Shepherds After My Own Heart: Chapters 14-15

[stevebraswell]

Laniak closes his book with a focus on shepherd imagery from 1 Peter and Revelation.

First Peter: Here he highlights 3 main themes.

(1) This letter addresses Christians as “aliens and sojourners” which in OT terms, recalls the history of God’s people in exile in Babylon and in need of a “second exodus.” Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, Peter’s readers live as pilgrims, scattered throughout a strange land, but still in need of following God’s guidance, even through times of great trials.

(2) Because Peter’s readers were enduring suffering for their faith, it was helpful to recall for them the example of their Savior Jesus in his suffering. He left them an example in suffering, which was to endure the suffering in humility, even though it was completely undeserved. And that example also brings to mind the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, who suffered unjustly but didn’t open his mouth to complain (as a sheep before his shearers).

(3) When Peter gives a charge to leaders in the church, he uses the shepherd imagery again in charging them to shepherd God’s flock under their care. Jesus is cast as the “chief Shepherd” so the church leaders serve as undershepherds.

Revelation: There are two main themes highlighted from this unique NT book.

(1) Jesus is both a royal figure (king, lion, shepherd) but also a suffering figure (a slain sacrificial lamb). Most of us don’t think of the most powerful rulers of our society as sufferers but as victorious conquerers. Jesus is different. Yes, he is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” and is considered to be the prototype for a messianic and kingly figure who rules in righteousness the way God intended all rulers to rule. But he is also a slain Lamb who purchases people with the blood of his self-sacrifice.

(2) While the first image focuses on the identity of Jesus, the second image focuses on the response of God’s people. In the OT, it was the Israelites who camped in the wilderness and needed signs of God’s presence and guidance. In Revelation, it is God’s eschatological people who need to follow the Lamb and need his special guidance and protection in times of great persecution. What they are ultimately promised is God himself living (camping) among them. They don’t need an outward sign of that divine presence (like a temple) because God himself is there as their temple. God’s presence among God’s people is what is celebrated in the Feast of Tabernacles, and when God is tabernacling among you, you have the ultimate cause for celebration!

Reflection: Both of these NT books are addressed to Christian people living under the threat of persecution, and both of them offer words of encouragement to their readers, calling on them to hang in there and remain faithful, even when times are the toughest. For Peter, that call to remain faithful included a call to follow the example of the suffering Jesus. For Revelation, that call reminded them that indeed Jesus suffered too, but that also he was exalted after that suffering and was the very one who could promise them God’s continued guidance and presence. Obviously, Jesus is the prototype of God’s great leader, but he looks very different from many leaders in our day, including leaders in the church. Who are the “successful” leaders in the church today? By and large, they are considered to be the pastors who have worked their way up to now be the pastors of the largest megachurches in the land—no matter how they treat the “little people” and no matter what they may or may not know about suffering. I myself don’t aspire to be a megachurch pastor (and I also don’t aspire to unnecessarily throw stones at them), but I do think it’s very difficult for us in western consumerist American evangelical society to not have our views of leadership shaped more by today’s successful elite than by Jesus!