Evil Pastors and the Good Shepherd

WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:04.280 Lord, we do thank you for your word and the way that it both 2 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:12.839 instructs us and and gives us, gives us words that we might learn how 3 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:18.519 to confess our hearts, how to live in light of you and the things 4 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:23.199 that you are doing. Indeed, you are good and you do good. 5 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:29.039 Please teach us your statutes, and do so tonight, that with our whole 6 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:33.280 heart we might keep your law, that we might delight in your law, 7 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:37.159 I'm even when we are afflicted, even when we struggle. Lord, we 8 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:43.119 has that you would use these things to cause us to learn your will better 9 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:49.119 and to cling to you more through faith alone. We ask that you would 10 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:52.640 bless the reading and preaching of your word tonight, and we pray this in 11 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:58.840 Jesus name. Man, please remain standing, if you're able, and turn 12 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:26.200 your attention with me to Ezekiel, chapter thirty four. Here God speaks to 13 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:30.879 the shepherds of Israel, who are the kings of is real, the leaders 14 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:38.719 of Israel, and he brings a judgment against them, but also promises to 15 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:46.840 provide a better shepherd and a good one. So let's hear Ezekiel thirty four. 16 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.519 The word of the Lord came to me, son of man, prophesied 17 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:53.040 against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, even to the 18 00:01:53.079 --> 00:02:00.000 shepherds, thus says the Lord God, Ah, shepherds of Israel, who 19 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:06.319 have been feeding yourselves, should not shepherds, feed the sheep? You eat 20 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:10.319 the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, 21 00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:15.919 but you do not feed the sheep. The week, you have not 22 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:19.800 strengthened the sick, you have not healed the injured, you have not bound 23 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:23.879 up the strayed, you have not brought back the lost. You have not 24 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:30.360 sought and with force and harshness, you have ruled them so. They were 25 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:35.520 scattered because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild 26 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:39.759 beasts. My sheep were scattered. They wandered all over the mountains and on 27 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:45.360 every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, 28 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:50.719 with none to search or seek for them. Therefore, you shepherds, 29 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:54.039 hear the word of the Lord as I live, declares the Lord God. 30 00:02:54.159 --> 00:03:00.240 Surely because my sheep have become a prey and my sheep have become food for 31 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:04.520 all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds 32 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:07.919 have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves and have 33 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:12.840 not fed my sheep. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the 34 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.520 Lord. Thus says the Lord, God behold, I am against the shepherds 35 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:22.520 and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their 36 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:28.280 feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue 37 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:32.560 my sheep from their mouths and they met me not be food for them. 38 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:37.439 For, thus says the Lord, God behold, I myself will search for 39 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:42.000 my sheep and will seek them out, as a shepherd seeks out his flock 40 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.400 when he is among his sheep that have been scattered. So I will seek 41 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:49.479 out my sheep and I will rescue them from all places where they have been 42 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.759 scattered, on a day of clouds, in thick darkness, and I will 43 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:57.919 bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and I 44 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:00.759 will bring them into their own land and I will feed them on the mountains 45 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:04.840 of Israel, by the ravines and in all the inhabited places of the country. 46 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:09.800 I will feed them with good pasture and on the mountain heights of Israel 47 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:15.199 shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land 48 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:18.319 and on rich pasture. They shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I 49 00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:24.519 myself will be the shepherd of my sheep and I myself will make them lie 50 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:29.439 down. Declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost and I will 51 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:32.639 bring back the straid and I will bind up the injured and I will weaken 52 00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:38.399 the strengthen the weak and the fat and the Destrong, I will destroy, 53 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:44.120 I will feed them in justice. As for you, my flock, thus 54 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:47.240 says the Lord God, behold I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams 55 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:51.560 and male goats. Is it enough for you to feed on the good pastor 56 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:56.399 that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastor and to 57 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.600 drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with 58 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:02.639 your feet? and must my sheep, eat what you have trodden with your 59 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:08.160 feet and drink what you have muddied with your feet? Therefore, thus says 60 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:12.519 the Lord God, to them behold I, I myself will judge between the 61 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:16.839 fat sheep and the lean sheep, because you push and side and shoulder and 62 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:23.319 thrust at all the week with your horns till you have scattered them abroad. 