The Shepherds of God's People

Introduction:

Shepherding is an occupation that most of us will never consider outside of a setting like this. We won’t have our children tell us that they want to be a shepherd when they grow up. We will probably only think about them when we put up our Christmas decorations and when we are in church hearing a reference to them.

However for the immediate audience of those the Bible was written to, the occupation of a shepherd very well could have been one that a child would enter. Families of shepherds lived in tents and led their flocks from field to field seeking new pastures.

You would pass these shepherds on your way around the community, but it would be a common occupation that people knew much about.

God uses the occupation to describe Himself and the leaders and kings of the people. It is a metaphor that is used for leaders in the church. The name “pastor” is a name that has at its roots the occupation of a shepherd.

Tonight, we are going to take this occupation and seek to understand what it means to shepherd God’s people and what should be expected of God’s leaders.

Ezekiel 34:1–19 ESV

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. 11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. 17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

Prayer

Background:

Ezekiel is a book that speaks of God’s coming judgment on His people because of their rejection of Him and His laws. The people had wandered away and become infatuated with the gods of the nations that God drove out before the Israelites.

They had rejected God’s blessing on them and now the curses are coming on the people of God.

In this passage God condemns the religious and civil leaders of Israel because of their rejection of their duties towards the people.

The metaphor of a shepherd is used in many places in the Bible to refer to leaders and even to God himself.

In this passage, we want to look at the requirements of a shepherd. You are going to see that there is a great deal of accountability before God to be a shepherd.

God calls the pastors of his church shepherds. In 1 Peter 5:1-4

1 Peter 5:1–4 ESV

1 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: 2 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; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

This passage has its roots in the Old Testament. We can go to our passage tonight to see the duties required of a shepherd and how ultimately Jesus is the good shepherd every one of us needs.

1. God’s Condemnation Against the Shepherds (vv.1-3)

Ezekiel 34:1–3 ESV

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.

God condemns self-serving leaders

They were getting fat off the sheep

They were abusing their leadership

They were not serving the sheep

2. The Duties of the Shepherds (vv.3-4)

Ezekiel 34:3–4 ESV

3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.

A. Feed the Sheep (v.3)

Jesus commissioned Peter to feed His sheep

John 21:15–18 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

Multiple times Jesus says to feed the sheep.

This is the most important duty of the pastor. He is to study the Word and feed the flock.

Acts 6:2 ESV

2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

B. Strengthen the Weak (v.4)

Paul as the example

Acts 20:35 ESV

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

We strengthen the weak through the use of the spiritual gifts

Romans 1:11 ESV

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—

Strengthening is ultimately from God

Romans 16:25 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages

C. Heal the Sin-Sick (v.4)

James 5:13–16 ESV

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

D. Seek After the Lost (v.4)

Luke 19:10 ESV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

3. The Good Shepherd (vv.13-16)

Ezekiel 34:13–16 ESV

13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Conclusion

The end assessment is that we need another shepherd. We need one who loves us. We need one who will seek us as one who owns the sheep. We need one who will look on us with compassion.

Jesus is that Shepherd that was sent. He came to seek and to save the lost.

If you are lost, He has come to find you. He knows where you are. He will bring you safely back to the fold.

If you are wandering, He will bring you back.

If your soul is thirsty and hungering, He will feed you.

If you are hurting and lame, He will heal you.

The Shepherd has come to you tonight, but will you listen to His voice?