Acts 20:28-32
Comparing God’s people and the church to a flock is a common image in the Holy Scriptures. One example is Acts 20:26-32, where the apostle Paul makes his address to the Ephesian elders. In the entire book of the Acts of the Apostles, this is the only speech of Paul directed to Christians. At this time he was travelling from Corinth to Jerusalem, and along the way he stopped in places where there were churches, such as Philippi and Troas. In Miletus he had summoned the ministers of Ephesus in order to exhort them and to say his farewell. In this address he says:
26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. (Acts 20:26-27)
The apostle Paul had fulfilled his responsibility to them. He was one of the founders of the church at Ephesus. He taught for two years in the Bible school he himself had formed there (Acts 19:9-10). He neither hid nor distorted the revealed will of God. But now he was on his way to Jerusalem, where he knew he would be arrested and made to testify for his Lord before governors and kings, and even before the emperor himself in Rome. So, like a faithful missionary who has completed his mission, he was leaving the newly formed churches and handing them over into the hands of the pastors and elders, who from this moment on would be responsible for them.
Before he gave his specific charge, the apostle Paul wanted to be sure that they would be keenly aware of the responsibility they had taken on as church leaders.
28 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)
Notice a few things in this verse. First, here Christ (as in Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8) is called “God.” He is the God “which he bought with his own blood.” He is the head and the owner of the church. The pastors and elders are only its stewards.
Second, the church is priceless; it is holy, because it has been “bought” by God at the cost of the blood of the only begotten Son of God. In all the world there is nothing more precious than the church. And so the responsibility of those to whom this church is entrusted is enormous. But on the other hand, the punishment for those who destroy God’s church will also be severe.
Third, the church of God is called a “flock.” Perhaps the apostle Paul uses precisely this metaphor because it best helps him to describe the dangers that threaten the church and its enemies.
After this solemn charge, the apostle Paul gives his warning.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30)
Here are the enemies of God’s flock. Here is who it must be defended against. On the one hand there are the “savage wolves” — the false teachers who attack from the outside. On the other hand there are people whom I call “goats” — these are Christians who were once part of the flock itself, but who at a certain point fell into error. Because of the influence they have, however, when they turn aside from the truth they do not leave the church alone, but begin to influence others as well — perhaps even founding their own “churches.” Such people do not lead God’s flock after Jesus, but “after themselves.” I would say that at certain moments, as a threat, they are even more dangerous than the wolves, because they do not come from the outside but rise up from within the church itself.
After speaking about God’s flock and about its enemies, the apostle Paul also gives them direction on how they can survive and preserve their churches.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:31-32)
First of all, since we know how precious God’s church is and how dangerous and cunning its enemies are, we must “be on our guard.” This means being very attentive to what thoughts pass through our heads and to what is happening with the church.
Then, for protection from the wolves and the goats, the apostle Paul directs the church elders to turn to God’s Word. It possesses a supernatural ability to build up believers and to “give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
So the text we are considering can quite naturally be divided into three parts. The first deals with God’s flock; the second, with its enemies; and the third, with the directions for guarding against God’s enemies.
Here, at the very outset, I would like to stress that classifying people as “sheep,” “shepherd,” “sheepdog,” “wolf,” and “goat” is only relative. I am simply holding up before you the mirror of God’s Word so that each one may see where he stands. None of these positions, however, is final. In a local church a sheep can become a “sheepdog,” and a “sheepdog” a “goat.” Even a “wolf,” if he sincerely repents (although this happens exceedingly rarely), can become a “sheep.” But with God nothing is impossible! So my aim is not to attach labels that are irreversible, but to challenge each one to be in the right place in God’s flock and not to allow himself to become an enemy of God.
GOD’S FLOCK
Before we examine the enemies of God’s flock, let us pause briefly on the flock itself. It is made up of people whom we may relatively call “sheep,” “shepherds,” and “sheepdogs.” Within it there is a hierarchy. The sheepdogs must submit to the shepherds, and the sheep — to both the shepherds and the sheepdogs. All of this is as it should be, because at the foundation of harmony and unity stands order. And at the foundation of order stands submission to the authorities that God has appointed.
SHEEP
As God says in Ezekiel 34:31, all His people are “the sheep of God’s pasture.”