63 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:28.560 I will rescue my flock. They shall no longer be a prey and I 64 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:33.279 will judge between sheep and sheep and I will set up over them one shepherd, 65 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:38.759 my servant David, and he shall feed them. He shall feed them 66 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:42.680 and be their shepherd, and I, the Lord, will be their God 67 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:47.000 and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am Yah. Way 68 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:55.800 I have spoken. I will make with them a covenant of peace and Banish 69 00:05:55.879 --> 00:06:00.480 Wild Beast from the lands so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and 70 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:03.879 sleep in the woods. And I will make them and all the places around 71 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:08.920 my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season. 72 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:14.120 They shall be showers of blessing and the trees of the field shall yield 73 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:17.839 their fruit and the Earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure 74 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:23.399 in their land and they shall know that I am the Lord when I break 75 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:27.040 the bars of their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslave 76 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:30.199 them. They shall no more be a prey to the nation's no, nor 77 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:35.639 shall beasts over the land devour them. They shall dwell securely and none shall 78 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:42.480 make them afraid, and I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they 79 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:46.160 shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land and no longer suffer the 80 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:49.800 reproach of the nations. And they shall know that I am the Lord, 81 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:54.680 their God, with them, that and that they, the House of Israel, 82 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:59.040 are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, 83 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:03.519 human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the 84 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:35.639 Lord God. Praise God, you may be seated. Ezekiel, Chapter Thirty 85 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:43.759 Four, amazing chapter in which the Lord speaks to the leaders of Israel, 86 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:49.759 major ones and minor ones, and brings judgment on them for their failure to 87 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:57.920 be shepherds to his people. And in those words of judgment and the words 88 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:03.680 of judgments against Israel's leader, we also hear his love for his people. 89 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:09.240 God is angry, yes, but why? Is Angry? Because something, 90 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:18.759 because someone he loves, is being harmed his people. Now, as we've 91 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:22.279 seen in the earlier parts of his Ekiel, his people are, of course, 92 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:26.279 complicit in the sins of Israel. They have been involved in all kinds 93 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:31.519 of evil and scandal and injustice, all kinds of false worship. When it 94 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:37.759 says that the shepherds, they're scattered across and even to the high places, 95 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:43.240 it's probably a reference to idolatry and false worship which the people have been involved 96 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:46.759 in, which the people should have known better. And yet, at the 97 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:52.639 same time we recognize something that is evidently true and scriptures all over the place 98 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:56.799 and in our everyday lives as well, and that's that leaders are held to 99 00:08:56.840 --> 00:09:03.600 a high responsibility. It star whatever position they are in, whether it's it 100 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:09.240 whatever particular calling they've been placed in this world. Leaders, those who are 101 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:16.399 called to care for other people, are placed, are our hell, to 102 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:24.159 a higher standard. And here these leaders, these shepherds, are not even 103 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:31.799 coming close to what God expects of them. To understand what God expects of 104 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:39.639 them, listen to deuteronomy seventeen and deuteronomy seventeen when the law was given. 105 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.960 God gave laws concerning the kings of Israel. What should the Kings do? 106 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:50.200 What was their requirement? How were they to shepherd the flock of God? 107 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:56.000 Here's what deuteronomy seventeen says, beginning at verse fourteen, when you come to 108 00:09:56.039 --> 00:10:00.240 the land that the Lord your God, that the Lord your God is giving 109 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:03.519 you, and you possess it and dwell in it and say, I will 110 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:07.360 set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me. 111 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:11.519 You may indeed set a king over you, whom the Lord your God will 112 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.879 choose, one from among your brothers. You shall set as king over you. 113 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:20.200 You may not put a foreigner or over you, over you who is 114 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:26.480 not your brother. Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause 115 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.320 the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the 116 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:35.159 Lord has said to you you shall never return that way again, and he 117 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:41.279 shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor 118 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:46.679 shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. And when he sits on 119 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:50.879 the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book, 120 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:56.919 a copy of this law approved by the levitical priests, and it shall be 121 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:00.960 with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, 122 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:03.279 that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by keeping all the 123 00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:09.799 words of this law and these statutes and doing them, that his heart may 124 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.799 not be lifted up above his brothers and that he may not turn aside from 125 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:18.200 the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that 126 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:22.639 he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children in Israel. 127 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.639 So when I read this passage I imagine, wow, I would have been 128 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:33.080 awesome. What King would have done that? Right a king established in Israel. 129 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:37.759 First thing he does gets out a book and writes down the law. 130 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:43.080 Writes it down. Can you imagine writing down, let's say, all of 131 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:48.240 Deuteronomy, all of itticus, riding down the lawn, copying it down, 132 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:52.799 each and everything, studying at thinking about it, meditating on it, memorizing 133 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:56.279 it. He submits it to the livitical priests. The livitical priests then look 134 00:11:56.320 --> 00:12:01.200 at it, a whole class of people requ hired to look at the log 135 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:03.759 in, to examine it, to make sure that it's right, to make 136 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:07.240 sure that it's correct, hand it back to the King Yas this is good, 137 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:13.519 and then he reads it all of the days of his life, not 138 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.080 just for you know, pleasure reading or nighttime reading, although it does bring 139 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:22.519 pleasure and delight and goodness, but so that he might rule. Well, 140 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:28.519 imagine that King, that good king, speaking the words that we read earlier 141 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:31.440 in Psalm one hundred nineteen, with his book of the law, saying things 142 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:37.879 like teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your Commandments. 143 00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:46.720 That be awesome, a wonderful king. Imagine a king saying you are good 144 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:54.399 and do good, teach me your statutes. Imagine that King saying the law 145 00:12:54.679 --> 00:13:00.840 of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. 146 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:09.000 That king would be this king here in Deuteronomy Seventeen, this king who is 147 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:15.120 not supposed to acquire things for himself. His job is not to place himself 148 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:20.600 above everyone else and then acquire as much as he can over and against them, 149 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:24.480 to love silver and gold. What is he called to love? The 150 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.120 Lord? What is he called to follow the Lord's Commandments? He is not 151 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:33.039 a king over were all men and overall people and over all gods. He 152 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:39.879 is an under shepherd. He is a king who is called to submit himself 153 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:45.000 to the Lord, to the Lord's Commandments, to the Lord's ways. Verse 154 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:46.639 Nineteen, it says of the law, and it shall be with him and 155 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:50.720 he shall read it all the days of his life. Why? That he 156 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:54.759 may learn to fear the Lord, his God, and by keeping all the 157 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:58.200 words of this law, in these statutes and by doing them, that his 158 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:03.159 heart might not be lifted up. This king is he reads the laws, 159 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:07.039 he meditates on the Lord, as he learns to fear the Lord, he's 160 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:11.279 going to be humbled. He's going to keep on the straight and narrow, 161 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:15.000 not turning to the right hand or the left hand, and as he did 162 00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:18.440 it does so he will be blessed, he will continue long in his kingdom, 163 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:24.759 him and his children. In many ways, David was this king, 164 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:30.159 a man after God's own heart, who loved the Lord and followed the Lord 165 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:37.159 and whom to whom the Lord promised a throne that would last forever and eternal 166 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:43.720 kingdom as long as David's son would obey, as long as David Sun would 167 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:50.639 do as God had called him to do. We all know that David failed, 168 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:56.639 and we know that Solomon did exactly what deuteronomy seventeen says not to do, 169 00:14:56.679 --> 00:15:01.919 which is take many wives, among other things. His heart was turned 170 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:05.759 away from the Lord because of that. In many, many other shepherds of 171 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:09.879 Israel also turned away to the Lord. And here the Lord speaks to these 172 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:15.720 shepherds with deuteronomy seventeen and mind and does one of these kind of things. 