So watch over your sheep.
So as pastors, you know, it's not just about feeding,
but it's also about watching over, watching over what?
Well, their spiritual life, you know,
watching over them when they're sick
and taking care of them and things like that,
watching over them with prayer.
In 1 Peter 5, 2, part B, it says,
taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
but willingly, not of filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
So as a pastor, we're supposed to take the oversight.
We're supposed to watch over the sheep.
And as a pastor, our job is to watch the flocks
that we oversee, not other people's flocks,
but the flock that we oversee.
So Brother Joe, you're gonna be Pastor Jones soon.
And you know, your job is to watch over your church,
the church in Boise that you're gonna be ordained
to watch over.
But that's, you know, it's not my job to come down here
and tell other people what they're doing.
That's Pastor Jimenez's job.
So, but you know, it's important that,
Jesus thought it was important to watch over the sheep
and to take care of them.
Even if there was 100 sheep and one of them goes missing,
he said, I'm gonna go get that one.
And I'm gonna rejoice over them.
So when people get backslidden, you know,
as a pastor, that's the worst thing
that really just eats me up when I see someone
beginning to get backslidden.
And people get backslidden.
And it's like, you know, I had such high hopes
and I'm just hoping that this person just pulls out of this
and you'll preach sermons to try to encourage them to stay.
But sometimes they just won't.
But you know, the thing is, is that Jesus said,
go after that person anyway,
and try to bring them back into the fold.
As pastors, we're supposed to visit
the sheep that go astray.
Look at Matthew chapter 18.
Turn to Matthew chapter number 18.
Matthew chapter number 18, verse 12.
The Bible says, how think ye if a man have 100 sheep
and one of them be gone astray,
doth he not leave the 99 and goeth into the mountains
and seek that which has gone astray?
And if it be so that he find it,
verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep
than the 99 which went not astray.
I am the good shepherd,
the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
But he that is in hireling and not at the shepherd
whose own the sheep are not,
seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep
and fleeth and the wolf catcheth them
and scattereth the sheep.
The hireling fleeth because he is in hireling
and careth not for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep
and am known of mine.
Excuse me.
So what's Jesus saying?
He's saying, go get that sheep.
Go get that lost sheep and bring them in.
Bring them back to the fold if you can.
Now obviously some people just get backslidden
and they're going to find any excuse
to get out of church that they can.
And it's like nothing you do is going to help.
But hey, at least you can say, hey, I tried.
As a pastor, I tried to do my job.
I tried to watch over the sheep.
I tried to bring them back into the fold.
And God's going to be well pleased with that.
That's on them at that point.
But if you never try, you know,
Jesus, he doesn't teach that.
He teaches the pastors we should go
and watch over our sheep and take care of them.