Friday

Related Verses
Heb. 13:20-21
20 Now the God of peace, He who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of an eternal covenant,
21 Perfect you in every good work for the doing of His will, doing in us that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Pet. 5:4
4 And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Matt. 24:45-47
45 Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time?
46 Blessed is that slave whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
47 Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his possessions.

Matt. 25:21
21 His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.

1 Thes. 5:14
14 And we exhort you, brothers, Admonish the disorderly, console the fainthearted, sustain the weak, be long-suffering toward all.

Gal. 6:1-2
1 Brothers, even if a man is overtaken in some offense, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, looking to yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ completely.

Related Reading
Shepherding works. We should not desire to be giant speakers to make a name for ourselves. People may be attracted to come to listen to us, but who will take care of them afterward? The way of having large gospel campaigns does not work…We may have big gospel meetings with many people, but eventually not many of them are added to the church. Also, we should not use famous or well-known people to testify in our meetings. This will not save people to be added to the church…The way that can save people effectively must be by small vital groups, and everyone in this small vital group must be a shepherd. After a short time the church will be revived. No other way is more prevailing than this shepherding way. (CWWL, 1994–1997, vol. 4, “Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John,” p. 451) 

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For the shepherding of the saints, there must be the healthy teaching in the vital groups. In 1 Timothy 3:2 Paul says that an elder should be apt to teach. Teaching here is similar to parents’ teaching their children. An elder must be apt to render this kind of home teaching to the members of a local church. 

I hope that we would pray, “Lord, I want to be revived. From today I want to be a shepherd. I want to go to feed people, to shepherd people, and to flock people together.” In John 10 and 21 the Lord used three words concerning shepherding: feed, shepherd, and flock. He said, “Feed My lambs,” and, “Shepherd My sheep” (21:15-16). He also said, “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must lead them also, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd” (10:16). The other sheep are the Gentile believers who would be joined together with the Jewish believers to be one flock. The Lord used the word flock here as a noun. I also like to use it as a verb. We should learn to feed, to shepherd, and to flock together. All the churches have to learn how to flock together so that they can be blent together. In the atmosphere of flocking, people are subdued, convinced, nourished, and stirred up by the Lord. All the nearby churches should be flocked together for the saints to be shepherded and stirred up. The elders and co-workers should take the lead to practice this. 

In view of the eternal economy of God, there is the tendency through the whole writing of John to have the church of God issuing in the Body of Christ for the accomplishment of God’s eternal economy. Its judicial section qualifies and positions the believers to carry out its organic section by the divine life of the processed and consummated Triune God. But today most Christians are just lingering in its judicial section and are satisfied with it, paying very little attention to its organic section and missing the critical point of the fulfillment of the eternal economy of God. The critical need of the Lord’s recovery today is not to be held back by the satisfaction of the judicial section but to press forward to carry out the organic section so that there may be the possibility of accomplishing the eternal economy of God. 

The only way for us to take is the way in the Lord’s recovery…We must rise up to seek after the Lord so that we can be the overcomers to bring forth the building up of the Body of Christ. Then the Lord will have a way to consummate this age and to bring in His kingdom to celebrate His wedding day for His pleasure and satisfaction. Eventually, this will consummate His eternal goal, the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. (CWWL, 1994–1997, vol. 4, “Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John,” pp. 451-453) 

Further Reading: CWWL, 1994–1997, vol. 4, “Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John,” ch. 13