Pastor Jesus (Part 3)
(Our Overseer)
(Acts 20:28-32)
Judging by the first two articles, it may appear that I that have been saying that human leadership has no role in the churches today. Of course, this is not what the New Testament teaches. My focus has been on “weaning” us from depending upon people to lead us and to follow Christ’s leadership and authority in our lives as He manifests His life, regardless of where, when, or through whom that life is manifested.
As we shall see, the Holy Spirit has placed spiritually mature men in the Body of Christ to be used by the Lord to oversee and shepherd His flock. The Bible calls these men “elders.” We can gain insight and understanding into what role these men played in the Body by studying Paul’s encounter with the Ephesian elders on his way to Jerusalem, as recorded in the 20th chapter of the book of Acts.
In verse 17, we read about Paul stopping in Miletus. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem in time for Pentecost (v. 16), so he didn’t have time to go to Ephesus, which was about 30 miles from Miletus. So, he “called to him the elders of the church.” Once they arrived from Ephesus, Paul delivered to them his final words, believing that he would never see them again (v. 25).
It is these elders (v. 17) that Paul also said function as “overseers” and who “shepherd the church of God” (v. 28). Many Christian groups that tend to be hierarchical in their structure do try to make distinctions between “bishops” (another word for “overseer”) and “elders” and “pastors.” But the clear teaching of the New Testament is that these three terms all refer to the same individuals (1 Peter 5:1-2 uses all three as well to refer to the same men). We will see shortly what it means to “oversee” and “shepherd,” but let us first look at term “elder.”
The Greek word translated “elder” is presbuteros, which simply means “older man.” In application to the congregations of Christ, it is apparent that the term refers to spiritual maturity (1 Timothy 3:6 says that he is not to be a “new convert”). What does it mean to be spiritually mature? It is not necessarily a function of time. People can be Christians for many years and not be spiritually mature. It is not necessarily a function of knowledge either. People can be very biblical literate and yet not manifest the life of Christ within themselves. Spiritual maturity is primarily a function of obedience. As a man applies the Word of God to his life, he grows in the “grace and knowledge” of Jesus (2 Pet. 3:18). This is why 1 Timothy 3:1-7 focuses upon the character of one who would exercise oversight. A spiritually mature man is one who has lived what he believes.
An important point regarding the elders in the New Testament is that this term is always used in the plural in reference to an individual congregation (for examples, see Acts 14:23; 20:17; James 5:14; Titus 1:5; Philippians 1:1). There is never a reference in the New Testament to a single “pastor” in a congregation, unless, of course, we are talking about Jesus (see John 10:11-16).
Jesus is our Pastor, and He, by the Holy Spirit, appoints elders to function as overseers in His flock (Acts 20:38). The method by which elders are selected may vary, but the bottom line is that the Holy Spirit must be the one who raises these men up.
In passing, let me also say that there is another group of people that are mentioned in the New Testament called “deacons.” The ministries of these men and women appear to be different from those of elders in that deacons appear to serve the physical needs of the congregation while elders appear to serve their spiritual needs. If you read the first account of deacons being selected (recorded in Acts 6:1-6), you will clearly see this distinction.
Before we turn our attention back to Paul’s words in Acts 20, please remember that in my last article, we saw that leadership in the church is different from other forms of leadership. Outside the church (such as in family, government or business), leadership is based upon position. In the church, leadership is based upon the life of Christ manifesting itself through believers. Those who would serve as elders must do so as “servant” leaders (Matt. 20:25-28). As Peter wrote, they are to be “examples to the flock” (1 Peter. 5:3). Servant leadership by example – that is the New Testament way.
Think about it… If Paul had viewed leadership positionally (like most churches seem to do today), he most likely would have written his epistles directly to the leaders of the various congregations. This would especially make sense since Paul addresses problems that were occurring in several of the churches. However, he addresses his letters to all believers in the churches to which he has written, which would underscore that he did not have a hierarchical view of how churches are to function.
Speaking of function, there are two primary functions of elders given to us by Paul in Acts 20:38 (and by Peter in 1 Peter 5:1-2). The first of which is oversight. Paul says: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers…” (NASB). Please notice that, before an elder can oversee others, he must first “give heed” (pay attention to, be on guard) to his own life. There must always be consistency between what he does and what he says (his “walk” must match his “talk”).
Notice also that his oversight is “among” the flock. Peter said the same thing (“the flock among you” – 1 Pet. 5:2) as he warned the elders to not be “lording it over” others (1 Peter 5:3). Elders do not function out of a higher position. They are servant leaders. Their oversight is exercised within the Body and not “over” it.
