Who's in your flock?

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. (Acts 20:28)

Paul shared this with the elders of the church in Ephesus as he prepared to leave them for what he knew would be the last time. Paul had poured out his life and his heart to these beloved leaders, and he wanted to leave them with specific words of encouragement, and assignment.

- Keep watch over yourselves
- Keep watch over the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.
- Be shepherds of the church of God - the church He bought with His own blood.

We know that All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17) Knowing that, how can we apply Paul's words recorded in Acts 20?

Keep watch over yourselves...
As a believer and a Jesus follower, I have a responsibility to watch over myself. I have a responsibility to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live a self-conrolled, upright, and godly life in this present age, while I wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for me to redeem me from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)

This "watching over yourself" doesn't by any means require a joyless, tightly wrapped, prudish life. Quite the opposite - there is joy unspeakable in living the self-controlled, upright, and godly life for the glory of Jesus. There is unimaginable joy in surrendering in complete obedience to my Lord - my Saviour - my Jesus.

Keeping watch requires more than behavioral disciplines. What are my attitudes? What are my unspoken longings? What is my heart's desire? What words come out of my mouth? What do my eyes speak even when my mouth is silent? What do my hands and feet say? My wallet?

Watch over your flock...
As a Christian, you have a flock, appointed to you by the Holy Spirit. Read that again: You have a flock. That flock has been appointed to you by the Holy Spirit. And that flock was paid for - redeemed - by the blood of Jesus.

It doesn't matter whether you hold a "leadership position" in your church. It doesn't matter whether you have an official role as teacher, small group leader, small group coach, pastor, ministry leader, etc. If you are in an "official" leadership role, the responsibility is even more pronounced. But every Christian has a flock. Who is in your flock? Your children? Your co-workers? Your friends and neighbors?

Pray on this and ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of who is in your flock. Doesn't it just awe you beyond words that the God of the universe not only knows you by name, but appointed others unto your care? What will you do with that? I pray that you will shepherd them as carefully as you would hold the most precious, delicate jewel!

Be shepherds of the church of God...
The church is the community of Christ-followers. Shepherds watch their sheep. They guard their sheep. They guide them back to safety when they're wandering away. Shepherds love their sheep. The sheep know and love their shepherd. Jesus used shepherds and sheep to demonstrate responsibility and relationship. Although in the United States in 2008 we are not as familiar with a shepherd's daily life and duties, it is not difficult to understand this principle if we spend just a little effort researching the life of a shepherd in Biblical days.

So what does a 2008 shepherd look like? Like a small group leader. Like a mentor. Like a trusted friend. Like a family member. Like me. Like you. Shepherd the church Christ paid for with His blood. It wasn't a cheap purchase - it wasn't "on sale" He paid full price for you. He paid full price for me. Shepherd His purchase!

So honor God with all you've got. Watch yourself. Watch your flock. Shepherd the church. Those are Healthy Habits!