Weekly Pursuit – Week 1 of August

Aug 3, 2015 by

Verse:

John 21:16 “He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep.”

Excerpts:

When the Lord stayed with His disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension, in one of His appearings, He commissioned Peter to feed His lambs and shepherd His sheep in His absence, while He is in the heavens (John 21:15-17). Shepherding implies feeding, but it includes much more than feeding. To shepherd is to take all-inclusive tender care of the flock…. This is to incorporate the apostolic ministry with Christ’s heavenly ministry to take care of God’s flock, which is the church that issues in the Body of Christ.

Christ’s shepherding of His flock includes His caring for their outward things and also their inner being, their souls. He takes care of the things concerning their souls by overseeing their souls. Christ indwells us to be our life and everything, but He is also overseeing, observing, the condition and situation of our inner being. He shepherds us by caring for the welfare of our inner being and by exercising His oversight over the condition of our soul, our real person…. Peter exhorted the elders to shepherd the flock of God among them so that when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, they, the faithful elders, will receive the unfading crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:1-4)…. Peter’s word indicates that the heavenly ministry of Christ is mainly to shepherd the church of God as His flock which issues in His Body…. The main purpose and goal of the apostolic ministry incorporated with Christ’s heavenly ministry are to build up the Body of Christ which will consummate the New Jerusalem for the accomplishment of the eternal economy of God. (The Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John, msg. 13)

To shepherd according to God means To shepherd according to God’s nature, desire, way, and glory, not according to man’s preference, interest, and purpose. The elders should not shepherd the flock according to their own opinion, concepts, or likes and dislikes. Instead, they should shepherd the saints as the flock of God according to God’s choice, desire, intention, and preference. (Truth Lessons, lesson 42)

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