All right, well we're there in Ezekiel chapter number 34 we of course are studying through the book of Ezekiel on Wednesday nights and
We find ourselves here in chapter 34, and there's three major themes that we see in this chapter, and they're all
Kind of connected and I'll like to like to show those to you tonight and point this out for you
We'll start there and of course in verse number one is equal 34 verse 1 says and the word of the Lord came unto me
saying son of man
Prophesy against the shepherds now when you see the word
Shepherds there, and I don't have time because we have a lot of things to look at tonight
But when you see the word shepherds there, I want you to notice that
That could be referring to like spiritual leadership that could be referring to political leadership
The word shepherd is used throughout the Old Testament for just in general
Leadership of the children of Israel of God's people of things like that
I don't have time to give you to go to go through all those cross references if you want to write some down
Maybe in the margin of your Bible you can write down numbers 27 17
2nd Samuel 5 2
those are
Examples of how that term is used but here he's talking about these shepherds these spiritual leaders or the political leaders of the children of
Israel and he says prophesy and say unto them thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds, so he's
Telling Ezekiel to prophesy against the shepherds, and we're gonna make the application here that these is this is spiritual leadership
Although it would apply to any type of leadership
But he's talking about today you and I as New Testament believers would say the pastors, right?
That's what a shepherd is the pastor of people and and he begins by talking about the bad shepherds
He's saying that he's preaching against the bad shepherds
He says thus saith the Lord unto the shepherds woe be to the shepherds of Israel and what he does is that he begins to?
Give us some characteristics of a bad shepherd, and here's what you need to understand not every pastor is a good pastor
Not every Shepherd is a good Shepherd. There are some false prophets. There are some evil and wicked men
Out there and any and God is telling Ezekiel to preach against these men and he gives us some characteristics
So what are they the first one is this they feed themselves is what he says
He says, you know a bad Shepherd, you know a false prophet because they are concerned with feeding themselves notice again
They're verse 2 woe be to the shepherds of Israel. Notice what he says that do feed themselves
Should not the shepherds feed the flock and here's what he's saying
He's saying look the job of a shepherd is to feed the flock, but these bad shepherds they are concerned with feeding themselves
They are concerned with taking care of themselves. Look at verse 3 you eat the fat. He's talking to the shepherds
You eat the fat you clothe you with the wool you kill them that are fed
But you feed not the flock and I want you to notice the problem is not that they are
taking care of
Themselves because the Bible actually teaches that a pastor should be paid
but for the work that he does so the the issue is not that they
Eat the fat and that they clothe themselves and that they they do those things
The problem is that they do those things and yet they feed not the flock. They don't take care of the flock
They don't feed the flock now. Go ahead and keep your finger there and
And
In Ezekiel 34 go me to 1st Peter chapter 5 1st Peter chapter 5 and let's run some verses and I'll show you this to
You from Scripture if you start at the end of the New Testament the book of Revelation and you head back
You're gonna have Jude 3rd 2nd and 1st John 2nd and 1st Peter 1st Peter chapter 5 and when you get to 1st
Peter we're gonna leave it and come back to it a few times
So just put your bulletin or ribbon or something there in 1st 2nd Peter. We're gonna be going back and forth
Let
Me show you how this is a theme throughout the Bible
That you know that a shepherd is a bad shepherd. You say is he a bad shepherd when he gets paid?
I'm gonna prove to you from the Bible that he's not a bad shepherd if he gets paid
He's a bad shepherd if he gets paid and he doesn't feed the flock
He's a bad shepherd if he gets paid and the flock or the congregation isn't being taken care of 1st
Peter chapter 5 look at verse 1 notice what the Bible says 1st Peter 5 1 the elders which are among you
I exhort who also am an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also partake of the glory that shall be revealed
verse 2 so notice in verse 1
Peter says I'm
Exhorting the elders and he says I also am an elder Peter says I'm a pastor and I'm exhorting the pastors
So he's giving encouragement to the pastors
Here's what he tells them verse 2 feed the flock of God, which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint
But willingly not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind
He says look your job is to feed the flock. Your job is to take the oversight
Your job is to do these things not by constraint but willingly and he says don't do it for filthy lucre
Don't do it what you're where your number one goal where your number one
Emphasis is just money and your clothes and being taken care of
For yourself go to 2nd Peter chapter number 2 you're there in 1st Peter just flip over to 2nd Peter chapter 2
2nd Peter chapter 2 and look at verse number 1 2nd Peter chapter 2 and verse 1
2nd Peter chapter 2 and verse 1 notice what the Bible says
But there were false prophets also among you so notice the context says that these are bad preachers
These are bad pastors. They're bad shepherds, but there were false prophets also among you
Excuse me among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you
So he's talking to New Testament believers
About the Old Testament Saints and he says look there was false prophets among the Old Testament Saints in the same way
There's gonna be false prophets among the local New Testament Church today
He says but there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you who?
