Title: God's Model for Leadership, part 2
Purpose: To motivate the church embrace a Biblical model of leadership




Intro:
1.  Still talking about models, anyone want to be a model yet?
2.  This morning will be part two of the model for leadership - The Shepherd
3.  Last week saw:
	a.  Shepherds feed (or pasture) the sheep by leading them to good food
	b.  Shepherds strenghten the sickly and diseased by  inspecting, healing & binding
wounds
	c.  Shepherds Rescue the lost sheep  will go out of way to find him (not say good ridance)
4.  Two more characteristics of Shepherds

I.  The shepherd keeps the sheep from being scattered (v.5)
	A.  What this means is that the elders ministry involves preserving unity and peace
	B.  Why the sheep were scattered
		1.  (v.4)  The shepherds had dominated them with severity
			a.  This is the sherrif/ cowboy model
				- Works well with cattle, but not with sheep, they will flee
				- Sheep need to be lovingly led (Ps 23; Jn 10)
			b.  You can’t keep sheep in line by being a cowboy
		2.  They obviously did not have a shepherd’s relationship with the sheep
			a.  Does the description of them sound like Psalm 23?
			b.  Does the description sound like John 10?
			c.  They really didn’t care about the sheep, but themselves
				- Nothing can be more devastating to a flock
				- A leader that has less than pure motives for leading will
				  scatter
		3.  Eph 4:1-3 Emphasizes the importance of preserving unity
			a.  How?  -- In the BOND of PEACE
			b.  Unity and Peace go hand in hand
		4.  Notice that God assigns leaders to be responsible for it (Eph 4:11-16)
			a.  Not to say it is not everyone’s responsibility 
			    (Eph 4:2 - directed to all)
			b.  Notice that here the preacher (evangelist) and Pastor overlap 
			    ministries
				- One preserves unity and peace primarily through preaching
				- The other preserves it primarily through shepherding
			c.  The goals
				- Everyone serving to BUILD UP, not TEAR down
				- To attain MATURITY
			d.  A natural result of everyone serving is more leaders being produced
	C. ILL:  Eph 4:16 - A body is joined together like a puzzle
		1.  Always VERY careful about not losing pieces of the puzzle
		2.  The minute they are scattered, you can lose some
		3.  If the puzzle is not put together and joined.
			a.  How will you know what it is supposed to be?  No picture!
			b.  How will you know if one is missing?
		4.  If it is joined and locked together, you can tell at a glance when something
		    is wrong
		5.  That is why it is so important to be joined together and not scattered
	D.  That is also why it is so important to have shepherds to help keep the pieces together
		1.  The picture is incomplete when a piece is missing
		2.  We need people with a shepherd’s heart to keep them from getting lost
		3.  Even though this is the RESPONSIBILITY of the shepherds, it is also 
		     a ministry that most of you can be involved in.

II.  He protects the sheep from predators (v.8)
	A.  I Pet 5:8 - Satan prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour
	B.  Explanation
		1.  Satan can come from many places, not always look like a lion or wolf
			a.  Matt 7:15 - Beware false prophets, come sheep’s clothing
			b.  John 10 - This teaching prompted by pharisees & blind man in chap 9
				- They put out the healed man for his confession of faith in Christ
				- Jesus in using the image of shepherd, identifies the Pharisees
				  with strangers and theives - understand their reaction?
		2.  That’s why Paul talks about leaders building up the body in Eph 4
			a.  In Eph 4:14 - Says there will be every wind of doctrine and trickery
			b.  Acts 20:28-30
				- Be on guard
				- Wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock
				- From their own number men would arise and draw people away
				- Elders were to put themselves on the line for the sheep
			c. * Titus
				- Titus was sent to Crete to appoint elders (1:5)
				- Why?  (1:9-11) - To protect the flock
		3.  An elder's dedication to protection is seen very vividly in the shepherd model
			a.  Isaiah 31:4 - Shepherds called out against a lion, not afraid of roar
			b.  I Sam 17:34-37 - David had heart of shepherd, rescued sheep & people
				- David called "The shepherd King"
				- Jesus called the son of David - He the good shepherd, lays 
				  down his life for the sheep
			c.  Amos 3:12 - Sometimes shepherd only rescue a leg or ear.  
				-  If sheep already dead, Why risk it getting leg or ear?
		4.  Ex 22:10-13
			a.  If been appointed to watch a sheep, has to show evidence
			b.  It shows he could not rescue the sheep 
			c.  Shows he didn’t lose it through negligence
			c.  Ezek 34:10; Heb 13:17 - Says they will give an account
	C.  William Barclay give a vivid description of the Shepherd in his commentary on John
	D.  Do you see the importance of having shepherds for God’s flock?
		1.  What will happen when Satan comes in among the sheep?
		2.  Someone may or may not do something
		3.  However, the shepherd will grab the lion by the beard and smite him
		4.  A shepherd is a great warrior when the enemy starts prowling

Concl:
1.  Sheep can be so vulnerable without shepherds
2.  Shepherding is a God given part of the puzzle, and a puzzle without it is lacking
3.  Shepherds
	a.  Feed (pasture) the sheep by leading them into maturity
	b.  Strenthen the sick, deaseased, downcast, broken hearted
	c.  Rescue sheep that have gone astray and calls a celebration
	d.  Keeps them from bein scattered by helping preserve unity and peace
	e.  Protects the sheep from predators from outside and inside
4.  Ignoring the need for shepherds ignores God’s intent for the flock
5.  I hope many of you aspire to be shepherds
	a.  Men to be shepherds of the whole flock
	b.  Everyone else to be shepherds to their children, & brethren