Shepherd Stories: Sheep Have Gone Astray
The front door was open on a beautiful Spring Day. The brown grass of Winter had turned back to a luscious deep green, the sky was Montana blue and our sheep, Olive and Manna were grazing in the yard. The grandkids were here enjoying their day. The front door remained open as the grandkids came in and out of the house. Sheep are curious creatures. I guess they saw the grandkids going in and out the front door, so they decided going in and out the front door of our house would be fun. Unbeknown to us, Olive and Manna had climbed the three steps and entered the hallway of our home. My wife was the first to notice the uninvited wooly guests who had come through the open door. This is where the fun begins to happen. She was able to push one wooly mammoth of a sheep back out the front door, but where was sheep number two? Grandson number two smiled a wry little smile at grandma pushing sheep around and then he slyly pointed down the second hallway where sheep number two was quietly chewing on grandma’s straw gardening hat. One would think the sheep would prefer the nice luscious deep green new Spring grass to a dried out straw hat. The door was open and the sheep left their grazing to explore something which might be even better. Yuck to chewing straw hats.
Over thirty plus years of raising sheep I have seen many wooly wonders wander and go astray. Wandering sheep can end up stuck in a fence, lost and needing to be found and sometimes predators find them and kill them as the wandering sheep are no longer in the protection of the flock with its shepherd. People in the Church of God sometimes wander and go astray too. “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa. 53:6 [NKJV]). Like sheep, the Christian can end up stuck in a spiritual fence, lost and sometimes the victim of spiritual predation. God gave us shepherds to help us through our tough times. While my sheep sometimes think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, or apparently down our hallway, the cold hard truth is different. Who as a Christian wants to eat a straw hat when the luscious green food of God is right in front of us?
God has given us a Shepherd to guide us in all we do. No need to be like Adam and Eve and look for (spiritual) food outside of what God has given to us. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.” (John 10:11). As a physical shepherd of real sheep, I have seen this play out many times. Shepherds work is a 24/7 opportunity to take care of the flock. Pastoring is a 24/7 opportunity to take care of the flock. God has given. A shepherd literally is on call all day and all night. It’s 3 A.M. and the sheep is giving birth while it is 11 below 0 F. One year we were out of town for a week, and I hired a person to watch the sheep. We arrived home earlier than she anticipated and I found no food for the sheep, an empty water trough full of moss and sheep in distress. The hireling simply did not care for the sheep.
Peter, who denied Christ on the cross and later repented wrote, “For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (I Pet. 2:25). Peter understood shepherding and he returned to the fold. Peter understood that we have a great Shepherd to watch over and guide us. Peter follows up by telling the ministry to, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” (I Pet. 5:1-4). Today’s shepherds, the ministry have the responsibility to take care of the flock God has given to them. The flock has the responsibility to listen to and help support the shepherd.
In our world today there are many open doors to sin. Do we peak inside the open door and partake of the straw hat of sin, or do we continue to graze on the luscious green grass of spiritual food God has granted to us? Our world today is not so much different than 2,000 years ago. Matthew reports, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” (Matt. 9:36-38).
God gave elders to serve and help people understand His way of life. The deacon Philip was out for a stroll one day when an angel spoke to him. “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.” (Acts 8:26-31). We need the elders to help guide us and understand the Bible. We need someone to guide us, and God has provided ministry to do just that. Paul in saying goodbye to the elders of Ephesus says, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28). The elders of the church are shepherds who must oversee and guide the flock.
Elders, the ministry, has a responsibility to shepherd the flock and pull them back from the false open door of straw-hat society. We are warned to beware of false prophets and ministers. (Jere. 50:6; III John 9-10: II Tim. 4:9). There are many open doors of religion which can sound so good and sweet to our ears. Paul warns us, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (Gal.1:8-9). When in doubt call your elder and learn from the grace God has given to them. Beware of false open doors.
It was not an everyday occurrence that our pet sheep wandered into our home. They saw an open door and made the most of it, only to be put back where they needed to be in the deep green grass of Spring. Listen to your elders. Work with your elders. Support your elders. God has given the ministry to be helpful and give guidance for all Christians. Earlier we read, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt. 9:37-38). What can we do to learn spiritual shepherding? Consider taking college courses from the Artios Christian College supported by the Church of God (Seventh Day). Learn to shepherd. Learn to be a helpful part of the family of God. Become one of the laborers of Christ. Eat the luscious spiritual green grass of Spring and not the straw hat.
For more information on Artios Chrisitan college and how you can learn to serve go to artioscollege.org.
Mike Wallace
