There are times in the life of God’s people when they need counsel. There are times, often when they least expect it, that the child of God seems far from God and in deep distress. Troubles may overwhelm his soul and depression may separate him from the joy of his salvation.

These times fall not only on the “older” genera­tions but also on covenant youth. Lost job. Marks that are bad. A dislike of school especially the authority of the teachers. Bad attitudes. Sins of gross proportion drag into deep holes of gloom. Didn’t make the team. Confused. Hurt. Don’t know which career is for a Christian. The list could go on and on. Surprisingly as it may seem, this list or the results of what this list suggests can become work for those called to feed the flock of God. God has placed in His Church overseers called to feed the flock, to take heed to their spiritual care.

As a young person, you are a part of God’s flock, His Church.

Have you ever observed the feeding of livestock?

At a time, which is usually the same every day a farmer will begin his routine of feeding his animals. Whether he raises chickens, cows, horses or sheep, there are certain things which he does each time which will give the signal to the animals what is about to happen.

When its feeding time, the animals are hungry.

When this time comes, the farmer is prepared to give some food which is right and proper nourishment for his particular type of animal.

He has a place where the grain or silage is stored. And a means by which it is placed before his livestock. Let’s take sheep for example. They may be in another part of the barnyard or holding pen. When they see their keeper coming with the same food in the same way he did the day before and the day before that, they come running from wherever they are to get the nourishment that they need.

They come. They come running. They know inwardly that they need his help through his providing them with their food.

Feed the flock. The flock of God.

Such is the admonition given to the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ. Look at I Peter 5:2 where we read “Feed the flock of God which is among you, tak­ing the oversight thereof.” This article is about that. The nourishment, the care of, the helping of the peo­ple of God. It is also about their need of that care and their recognizing of that need and coming to the elders for a filling of that need.

The Scriptures use this picture many times when it refers to the elders and their relationship to the church which they are placed as overseers. Look at Acts 20:28 where Paul tells the Ephesian elders to “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God.” It also uses this figure in I Peter 2:4 referring to the returning Christ as the Chief Shepherd.

Christ, the Chief Shepherd, has entrusted His sheep to under-shepherds, your elders. They are called to watch over souls. Not just any souls, but those only of the Church of Jesus Christ. Your soul. That is a dif­ficult task for them. They know that they each have their own weaknesses which they must constantly be battling with, plus the added responsibility of watch­ing for weaknesses in members of the body of Christ. Your elders sometimes lie awake nights grieving for the fact that one of the sheep is not acting like a sheep but is going away from the flock and is not feeding with the other sheep. They can grow weary in the strain of the demands of dealing with the needs of a congregation. But they know that they must give an accounting someday to the Chief Shepherd and they desire to do that with joy in that day.

Your elders know too, that you are watching them. I Peter 5:3 says being examples to the flock. Shep­herds would never lead sheep down a dangerous path. They would never go anywhere or do anything to endanger the sheep. Shepherds know that the sheep will follow them. The sheep trust them. The sheep are accustomed to his faithful watering and feeding at a certain time of the day and are always aware of what the shepherd is doing. The elder lives with that thought, too, every day. He has to conform his own life to set standards and live and practice them each day so that he himself is a fit leader of the sheep. He scru­tinizes his own actions so that they do not conflict with his calling to feed the flock entrusted to his care. It takes work. And God uses weak vessels upon which He bestows the honor of flock feeder. Your elders have to often struggle against themselves to accomplish their tasks.

But what about you, the sheep? We have very briefly discussed the elder in his relationship to the flock entrusted to their care. We have also seen that they labor in weaknesses of their own. Do you trust them with your care? Would you obey such weak men?

The Apostle Paul in Hebrews I: 17 doesn’t give the option of even asking the question of whether or not to give them our trust or obedience. He puts it this way: Obey them! They rule over you. Submit yourselves to them! For they watch for your souls. No options. No choice. Alright, you say, “I’ll obey them. But how do I submit myself to them?” We have been drawing from our example of a shepherd caring for a flock of sheep to make certain points of the relationship of elders to the members of the body of Christ. To continue to use that analogy we may notice that sheep stay in the flock.

It is important that young people feel a part of the Church in which they have a name and place. The Body of Christ is in need of them also to be complete. They must see it as their calling, especially as those who profess belief in a Covenant of fellowship and friendship with the living God, to find their strength in the fellowship and communion of the saints. Christ, through the elders and teaching elder, your pastor, calls you to worship each Lord’s Day and on special occasions. You submit yourselves to them and through them to Christ by being present at these wor­ship services.

In the second place, your elders come to call at least once each year in what the Reformed tradition knows as Family Visitation. It is important that you are there, too. In this way, you submit yourselves to the inspection of the elders. They do this work to put their finger on the pulse of the congregation in their own homes. They are there to bring the Word to each family in their own specific circumstances of life. They are not prying into your life, but taking heed to the flock, watching for your soul for which they must give account.

In the third place, you submit yourselves to them by faithfully attending catechism. This too, is a means by which God gives grace to His people as they grow in the knowledge of Him. The consistory visits these classes now and then thereby showing that they are also responsible for the instruction there.

Finally, a way in which you submit yourselves to them is when you find that you cannot speak to your parents or anyone else about something that is plagu­ing you, and you need to speak to someone. Of course, the pastor is there and by all means you should seek his counsel but your elders are, too. Make use of these men and their gifts. They are called by God to labor in His church with weaknesses but also strengths which they will use to listen with concern to your problems and give counsel. True it is that they must earn your trust. They are not to be busy-bodies with the secrets of others. Shame on them if they violate that trust, but shame on the flock as well if they let this notion keep them from confiding in their elders.

In conclusion then, we know that God, in the building of His Church has promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against her. With the faithful preachers of the Word He has given overseers entrust­ed with keeping the preached Word pure. Feeders of the flock who must feed the flock by watching for their souls as they that must give account in the judgment day. We believe too, that it is profitable for God’s peo­ple to obey and submit themselves to the good rule of the Elders. The Presbyterian preacher Samuel Miller, around the turn of the 19th century left these thoughts as to our calling towards one another as elders and members of the church: “Every considera­tion which has been urged to show the importance and duties belonging to the office of Ruling Elders ought to remind you of the important duties which you owe to them.”

Remember, at all times, that they are your ecclesi­astical rulers: rulers of your own choice, yet by no means coming to you in virtue of mere human author­ity but in the name and by the appointment of the great Head of the Church and, of course, the ministers of God to you for good. In all your views and treatment of them, then, recognize this character. Obey them in the Lord, that is, for His sake, and as far as they bear rule agreeably to His Word. Esteem them daily with your prayers, that God would bless them, and make them a blessing. Reverence them as your leaders. Bear in mind the importance of their office, the arduous­ness of their duties, and the difficulties with which they have to contend. Countenance and sustain them in every act of fidelity; make allowance for their infir­mities; and be not unreasonable in your expectations from them.

May God grant His blessing upon the feeding of His flock.