privately shall bring in damnable heresy even denying the Lord that bought them and bring unto themselves with destruction and many shall follow their
Pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of he says they're gonna make it so that people speak
evil of
The things of God verse 3 and through notice the emphasis covetousness
Shall they with fain words make merchandise of you
Now the Bible tells us that the house of God should not be a house of merchandise, but he says these false prophets
They're just in it for the money. They're they're making merchandise of you. They are selling you everything
They're trying to get you to buy everything you ever watch these TV preachers
I mean at the end of the of their of their 30-minute slot
It's all about buy this and buy that and we'll send you this book and send us this money and when you go to most
Churches today, I mean every service doesn't go by where they're not talking about money preaching about money trying to get you
To get money now. Look, I'm all for giving the Bible talks about giving the Bible talks about tithing
But you know something we try to do here at very Baptist Church is we try to approach we try to emphasize what the Bible
Emphasizes which is why we don't talk a lot about money now. Look when it comes to talking about it. We'll talk about it, but
You realize when you preach through books of the Bible that God just doesn't care that much about money
And money should never be something that we fight about that we argue about but here he tells us that these preachers they are
Motivated by money through covetousness shall they with pain words make merchandise of you now go to 1st Timothy
Chapter number 5 1st Timothy chapter 5 and let me show you something just real quickly
Because and if you find the tea books, they're all clustered together
first second Thessalonians for a second Timothy Titus 1st Timothy chapter 5
and look at verse number 17 because I I want you to understand this because today there are people and there's a
Whole movement of people out there who will teach that any any pastor that gets paid
That's a false prophet any pastor that gets paid. That's a bad person. Well, you know what people who believe that have not read the Bible
Because the Bible teaches something completely different than that first Timothy chapter 5 verse 17 notice what the Bible says let the elders
Okay, remember also we just read about in 1st Peter the elders the pastors right let the elders that rule well
They're doing a good job taking the oversight administering the church ruling
Well, let the elders that rule well notice what he says be counted worthy of double honor
Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine, you know if there are elders that are laboring in the word
They're laboring in the doctrine there. You're coming to church every week. You're coming to church twice a week
You're coming to church three times a week and you're learning and you're growing and and you're being fed then look
There's nothing wrong with with that pastor being paid if you're being fed if you're learning if you're growing
He says look let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor
Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine verse 18 for the scripture saith
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn and the labor is worthy of his reward
He's saying look it's work to get up look
And I don't know if you understand this and and and maybe it seems a little self-serving for me to preach this
But I figure if I don't preach it, you know, who's going to write who's gonna feed you if I don't
I don't know if you really realize this but it's a lot of work to prepare sermons
It's all work to prepare three sermons a week, right and they all better be good, right?
And we all better be learning something
We better not be bored and it better be something worth coming up for on a Wednesday night when it's raining when we're tired
And I get that and look I get all of that and I and I appreciate that
We've all you've always had a spirit of of encouragement
But understand this he said when it comes to learning and studying the Bible prayer. He says that's work
And here's the truth. You can tell when preachers put work into their sermons
I mean you can tell when people take the time to study to learn to think to try to prepare things
To be able to feed the flock and here's what he's saying. He's saying if he's working
He says muzzle not the ox that treadeth out the corn if he's working you say
How do you know if he's working? Are you being fed spiritually? Are you learning? Are you growing? Are you understanding?