173 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:20.279 And in his wrath and in his anger, he speaks to these shepherds and 174 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.919 he says, I know what you're doing. I've seen what you are doing 175 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:30.799 against my sheep, shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding yourselves. Should 176 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:35.799 you not? Should not shepherds feed the sheep? Remember what Jesus says to 177 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:41.320 Peter. Do you love me? Yes, I love you, Lord. 178 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:45.639 And what does he tell him to do? Feed my sheep. Do you 179 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:48.799 love if you get as I love you, Lord, feed my sheep and 180 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:54.240 then again, feed my sheep. That's the call the shepherd. Shepherds are 181 00:15:54.320 --> 00:16:02.519 not called to gorge themselves on the sheep, to destroy the sheep and scatter 182 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:07.960 the sheep. Shepherds are called to love the sheep and feed the sheep. 183 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:17.240 I think Peter I got the message and came to understand and follow and teach 184 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:22.639 exactly what the Lord called him to do. Listen to Peter's words in first 185 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:27.879 Peter Five, when he speaks to elders in churches, he says so I 186 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:32.600 exhort the elders of ung you, as a fellow elder and a witness of 187 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.440 the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is 188 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:42.519 to be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising 189 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:48.360 oversight site, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you 190 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:56.240 here this not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those under 191 00:16:56.279 --> 00:17:00.759 your char over over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 192 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:07.160 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading Clou clop 193 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:15.400 crown of glory. This call to shepherd the sheep, to feed the sheep, 194 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:19.279 to not be ruling over them. It sounds just like Deuteronomy. Seventeen 195 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:26.880 under shepherds, under the Lord, who have in their mind first and foremost 196 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:36.279 the spiritual care of God's people, not the material care of themselves. These 197 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:41.160 shepherds, however, and it is ekiel thirty four, are feeding themselves. 198 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:45.000 You eat the fat verse three, you clothe yourselves with wool, you slaughter 199 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:48.920 the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The week you 200 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:52.359 have not strengthened the sick, you have not healed the injured, you have 201 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:55.880 not bound up the strayed, you have not brought back the lost, you 202 00:17:55.960 --> 00:18:00.960 have not sought and with force harshness, harsh this you have ruled them. 203 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:07.960 I believe it's in and do good who points out that there's only two places 204 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:11.279 that this kind of harsh rule is is mentioned in the Old Testament. One 205 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:19.000 is of Egypt and the harsh rule that they exercise, this domineering, harshness 206 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:23.960 in Egypt, and the second is the command in the law to not do 207 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:27.960 this. And here this is exactly what they are doing. They are going 208 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:33.079 back to Egypt, not only in the sense of trusting them, as we 209 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:36.920 saw earlier, and easy equal exactly what they were told not to do, 210 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:41.279 but they are also going back to Egypt in their hearts, accumulating wealth, 211 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:48.640 accumulating power, focusing on strengthening themselves and not protecting and caring for the people. 212 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:52.400 And the fact that they have not done these things mean this, that 213 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:59.640 the sheep are in a sorry state. God's people are weak, sick, 214 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:07.359 injured, strayed, lost, scattered, as well food for the beasts which 215 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:12.319 he refers to, is as the nation's I'm taking over them wandering around over 216 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:18.000 the face of the earth with none to search or seek for them. It's 217 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:22.920 a sad, sad thing. For those of you have ever lost a pet 218 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:29.319 or an animal we have. It's awful when you imagine this creature that you're 219 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:34.720 supposed to care for and love just out there somewhere, not at getting the 220 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:38.680 food it needs, not getting the water it needs, prone to beasts and 221 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:44.599 dangers, with no home, no place. It tears it your heart. 222 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:48.759 Why is it not tearing at their heart? Why are they not sad? 223 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:52.880 Why are they not seeking? Why are they not binding? Why are they 224 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:59.759 not helping? Because they don't care about any of that. They don't love 225 00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:06.480 the Lord's people like he loves them. They love themselves. They loved their 226 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:11.680 false gods. And so, in his fury and his wrath, God speaks 227 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:18.160 to them and says these terrifying words and verse eight. As I live, 228 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:22.440 declares the Lord God. Surely because my sheep would become prey and my sheep 229 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:26.720 have become food for all the wild beasts since there was no shepherd, and 230 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:30.799 because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed 231 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.799 themselves of the Novat fed the sheep. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the 232 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:38.559 word of the Lord the says the Lord God. Behold, I am against 233 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:45.920 the shepherds and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop 234 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:51.559 to there. I would put this in quotes, feeding the sheep. No 235 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:57.119 longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths. 236 00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:06.240 What a graphic image, that they will not be food for them as 237 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:14.839 I live, declares the Lord. How does the Lord live forever? Never 238 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:19.319 a time when he was not living, never a time when he under the 239 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:26.920 divine nature, is is less in any way or beginning or ending in any 240 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:33.599 way. God in his awesomeness and God in his infinite according to his infinite 241 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:44.400 nature. It's according to that that he will come against his shepherds, because 242 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:48.960 they calls the sheep to die, as he lives. He will rescue them 243 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:57.559 from their mouths. When I was in seminary, one of the things that 244 00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:03.359 the OPC does is they will the committee for Home Missions In church extension will 245 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:11.640 sometimes come to seminary campuses and run these they call the ministerial I'm rereading. 246 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:17.680 Just blinked. Anyway, their readiness for ministry. They run these readiness for 247 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:21.640 Ministry seminars and they meet with the seminarians and they talked with them about what 248 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:26.359 pastoral ministry is like and give you some assessment and what to do in these 249 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:30.359 kind of things. Well, anyway, one of those times the pastors in 250 00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:34.359 our denomination, who was the chairman for that, a committee for home missions 251 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:37.480 of Church Extension, Dick Gerber, some of you may know him, and 252 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:42.599 he came and he spoke to us from Ezekiel thirty four on how to be 253 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:51.119 a pastor. I was one of the most powerful messages on that subject that 254 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:55.799 I've never heard. That's always stuck with me. It's a good passage to 255 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:00.799 go to when selecting ministers and looking for elders and, of course, as 256 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:06.839 ministers and elders is those who called to various leadership positions in the church. 257 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:08.880 That's a good passage for us to go and reflect him. We say, 258 00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:15.160 what kind of Shepherd am I being? For two reasons. One, we 259 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:18.720 see exactly what we ought not to be. We see the danger in it, 260 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:22.599 we see the terror of it, we see the sinfulness of it and 261 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:29.920 we also see the Lord's heart, because as under shepherds of the Lord here 262 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:33.400 in Israel and now in his church, the under shepherds of the Lord are 263 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:37.359 to fear the Lord and have the Lord's heart. The Lord's love, the 264 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:42.160 Lord's care, the Lord's mercy. They are to seek what is lost, 265 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:47.480 they are to bind up what is wounded, they are to heal what has 266 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:52.079 been hurt and injured. As Peter says, are not disupposed to do so 267 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:56.160 with harshness and domineering. They're not supposed to do so for shameful gain. 268 00:23:56.039 --> 00:24:00.319 There to do so out of love for the sheep. Do you love me? 269 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:07.240 Feed my sheep out of love for the Lord, love for the Lord's 270 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:12.240 people, and that the Lord's body is Zekiel thirty four is a powerful reminder 271 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:19.039 to anyone who cares for those who belong to the Lord, a powerful reminder 272 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:26.920 to follow him in the things that he does. It's also a powerful reminder, 273 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:32.799 I think, to remind us that ultimately, our under shepherding means that 274 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:37.400 he we look to him for our strength. That's what they failed to do 275 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:42.440 here, but that's what he offers to his sheep. God says in Verse 276 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:47.799 Eleven. Behold, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them 277 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:51.519 out. This ought to be a comfort to anyone who's in a position where 278 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:56.599 you're suffering under bad leadership and bad shepherding. You don't have to give up 279 00:24:56.599 --> 00:25:00.400 on the church or God or anything like that. You just have a bad 280 00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:06.279 shepherd, that's all. And you know that God who is the chief Shepherd, 281 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:10.039 that Jesus, our chief Shepherd, is, Peter Calls Him. He 282 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:14.720 will take care of his people, Jesus says. The gates of hell will 283 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:18.680 not prevail of his church. Neither will shepherds from hell, those who would 284 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:23.079 seek to destroy and harm his people. Jesus knows how to take care of 285 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:30.200 his own and he will and he does. The Lord comes himself off and 286 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:33.039 he searches for his sheep, he seeks them out, he seeks out his 287 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:37.799 flock, where there are scattered, he brings them in. And then, 288 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:41.920 as he brings them in, what does he do? He just pours blessing 289 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:47.400 out on him. Here's good food, Here's rain in the seas and here's 290 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:53.200 safety and protection, all that he says. Here is a picture of Heaven. 