Memorise: “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved” (Habakkuk 2:1)
Read: Jude 1-5
Pastor E. Adebooye
In Luke 2:7-14, the shepherds who kept watch at night received angelic visitation. Not every shepherd received it. The shepherds who had gone home were oblivious of the good tidings. If God has put you over souls of men, you are a shepherd. If you occupy any ministerial office or have been given a ministry gift, you are a shepherd.
While Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd, the pastor is an under-shepherd watching over the flock by day and night. If you are the sleeping shepherd, you will not receive angelic visitations. One reason many leaders have no divine encounters or revelations is because they fail to watch.
Shepherds are meant to watch over their flock. If you cannot watch over the affairs of your flock, you are a phoney. It is only the shepherd who sets time apart to prayerfully watch over the flock while they sleep, that is worth its salt.
God is the Chief Shepherd. He watches over us. He refuses to sleep because of the sheep. As a shepherd over God’s flock, keep sleep out of your eyes to enable you watch over your flock in their unguarded moments. It is when shepherds sleep that enemies sow tares into their sheep.
A true shepherd will not give the devil any space to penetrate his sheep. There are certain areas a shepherd should watch over his sheep. The first is in the area of doctrine. Several false doctrines are flying in the air waves. Today’s reading talks of certain men who sneaked into their midst and polluted the church with false doctrines. They could do so because the shepherd was asleep.
If you are watching over the flock, you will occasionally ask to know what they believe about certain fundamental issues and thereafter use the Word of God to guide them. If the sheep is well taught, there will be no need to listen to false preachers.
Another area the shepherd should watch over the flock is feeding. It is the duty of the shepherd to lead the sheep where they should graze. In John 21:15-17, Jesus reminds us to feed His lambs (young converts) and His sheep. If the shepherd does not make efforts to serve rich, hot, delicious and life transforming meals to the congregation regularly, they will grow with some deficiencies or even starve. Many church members are hungry for the truth of God’s Word.
The Word of God is scarce and can barely sustain their spirit man. As a shepherd, what kind of food are you serving your children? If they are satisfied, there will be no room for the filth of false preachers. Watch over the flock!
As a baby craves the milk from its mother so does the average believer crave the undiluted Word. Don’t give them anything less!
