- Holy
- Disciplined
- Holds firm to the Word
- Able to give instruction
- Able to silence
- Able to rebuke
- Shepherd the flock (tend, feed)
- Exercise oversight (oversee, take oversight, watch out for)
- Not forced but willing leadership
- Not domineering (overbearing, lording it over)
- Example to the flock
As great as all these descriptions are, one primary description and qualification rules all others. As you can tell, the description I read is primarily about character. 80% of it deals with a man’s life and how he lives out of what he believes.
This is why John 21:10-19 is such a great passage. It gives us the foundation and bedrock to an elder’s entire life and ministry as an undershepherd.
John 21:15-17: “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 16 He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ 17 He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
You can almost imagine the excitement of Peter as he awaited the promise of Jesus to build His church through him in Matthew 16:18. Jesus had singled him out to be a leader amongst leaders. In fact, the first leader of the Church. So here is Peter, after abandoning His Savior in His darkest hour in the Garden of Gesthemanie, after denying Jesus three times and hiding during His false trials, waiting to hear a word from the Lord to see if Jesus was still going to build the church through him and use him for Jesus’ glory.
Finally Jesus turns to Simon Peter and addresses him. You can almost imagine the growing anticipation of Peter. Ready to be called, ready for service, ready to prove His faithfulness to Jesus. You can almost see Peter listening closely and hanging on every word, almost like a man that knows he’s about to get a promotion as he sits quietly listening to his boss before the big moment.
Jesus then says to Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Not, “will you build a sweet church for me?” Not, “will you be successful for me?” Not, “will you attract large crowds for me?” Not even, “will you begin a church planting movement for me?” Instead, Jesus asks Peter the most important question we all must answer, “do you love me?”
The foundation of all that we do, all that we are and all that God gives us is built upon the answer we give to this question. Do you love Jesus more than all of these other things, great things, God-glorifying things?
This is Peter’s public restoration back to the calling Jesus gave him. Peter denied Jesus three times, and in this setting Peter is given the opportunity of expressing his love for Jesus three times.
Then, Jesus tells Peter what it means to follow Him into the kind of life and ministry of Jesus.
Verses 18-19: “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”
Did you catch what Jesus is telling Peter? He’s telling Him that one day, he’s going to be like a child, dressed up and walked to a place he didn’t choose, a place he doesn’t want to go. His hands will be stretched out.
Jesus is referring to his crucifixion. This is a double meaning. John explains this by telling us that it was to show what kind of death with which he was to glorify God.
For Peter, what it meant to follow Jesus was to be sacrificed for Jesus’ mission. It was to follow Jesus all the way to cross, and experience what Jesus experienced by having his arms stretched out.
Then, after telling Peter that this was going to be the way he was to glorify God, Jesus then says, “follow me.” Did Peter follow Jesus? History tells us that he did. Tertullian tells us that around 65 AD Peter was seized and taken to be crucified. When he was about to be nailed to the cross, Peter responded by asking that he be crucified upside down because he wasn’t worthy of being crucified like his Savior.
For every elder that responds to this call to tend and feed the flock of Christ, it is a call to no less than following Jesus to the cross.
For Tim, it may not mean dying the physical death of the cross, but it will mean dying daily to his self-desire, his self-sufficiency, and he self-dependency. It will mean daily putting to death the deeds of the flesh and guarding his heart and mind. It will mean dying to his desire to serve himself as he gives himself away as a drink offering, poured out for the sake of others.
How is this possible for anyone?
What will keep Tim so filled and so satisfied that he can stay the course, put his hand to plow and not look back, and to not grow weary in well doing? What will keep Tim loving God and loving others before Himself? What will make Him capable of serving others like Jesus?
What will make and keep Tim vulnerable and able to open his heart and arms to those who are weary and broken by sin?
Well, if you want to keep away from hurt and pain, keep your arms closed. If we want to stay safe, close your hands. But then, you can’t embrace anyone. Physical closeness always entails physical vulnerability.
So does spiritual and emotional closeness. It entails great vulnerability. If you want to love others, you have to open up and become vulnerable. You have to stretch out your arms to them. You have to be willing to be seen for who you are and not protect yourself and close up. You have to be willing to be hurt and open to criticism.
When Jesus said that Peter was going to follow Him by stretching out his arms, Jesus was making a double point. On the one hand to “stretch out your arms” means vulnerability and embrace. But it was also an idiom that was used to describe the crucifixion.
In order to give you the same heart that will be willing to love, serve and even give your life for others, you’re going to build the rest of your life on the pattern of my death.
What greater demonstration of welcome and vulnerability could there be than when Jesus stretched out His arms, all the way, nailed open on the cross for you and me? On the cross Jesus became the ultimate Shepherd, the ultimate friend, the ultimate elder. He opened Himself up and gave himself for the sake of others.
Jesus become vulnerable so that you and I could tend and feed the sheep that He loves with His whole heart and gave His life for.
To the degree that Tim, you and I see and melt at the open arms of Jesus, to that same degree we will go into this world with open arms to love others like Him.
Tim, like Peter, Jesus is calling you to tend and feed His sheep, and to die to yourself for their sake. If you accept this calling, come up and join us.
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