Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

Alright, the heart of a shepherd.

I think a certain kind of a shepherd, if you are looking at the heart of  a shepherd, it would be somebody if we were looking at the Pastor of a church.

It would be somebody who’s thinking about his building all the time and thinking about the building projects and how he might get lots of people to do lots of things for him and clean up this and move that and so, basically like this tyrannical boss that really knows how to move and shake and get things going.

A certain kind of shepherd is somebody who doesn’t really care  about what he’s teaching, but just as long as it sounds good.

As long as he’s throwing in a few “the Greek says” a few other cute little stories and as long as people can say “Hey that was a really good job.”

That’s the heart of a certain kind of shepherd.

And also this shepherd is too busy for a the people.

He’s not in touch with the people and to him, that’s okay.

Because you know, he’s got things to do, he’s got his time, his schedule and flexibility isn’t really in the picture.

You know, it’s like hey right now I’ve got to do this and I don’t have time for you to pour out your heart before me.

And so he looks at himself as only a teacher or a preacher but in really no way as a Pastor.

When it comes to sin in the church, this certain kind of a shepherd is really unconcerned about what is going on in the church unless somebody brings it to his attention, so that way you know if the people are starting to get their feathers ruffled over these issues, then he’ll get a move on it because you know people might end up leaving the church and his salary might end up going down.

And also, the heart of a certain kind of a shepherd is one that is looking for his own personal honor and personal gain and looking for when the next vacation is and when the opportunity for golf is going to come up again and you know just kind of you know rest and relaxation and that’s what the ministry is all about.

The heart of a certain kind of a shepherd is looking at  the people that are not getting their jobs done and really focusing in on those people in the church and letting those people irk him and he ends up with a bitter, disgruntled attitude and everyone in the church can feel it as he is mad at everyone.

And also, the heart of a certain kind of a shepherd is someone who looks at the church as a non-profit corporation.

And this is a corporation that needs to be run and we need to have our command and get everything done and my plan is that I am going to build this church, I’m going to grow this church and I’m going to climb the corporate ladder and whether you’ve been doing this ministry for ten years, but if you are not as good as this new person that came in, that you know is really going to make our church grow, then you know, you’re out of the picture.

And so, he doesn’t worry about who he stepping on, just as long as his vision of shepherding lots of people at a mega-church gets there and he can get to that point.

And so he is more concerned about his pay raises than he is in praying or the men that are out of work in the church and then also regarding his own fear and his own panicking and frustrations and his dislikes he speaks about these negativities all the time in the heart or in the ears of the sheep so that way these things can be transmitted from himself into their hearts.

And so, we could go on and on describing a certain kind of a shepherd and apparently a person like that would not be somebody if you could actually see their heart and see where they are going you probably wouldn’t want to sit under them, you probably wouldn’t want to follow after them because, you know a shepherd usually has sheep that are following and yet there are many shepherds that you can’t see their heart but yet their heart is worldly in these ways and selfish in these ways and so a shepherd after God’s own heart is one that is not fixing his eyes on himself.

But, his eyes are focused on the shepherd and what the shepherd wants and where the shepherd wants to lead him and he is seeking to be pleasing to the Lord and so, when we look at somebody who would be a bad shepherd we can get an idea of what not to do.

Just like some of us we had parents that were not the best parents in the world, not that we go blaming them for everything because you know, who is a perfect parent, BUT, at the same time some of you when you are younger you looked at a certain thing and you said you know what I’m not going to do that, I am not going to be like that and so with all the BAD in the world and even the bad shepherds, we can look and learn by life’s lessons and their bad examples of what not to do.

In 1st Peter Chapter 5, it talks about the shepherd being an example to the flock.

And so, there have been role model shepherds, pastors that have been a great example to the flock that you could look at it and go, “oh you do it like this and like that and this is how you love the shepherd and take care of them.

Also, we learn through those bad examples in what not to do.

Teaching and taking care of and ministering to a flock of whatever size, whether you are school teacher, a Sunday School teacher or a Pastor or a home bible study leader, it’s quite a responsibility and the Lord looks at that responsibility that the Lord has given to you and seeing if you are looking at it like a responsibility or if you are just kind of taking it lightly and you’re reckless with the responsibility and so God is watching and He is watching to see how you administrate and how you perform and how you function as a shepherd.

Ezekiel Chapter 34 - we’re going to take a look at some indictments against bad shepherds in the Old Testament, those that were shepherding God’s flock, Israel.

Ezekiel Chapter 34, starting in verse 1.

It says, and the Word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of Man prophesy against the shepherds of Israel.

Prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds, woe to the Shepherd of Israel who feed themselves should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

And that is of course the primary importance of a Shepherd is to feed the flocks and that is of course the primary importance of a shepherd is to feed the flock, water the flock, tend to the flock.

You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with wool, you slaughter the fat liens but you do not feed the flock.