And notice as well that their ministry is not something appointed to them by men or even by themselves. It is Holy Spirit that has made them overseers. Paul warned Timothy to “not lay hands upon anyone too hastily” (1 Tim. 5:22). Congregations must never get ahead of God in the selection of their elders. They must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and seek to agree with God in whom He selects.
So, what does it mean to be an “overseer”? This is a translation of the Greek word episkopos (from which we get the English word “episcopacy”). It is translated “bishop” in the KJV in 1 Timothy 3:1. But this word has nothing to do with an “office” or ecclesiastical position. It is a reference to the function of an elder. Episkopos comes from two other Greek words. Epi means “over” or “upon.” Skopos means to “look at a goal,” with the idea of being focused. What an overseer does, therefore, is to focus upon the “big picture.” While individual believers need to be focused upon their walk with the Lord and their relationships in the Lord and their ministries for the Lord, overseers must be able to see the congregation as it functions as a whole. They are responsible to see and evaluate the overall health of the Body.
As overseers, they are not to play “Holy Spirit” in people’s lives. Rather, they are to concern themselves with the “big picture” in order to free the others up to pursue Christ. They are not to “over-function” in the Body, but be used of God to help the rest of the congregation to function in the gifts they have received from the Holy Spirit.
But there is a second responsibility of elders that is also critical that we see in Acts 20:38: “To shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (NASB). “Shepherd” can also be translated “pastor.” Again, this is a function and not a position. Also, it is not “their flock” but the blood-bought “church of God” in which they serve. Never can they refer to people in their congregation as “my sheep.” Believers belong to Christ, and Him alone.
What does it mean to “pastor” or “shepherd” God’s flock? In our modern church culture, we tend to view this in terms of leading, guiding, and directing. But leading, guiding and directing are the functions of Christ within His Body. As we look at what a physical shepherd does, we may understand the primary function of a spiritual shepherd.
We are all familiar with the Old Testament story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. The Israelites had been intimidated by the “champion” of the Philistines. David goes to the battle initially to bring food for his brothers, but he ends up volunteering to fight the giant Goliath. King Saul’s response is to point out David’s youthfulness (v. 33). David counters by pointing out what he has done as a shepherd with his father’s sheep (vv. 34-37). Not only did David kill lions that attacked his sheep, but bears as well. The same God who delivered David from the mouths of lions and paws of bears would also deliver him from Goliath.
I believe that the primary function of a shepherd is that of protection. What were the shepherds doing outside of Bethlehem on the night of Christ’s birth? They were “keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). Were they out there, leading, guiding and directing their sheep? No, they were out there in order to protect their sheep from predators. This is what the Holy Spirit is saying through Paul to the Ephesian elders: “Protect the sheep that Christ has bought with His blood.”
Paul then describes the predators who would seek to destroy God’s flock:
“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30) and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30 – NASB).
They are “savage” because they seek to destroy and to consume. A true shepherd seeks to serve the sheep, whereas a wolf desires to please himself. Some wolves will even arise from within the congregation, as Paul warns. They should be easy to spot. While biblical leaders function as servants who point others to Christ, false leaders will seek to “draw away the disciples after them.” Their focus will be upon themselves and upon “their ministry.” Humility will not be evident in their lives, as they will seek preeminence within the congregation.
Jesus also warned us about these wolves near the end of His Sermon on the Mount: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15 – NASB). Our Lord had just commanded us to enter the narrow gate and not the “wide gate.” False prophets were everywhere, steering people away from the narrow gate (which is Christ – see John 10:7).
Jesus warned us that these wolves (inwardly) did look like us (outwardly). How could we tell then if they were wolves? Jesus taught us that we could tell by “their fruits” (Matt. 7:16). As we examine their lives and their doctrines, we are then able to discern their true nature. And the most common fruit that we see in all wolves concerns their doctrine (or teaching) concerning Christ.
Satan so hates Jesus that he
will always have some serious error in his teachings concerning the person and
work of Christ (or Christology). Sometimes the devil will make Jesus fully God,
but not fully man, or sometimes he will make Jesus out to be fully man, but not
fully God. Or, Satan will even teach the Jesus is both, but will teach error
concerning the blood atonement of Christ. A very popular teaching today among
“Word of Faith” preachers is that Jesus’ physical death was not sufficient for
our sins. You see (so they say), sin is a “spiritual” thing, so Jesus had to
die a “soul death” for our spiritual sin during the time He spent in hell after
His crucifixion. And yet we know that “we have redemption through His blood”
(Eph. 1:7) and not through some spiritual act after the blood was shed.