He says if he's being paid being paid if he's working then give him double honor
Then then don't muzzle the ox that treads out the corn
So the problem is not with paying a preacher
The problem is with paying a preacher that is not feeding the flock go to 1st Corinthians chapter 9
1st Corinthians chapter 9 you got Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans for 2nd Corinthians
1st Corinthians chapter 9 and
Look at verse number and I write my note down
Look at verse number 7 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7
Because people will look at these passages say oh, it's wrong for a preacher to get paid
No
It's wrong for a preacher to get paid that isn't feeding the flock 1st Corinthians 9 verse 7 who goeth a warfare
Anytime at
His own charges. So notice the illustration that he's giving he's saying look a soldier doesn't go
they don't go fight a war and
They got to buy their ticket and they got to purchase their weapons and they got to buy their uniform
He does who's to go with a warfare anytime at his own charges
He's a look when you when we commissioned a soldier to go out and onto a battlefield to fight for us. We pay his way
We put him on a ship we put him on a plane we give him the the tools that he needs we give him
The things that he needs he says who goes to war for any time
At his own charges who planted the vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof
He says who goes out and plants a vineyard and you say well, yeah, but you're gonna sell that you're gonna use it for other things
Yeah, but you know what the people that are doing the work to plant they're gonna eat from that vineyard as well
He says or who feedeth a flock and he does not the milk of the flock
Say I these things as a man or sayeth not the law the same also
He's saying look. I'm not just saying this as a person. I'm telling you. This is what the Word of God teaches
This is what he's telling them verse 9. He says for it is written in the law of Moses
This just sound familiar
We just read it in 1st Timothy thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn the
God take care of peroxid he's saying look God said don't muscle the mouth of the ox if he's working and then he says
God didn't say this for the sake of the oxen. Okay. This is an illustration that if someone is working
They should get paid that if someone is working you should take it
If someone's gonna go fight a battle for you, you should pay the expenses if someone's gonna plant the vineyard
They should be able to eat from the vineyard look verse 10 or say it here it all together for our sakes
For our sakes no doubt is written that he that ploweth
Should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope if we have sown
Here's what he says notice what he said if we have sown
Unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your coral things
I mean look this is what he's literally saying you think if we're sowing and investing in your life
Spiritually if we're feeding and helping you grow and learn and understand the Bible and helping you grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord
He says is it that big of a deal that then you take care of our physical needs
That's what he's saying look at verse 12
If others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather
Nevertheless we have not used this power
But suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ verse 13
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things?
Live of the things of the temple and we're gonna talk about more about this as we get further into the work of Ezekiel
But he says look in the Old Testament the Old Testament priests who labored about holy things when they when those
Sacrifices were brought and they went through and sacrificed
He said do you know that they were laboring and holy things, but they also ate those sacrifices
That's how they that the sacrifices took care of their them and their families and their children
Financially, that's how they ate. That's how they were fed
He says verse 13
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things?
Live of the things of the temple and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar and by the way
Here's what he's saying. He's saying well, let me just show it to you verse 14 even so you see the words there even so
In verse 13, he says don't you know that the Old Testament priests?
were financially taken care of
By the giving of the congregation. How how did the Old Testament priests live? It's really easy to prove
You can look it up. You can read it all throughout the Old Testament. You know how they lived
They lived off the tithe
The congregation would tithe and then the Old Testament priests would live off that type then he says in verse 14
Even so what does even so mean?
It means in the same way hath the Lord ordained that they would preach the gospel should live up the gospel
What's he saying?
He says look the same way that the Old Testament priests
Were taken care of financially is the same way that the New Testament preacher should be taken care of financially
You say how was that done? It was done through the time
So don't let people tell you off the New Testament teaches that we don't need to tithe. Well, nobody gave that newsflash to Paul
Because Paul Paul apparently didn't get the memo that the tithe has been done away with because he says you know
What in the Old Testament the tithe took care of the priests and in the New Testament even so?
Have the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel
The problem is not the preacher getting paid the problem is the preacher getting paid who's not feeding the flock
The problem is not the the the preacher, you know
When we talk about these false prophets and you can go back to Ezekiel 34 and people talk about oh
They're nice vehicles or they're nice house or they're nice clothes and look honestly
Hey, I've made a decision that no matter how successful that our ministry ever is
No matter how big our church ever gets I'm you know what I'm always gonna live in a house. That's not impressive
I'm always gonna drive vehicles that are not impressive. I'm always gonna this is the nicest
I'm gonna get as far as clothes because I just don't I don't want to I don't need it number one
I don't want to live a life where I
Need to have nice things to be content or I have to live in a certain neighborhood to be happy
I don't want to live a life that way but just because I'm a pastor I realize that we are even more under scrutiny
But I'll be honest with you I don't begrudge the false preacher
The nice house. I don't begrudge the false preacher the nice car
I don't begrudge the nice preacher the nice clothes. Honestly the Bible says that if they're doing a good job
They should get double honor. The problem is not with the false preacher. The problem is not that he's getting paid
Well, the problem is that he's getting paid. Well and everyone in his church. Their life is a mess
Everyone in his church isn't saved
Everyone is church they go there for years and years and years and they don't know anything about the Bible because they're not getting fed
The problem is not that he's getting paid. Well the problem that he's getting paid. Well, and he's not doing the work
That's the problem. The problem is that thing. He's not feeding the people. So understand the issue with and look obviously there's extremes. Okay?
