Who needs parents anyway?

The Ambivalence of Christians Concerning Spiritual Care

(Acts 20:28-31, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, April 28, 2013)

[28] Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

The apostle Paul was addressing the overseers of the church in Ephesus. God intends that His people know Him personally, but He does not direct us to gain this knowledge of Him independently from others in the body of Christ.

We need one another. But will we listen to the Word together, expecting that God will lead His church together, using the gifts of many different people? Can we accept the fact that some would be overseers who are also called elders in this chapter? These have a special responsibility before God for the spiritual oversight of the flock and for the direction of the congregation as a whole. (Hebrews 13:17)

There are normally multiple elders in a congregation, but there is only one God-Man who has obtained the church with His own blood. He is our one Master. The others who are in leadership are called to serve us for Jesus' sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5)

These men needed to consider carefully their calling from God. If they wanted to serve well, they would need to pay careful attention not only to the life and behavior of others, but especially to their own condition, not only individually, but as a group. Would they be willing to consider the Word of God carefully and to follow where God would lead the way? Would they be willing to listen to one another and to the church, loving one another in Jesus' Name?

[29] I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; [30] and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Most of the problems that we face in the churches in this missionary environment come from the neglect of these basic Christian duties among the church leaders that God has given to the churches. When they forget how to listen to the Lord together and how to care for each other as a band of consecrated brothers, they soon lose their ability to lead the church of Jesus Christ.

Paul was not naïve concerning the church. He knew of his own sin, and recognized the possibility that leaders of the sheep might soon reveal themselves to be wolves rather than shepherds. Whether these offending elders would be new men or even some of the very leaders who were listening to his voice at that moment, the end result would be the same. They would not spare the flock.

The leaders of the church cannot devolve into a boys club that protect their own. They serve the Chief Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. Some forget that they are not gathering disciples based on their own merits or for their own glory. Such men are not making disciples for Jesus, but are eager to take disciples away from Jesus so that they would have their own cult.

Such men will not spare the flock. They love themselves and not the flock. Their first concern is their own honor and not the honor of Jesus. But Christ was willing to be counted as nothing in the eyes of the proud in order to accomplish our salvation.

The favorite method of such self-centered teachers is their own twisted teaching. They do not see the whole counsel of God clearly, missing the eternal purpose of God in Jesus Christ. They speak twisted things, even using the Bible for their own agenda.

[31] Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

God has granted us mechanisms of oversight in the church in order to resist leaders that are rebelling against His Son. But the church must stay alert, dedicated to the truth, and open to the correction that may come to us from others in the household of faith.

Paul had spent three years, night and day, being an ambassador of the truth of the Lord to all who would receive the Word of God. But He knew that any church was only one generation away from losing the integrity of the way of Christ.

This passage is one of several in the Bible that provides the church with an important legacy of leaders and leadership mechanisms established by the King who came not to be serve, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. But no system of church government can save the church from proud men and women that have forgotten who they are in Jesus Christ.

We can hear verses like this and inwardly applaud the way that the Lord has provided a good system of spiritual oversight for us. We can be thankful for the men of character and love that he has granted who want to follow the Word of the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. But will we change our minds when they come to us with some concern? Even strong Christians can be deeply ambivalent about spiritual care when they want to have their own way. Spiritual oversight is fine, that is, for other people, and at some respectable distance. But are we willing to yield to any other human being when we are bent on going our own way.

The truth is that leaders can and have been abusive, but that does not give us the right to reject all fatherhood in the family circle or to abandon the concept of loving spiritual authority in the church. We have not set up the system of undershepherds within the New Testament Church. This came from the Good Shepherd Himself. He will build His church His way.

When does godly leadership cross the line into heavy-handed abuse? Elders have no right to lead others in obedience to directions which the King has not spoken to us through the Scriptures.

But there are two ways for elders to abuse their God-given leadership in the house of God. One we have mentioned, running ahead of the king. The second is also troubling, falling so far beyond the king that there is no sense that Jesus reigns.

There is no way that any of this works unless the Lord fills His people with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who makes godly overseers. It is also the Holy Spirit who makes true disciples who are able to hear the voice of the King in the midst of a loving church.

The way of the flesh is plain. We can all just figure out what everybody wants and then do our best to give it to them. That may be a solid way to run a business, but it is not way a healthy kingdom works. Citizens in the kingdom of God learn how to hear the voice of God together and to follow the only Redeemer of God's elect.

Old Testament Passage: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – You shall teach them diligently to your children

Gospel Passage: John 10:11-15 – I am the Good Shepherd

Sermon Text: Acts 20:25-27 – The Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood

Sermon Point: Loving spiritual oversight is an expression of the fatherly care of the Good Shepherd for His sheep.