Willing Shepherds

Mar 8, 2026 • Trent Casto

Shepherding was hard and generally thankless work. And that is exactly the image the Bible uses for spiritual leadership. Consequently, shepherds can be prone to shepherd selfishly rather than sacrificially. How do we overcome this?

Sermon Outline:

I. The Shepherd’s Perspective.

II. The Shepherd’s Calling.

III. The Shepherd’s Reward.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Think of a leader in your life who modeled sacrificial shepherding. What did that look like practically, and how did it affect you?

2. How does remembering that the people we lead ultimately belong to God change the way we treat them in the church, in our families, or in places where we have influence?

3. Peter addresses three vices shepherds face: sloth, desire for gain, lust for power. Which of these do you think is most common today, and why? Where might you personally feel the pull of one of these?

4. In what ways do you find your service drifting from love for Christ toward mere habit or obligation? What practices help you return to that first love?

5. How does keeping eternity in view practically change the way you approach discouraging or thankless seasons of serving others?