Restoring the Flock

Scattered for Lack of a Shepherd

Shepherd, pastor, bishop, under-shepherd… pick a name typically this is the name or title given to any who assume the role of the leader of the church.

The average church simply calls this person pastor. Their role? Maybe its just preaching… maybe its just counseling… has it all together… answer to all things theological… excellent golfer… seldom do we call them defender of the flock.

The apostle ensures the leaders are operating well, training teaching leading, and the flock is being fed properly… the prophet brings shape and speaks what is on the heart of the Father… the evangelist… goes wherever they must to ensure the lost hears the gospel… the shepherd engages directly with the flock to ensure they are cared for, tended to, and are growing in their relationship with Christ…

The shepherd defends the flock against all attacks, and is incredibly concerned with their well being.

Looking at the American Church we should hear the alarm bells ringing as the call to tend to the flock has been replaced with a heart for pragmatism…

Today as we engage the shepherd keep in mind what the shepherd has been called for make note of how the Lord is concerned for their work and how He will not delay to rectify the abhorrent behaviour we see in the shepherds work.

Shepherds are called to restore and guard the flock maturing the flock into their calling.

Turn to Zechariah

Exiles have returned but are beginning to follow after the things that caused them to go into exile

The ones held to account are the leaders

The Lord is Calling the Shepherds to Stand Well

Zechariah 10:1–3 ESV

Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. “My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.

The opening is a call for the people to seek after God and not the emptiness of the those who have made a mockery of the pulpit

Household gods… idols installed in the temples

Diviners-prophets running without boundaries (where are the shepherds?)

False prophecies unchecked

word of the Lord that should console the flock does nothing

People wander and are afflicted their defenders are gone

The Lord’s Heart for His House

He is angry with the shepherds they will not go unpunished (what did they do?) (Ez the Lord all out removes the shepherd and calls them to an account)

His flock is what matters to Him… all of this is for them…

He will make of His flock ready for battle…

the condition of the church today by and large is attributed to the condition of the congregation because of what their leaders have done.

Shepherds it is time to return to guarding of the flock and maturing them until they are battle ready…

When the Shepherd Fails the Flock is Consumed

Zechariah 11:1–3 ESV

Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars! Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the glorious trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has been felled! The sound of the wail of the shepherds, for their glory is ruined! The sound of the roar of the lions, for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

Use of trees to exemplify the people and building to express the building of the church

Open...Lebanon the mountain range that serves as a defense

cedar (Pillars) is burned

Wail… Cypress which is used for building… the cedar which is used for building is ruined… what they have invested in is lost

Wail...oaks of bashan… that which is made in idolatry… as big as the church may be it has bent sent down

Bashan noted as sheol…

Shepherds… WAIL… not because they have misled… not because they have abused… but because their “glory”is ruined.

The anger of the Lord raises up and He jumps to action because the Flock is being decimated.

Call for the Shepherd to Oppose the Broken Office

Zechariah 11:4–5 ESV

Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them.

Today the Lord is awakening true shepherds

They are being called to a people that are being led to death and not life in the name of pragmatism

The real shepherd will oppose those who are;

using the flock as trading stock

buying and selling them… fail to lead them into a relationship with the Lord

slaughter them… sending them to their death without them knowing it

they take pride in how great they have become while they are being destroyed

Difficult Work Ahead for the Shepherd

when the flock does not want to be restored

Zechariah 11:7 ESV

So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep.

Staffs represent what the Lord has given as a symbol of authority

Favor that comes to the congregation

Union that keeps the body together

When the shepherd begins to correct they will face significant opposition

v. 8 tells us Zech… destroyed three shepherds… but the congregation detested him...

v. 9… the shepherd needs to know when to walk away…

What is to die… let it die… what is to be destroyed let it be destroyed…

he broke the staff of favor from them…

v.11 those who were destroying the sheep returned to ravage them…

Zechariah 11:12–13 ESV

Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.

Note how the shepherd is being compensated…

the congregation compensated the shepherd for doing their work yet their heart posture detests them…

as a congregation care for them… love them… dont tolerate their work but whole heartedly accept their work…

when the congregation despises their shepherd…

The Lord will give them one v.16 that is worthless… that doesnt care when they re being destroyed… maimed… or even care for their nourishment.

Woe to the Bad Shepherd

Zechariah 11:17 ESV

“Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!”

There is no reward for the shepherd who fails to guard the flock… who fail to mature the flock… who take advantage for their own gain… There is no excuse

Struck powerless… no authority

Struck blind… no revelation

Reward for the Good Shepherd

John 10:11 ESV

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The example for the shepherd is to imitate Jesus… lay down your life for the flock...

their needs matter

the things that keep them awake at night need to keep you awake

your life is no longer your own… lay it down…

1 Peter 5:1–4 ESV

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

feed and tend the flock that has been assigned to you

ensure they are growing properly

do the work because you want to not because you are being obligated

don’t do it because of “shameful” gain and don’t abuse them

unfading crown of Glory because Jesus

Today the call to be good shepherd is resounding… defenders of the flock rise up… guard the flock, and ensure they are maturing… your crown is an unfading crown bestowed on you by Jesus.