No, Kenneth Colvin doesn't need a jet. All right, we understand that that's bad
But I'm telling you the problem with bad preachers is not that they're getting paid
Well is that they're getting paid. Well, and they're not working
They're not feeding the flock. They're not studying. They're not teaching. They're not preaching
Look if they were if they were getting paid well, and they were just ripping it up
Scripturally if they were feeding their people teaching their people helping their people grow, you know what more power to them. Praise the Lord
Go for it. It's great. Let them live in a nice house. Let them drive a nice vehicle pay them
Well if they're working
The problem with the false preacher if you look at Ezekiel 34 2 is that they feed themselves
But they don't feed the flock
You eat the fat verse 3 and you clothe you with the wool
You kill them that are fed, but you feed not the flock
So notice we're talking about the characteristics of a false preacher. One is that they feed themselves
They're in it for their own financial benefit they get paid well, but they don't feed the flock
They don't teach the flock. They don't help the flock grow. Here's another characteristic number two. They only focus on the healthy
Notice what he says in verse 4 the disease have they not strengthened
Neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither
Have ye bought again that which was driven away
Neither have you sought
That which was lost but with force and with cruelty
Have you ruled them? He says look
Another problem with these false preachers and if you've ever gone to one of these mega churches, you know, it's true
The Pat, you know, they only return your phone call if you're a big giver
You only get to meet with the pastor if you if you you know, give a lot of money
There's only certain people that the pastor associates with and it's the big givers. It's the big financers
It's the people that make a lot of money and God has an issue with that
He says look these people you they're in it for themselves. So therefore they only focus on rich people
They only focus on people that can do something for them
They don't they don't spend time with those that that need help that can't be a blessing to them that can't
Help them. He says the disease have you not strengthened neither have you healed that which was sick neither
Have you bound up that which was broken neither have you bought again that which was driven away neither
Have you sought that which was lost go to James?
James chapter number two
James chapter two if you've got your place there in first like a Peter just right right before that. You've got the book of James
James chapter number two and look as Christians we should never take this approach to life
That oh, well, we're just gonna we're just gonna focus on
On the people that that have it all put together. We're just gonna focus on the wealthy. We're just gonna focus on on
People that that that have it all put together and then you know
The poor and the needy and the sick and just forget those people James chapter 2 look at verse 1 notice
What notice what James tells New Testament believers?
He says my brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons
He says don't live your life being a respecter of persons
Well, I talked to certain people. I associated with certain people. I'm friends with certain people. All right, but I'm not friends with that person
because they're poor
because they've got issues because they've got problems because they're they've got
They they've got sin issues
You know what?
The Bible says that we should not have
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect to persons verse 2 for if they're come unto your
Assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel and they're coming also a poor man in
Vile raiment and he have respect to him that wears the gay clothing and say unto him sit thou here in a good place
And say to the poor stand now there or sit here under my footstool
Are ye not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts?
He says look we should as
local New Testament believers
We should welcome everyone no matter how they're dressed no matter what they drove no matter what side of of town
They live in and if anything honestly Jesus spent his time
with the publicans and the harlots
You know today people have this idea. Well, I'm just gonna focus on the rich. I'm just gonna focus on the wealthy
Well, then you're not right with God. You're a respecter of persons
You know what? Everyone ought to be welcome that that you say well, they're poor they can't help us
They can't do anything for us they can't you know what then you have become judges of evil things
Look at verse 5
Harken my beloved brethren have not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
Which he had promised to them that loved him
But ye have despised the poor do not rich men oppress you and draw you before their judgment seats
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called if you fulfill the royal law
According to the scripture thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself you do well
And here's what he's saying. You should treat everybody the way you'd like to be treated
And you shouldn't judge people based on how much money they have or how nice their clothes are or any of those things
You know what? We should just love her but you know what the false preacher does he just focuses in
Only the rich people only the people that can help us financially only the people you know what I've learned at Verity Baptist Church
And you can go back to Ezekiel
34 you know because our church obviously, we're not a big church and
Obviously, we're not it's not like we have tons and tons of money
But you know the Lord has always taken care of our church financially and I thank God for that
You know, we've always been able to pay our bills. We've always been able to have big events
We've all we just threw this huge ladies tea. We've always been able to do stuff like that
You know a lot of churches aren't able to
Do the things that we do and the projects that we do and things like that and there's no I'm not saying that against those
Churches I'm just telling you this that the Lord has blessed our church
But you know there has never been a focused attempt from this pastor to just focus in on the rich people if anything I spend
More time during my week with people that can't do anything for our church
That can't help us that that that are having issues that are having problems
I spend more time with people that are just sick and they're discouraged and they're just going through things
We spend more time with those people than we do with the healthy people
You know what? I've learned I've learned that the more time we and we focus on the poor and the needy