291 00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.680 Now he will return to that at the at the end, but before 292 00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:06.880 he does that he speaks to one other group, other sheep. So these 293 00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:11.240 are not shepherds, official shepherds, we might say, but these are people 294 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:18.880 within Israel who have taken advantage of bad shepherding these he says, I will 295 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:23.079 divide the sheep from the sheep, or we might say the true sheep from 296 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:29.880 the fall sheep. There are these sheep among his flock, not shepherds themselves, 297 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:34.559 and yet who have used this situation to hurt others. Notice what he 298 00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:38.200 says in verse eighteen. Is it not enough for you to feed on the 299 00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:42.559 good pastors, that you must tread down the rest of your pastor this would 300 00:26:42.599 --> 00:26:48.279 be like being at a at a fellowship meal, right and and you cut 301 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:52.960 and and somebody comes in front of you and they they see something really delicious, 302 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.480 they get a big old spoonful of it, they put it on their 303 00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:02.240 plate and then they spit in the bowl. Like Dude, wasn't it anough 304 00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:07.480 that you just got this giant helping of delicious fellowship meal food on your plate 305 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:11.119 you have to go and ruin it for everybody else? It's a sort of 306 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:18.680 thing that's going on, this very selfishness again, selfishness and accumulation Um, 307 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:22.759 he describes it. He continues to describe it this way. Or to drink 308 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:26.279 of clear water, that you must money the rest of the water with your 309 00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:30.519 feet, and must my sheep eat what you've trodden with your feet and drink 310 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:37.319 what you've muddied with your feet. God will judge those. He described some 311 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:41.839 of their actions in Verse Twenty One. They push with side and shoulder, 312 00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:47.319 they thrust it all the week with their horns till they have scattered them abroad. 313 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:52.000 These are mean sheep, these are these are bad sheep. These are 314 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:57.279 people in the in the congregation on the family of Israel, who see the 315 00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:03.039 weak and instead of helping their brother and strengthening their brother and say, and 316 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.440 man, this king we've got, I know, always hard, but let's 317 00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:10.519 keep our eyes on the Lord. They instead use the opportunity to hurt. 318 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:17.880 They use the opportunity to fight and they get they increase gain for themselves. 319 00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:21.680 And again, in the similar way as before, God responds by saying, 320 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:25.119 in Verse Twenty Two, I will rescue my flock. They shall no longer 321 00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:29.559 be prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep. And then this wonderful 322 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:33.119 passes that speaks to us of Christ. Verse Twenty Three. I will set 323 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:41.160 up over them one shepherd, my servant, David, and he shall feed 324 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:45.160 them. He shall feed them and be their shepherd, and I, the 325 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:48.000 Lord, will be their God and my servant, David, shall be prince 326 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:53.720 among them. I, the Lord, Have Spoken, but if you written, 327 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:59.839 but if you done, the Lord speaks in this way and of course 328 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:06.519 he speaks of Jesus. David had long ago died on David had produced many 329 00:29:06.519 --> 00:29:12.799 sons and grandsons and great grandsons. He speaks here of the promise to David, 330 00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:17.599 of the son of David who would be set up and would be shepherd 331 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:23.519 over Israel. He repeats the promise, this great promise given to Abraham and 332 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:30.720 to David, this covenant of Grace. I will be their God and well, 333 00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:34.000 they will be my people, he will be the shepherd and we will 334 00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:38.279 be the block. And here, in particularly, focuses on that divided covenant 335 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:48.519 from Second Samuel Seven and says that David will be prince among them. Princes 336 00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:55.559 is an interesting word here. It reminds us that this one will be from 337 00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:00.200 them, a people among them, under God, in some way P's. 338 00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:06.960 And yet you know that when Jesus came he of course was God. This 339 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:11.680 is an amazing thing and we see these what seemed to be contradictory things coming 340 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:15.880 together here. On the one hand, God says I will be their shepherd 341 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:18.359 and on another hand, he says, and this David will be prince and 342 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:22.039 he will be their shepherd. Well, we find out in Jesus, as 343 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:27.920 it's one in the same God, the son of God, comes Immanuel and 344 00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:33.119 good and comes to be with us to be a shepherd over his people, 345 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:37.559 and yet also is the son of man, from the Line of David. 