The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed with those who are sick.

And notice that, we are going a little bit further here than feeding, we’re going into ministry and really caring about the individuals, strengthening, bringing forth the healing and of course they can come to the Word of God to the people.

It says nor bound up the broken nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.

And so, it mentions this in Peter, it talks about that we should be serving the Lord willingly or the shepherd should and not in such a way that  he’s overbearing on the flock and then also it mentions that this shepherd that there is an indictment against did not seek that which was lost.

And we remember Jesus mentioning the parable about the 100 sheep and there is that one that is lost and so he leaves the 99 and goes after that one that is lost, and so I believe that a shepherd never gets so busy and so caught up just doing church things that he loses touch with the fact that there are people who are lost and there are people he needs to be running after.

It says in vs. 5 - so they were scattered because there was no shepherd and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered and of course, if there is no shepherd, sheep are scattered and you have the coyotes and the wolves, and the lions and whatever animals might have been around and these dumb sheep, innocent sheep are just prey to them and so there is an important thing here, of their being shepherds, being shepherds that are there with the sheep, that have a heart for the sheep and I remember, actually it was right before I really gave my life over to the Lord.

I was at a Rolling Stones concert and there was 100,000 young people at that concert.

And I’m looking around me and everyone is smoking marijuana and I’m just going, Man, and at that time I really wasn’t following the Lord, the Lord was definitely working on me.

And as this one band was playing prior to this group that I came to see with my girlfriend, everybody was sharing this one particular song, it was a really bad song, it was obvious to me at that point that it was a bad song, and I was looking around and I was going, Man this is my generation, and I’m looking at 100,000 young people at the time, going this is my generation and just realizing how lost everybody looked.

And you know, I had it come in my heart and I really believe that it was God, I didn’t hear a voice or anything like that, it was you know in my own thoughts but the thought came into my heart, these are sheep without a shepherd and I just heard that a few times, these are sheep without a shepherd and I’m looking around just going wow, these are sheep without a shepherd, and how lost the people were.

And of course the next day or whatever, as I fully dedicated my life over to Christ, but really that is the way that the world is and that is the way that some churches are, as it mentions here, of those that were taking care of God’s flock that they really weren’t .

And then in vs. 7 it says, therefore you were shepherds hear the Word of the Lord.

As I live, says the Lord surely because of my flock became prey and my flock became food for every beast of the field because there was no shepherd nor did my shepherd search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my flock.

Therefore, Oh Shepherds hear the Word of the Lord.

It’s kind of like the messages to the churches in Revelation Chapter 2 and 3, hear what the spirit says to the church and so yea, the church has got a message but the shepherds have also got a message and warnings that God wants them to take care of His flock, he doesn’t want them to go astray by getting caught up in themselves and in their own lives.

And then it goes on here in vs. 10, Thus Says the Lord God, Behold I am against the Shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand.

I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep and the shepherds will feed themselves no more, for I will deliver my flock from their mouths and the day may no longer be food for them.

So the Lord can pull flock right away from a shepherd that does not have his heart.

He can take the carpet right out from under their feet.

They think all is going well, I’m living high on the hog and believe me, there are those as you know, that preach the prosperity message that I know of another pastor that he went to this resort and this special pastor’s thing and he went to this place where some of these well known people were and you know, there was one well-known couple that was just speaking of their riches and what they are going to do with this and what they are going to do with that and the pastor’s wife that was there just, it just made her sick to hear this.

And so, no doubt there are those whose hearts have gone towards worldliness and we’ve seen in the past, you know, God pull the plug on Jim Baker and such and so even within the Christian Church, just like Israel, it’s been the same way.

And then vs. 11 it says, Thus says the Lord God, indeed I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.

So that’s great, that even though a man may not have God’s heart, God is going to tend to the business himself.

It says, that as a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out my sheep and deliver them from all the places where they are scattered on a cloudy and dark day, and I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land, I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and the valley and all the inhabitant places of the country.

Now we are seeing God’s heart.

He doesn’t want any lost, he wants them to be fed and then it says in vs. 14, I will feed them in good pasture and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel, there they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

I will feed my flock and I will make them lay down says the Lord.

I will seek that which was lost and bring back that which was driven away.

Bind up the broken and strengthen that which was sick, but I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them in judgment.

And as for you, Oh my flock, Thus says the Lord God Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats, is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture that you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture and to have drunk of the clear waters that you must foul the residue with your feet?

And as for my flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet and they drink what you have fouled with your feet, therefore, Thus says the Lord God to them, Behold, I myself will judge from the fat and the lean sheep.

Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns and scattered them abroad.

Therefore, I will save my flock and they shall no longer be a prey and I will judge between sheep and sheep.

I will establish one shepherd over them and he shall feed them.

My servant David.

He shall feed them and be their shepherd.

So, God’s plan is that there would be somebody with his heart.