God just seems to take care of the rest
You know all the I don't know where all these smart people show up from. I mean we got people in our church that are
They're educated and they've got businesses and they've got degrees and they've got this and they've got that and they take care you guys are
Generous you take care of the fight and I just thought we just focus on the poor
We just help the poor we just love the poor and this is how it should be see the false
Shepherds the false
Preachers they just focus on the rich
They're not they're not trying to help anybody
They're not trying to be a blessing to anybody
They're only gonna help you if they think that you can do something for them go back to Ezekiel 34
Notice the third characteristic of a false preacher
Not only do they feed themselves not only do they only focus on the healthy
But they're also demanding and difficult
These are your cult leaders
Verse 4 says this look the last part of verse 4 it says this but with force and with cruelty have ye
Ruled them you know what they are they they they use pressure tactics they use
Manipulation tactics they try to manipulate you and to giving more money they try to
Manipulate you into doing more things for them and God says look
This is not the way that Christians leaders should leave live their lives go to 1st Peter chapter 5
You were already there go back to it. Just real quickly 1st Peter chapter 5 and look at verse number 2
Notice what he says feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint
Like he says not by constraint, but willingly
He's saying look you we should not as leaders and and and look I've tried to do this at Verity Baptist Church
As far as I can tell this is our church has always been if I've failed at some point
Then then I don't know it because I can tell you this I've never attempted to use
Manipulation tactics to get you out soul-winning
To pressure you and to get you out so yeah, I mean I mean literally there are soul-winning. I mean there are churches
That they'll have Thursday soul-winning and the pastor will get up on Wednesday night who's playing or going slowly on Thursday raise your hand
That's a manipulation tactic
That's a shame you tactic
Everybody's playing going so we don't start to erase you we've never done anything like that you say well pastor you preach about hell
Yeah, you know what I'm gonna preach about hell
I'm gonna preach about what God I'm gonna. I'm gonna preach the Word of God to you, but at the end of day
Whatever you decide that's between you and God
They don't use manipulations actually you say oh well you have a vision offering
I spent most of my vision offering giving you reasons not to give
You say why?
Because look it's not of constraint, but willingly
Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind verse 3 neither as being Lord's over
God tell you you say well. I there's a church, and I just feel like they got all this manipulation
It's difficult, and it's demanding and I feel pressure to have to do this and to do that look you're probably about yes
You're you're following a bad Shepherd
When they're demanding and they're difficult
When they're focused on the healthy and because you're broke you can't get a call back
When they feed themselves
But they don't feed the flock these are the characteristics of a bad Shepherd go back to Ezekiel 34
And you say what's the result of a bad Shepherd's ministry the result is this that the sheep suffer verse 5 and?
They were scattered talking about the sheep
Because there was no Shepherd and they became meat to all the beasts of the field and when they were scattered notice verse 6
My sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill yay
My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search or seek after them
He said they weren't interested in trying to help them. They weren't interested in getting involved in their lives
They weren't interested in trying to get them back when they're back for them when they're not doing well
They weren't interested in searching and seeking after them verse 7 therefore
Ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord as I live saith the Lord God surely because my flock
Became a prey and my flock became me to every beast of the field because there was no shepherd neither
Did I did my shepherd search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and fed not the flock now. Here's what happens
between verses 8 and 9
We have this compare and cut and and and and contrast because we've been talking about the bad shepherds now
We're gonna start talking about the good Shepherd now. Here's what's interesting
Ezekiel chapter 34
verses 9 through let me see here 9 through
16 is
actually a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ because the truth is this that
We who hold the positions of spiritual leaders as pastors
We are shepherds, but we are really the under shepherds and there is a chief shepherd or he's also called the good shepherd
And let me just let's run some verses and look at it go to 1st Peter chapter 2
Alright, so we're gonna be going back and forth to 1st Peter a lot. So hopefully you kept your place there 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 25
Notice what the Bible says
1st Peter 2 25 says this for ye were as sheep going astray
But are now returned unto the shepherd knows what it says
But are now returned unto the shepherd and the bishop of your soul. So that's not the pastor
That's the Lord Jesus Christ
The shepherd and the bishop of your souls and when the chief Shepherd shall appear
Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. So notice Jesus is called the shepherd the bishop
He's called the chief Shepherd go to Hebrews chapter 13. You're there in 1st Peter
He's gonna go pass the book of James into the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 13. Look at verse 20
Hebrews chapter 13 in verse 20 says this now the God of peace
That
Brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus
Notice what it says. He brought again our Lord Jesus and then he says that
The word that there's referring to the Lord Jesus gonna tell us something about the Lord Jesus the Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep
Through the blood of the everlasting covenant. So notice here. He's called the great shepherd of the sheep in 1st Peter
He's called the bishop of your souls the shepherd
He's called the chief Shepherd and of course, he's called the good Shepherd
Jesus called himself the good Shepherd in John chapter 10
We're gonna look at that in a minute, but go back to Ezekiel 34 just real quickly
And let me show you there's a comparing content and contrast between the bad shepherds and the good shepherds, right?