Jesus taught us that these wolves would actually call themselves Christians! In Matthew 7:22, they called Jesus “Lord, Lord,” and they talked about prophesying, about casting out demons, and about miracles, all that they had done in Jesus’ name. Signs and wonders, prophecies, and spiritual warfare do not make one a true teacher in Christ’s kingdom. Only those who exhibit the Spirit’s “fruit” are the ones whom Jesus has sent.
It is no wonder then that the apostle tearfully warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:31: “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears” (NASB). Imagine if Paul would have hung around your town for three years, teaching publicly and in various homes. You think we would have “got it” by then, right? Jesus spent 3 ½ years with His disciples, and yet we know that they understood very little about what they had been taught. In spite of all his teaching, Paul knows that the wolves are coming; therefore, he warns the elders again near the end of his last words with them.
Ecclesiates 1:9 tells us that “there is nothing new under the sun.” As great of a threat that wolves posed to the early church, I believe that they present an even greater danger today. In the first century, they did not have the Internet, there was no radio, they had no “Christian” television, and they published far fewer books. I am appalled to hear some of the heresies and false doctrines that sail through our airwaves. I am even more appalled to see how many millions of believers can be so easily deceived.
Paul wrote regarding Satan that “we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). The devil sometimes operates blatantly, such as in occultism, but in the church he most frequently works by subtly changing the truth in what Paul calls the “doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). Paul was fearful that the enemy’s craftiness might lead our minds “astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). That is what Satan tries to do. He will use deception and nice-sounding words to get our eyes off of Christ and from our pure and simple devotion to Him.
After Paul goes on to describe the false apostles in 2 Cor. 11:4-13, he explains that they look so good because “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (v. 14) and that his servants (the false apostles) “also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (v. 15). The devil is the master of disguises and will use deception to lead us astray. If you try to catch fish, you usually don’t throw a bare hook into the water. Rather, you try to “disguise” the lure to look real in order to tempt a fish to bite. In the same way, Satan’s “wolves” will usually not be as obvious as we’d like them to be. They will disguise themselves and their teachings in order to deceive and “catch” unsuspecting Christians. That is why Jesus and Paul both have warned us: Beware!
As Paul closes his meeting with the Ephesian elders in Miletus, we see a most powerful weapon that the Lord has given to the elders (and all believers) in dealing with false teachers who try to draw away believers unto themselves. Paul called it “the word of His grace, which is able to build you up” (Acts 20:32). When enemies of Christ come into our midst to lead us astray, we must always look to the Scriptures through which the Holy Spirit can guide us into truth.
Paul gives us a good balance in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21. On the one hand, he tells us: “Do not despise prophetic utterances” (v. 20). The Lord, in His sovereignty, may actually speak to His people through a prophetic message. However, we are to always exercise extreme caution when this happens, as Paul writes in verse 21: “But examine everything carefully.” The standard by which we examine these utterances is the Word of God.
Paul also shows this balance in 1 Cor. 14:29 when he writes, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let others pass judgment.” Let the prophets speak (in an orderly fashion, one at a time – v. 31), but be willing to “pass judgment” on what is said. Don’t put God in a box and say that people can never prophesy. But don’t let Satan out of his box and receive whatever is said without examining “everything carefully”!
In describing the characteristics of one who “desires oversight,” Paul wrote that he had to be “apt to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2). He is most likely not referring to an “ability” or “gift” to teach. Rather, Paul is saying that an overseer must know the Word of God well enough to teach it to others. Why? Because the “word of grace” is what builds up. It is what they can use to help protect the sheep of Christ who have been purchased with His precious blood.
So, pray for your elders. Pray that they will always seek to lead by example, with hearts that manifest the life of Christ. May they not seek to “pour their heart into ministry” but allow “ministry to pour from their hearts.” As they seek to protect Christ’s lambs, know that they will often undergo spiritual attacks, so they need your intercession on their behalf.
Also, know that there are wolves everywhere. I believe that we can safely assume that Jesus and Paul were warning us to be paranoid! Jesus said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16 – ESV). May we act innocently in regards to immorality. But in our dealings with the “wolves,” let us be “wise as serpents.” Do not be spiritually naïve about this matter!
And if an elder lovingly shares counsel with you concerning a wolf you may be listening to, please, please, listen to him!
Praise God for Jesus, our Good Shepherd!
Dave Lilligren
March 2007