The Good Shepherd
Part One
This is the first of several in a message series on the Good Shepherd. There
is a sad trend today in the Body of Christ with millions of professing
Christians leaving churches because of abuse, neglect and hurt. Jesus Christ is
the Great Shepherd of the Church. Pastors are to be under shepherds of the
church caring for the flock of God under their care as Christ cares for His
entire Body. Sadly, this is not the case. For those hurting and wounded in
church systems, this message of hope and encouragement is for you today. There
is a Shepherd in heaven looking for the one lost sheep out of the ninety and
nine. He is not a hireling, but one who can heal a broken heart and restore
fellowship again. We must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together in
these last days. Perilous times are HERE and we will need the communion and
fellowship of fellow believers unlike ever before.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: John 10:2 - But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the
sheep.
John 10:11-12; 14-16 - I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life
for the sheep. [12] But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own
the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and fleeth: and
the wolf catches them, and scattereth the sheep. 14-16 I am the good shepherd,
and know my sheep, and am known of mine. [15] As the Father knoweth me, even so
know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And other sheep I
have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
This is probably one of the most
personal messages I have written in a very long time. Personal meaning that the
subject matter goes to some issues we have experienced ourselves over the past
12-18 months as members of a local fellowship we have since left. I pray that
something you read in this journal will bring encouragement and hope and “lift
up” the feeble hands of millions, which hang down because of their
disillusionment with the modern church system.
As I write this, nearly 12 million
people who profess they are born-again Christians are out of church. God is a
god of authority. He always desires His children to respond to His inherent
authority out of love, not constraint. He also delegates His authority to
leaders in many areas of our lives – including CHURCH. Sadly, because leaders
are human, there is always the potential for the misuse of authority and power.
The key issue in most of these movements is insecurity, control and
manipulation.
If God’s love is
not the heart motive for church leadership, then abuse of power and authority is
likely, if not probable. Abuse is the misuse of power. Abuse can exist either
way – to pastors or from pastors to others. God hates it and He has made it
clear from Scripture that the GOOD SHEPHERD of the sheep, which was speaking of
CHRIST, will never hurt those under His care. Christ is called the Good Shepherd
and Pastor of our souls. As local pastors, we are under shepherds to Christ
caring for the flock of God.
Luke 15:3-4 - And he spoke this parable unto them, saying, [4] What man of
you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety
and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Christ's heart reaches out to the
one sheep of the ninety and nine. That is just the opposite of the
mind-set of most in church leadership today. The modern church world has gotten
so “growth” crazy that we place numbers as our priority instead of souls. We
have judged success in the modern ministry by the world’s standards. If our
churches have thousands coming, tons of money in the bank and a myriad of
programs going on – we think God has ordained what we do. I’m not saying having
thousands coming, millions in the bank and programs are bad – but when we use
those things as a barometer of spiritual health – friend, we’re deluded and in
the end the sheep will always get abused, beat and sheared.
This is not relegated just to big churches. Small
churches who have the same mentality do the same thing to their people as the
mega-church would. The only difference small churches are pushing ahead for a
“vision,” while mega-churches seek to maintain the numbers.
Christ, the Good Shepherd, was not interested in the
multitudes in the same vein we are today. Christ was concerned MORE with the
spiritual health of those He met instead of just the “numbers” He met. He was
not worried about being on the “cutting edge,” of “ministry.” He came to give
His life a ransom for many and minister to the needs of fallen humanity as the
Holy Spirit led Him to do. He did NOTHING that He did not receive from His
Father. He only SPOKE that which the Lord told Him to speak.
He ever lives at this moment interceding for the sheep under
His care at this very moment. He is concerned about the individual heart of
every single human being who lives on Planet Earth. ALL are precious in His
sight. When He saw the multitudes, He was MOVED with compassion because they
fainted and were SCATTERED as SHEEP having no shepherd.
Matthew 9:36 - But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion
on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no
shepherd.