So the bad shepherds fed themselves they were in it for their own financial gain, which is fine
Nothing wrong with paying the pastor if he's feeding the flock, but they were feeding themselves and not feeding the flock
They only focus on the healthy. They don't focus on the poor the sick or the needy. They're only
They're not leading by example
They're not leading by by inspiring people to want to do more and get involved and and do those things they lead by
Pressure and manipulation tactics by trying to get people to feel guilty about not getting involved or not giving more or not doing things
Here's the contrast with the good Shepherd the good Shepherd protects the sheep. Look at verse 9 Ezekiel 34 verse 9
Therefore o ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord
thus saith the Lord God because
behold notice what he says I am against the shepherds and
I will require my flock at their hands and cause them to cease from feeding the flock
Neither shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore for I will deliver and I want you to notice he's already been doing this throughout the verses
But he says my flock from their mouth that they may be that they may not be me for them
He says they are my flock. He says
That I will cause them to cease from feeding from from hurting my flock. He refers them as his flock
He said you say why because the Lord and look at Ezekiel 34. We're talking about God. It's God speed
God is the Good Shepherd then in the New Testament. We're told Jesus is the Good Shepherd
You said was it Jesus or is it God what Jesus is God
Go to John chapter 10. Let's look at the famous Good Shepherd passage
John chapter 10 verse 11. You have Matthew Mark Luke John John chapter 10 verse 11
John 10 11 knows what Jesus said. I am the Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep
But he that is in hireling
so he said look there's a difference between a shepherd and
In hireling what's in a hireling a hireling is someone who just got hired
Who's just there for the money and people will use these verses to try to say?
Oh, there's a problem with feeding a pastor. No, look, there's nothing wrong with paying the Shepherd
But the problem with the hireling is that he's the false prophet you say well, what do you mean?
Look at verse 12, but he that is in hireling and not the Shepherd whose own the sheep are not
See it the wolf coming and leave it the sheep and flee it
You say what's the problem with the false prophet the false prophet never preaches against the wolf
Never preaches against the lion or the bear you say what is a real preacher?
Do a real preacher gets up and warns you and tells you the truth even when you don't want to hear it a
Good preacher gets up and says look you're gonna ruin your life if you keep going on that road
You're gonna destroy your marriage if you keep going on that road
You're gonna destroy your kid a good Shepherd will try to help you not get destroyed by the light of the wolf
What does the hireling do he gets his paycheck and he lets you get devoured by the line?
Gets you let devoured by the wolf we verse 12
But he that is in hireling and not the Shepherd whose own sheep
whose own the sheep or not see it the wolf coming and leave it the sheep and play it not and play it and
The wolf catches them and scatters them in the sheep
Verse 13 the hireling fleeth because he's in hireling and cares not for the sheep see the false prophet doesn't care for the sheep
He just cares about getting paid verse 14. I am the good Shepherd
I know my sheep and am known of mine go back go back keep your finger there right there in John
We're gonna come right back to it, but go back to Ezekiel 34
What's the good Shepherd the good Shepherd protects the sheep?
Secondly the good Shepherd seeks the sheep
He's equal 34 11 for that's safe the Lord God behold I even I notice these words
This is God speaking the Lord capital L capital O capital R capital D in the Old Testament Jehovah
God says I even I will both search my sheep and seek them out as
A shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered
So will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark
day and I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and
Feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the inhabited
places of the country go to Luke chapter 19 if you kept your place there in John just
Right before John you got Luke Matthew Mark Luke John Luke chapter 19. Here's here's what Ezekiel says
Ezekiel 34 says the Lord's God
Though this says the Lord God behold I even I will both search my sheep and seek them out
He says so will I seek out my sheep?
Jesus shows up says I am the Good Shepherd and then Jesus says this in Luke
1910 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost
You say why because the Good Shepherd not only protects the sheep the Good Shepherd seeks for the sheep, but thirdly
The Good Shepherd and keep your place there in Luke
We're gonna come right back to it. Go go to Ezekiel 34 thirdly the Good Shepherd feeds the sheep
Right the the false prophets. They don't feed the sheep. What does the Good Shepherd do?
He feeds the sheep Ezekiel 34 14. I will feed them in a good pasture
And upon the high mountains of Israel show their fold be
There shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture that they feed upon the mountains of Israel verse 15
I will feed my flock and I will cause them to that lie down sayeth the Lord God
What does a Good Shepherd do he feeds the sheep?
