A. In this passage we have God's judgment against the
leadership of his people.
B. The term "shepherd" was used to refer to all those who were
in leadership: kings, prophets, governors, court official, men in the city
gates, etc. God makes this clear in the last verse.
C. It is God's plan that man would rule over his affairs and
care for the needs of others physically and spiritually.
Eph. 4:11 says God has given us "shepherd teachers for
the building up of the saints for the work of the
ministry.
D. 1 Peter 5: 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a
fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in
the glory to be revealed:
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving
as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants
you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
3 not lording it over
those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the
Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never
fade away.
E. God is the Chief Shepherd: "The is my Shepherd..."; Ps.
80:1 Hear us Oh Shepherd of Israel"
Now let's turn to our text and see what
principles of leadership we can learn for our lives today.
I. The False Shepherds
A. Their failures
1. They didn't feed the flock of God: it is interesting to
me that God views the people as His sheep and the shepherds as being
responsible for the condition of God's people. The first responsibility then is
to feed the flock of God. (2)
a. parents
b. Sunday school and all our Adult Bible
studies
2. They sought their own fulfillment over the needs of the
flock (3)
a. our culture is not much different and our selfish
natures are the same
b. people are often too interested in their own
personal comfort to take care of the needs of others.
c. today some
ministries have full time employees doing nothing but think of ways of getting
you to mail them money... computers printing signatures that look
real
3. They did not deal with the needs of the hurting (4)
a. it is much easier associating with those who have
plenty and those who have no need than binding up, healing, comforting,
feeding, mending, etc.
b. some pastors "lord it over the flock" and make
differing with them equal to being against God
c. feed the flock synthetic
food with little substance: talking about anything except the Word of
God
B. The result of the failures
1. The people became scattered
2. The people were at
risk for their lives
3. The people had no direction
C. The judgment for their failures
1. Required judgment for the condition of the people
2. Removal from leadership
3. Rescue the flock from the selfish
leadership
II. The True Shepherd
A. I Myself will search
1. what we have failed to do, God will accomplish
2.
promise of the gathering together of the people of Israel
B. I will bring them out (13)
a. immigration gates have opened
C. I will feed them (14)
a. He cares for the physical and spiritual needs
b. Note that most animals know to lay down and rest. God hast to make his
sheep lie down.
D. I will seek the lost (15)
III. The Shepherd to Come
A. One shepherd over them
Mark 6: 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had
compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he
began teaching them many things.
John 10: 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays
down his life for the sheep.
B . He will judge between the real and unreal
1. The embarrassment of the President over the last few days
is nothing to be compared with the day of judgment:
Luke 12: Beware ye of
the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing
covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the
light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed
upon the housetops.
C. The Promise: " I the Lord has
spoken"