346 00:30:37.559 --> 00:30:42.400 He fulfills his role as a human king overs people, that role that Adam 347 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:48.519 failed at, the role that every person has failed at except for him. 348 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:52.839 This covenant of peace that he makes with us, or he that he makes 349 00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:59.079 with us in Christ, this king that he gives to us in Jesus, 350 00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:07.640 is the one who brings us into this as scatological pasture land, this amazing 351 00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:17.160 place where where we are safe and protected. This passage that we read earlier 352 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:22.240 in eleven is through Verse Sixteen, and then again here in twenty five, 353 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:29.079 through the end where he says I am he says it ending in Verse Thirty 354 00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:33.480 One, and you are my sheep and I am your God. This is 355 00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:37.960 a picture of Heaven, this is a picture of what God ultimately brings us 356 00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:44.440 into under Christ, our shepherd, Jesus, of course, and John is 357 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:48.920 called the Good Shepherd. He loves his sheep, he rescues his sheep, 358 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:52.799 and we see that in Jesus's ministry, this great son of David, this 359 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:56.960 great one who has come into the World God himself. What does he do 360 00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:02.759 with the weak? What does he do with the lost? What does he 361 00:32:02.839 --> 00:32:09.079 do with people that are injured, broken, who are sad and sorrowful? 362 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:15.880 What does Jesus do with those who don't know where they are going, who 363 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:22.240 can't find their way, who have been hurt by people in authority and with 364 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:27.799 great power? He rescues them, texts them, he heals them, you 365 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:31.960 nourishes them, he takes them under his wing and they praise him. And 366 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:37.640 that's what Jesus has continued to do and can and will continue to do until 367 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:42.880 he comes again. We will no longer er be a prey to the nation's 368 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:47.319 no longer shall we be devoured. We shall dwell securely and none shall make 369 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:54.319 them afraid. This is what the Lord does for us, he promises to 370 00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:58.880 do for us. He does this, of course, by going to the 371 00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:04.119 cross for us, to rescue us from our own sin, the sin that 372 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:07.640 makes bad shepherds do what they do, bad sheep do what they do and 373 00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:12.960 really all of us do what we do. He heals us, he rescues 374 00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:15.759 us, he restores us, he gives us life, he brings us in 375 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:21.079 as his flock, and he continues to do that even today through his under 376 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:24.920 shepherds and through other sheep and our midst to love and and and care for 377 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:30.720 us on the way. I want to finish by reading to you a passage 378 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:34.599 from revelation, and you'll see exactly why I think this speaks of Jesus. 379 00:33:36.359 --> 00:33:43.559 In revelation seven, we read of the Lamb of God, and interesting, 380 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:50.960 an interesting title in light of the the call of Jesus's is shepherd. He 381 00:33:51.079 --> 00:33:58.599 is in fact both a sacrificial lamb and also the ruler of his people. 382 00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:02.200 In well, Begi at verse thirteen of Chapter Seven and read to the end 383 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:07.280 of the passage. And here the echoes of Ezekiel. Here let your heart 384 00:34:07.360 --> 00:34:13.559 be thankful for the Lord. Then one of the elders addressed me, saying 385 00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:16.400 who are these clothed in white robes, and from where they come? I 386 00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:20.599 said to him, sir, you know, and he said to me these 387 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:23.679 are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes 388 00:34:23.719 --> 00:34:29.280 and made them white, and the blood of the lamb. Therefore, they 389 00:34:29.320 --> 00:34:32.559 are bethrow before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his 390 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:37.079 temple, and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 391 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:44.599 They shall hunger. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore. 392 00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:49.559 The Sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat, for the lamb 393 00:34:50.119 --> 00:34:54.800 in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd and he will guide them 394 00:34:54.840 --> 00:35:01.159 to springs of living water in God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 395 00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:10.840 HMM, isn't that wonderful? What a glorious promise God gives to us, 396 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:15.920 a promise that he has kept. Here John has this revelation, this 397 00:35:16.280 --> 00:35:24.840 vision of the lamb on the throne, the son of David sitting in power, 398 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:30.000 ruling over his people. And what's the result? It's the exact opposite 399 00:35:30.039 --> 00:35:36.719 of the bad shepherds. It's the exact opposite. Instead of tragedy and loss, 400 00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:44.159 weakness and destruction and danger and all of us, it's perfect bliss. 