I heard a sermon this past Sunday based off of John 10:
In the sermon, the pastor was describing the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. He said, “Being a good shepherd is all about the sheep.” And, he also said that “The sheep are all about the shepherd, and the shepherd is all about the sheep.” I agree that the Good Shepherd loves the sheep, that he came to die for the sheep, that he became a man and was tempted as we are, yet without sin, so that he could sympathize with our weaknesses, and that he came that we might have life and have it to the full. Yet, does this translate to “Being a good shepherd is all about the sheep”?
If I am all about my husband, then my desire is for him. My desire is to please him. If he is all about me, then he, as well, looks out for my best interest and for what pleases me. There is certainly a correlation between the relationship between a husband and wife to that of Christ and his church, but it is not an exact parallel. Christ is not to submit to us, yet the scriptures teach a mutual submission between people (Eph. 5:21) as well as it teaches that the wife should submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ (Eph. 5:22-24).
It also teaches that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her. A husband’s head is to be Christ and a wife’s head is to be her husband. I believe that principle is applied here, as well, to the shepherds and sheep. The sheep should be all about the shepherd, but the shepherd should be all about the master (owner) of the sheep. When he is, then he will do what is best for the sheep because he will be acting on behalf of the master.
A real shepherd is usually either a son of a family or is a hired hand. The shepherd, thus, works for the master (owner) of the sheep. His goal is to please the master, not to please the sheep. His goal is to bring the sheep into conformity to the specifications laid down by the master of the sheep. His desire is for the master, not for the sheep to please them. He does what is best for the sheep, which is to use his rod and his staff to lead, to guide, to nurture, to train, and to care for the sheep so that he can bring sheep back to the master that will please the master. This is in the best interest of the sheep. He does what is good for them. He provides for their needs. He may even love his sheep (a human shepherd), but is he “all about the sheep”?
“All” means “the whole amount of something; the whole amount of every part of something and/or the whole of a situation or problem” - all - definition of all, by Macmillan Dictionary: Free English Dictionary Online and Thesaurus.. “About” means “in connection with or relating to” – Encarta Dictionary. So, to be “all about” something or someone would mean that the whole amount of who you are or why you exist would be in connection with or relating to whatever or whoever it is that you are “all about.” To me, then, to say that a shepherd is “all about” the sheep would be to say that the totality of who he is and why he exists is about them.
To some extent, in the sake of Jesus Christ, that is certainly true. Jesus did come for the purpose of dying on the cross for our sins so that we could be free from the bondage of sin, free from the control of sin over our lives, and free to live lives pleasing to God. He did this for us because he loves us. I contend, though, that it is all about HIM, not about us. It is because of HIS great love for us that he died for us. He is not here to please us. He is not here to coddle us and to give us what we want. He is here to transform us into HIS image, which then makes it all about HIM, not about us. He is here to please the Father and to teach us to please the Father. So, just like a human shepherd of actual physical sheep is about the master and pleasing the master while still caring for the sheep, I contend that Christ is also all about the master, our Father God and he is all about doing what pleases him, not what pleases us.
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
This is the goal of the shepherd – to urge the sheep; to encourage the sheep; to train the sheep to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the master of the sheep. If we give the sheep the message that the shepherd is “all about us,” then we give the sheep the idea that the shepherd is there to do what pleases the sheep, not the other way around. The problem with this is that this is what is being taught in modern-day churches. Church facilities and church gatherings often revolve around the sheep and what pleases the sheep instead of around the shepherd. They are “all about the sheep” which is why they are often times flesh-driven, seeker friendly, acceptable to the world, and seek to please the flesh of man instead of the flesh of man coming to the cross of Christ in full submission and surrender to Almighty God.
So, I respectfully and privately disagreed with the pastor on this one point in his sermon where he stated that the shepherd was “all about the sheep.” I read a passage in the Psalms that next morning that said what I believed about this idea of what the shepherd is really “all about.” It was found in Psalm 106:8:
“Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known.”
Interesting! I shared that passage with the pastor. And, I shared my understanding from it, which also fits with many NT passages concerning our salvation being for the glory of God, which is that both literal shepherds of literal sheep as well as spiritual shepherds of spiritual sheep should be “all about” the master of the sheep. If we are truly living lives pleasing to God (the master) then we will truly love HIS sheep, as well.