Fourthly the Good Shepherd focuses on the sick remember the the bad shepherds only focus on the healthy the Good Shepherd
Focuses on the on the sick of looking verse 16
I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that
Which was broken and I will strengthen that which was sick
But I will destroy the fat and the strong I will feed them with judgment
He says look I'm gonna search for them and I'm gonna search for that which was lost
I'm gonna bring again that which was driven away
I'm gonna bind up that which was broken and I'm gonna strengthen that which was weak. Here's what's interesting
Jesus basically said all of those things about his own ministry go to Luke chapter 4
You were just in Luke 19 go to Luke chapter 4 look at verse 16
Luke chapter 4 and verse 16
Luke chapter 4 verse 16 says this and he talked about Jesus
Came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood
Up for to read and there was delivered unto him a book of the prophet
Isaiah's and when he had opened the book he found the place where it was written notice what it says Luke 4 18
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
Because he had anointed me. That's what Jesus said. This is at the beginning of his ministry
It's how he kicked off his ministry
He got baptized and then he and then he starts his ministry right here by reading from Isaiah
And he says the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted
to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set out liberty them that are bruised and
Then he goes on and he says today. This is fulfilled in your sight
Why because this is what Jesus did go to mark chapter 2
Mark chapter 2 you're there in Luke. Just just flip one book before that mark chapter 2
Look at verse 17 mark chapter 2 verse 17 says this when Jesus heard it he saith unto them
Because they're accusing Jesus saying oh you're spending too much time with with the publicans and the harlots. You're spending too much time with the sinners
And this is what Jesus said this is how he answered they that are whole have no need have no need of the physician
But they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners
To repentance why because the Good Shepherd focuses on the sick
He focuses on the needy he focuses on those that need him go back to Ezekiel 34. I
Want to show you one more truth from this chapter
But I want to show you just a couple of things first of all, let me just say this versus 22 through 30
we're not going to cover tonight and the reason for that is because
Ezekiel 34 verses 22 through 30 are
Actually a millennial rain passage that we're gonna that is actually brought up again in
Ezekiel 44 and in Ezekiel 44, there's not a lot to talk about
So we're gonna talk about this with that chapter because they're connected together and we're gonna talk about
The prince that is referred there, but I want you to notice that
We begin the chapter by talking about the bad shepherds, right the bad leaders
They feed themselves, but they don't feed the flock. They focus on the healthy, but they don't care about the sick. They are
Demanding and they're difficult they use pressure and manipulation to try to get what they want
Then we compared in contrast of that with the Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd which is really a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ
but those of us that are under shepherds out to learn how to be a good shepherd from the Good Shepherd from the
Bishop of our souls from the chief shepherd and we saw that the Good Shepherd protects the sheep
He seeks for the sheep. He feeds the sheep. He focuses on the needs of
The sheep in verse 17 though. There's a shift
Now we stopped talking about the shepherds and we start talking about the flock notice verse 17 Ezekiel 34 verse 17 and as for you
Right because he's been talking
He's been pretty sick has been preaching to these people and he's been telling them about their leaders the shepherds
But now he says I'm gonna stop talking to you about your leaders and I'm gonna start talking to you about you and as for you
Oh my flock. So now he's talking to the sheep
He's talking about the sheep within the flock and let me show you that
The Bible is its own commentary. It tells us who the flock is. Look at verse 31. He's equal 34 verse 31 and
He my flock
the flock of my pasture notice he says our
Man, and I am your God sayeth the Lord God
So he said okay when he's talking about the flock is he talking about literal physical, you know, like bah sheep
No, he says I'm talking about the men
Talking about the people he says you are my flock
So notice what he says verse 17, and here's what he talked about. He talked about the bad Shepherd
He talked about the good Shepherd then he talks about the bad
flock
members
The bad church members knows what he says and as for you. Oh my flock
Thus saith the Lord God behold I judge between cattle and cattle. He said I'm not talking about shepherds anymore
Now I'm talking about the sheep talking about the followers
He says I'm gonna judge between cattle and cattle and between the rams and the he goes
Seameth it a small thing unto you notice what he says because like this whole time
It's it's been a guilt-free sermon for you, right? Yeah preach against those shepherds
Those bad shepherds won't return my calls, you know preaching off the good Shepherd that great Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ
But now he says, okay, let me talk to you flock, let me talk to you Church, let me talk to you congregation
Seameth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture
But ye must shred down with your feet the residue of the pasture. He says look when you came into the flock
You were welcomed
We we put out the grass for you we made sure you were fed we you were weak you were sick
You were struggling you weren't even saved you showed up to church. We got you saved you showed up to church
We started feeding you and helping you started helping your marriage helping your children
Then God started blessing you then God started prospering you then your job got better your business got better
Your house got better your car got better
And then he says this Seameth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture
but ye tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture and
To have drunk the deep waters
But ye must foul the residue with your feet. He's like, what's the point?
He said you drink out of the water, then you put your stinking feet and the drinking water
So that nobody else will drink from it and he's talking about bad church members you say pastor
How do I know if I'm a bad church member?