There would be somebody that he could establish, there would be somebody that he would raise up to take care of those that he loves, to take care of those that seem to be astray and not have anybody taking care of them.

Also, in the New Testament, Jesus spoke of one that was taking care of the sheep that was not a shepherd but a hireling and that when the wolf would come or some danger would come, he would flee, because he didn’t own the sheep, he didn’t care about the sheep, they weren’t his sheep.

And so he would just bail out, run, when the danger came and he didn’t really have a heart nor care for the sheep.

Where a good shepherd of course would just battle off whatever animal it was, I mean he would lay in the gateway there of the sheepfold and he would be there to defend the sheep at night from any intruder that would come along.

And so, a hireling.

Now today, in churches, we have many hirelings.

Most church, well I won’t say most, but a vast majority of the church has somewhat of a democratic government, where the people can vote in and vote out the pastor and there is a certain Eldership that you know if you are not going according to what they want, you know then you’re gone and they’ll be able to have their nomination committee and pick somebody else and so the pastor gets the mentality of a hireling, so he starts thinking things in such a way as to please these men so that way he can keep his job and feed his family.

And I can just name them, there are so many denominations that have pastors that are like that.

Now some of these are not truly hirelings.

Some of them are really very truly Godly men who love the Lord but are in this kind of a hireling system that has forced them to react in a hireling way and so when the going gets tough for them, they do quit and they go find some other pastor in some other city or state, hoping that the same troubles won’t follow them that were at this previous church.

But truly, God’s plan and here with David, it mentioned in Ezekiel that there would be somebody there to pastor the people, to sick around with the flock to go through the thick and the thin, to be there, almost like a marriage until death do you part that this person would be there for the long haul, to know the sheep by name, to be there with their marriages and their deaths and to care about the flock.

Now, a bad shepherd is one that is not serving the Lord joyfully.

It’s become grudging obligation, it’s become a burden.

It’s not something that he loves to do because he loves the Lord and the Lord gave him a great job to do, and when I say him and speaking of things in the sense of a pastor, I want you to relate it to whatever ministry, if you happen to be overseeing something that has people, that it would relate.

And so, it mentions in the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 28 vs. 47 - because you did not serve the Lord with joy and with gladness of heart, he’s going to bring all these disasters upon you.

Not a good thing for Israel to hear that.

But it’s very important because of their being a lot of responsibility and a lot of work when it comes to shepherding God’s flock, you could very easily get caught up in the job and loose the joy of the Lord and end up in a place where you are serving and doing your ministry with joy and gladness of heart.

You know, it’s become a burden to you and when something is a burden to you and not a joy, the Lord is able to take it away.

Let’s now look at Jeremiah Chapter 23 some more Old Testament on some of his indictment against shepherds that were shepherding the flock.

Let’s start in vs. 1, Woe to the Shepherd who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture says the Lord, therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed my people, you have scattered my flock, driven them away and not attended to them.

And notice those key words there, not having taken care of them, meeting their needs, pulling the thorns out of them, you know there cast and casting means that a sheep is over on his back and they can’t get themselves up, and you know you have to pick them back up and so it says that you have not attended to them, Behold I will attend to you for the evil of your doings says the Lord.

But, I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their folds and they shall be fruitful and increase.

I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them.

Now notice that, God’s plan is to set up shepherds.

So maybe you are feeling called, maybe you are wondering, you know, Gosh, what is my ministry?

Well, the Lord has a plan to set up shepherds.

And it says, and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed nor shall they be lacking says the Lord.

The flock will not be lacking because there are going to be people that the Lord is going to put, the Lord is going to raise up Sunday school teachers, the Lord is going to raise up these prayer room counselors and these drug and alcohol ministry leaders and these people that care about his flock, he is raise them up.

And then, jump over to verse 30 in that same chapter, it says, therefore Behold I am against the prophets says the Lord, who steal my words everyone from his neighbor, Behold, I am against the prophet says the Lord whose use their tongues and says, He says, - now notice that it says they steal the words everyone from his neighbor, that’s like a Pastor that is getting everything he says from a commentary, that’s like a Sunday school teacher that is getting everything that they say from their Sunday School curriculum, there is no Holy Spirit involved.

They are saying the Lord says, the Lord says, as if it was the oracles of God and though there is nothing wrong with you know, quoting a neighbor or quoting something that you know is written, at the same time God wants there to you receiving the food, you cooking the meal, you know like a wife who is preparing, you know if she just slapped down a hamburger patty you know on your plate and maybe some ketchup and said here is dinner, you would be going like, gosh thanks, I don’t know if that is really going to fill me up and boy it’s not like what I pictured as far as being a full course meal, I mean I’d like a little fruit, you know maybe a little vegetable maybe some potatoes, something that is well rounded to get me going, but you see the carelessness.

The lack of concern for the meal and so this is what he is speaking here about regarding about the indictment against these prophets.