31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 34:31)
Generally speaking, all in God’s flock, even the shepherds and the sheepdogs, are first of all “sheep,” because all must follow their Lord. In John 21 we see that Peter was to be a shepherd — Christ appointed him as one — but he also had to be a sheep who follows her shepherd, Jesus Christ. There Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep,” but a little further down in the same chapter He said to him, “You follow me.”
To be one of God’s sheep is not degrading but blessed. This is so because, if the Lord is our shepherd, then, as Psalm 23 says, we will lack nothing. We will be satisfied and protected in every respect. Here is what David said about this (Psalm 23:1-4):
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4)
If the Lord is your shepherd, you are blessed, because a sheep without a shepherd is truly a pitiful picture. It is lost, defenseless, and condemned to death. In Matthew 9:36 we read:
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:36-38)
Why does a sheep need a shepherd? Have you ever seen a sheep? Unlike a dog, it has no sense of direction. It sees only a few meters in front of itself and almost never knows where it is. It can see only the other sheep and walk after them. Besides that, a sheep has no natural self-defense — it has neither the agility to run away nor teeth and claws with which to wound its foe. In exchange, it has good hearing and can remember the voice of the shepherd or the sound of his flute.
In John 10:1-5 Jesus Christ told the following parable:
1 Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. (John 10:1-5)
According to verse 4, the good shepherd does not walk behind the sheep with a staff to chase them and beat them when they stray, but walks ahead of the flock. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. Brother Stoyko once told me about a flute player famous in the past from Dolno Ezerovo, who was a very good shepherd. He led his sheep by walking ahead of the flock and playing on his flute. Once, when he was in the local tavern, one of the well-to-do men asked him to play on his flute. The shepherd refused, on the grounds that if he began to play, the whole flock would come into the tavern. They made a bet. They opened the door of the tavern, the man began to play, and before long the whole flock started pressing at the door to get inside. This is a wonderful example of the sheep’s ability to remember and follow the voice of its shepherd. May God help us to know and follow in the same way the voice of the local pastor, who is Christ’s gift to the church here (Ephesians 4:11-16).
SHEPHERDS
When we understand the character of the sheep, we understand why it needs a shepherd. And when we speak of shepherds, I must say right away that the “Great Shepherd of the sheep” of the catholic or universal church is one and only one — the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:20). In John 10:11 He said:
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
But when it comes to the local church, its pastor is the one whom God has called, equipped, and set into this ministry. Like the apostle Peter, to whom after His resurrection the Lord said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:16-17).
In our passage we see that the responsibility of the shepherds, who represent the pastors and elders, is twofold. On the one hand they must “feed” the flock, that is, teach it in the truth of Christ’s doctrine. By the way, we should know that the word “pastor” comes from the Latin word that means “shepherd.” In the New Testament the words “pastor,” “bishop,” and “elder” mean the same thing. In 1 Peter 5:1-4 the apostle Peter, who was himself a pastor and elder, addresses the other elders and says the following:
1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:1-4)
On the other hand, the shepherds of the church must “guard” the flock — to recognize the false teachers and the various other spiritual threats and to warn the ordinary believers about them. The true shepherd defends his flock. As Psalm 23:4 says, he has a rod — a mark of authority, and a staff — a weapon with which to deal with the wolves. According to John 10:12, if he does not do this, then he is a hired hand and is not doing his work well.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. (John 10:12)
The motives for the shepherd to do his difficult, and sometimes heavy, work are two. On the one hand, there is the price with which his flock was gathered — the precious blood of God’s Lamb; and on the other, the fact that they were called to their ministry by the Holy Spirit. There can hardly be greater motives than these (Acts 20:28).
28 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)
SHEEPDOGS
Besides a staff, or authority, in order to manage his work a shepherd also has helpers — these are the sheepdogs. For the pastor, these are the leaders in the church — his deacons and fellow workers. Just as, when some sheep sets off somewhere, the sheepdogs go to it and nudge it “to get back on the path,” so also the pastor’s fellow workers help him keep his flock in discipline and on the way of the Lord. Just as the sheepdogs fight with the wolves, so also the deacons must exhort with sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it. They are helpers, not enemies, of the pastor.
THE ENEMIES OF GOD’S FLOCK
The enemies of God’s flock can be classified as “wolves” and “goats.”