The pastor wrote back to me. He said, “While I agree with your observation as a general scriptural principle, that all of life is worship of God and motivated by serving and giving glory to Him, I couldn't disagree with you more strongly that this was the primary message in view in our text on Sunday. So while I hear your disagreement, I am far more concerned in teaching the text and preaching what God has laid on my heart... I will not engage in a discussion with you on the merits of my sermon. But you must also know that if you communicate concerns to us in the future, as I did this time, we will consider and pray, but will feel no compulsion to respond. I would encourage you to hear from God on Sunday in the sermon rather than critiquing.”
In summary, I believe he said that he would not consider my thinking or my beliefs on the subject, that his message and what he said still stands as the correct interpretation of that passage of scripture (John 10), i.e. that his interpretation of the passage of scripture is the primary message that Christ Jesus had in view when he said what he did about shepherds and sheep, that he will not engage me in conversation (discussion) on the subject, that if I should choose to try to communicate with him further about this or any other subject for that matter, that he will feel no compulsion to respond to me, and that he would encourage me to just “hear from God” from his sermons in the future and to never challenge, disagree, and/or contend with anything he ever says again. Wow! That sounds like a dictator!! That says to me, “I am right (absolutely) and you are wrong, I will not consider any other thoughts, you are not permitted to contend with me or to disagree with me and your role is to basically sit and just listen and to never question, challenge or disagree.” Again, Wow!
The interesting thing about this is that, in his sermon, he made reference to Ezekiel 34. This was a message (a prophecy) that God gave to Ezekiel that was against the shepherds of the sheep, mainly because they were feeding only themselves and were not caring for the sheep. I don’t doubt that this pastor in question is caring for his sheep. Yet, if he is “all about the sheep” instead of being “all about the master,” then how will he know how to give the right kind of care to the sheep? How will he know what pleases the master? Wouldn’t there be a danger that he would give the sheep what they want and do what pleases them and then they would not be sheep fit for the master’s use?
Again, my contention here is that to be a good shepherd you have to be “all about” the master, not “all about” the sheep. The sheep, on the other hand, should be “all about” the shepherd, because if the shepherd is truly listening to and following the master (owner) of the sheep and the sheep follow him, then they will also be “all about” the master.
In the sermon, the pastor was describing the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. He said, “Being a good shepherd is all about the sheep.” And, he also said that “The sheep are all about the shepherd, and the shepherd is all about the sheep.” I agree that the Good Shepherd loves the sheep, that he came to die for the sheep, that he became a man and was tempted as we are, yet without sin, so that he could sympathize with our weaknesses, and that he came that we might have life and have it to the full. Yet, does this translate to “Being a good shepherd is all about the sheep”?
If I am all about my husband, then my desire is for him. My desire is to please him. If he is all about me, then he, as well, looks out for my best interest and for what pleases me. There is certainly a correlation between the relationship between a husband and wife to that of Christ and his church, but it is not an exact parallel. Christ is not to submit to us, yet the scriptures teach a mutual submission between people (Eph. 5:21) as well as it teaches that the wife should submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ (Eph. 5:22-24).
It also teaches that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church and gave himself up for her. A husband’s head is to be Christ and a wife’s head is to be her husband. I believe that principle is applied here, as well, to the shepherds and sheep. The sheep should be all about the shepherd, but the shepherd should be all about the master (owner) of the sheep. When he is, then he will do what is best for the sheep because he will be acting on behalf of the master.
A real shepherd is usually either a son of a family or is a hired hand. The shepherd, thus, works for the master (owner) of the sheep. His goal is to please the master, not to please the sheep. His goal is to bring the sheep into conformity to the specifications laid down by the master of the sheep. His desire is for the master, not for the sheep to please them. He does what is best for the sheep, which is to use his rod and his staff to lead, to guide, to nurture, to train, and to care for the sheep so that he can bring sheep back to the master that will please the master. This is in the best interest of the sheep. He does what is good for them. He provides for their needs. He may even love his sheep (a human shepherd), but is he “all about the sheep”?
“All” means “the whole amount of something; the whole amount of every part of something and/or the whole of a situation or problem” - all - definition of all, by Macmillan Dictionary: Free English Dictionary Online and Thesaurus.. “About” means “in connection with or relating to” – Encarta Dictionary. So, to be “all about” something or someone would mean that the whole amount of who you are or why you exist would be in connection with or relating to whatever or whoever it is that you are “all about.” To me, then, to say that a shepherd is “all about” the sheep would be to say that the totality of who he is and why he exists is about them.