401 00:35:44.199 --> 00:35:50.840 In Jesus, as the lambs in Jesus, through the blood of the lamb, 402 00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:54.119 through the blood that he shed for us, we becought we come a 403 00:35:54.280 --> 00:36:02.039 to God out of the great tribulation, happy, not dead, not eaten, 404 00:36:02.440 --> 00:36:10.079 not devoured by the evil one, but happy, sheltered in his presence. 405 00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:16.840 Simply his presence is all that we need to be safe and to secure. 406 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:22.639 God himself wiping away every tear from our eye, leading us to springs 407 00:36:22.679 --> 00:36:30.920 of living water. But the Lord is your shepherd. You have nothing to 408 00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:37.719 fear, not even bad shepherds and the world, or in that particularly in 409 00:36:37.800 --> 00:36:42.079 the church. It doesn't mean that bad shepherds are all of a sudden good 410 00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:49.320 shepherds. Because of that, bad shepherds be warned. And let everyone who 411 00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:53.960 seeks to be a shepherd and under shepherd in the in the Church of God, 412 00:36:54.000 --> 00:37:00.480 take these words and think of them very carefully, to hear the heart 413 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:05.800 of the Lord, to know the Ministry of the Lord and to serve him 414 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:14.000 with fear. Let's pray. Lord God, we thank you for your word 415 00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:19.599 to us this evening. We thank you that you do not leave us alone 416 00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:24.719 when we find ourselves under the lead, under bad leadership, that you do 417 00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:31.719 not merely let us be devoured and die and fall into hell itself, but 418 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:35.480 instead, Lord, you, you go out, you search for us, 419 00:37:35.480 --> 00:37:39.639 you find us even in our own wickedness. Or it is amazing that you 420 00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:47.920 take even a very wicked people and bring them, through your word and your 421 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:54.559 spirit, to repentance and life. We think of the King of Nineveh, 422 00:37:54.599 --> 00:38:00.519 who was called a shepherd of those people, who's called to repentance and repented. 423 00:38:01.239 --> 00:38:07.400 We think of Paul, a leader, a religious a leader among Israel, 424 00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:10.840 and yet persecuting the Church of God, attacking your very own people, 425 00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:16.840 and yet becoming one of the greatest shepherds in the history of the church. 426 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:25.400 How amazing is your grace, how good you are? How often and how 427 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:30.280 how many times you protect us and we don't even know you're doing it? 428 00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:36.239 How many times you feed us and we forget to give you thanks and remember 429 00:38:36.280 --> 00:38:43.119 that it's from your hand? How often we forget about the things of Heaven 430 00:38:43.400 --> 00:38:50.320 and become overly focused on the things of this world, fearing the kings of 431 00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:55.599 this world more than trusting in you, the lamb who sits on the throne? 432 00:38:57.360 --> 00:39:01.639 We ask, Lamb of God, that you would indeed be our shepherd, 433 00:39:01.679 --> 00:39:06.719 the Good Shepherd, the chief shepherd, the head of the church, 434 00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:15.119 the husband of the bride, a father to your children, that we would 435 00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:19.000 be your flock and that you would guide us in every way that we should 436 00:39:19.079 --> 00:39:23.199 go when we wander, bring us back when we're hungry, feed us when 437 00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:29.159 we are injured, do not break us, but heal our wounds and help 438 00:39:29.239 --> 00:39:34.119 us on our way. We also, Lord, we do pray for those 439 00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:39.559 whom our shepherds over us in our churches. Lord, I ask him and 440 00:39:39.719 --> 00:39:45.199 lead us all in prayer for myself and for the elders of our church. 441 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:50.599 We asked that you would put into US humble hearts, hearts that reflect and 442 00:39:50.599 --> 00:39:54.400 and manifest your love, that it would not be our work that is being 443 00:39:54.440 --> 00:40:01.039 done among your people, but yours, a simple ministry of your love to 444 00:40:01.159 --> 00:40:06.239 your sheep. We ask a Lord, that you would strengthen us in our 445 00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:09.400 duties, that you would strengthen us in our capabilities, that you would help 446 00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:14.840 us in our rule, that it might not be for selfish gain or domineering 447 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:22.480 or anything else except except the humble service in the name of the Lord. 448 00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:28.480 Lord, we also pray the same for other churches. We asked that you 449 00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:35.920 would raise up few future leaders on through internships and seminaries and all these other 450 00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:44.239 means that we use. We pray for I'm even our youngest ones and future 451 00:40:44.239 --> 00:40:49.239 ones, and ask, Lord, that you would equip and establish people who 452 00:40:49.280 --> 00:40:52.079 are able to lead us, to lead your church in the ways of the 453 00:40:52.159 --> 00:41:00.920 Lord. We asked also, Lord, that you would that you would help 454 00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:07.440 us through the dark places, through the trials and through the the wanderings, 455 00:41:07.440 --> 00:41:12.239 through the Valley of the shadow of death, Lord, through the great tribulation, 456 00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:17.480 through persecutions, through all of it, never ever lead us. You 457 00:41:17.480 --> 00:41:22.480 promise you never will, and we trust you for this and Jesus name, 458 00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:24.320 we pray on men