Volume 45   Number 10                                                                  June 2003

One day after a breakfast of bread and fish by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus asked Simon the son of Jonas, "Do you love Me more than these?" (John 21:15). Three times Jesus asked Peter about his love, and each time He admonished him to "feed my lambs" or "feed my sheep"!

There is a connection then between our love for Jesus, and our concern for "feeding the sheep". The more love we have for Jesus, the more feeding we will be doing. The less love we have for Jesus, the less concern we will have for making sure the flock is nourished in the Scriptures. Thus we can see how Jesus expected Peter to "feed" the flock based on his love for Jesus, along with the rest of the Apostles He chose. We are thankful that Peter did not allow the cares of this life (fishy things) to keep him from preaching the Word and strengthening the brethren.

But the eyewitnesses of Jesus were only with us on earth for a while, so who did God expect to carry on the feeding of the flock? Obviously this responsibility is mainly passed on to the shepherds, or elders, of the flock whose job description is found in their name (see Acts 20:17,28; I Peter 5:1-5).

The principle of mature shepherds feeding the Lord's lambs is not only taught in the New Testament, it is also seen in the Old Testament in stories like the one in Exodus 4:29 where Moses first appeared before the elders of Israel when he came to Egypt to let the people go free. Faithful shepherds will also keep their little flocks free by teaching them the blessed Word of God.

Serious warnings and threats are given to the shepherds of God's people in passages such as Jeremiah 23:1-4 and Ezekiel 34:1-31. Lessons too numerous to be mentioned here can be gleaned from those warnings, but after you study those two passages you will see how the questions Jesus asked of Peter are appropriate for any group of men who are given the charge of feeding the Lord's little flock. Either you will love Jesus and not become entangled by the things of this world so you can be apt to teach the Word of God, or else you will find yourself putting the things of this world (fishy things) first while God's Kingdom and His righteousness are woefully neglected. Let us not repeat the mistakes of those pastors of God's people under the Mosaic dispensation!

While elders encourage and develop other members to feed the flock of God, they must not turn their duties over to some smooth talker in a three-piece suit. Instead of looking for someone else to do their work, elders should always be "apt to teach": both able and willing to feed the flock of God! (see I Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Teaching offers great reward, and there is no finer field of study than the living and powerful Word of God! Don't let Satan rob us of our reward; let us resolve that we will truly put Jesus first in our lives by taking heed to every lamb and sheep of His precious flock!