Big Idea - We relate to and interact with things based on their nature and purpose. For example, our relationship with a school differs greatly from a movie theater. For one, attendance at school is mandatory, but going to a movie is not. In this passage, Peter talks about the basic nature of the Church and how we relate to it. We live in a consumer-driven society where our primary interaction with the world is as a customer. This has certainly crept into the Church, where the Church is viewed as a business where we go to get a service or an experience, much like going to a restaurant. We choose the place based on what they have on the menu and how well it suits our tastes and cravings at that moment. If they don't have what we are looking for on the menu, we go somewhere else. Churches, on the other hand, feel that they must meet the customer's needs. They must offer what people are looking for and make the customer happy. This is measured by how many customers they can attract and if they return regularly. But Peter pictures our interaction with the Church not as consumers but as sheep and Church leaders as shepherds who are not providing a product to sell but providing care for the flock. So, the Church is much more like a family and nothing at all like a business. This should challenge us to think very differently about why we go to Church, what we look for in a Church, and how we connect with it. What does the image of the Church as sheep and shepherds teach us about how we do Church?
First of all, Peter tells us that the Church is organized primarily around a group of leaders who function not as CEOs or executives but as shepherds. The main role and purpose of the Church is, therefore, to provide spiritual care for the members. The Church is not a bunch of customers but a flock of sheep. This is not a very flattering picture, as sheep are characterized primarily as animals needing lots of help! They are weak, vulnerable to attack, and prone to wander off and get lost. They need protection, feeding, and clear direction. In light of this reality, the most essential qualifications of its leaders are not their organizational skills, admin ability, or visionary leadership, although these are helpful. But of critical importance is their heart and capacity to provide care for the sheep. This care involves many things but can be summarized as feeding, leading, and protecting.
The spirit and heart of a shepherd will be evident in their priorities as a leader, in their motivation as a leader, in their leadership style, and finally in their incentive for leading. For the part of the sheep, what distinguishes their interaction with the Church is the spirit of submission. We see in this context that the biblical picture of submission is primarily one of entrusting ourselves to the care of another. Shepherds should be trustworthy and people who know how to care for the sheep. But the sheep need to entrust themselves into the care of those called to shepherd. This means we need to admit we are sheep - that is, we are in urgent need of help and care! Finally, the shepherds and sheep need to relate to one another in a spirit of true humility. The shepherds need the humility of knowing that they are also sheep. They lead because they are more mature, not because they are without sin or fault! They are not better or above the sheep because they are also sheep. It is their heart of compassion and burden to care for others that sets them apart, not their superiority. The sheep must put on humility in the attitude of accepting the truth that they need help and care. It is the humility of laying aside our stubborn spirit of independence. Instead, we need the humility to entrust our spiritual care into the hands of another. Ultimately, Jesus is the Great Shepherd