WOLVES
Acts 20:29 says:
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. (Acts 20:29)
“Wolves” are the false prophets and false teachers. They usually come from the outside and bring false doctrines. In Matthew 7:15 Jesus Christ warns us:
15 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Matthew 7:15)
The false prophets are best described in 2 Peter 2:1-2:
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. (2 Peter 2:1-2)
Even though they are so deceived, according to 2 Timothy 2:24-26 even for them there is a chance to be delivered from the snare of the devil and to cease doing his will.
24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
Even the “opponents” can come to their senses and know the truth, if God grants them saving repentance. Therefore, our attitude toward them must be firm, but at the same time patient.
GOATS
Besides from the outside, there is also a danger to God’s flock from within. Acts 20:30 says:
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:30)
Notice that these people do not come from the outside. On the contrary, they are “from your own number” — these are former leaders in the local churches. I call such people “goats.” The fruit of their activity is that they begin to lead people in the wrong direction.
In the Bible, almost nowhere is anything good said about goats. For example, when in Matthew 25 Jesus speaks of His return and the judgment of the nations, He says that He will separate them one from another “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32). He places the goats on His left, and further down in verse 41 He says to them:
41 Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
Goats are characterized by the fact that they spoil the pasture by eating the grass down to the root and muddying the water of the sheep. In Ezekiel 34:18-19 God turns to them with these words:
18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet? (Ezekiel 34:18-19)
What insolence! Even though they are part of the same flock, the goats harm the sheep.
HOW DOES A SHEEP BECOME A GOAT?
The initial signs are that such a person begins to feel an emotional disappointment with what is old and settled, and an excessive concern for what is new, modern, or acceptable in the eyes of the world. Then such a person ceases to want to conform and align his mind and heart with the established biblical truth. Instead he strives to present the biblical truths as unsettled and elastic, so that he can open a door for the trends of the times. Such a person not only rejects or accepts a particular biblical truth, but ceases to be wholly and deeply oriented toward the Bible. He ceases to be captivated by the great old faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, and instead is enchanted by what is new and innovative. When discipline and humility are lost, along with attention to the Word and joy in it — this is a sign of a believer’s turning from a “sheep” into a “goat.”
HOW DO THE GOATS DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEMSELVES?
First, they pay special attention to them. They listen to them, and show them a false love and concern. In time, however, it becomes evident that their only concern was not to be loving, but to find more supporters in order to prove that they themselves are right. Often the people they target are to some degree embittered. That is why we must not allow bitterness within ourselves. It weakens our spiritual immune system and makes us vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.
Second, they use false prophecies that play on the emotions and provoke believers to leave their church and go to their “church.”
Third, they begin an exaggerated criticism against the former church in order to confirm the opinion of those who have been misled that they are right.
Is there a possibility of change? Definitely. In 2 Timothy 2:20-21 it says:
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
If it is well cleansed, a vessel for common use can be turned into a vessel for special purposes. If some “sheepdog” has become a “goat,” this is not final. If it comes to its senses and changes its behavior, it can be restored to its place in God’s flock. Although, before it becomes a “sheepdog” again, for a time it will have to be a “ram” and prove that it has mended its ways.
HOW ARE WE TO GUARD OURSELVES?
First, we must be especially vigilant. Acts 20:31 says:
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20:31)
We must be on our guard, so that it does not turn out that the labor of our mentors has been in vain. “Watchfulness” is a shepherd’s and a military term. It means “to be on post.” If you are on post and lower your vigilance or fall asleep, this can lead to the enemies slipping through, or to missing the moment in which a given deadly danger could be prevented. That is why our passage begins with the words “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock” and ends with the words “So be on your guard!”
Moreover, if the apostle Paul for three years, night and day, did not cease to teach each one of them with tears, then how much more must we care for our people!
Second, we must check everything against God’s written Word. I call this “the Berean test.” Acts 17:11 says:
11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)
Whatever we hear, we must compare it with the apostolic writings, gathered for us in the New Testament. This is what Paul also told the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:32):
32 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)
Third, we must follow the already established pastors, and not newly hatched impostors. This is so because very often the “goats,” and even the “wolves,” know the Bible very well and can use it to prove their claims. We know that Satan too knows the Bible. That is precisely why ordinary believers must not argue or engage with people who could separate them from the church, but should simply follow their own pastors, whom God has appointed to serve them. This is exactly the sense of the charge that the apostle Paul gives to the Ephesian elders. They must feed God’s flock and guard it. But how are they to care for their people if their people are disobedient and will not listen to a word? That is why Hebrews 13:17 says:
17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. (Hebrews 13:17)