To some extent, in the sake of Jesus Christ, that is certainly true. Jesus did come for the purpose of dying on the cross for our sins so that we could be free from the bondage of sin, free from the control of sin over our lives, and free to live lives pleasing to God. He did this for us because he loves us. I contend, though, that it is all about HIM, not about us. It is because of HIS great love for us that he died for us. He is not here to please us. He is not here to coddle us and to give us what we want. He is here to transform us into HIS image, which then makes it all about HIM, not about us. He is here to please the Father and to teach us to please the Father. So, just like a human shepherd of actual physical sheep is about the master and pleasing the master while still caring for the sheep, I contend that Christ is also all about the master, our Father God and he is all about doing what pleases him, not what pleases us.
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
This is the goal of the shepherd – to urge the sheep; to encourage the sheep; to train the sheep to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the master of the sheep. If we give the sheep the message that the shepherd is “all about us,” then we give the sheep the idea that the shepherd is there to do what pleases the sheep, not the other way around. The problem with this is that this is what is being taught in modern-day churches. Church facilities and church gatherings often revolve around the sheep and what pleases the sheep instead of around the shepherd. They are “all about the sheep” which is why they are often times flesh-driven, seeker friendly, acceptable to the world, and seek to please the flesh of man instead of the flesh of man coming to the cross of Christ in full submission and surrender to Almighty God.
So, I respectfully and privately disagreed with the pastor on this one point in his sermon where he stated that the shepherd was “all about the sheep.” I read a passage in the Psalms that next morning that said what I believed about this idea of what the shepherd is really “all about.” It was found in Psalm 106:8:
“Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known.”
Interesting! I shared that passage with the pastor. And, I shared my understanding from it, which also fits with many NT passages concerning our salvation being for the glory of God, which is that both literal shepherds of literal sheep as well as spiritual shepherds of spiritual sheep should be “all about” the master of the sheep. If we are truly living lives pleasing to God (the master) then we will truly love HIS sheep, as well.
The pastor wrote back to me. He said, “While I agree with your observation as a general scriptural principle, that all of life is worship of God and motivated by serving and giving glory to Him, I couldn't disagree with you more strongly that this was the primary message in view in our text on Sunday. So while I hear your disagreement, I am far more concerned in teaching the text and preaching what God has laid on my heart... I will not engage in a discussion with you on the merits of my sermon. But you must also know that if you communicate concerns to us in the future, as I did this time, we will consider and pray, but will feel no compulsion to respond. I would encourage you to hear from God on Sunday in the sermon rather than critiquing.”
In summary, I believe he said that he would not consider my thinking or my beliefs on the subject, that his message and what he said still stands as the correct interpretation of that passage of scripture (John 10), i.e. that his interpretation of the passage of scripture is the primary message that Christ Jesus had in view when he said what he did about shepherds and sheep, that he will not engage me in conversation (discussion) on the subject, that if I should choose to try to communicate with him further about this or any other subject for that matter, that he will feel no compulsion to respond to me, and that he would encourage me to just “hear from God” from his sermons in the future and to never challenge, disagree, and/or contend with anything he ever says again. Wow! That sounds like a dictator!! That says to me, “I am right (absolutely) and you are wrong, I will not consider any other thoughts, you are not permitted to contend with me or to disagree with me and your role is to basically sit and just listen and to never question, challenge or disagree.” Again, Wow!
The interesting thing about this is that, in his sermon, he made reference to Ezekiel 34. This was a message (a prophecy) that God gave to Ezekiel that was against the shepherds of the sheep, mainly because they were feeding only themselves and were not caring for the sheep. I don’t doubt that this pastor in question is caring for his sheep. Yet, if he is “all about the sheep” instead of being “all about the master,” then how will he know how to give the right kind of care to the sheep? How will he know what pleases the master? Wouldn’t there be a danger that he would give the sheep what they want and do what pleases them and then they would not be sheep fit for the master’s use?
Again, my contention here is that to be a good shepherd you have to be “all about” the master, not “all about” the sheep. The sheep, on the other hand, should be “all about” the shepherd, because if the shepherd is truly listening to and following the master (owner) of the sheep and the sheep follow him, then they will also be “all about” the master.