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2 Corinthians 10-11: Attributes of a True Shepherd
October 14, 2025 · 16 min
Explore the four key attributes of a true shepherd as highlighted by Paul in 2 Corinthians.
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Traits of a True Shepherd 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Well, we are nearing the end of yet another book on our journey through the Bible as we come to second Corinthians chapters 10 and 11 today. And by the way,0:21 this journey is gonna be over before you know it. We are rapidly moving through the New Testament, and, lord willing, we're gonna do it again. So I encourage you to be thinking about those that might benefit from what0:32 you've experienced on this journey, being in the word of god every day, the encouragement, the strength, the guidance that comes from it. And so we're gonna have some some resources available where you can send out0:42 invitations and invite others to, join us on this next journey. So be thinking about who you might want to invite. Alright. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 18, for not he who commends himself is0:54 approved, but whom the lord commends. In these 2 chapters, Paul is defending his apostolic and pastoral authority by contrasting his conduct with those, with1:05 that of the false teachers and apostles who were trying to undermine his ministry to the Corinthians. He underscores the attributes here in these 2 2 chapters of of a true shepherd, which are1:17 found, obviously, in in the chief shepherd himself, that being Jesus Christ. I've kind of extracted 4 major, attributes from these 2 chapters. Number 1 is meek and1:29 manner. Mighty in mission is number 2. Number 3 is measured in ministry, and number 4 is marked by message. We're gonna look at those as we go through these 2 chapters. Verse 1 in verse 10.1:41 Now I, Paul, myself, am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent in bold towards you. Alright. So Paul's1:53 saying, look, I'm meek in manner like Jesus. Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 to 30, Jesus said, this come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon2:05 you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. So the manner of a shepherd is is meekness. Now2:17 meekness is is an attitude. Gentleness is the action that results from that meekness, but the foundation for both is humility. Jesus said, I am gentle and lowly in2:29 heart. It is the humility is the foundation for both meekness and gentleness. Now meekness is often confused with weakness. That's not what it is. The the might of a pastor is not2:40 found in his manner, but in the accomplishment of his mission. Verse 2, but I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be2:52 bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. Now Paul was apparently a smaller guy and not intimidating physically and, not,3:04 he just didn't have that, I would think, presence. Now we don't know, but this is kinda what we take away from the reading of him in the scripture. But he said in verse 3 now this is important. He says, for though we3:16 walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in god for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and3:28 every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. So he3:40 was he was mighty in the mission. They had accused Paul of walking after the flesh, seeking to personally gain from his apostleship. And he says those folks are going to find out that while3:52 we walk in the flesh, we do not walk according to the flesh. And what's more, he says, we don't war according to the flesh. Our weapons are spiritual, and their might and their power is4:04 finding God. So they better watch out. Now keep in mind here that the battle we're talking about here is inside the church. The mission of the shepherd operating in the power of4:16 god is to confront that which is opposed to god. Now that means we have to know what god is is for, meaning we gotta be in the word of God. It's not just swinging wildly. And I think today, we have some who have,4:29 self appointed they're self appointed to go after anything and everything they disagree with. I think we've gotta be very careful about that, and Paul, is is taking on those inside4:41 the church that are opposed to the things of god, pulling down strongholds. Those places where those who opposed to god are entrenched. Okay? And and and4:53 he I think he's making reference here. He's casting down the arguments or the wisdom of men and the high places. Most likely a reference to the Acropolis that's where, you know, all the the the wisdom of5:05 men, all the argumentation, all that, the the wisdom of men, and then the temple of Aphrodite that overlook the city of Corinth. You know, these false idols, the demonic activity, bringing every5:16 thought, every mind into the obedience of Christ. So what are our spiritual weapons that Paul's talking about here? Now he unpacks that more over in Ephesians chapter 6, but it's our spiritual armor.5:28 It's truth. It's righteousness. It's salvation. It's the gospel. It's faith. It's prayer. It's fasting. It's the word of god. Those are our spiritual weapons. So we have to know them, have to use them. Alright. Verse 7.5:40 Do you think or do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convincing himself that he is Christ, let him again consider this in himself that just as he is5:52 Christ, even so we are Christ. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not6:04 be ashamed, lest I seem to terrify you by letters. For his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible. So that's kinda that reference6:15 of, you know, he he he just didn't have that presence in in his person, but his letters are weighty and powerful. Verse 11, let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by6:27 letters when we are absent, such we will be, such we will also be indeed when we are present. For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves,6:40 but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. You see, our standard, the benchmark that we measure ourselves by is Jesus Christ and the word. We,6:52 however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which god appointed us, a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending7:04 ourselves as though our authority did not extend to you, for it was to you that we came with the gospel of of Christ, not boasting of things beyond measure that is in another man's labors, but having hope7:16 that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere. To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another man's7:28 fear of accomplishment. But he who glories, let him glory in the lord. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the lord commends. So he he's they're measured in7:40 ministry. Paul makes clear that he respects he has a respect for authority. He knows he's been given a lane to walk in, so to speak, his fear. You know, like like Jesus. Jesus, he respected the authority, the authority7:51 of the father. He respected the limits of his ministry. He didn't think he was the only 1 out there doing the work. Focuses on the ministry to what is before8:03 him before trying to expand his reach. It was not superficial. He wasn't saying, look, as as we see the fruit of this ministry with you, we know that beyond that, we're able to build upon it. So it wasn't just about, you8:15 know, being able to to go out and create this huge ministry. It was about the the depth of the ministry. And and and and this is important too. It was not about his ministry, but it was about8:27 his ministry. He noticed I mean, he he said that he who glories, let him glory in the lord. And it's that's what Jesus did. You know? Jesus,8:39 he came to bring glory to the father. Alright. Final, the model shepherd like Jesus is marked by the message. So he's measured in ministry, meaning8:51 he he operates in authority. He knows his lane. He he knows his as Paul would use the analogy of the body, he he's called to a certain part of the body to9:03 to benefit the whole. But the as I mentioned, finally, the the model shepherd like Jesus is marked by the message verse 17. What I speak, I speak not according to the lord, but as it were foolishly in this9:15 confidence of boasting. So what he's saying what what what he says he's about to do, Jesus did not do. Right? And that is he needed to put the facts before them so that9:27 they can have a fair comparison. And so he he's he's basically going to list his credentials as a as a minister, as a as 1 who's been taking forth the9:39 gospel so that they could compare that to these false teachers that were coming in. Verse 18, seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. Alright? Let's compare apples to apples.9:51 Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews, 5 times,10:03 I received 40 stripes minus 1. 3 times, I was beaten with rods. Once, I was stoned. 3 times, I was shipwrecked. A night and a day, I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in10:15 perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among10:26 false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness, sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and darkness, besides the10:38 other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches. Now who would wanna travel with Paul? I mean, this guy has been through it all. Who is weak? And I am I not10:50 weak? Who is made to stumble and do not burn with indignation? The opposition that continually confronted Paul because the message he spoke marked11:02 the the the authentic nature of his message. Alright? So it was the fact that he was preaching the truth brought this opposition continually upon11:14 him everywhere he went. He was marked by the message. Remember what Jesus said when he was accused of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to11:26 destruction. In other words, Satan will not oppose himself. He will oppose the truth against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. So Jesus, he was marked11:38 by his message. His hands were pierced with the nails and his side with the spear. The message, the response to the message, the opposition, if you're preaching the truth, if you're living11:50 out the truth, you're going to draw opposition. And so we're marked by the message. Several years ago, when I when I first arrived here in DC, I was, invited to, meet with,12:02 and this has been years ago, a couple decades ago, then house, majority whip Roy Blunt. He's now since retired. He went on the senate. He's he's retired from the state of Missouri. The meeting was in his12:14 office in in the capital. And during our visit that day, I noticed that there was this bust of a man sitting on the windowsill overlooking the vast expanse of the the western front of the capital. And,12:26 you could see in the distance the, Washington Monument. It's pretty it was pretty impressive office and a view. And as we were, concluding our our meeting, I inquired about who this man was, this bust.12:38 And in the bust depicts a man dressed in a high collared garment partially covered, by a gracefully draped cloak. His shirt and the cloak are decorated with crosses and a and a half12:50 hidden round object, perhaps a metal, and it's attached to the left of his collar by by a ribbon. To this day, actually, no 1 knows the name of the13:02 the man in the bust or or the origins of the bust. It was found in a closet, and I did some research on it, and Roy helped me with this, that in in in the it was found in a closet in the capital13:14 in 19 13. And there were several attempts made to identify the man. Newspaper articles in 19 30, 19 60, and 19 79 prompted hundreds of suggestions as people wrote in.13:27 All that is known about this bust is that it is a member of the clergy, a pastor, and the clothing and the hairstyle suggest it was a man in the mid 18 hundreds. And as I thought about it,13:39 you know, it it, it it struck me. It seemed very fitting that the only unknown statue standing in the halls of our nation's capital is that of a pastor, a shepherd.13:51 Fitting because a true shepherd is meek in manner, not seeking the spotlight of of glory, but he is mighty in his mission. His presence on the field of14:03 spiritual battle is known. He is measured in ministry knowing the limits of his authority, but he's marked by the message. He's not seeking to make himself known, but seeking14:15 to make Christ known. These are the traits of a true shepherd, but they're also the traits of a true follower of Jesus Christ, traits that you and I should be14:26 cultivating in our lives each and every day. Father, we thank you for your word, and we thank you for the apostle Paul. We thank you for how you used him, lord. But14:38 we also take note of, lord, how his what his what marked his ministry, or that he did operate in in meekness. Lord, he, we see that he14:50 carried the marks of his message. And and, Lord, when when we see that in your servants, we gain a better understanding of, Lord, what we will encounter as we too15:02 seek to follow you and to speak your truth and to live out your truth that there will be opposition. Give us the strength to continue to operate in that meekness and that humility,15:14 lord, with a depth of strength that comes not from our power, but is mighty and powerful in you, tearing down the strongholds. Lord, as we15:26 take every thought, every mind captive through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So we pray and ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Thanks15:38 for joining me this morning, and until next time. Keep standing on the word.15:45 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you15:57 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Traits of a True Shepherd
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