Here's how you know if you're a bad church member when you use up the resources and you don't pay it forward
When you showed up a mess and people loved you and people
Accepted you and people with their arms around you and they prayed for you and they were patient with you
And they loved you and you ate the grass you drank the water you got fed
But now when people show up you look down on them
You judge them you criticize them you drink the water and then you put your stinking feet in the water so they can't drink
You ate the grass you ate the pasture you got fed and then you try to all over it so they look if
This church has been a blessing to you. You know what you ought to pay that forward to the next guy
Quit judging the next guy for what he's driving or what addiction he's struggling with or what clothes his wife is wearing and pay it
forward
Say I showed up a mess. I showed up to you say well, I showed up to a very bad
You know what? You were a mess at some point
You did not get to where you were on your own somebody invested in you somebody loved you somebody helped you
Somebody was there for you someone fed you and you need to pay that forward
But what does a bad church member do here's what they do. They use up the resources and then they don't pay it forward
Well, I got fed and nuts to the rest of you. I
Was welcomed I had friends, but I'm gonna isolate you. I'm gonna make you feel bad. I'm gonna make sure no one talks to you
Hey, that's not what we should be doing. You know what? I've been blessed
So be a blessing
Look verse 19 and as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet and
They drink that which ye have fouled with your feet
Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them behold. I even I would judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle
You say what makes a bad church member. Here's what makes a bad church member. They use up the resources and they don't pay it forward
They take the blessing and they're not a blessing
They they allowed people to help them along the way and then they become a hindrance for others who are coming down the same way
Notice secondly what makes a bad church member a bad church member
They intimidate and irritate people and run them off. Look at verse 21
Because ye have thrust remember he's talking to the sheep
He says here's what you've done because ye have thrust
With
the side and with the shoulder and
Pushed all the disease with your horns till you have scattered them
abroad
Say what is a bad church member do here's what about you remember do he thrust?
she pushes
She intimidates he irritates they push people away the people they should be a blessing to
The people that are weak new young
the people that they should be loving on and saying man I used to be where you are and
someone was a blessing to me and someone was a help to me and someone prayed for me and if you would have known the
Mess when I first got into Christianity the mess that was my life and someone was patient with me
But now that I'm righteous and holy and fatted and I'm grown. I don't have any time for you
No, you know what?
That's a bad church member
That has been blessed and will not bless
that
Intimidates and irritates and you run off more people than you brought
You offend more people than you've helped
He says and ye my flock
the flock of my pasture
are men and
I am your God sayeth the Lord God you say pastor man is what can we learn from this passage?
Here's what we can learn from this passage
I need to be a good shepherd
Now I'm not Jesus Christ
He's the perfect Shepherd
But I should be able to look at the Lord Jesus Christ and say you know what I need to focus on the poor and the needy
I need to search and seek and attempt to save those that are wandering off
I need to try to bring people back and help them when they're struggling
I need to make sure that we are feeding them and we are loving them and we're helping I need to make sure that I'm
Protecting the flock and the interest of the flock. I need to be a good Shepherd
You say well, what can I learn from it? You need to be a good flock member?
You need to take the blessing and bless it forward
You need to not only drink the water make sure it's there for the next guy
Make sure it's there for the next person. Make sure you're not running people off. You're befriending people
Don't be expect don't expect people the new church members to minister to you. You go minister to them. Oh
People say oh so I'm sorry to shake my hand. Oh, did you shake their hand, you know, it goes both ways
So didn't greet me did you greet them? Oh
They didn't do what did you
Who's mature?
Who's spiritual
Who's the one?
That's been blessed. I
Need to be a good pastor
You need to be a good churchman. That's why I had to not board a prayer Heavenly Father. Thank you Lord for your word
Thank you for the Bible
Thank you for these great passages in Scripture that are so applicable to mankind
They're not just applicable in our church
They're applicable in every church that has ever existed every congregation every group of people that has ever existed. This is applicable
And Lord I pray that you would bless our church Lord, I pray that you would help our church
I pray that you would help us to always be a church that is welcoming to those in need
And
Welcoming to those who need help
You know what? I pray that you would help all of us who've been blessed
To pay that forward not to make it more difficult for people coming behind us
But to be a blessing to them to watch for them to minister to them to love them
In the matchless name of Christ we pray
Amen. I want to remind you just real quickly
We're gonna have brother Matt come up and lead us on a final song
But I want to remind you that we are starting a brand new series on Sunday morning
And I've said this to you already
But I just want to say it one more time the best time to invite a friend to church is at the beginning of a series
So use the card invite someone with you bring someone with you and make sure we are here on Sunday to get ready to learn about
cultivating a culture of contentment