To state it again, His concern for the multitudes was on a
much higher plain than what the modern church growth movement has degenerated
into today. Christ’s concern for those He saw was ETERNAL in scope, not
TEMPORAL. He was not building a Kingdom on this earth made with man’s hands,
vain minds and prideful flesh. His Kingdom was being built in the hearts of
those He would meet and change forever. When He saved a lost fisherman named
Peter and gave Him the keys to the Kingdom His concern was NOT placing Peter in
a place of political power to weld over the other disciples. He was laying down
the foundation for the greatest organism, not organization, on the face of the
Earth – the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD.
Jesus was a servant to all humanity, but He was FIRST a
servant to God the Father. The Apostles John, Peter, and Paul often refer to the
Father as the “God of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus served the Father out of
LOVE. In the face of quick divorces, misplaced loyalties and lack of commitment
that statement may not mean much to us today.
Christ showed the depths of the compassion spoken of in
Matthew 9:36 in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the first garden, Eden, mankind
through the person of the First Adam, so quickly rejected obedience in favor of
self-centeredness. In the second garden, Gethsemane, the second Adam, Jesus,
preferred the Father’s will to His own even though it was clear through His
labored prayers that the directives of His Father were far from being His own
choices. Out of love He lived as a servant. And ALL good shepherds operate on
that same basis if they are true shepherds and not hirelings.
Romans 5:17-21
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one,
Jesus Christ.) [18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life. [19] For as by one man's disobedience many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. [20]
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound: [21] That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so
might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our
Lord.
John 7:17-18 - If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. [18] He that speaketh of
himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks his glory that sent him, the same
is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Those who are hirelings operate on a
totally opposite plain of self-centeredness that caters to their own needs
instead of those of the sheep. The result of such feeling is ALWAYS
authoritarianism and dictatorships in leadership. We have TONS of those in the
Body today wrecking havoc in the hearts and minds of millions of Christians.
Israel as a nation was like a
flock of SHEEP with no
shepherd. The nation was going aimlessly along needing a savior. The nation was
only a smaller picture of ALL lost humanity who too needed a Redeemer then and
those who need one today. Man is lost without God with no hope or help for
eternity. Before the Cross, Satan held man in sin’s sway and power because of
man’s disobedience. When Christ the good Shepherd went to the cross, He became a
sin offering for us all, giving up His life so that man would be saved.
And Christ cares for the ONE out of
the ninety and nine. He has never cared for the attitudes and fickle depths of
the heart of the multitudes as we are today. Men applaud when big numbers
gather. Heaven applauds when one soul repents. Men applaud these modern church
growth movements, which boast and arrogantly proclaim they are “blessed” by God
because of the “success” they have. Heaven applauds when a cup of cold water is
giving to a thirsty soul in the name of Jesus on a dirty road with nothing hoped
to be gained in return. Man applauds all his programs that he feels keep people
“connected” to a church. Heaven applauds when our hearts cry out in contrition
and repentance that we are undone and in need of a Savior. The modern pattern in
the church today is NOT pattern of the heart of Christ.
Luke 15:1-8 - Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to
hear him. [2] And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives
sinners, and eateth with them. [3] And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
[4] What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not
leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost,
until he find it? [5] And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders,
rejoicing. [6] And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and
neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which
was lost. [7] I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one
sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need
no repentance.
Neighbor, hear me and hear me well.
Your church may have thousands “coming” to services. But it’s not those “coming”
that are going to inherit eternal life! A lot may be "coming" to church, but sad
to say, "MANY" are going to hell! I know that sounds harsh and blunt but it's
the sad truth of which we say with a broken heart, not a haughty spirit. Those “coming” and “attending” our
programs must be BORN AGAIN and I dare say that less than 5% of all churchgoers
today are truly saved.
John 3:3-8
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith unto him,
How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his
mother's womb, and be born? [5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again. [8] The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every
one that is born of the Spirit.
I don’t flinch stating that. I don’t
back down saying that MOST gospel preaching today is a FALSE GOSPEL that
preaches LIES and manipulate the masses to get people into our programs – AND
YES GET THEIR MONEY. The machinery of the local church today has one goal in
mind – MONEY. When the shepherds abandon the message of the Cross, they have
abandoned the only message that can set the captives free. They have abandoned
the only message that will keep our hearts anchored in the ONE who holds eternal
life and that is CHRIST, the SON OF LIVING GOD.
While the modern pattern seems to be
“programs” and “reading lists” and “cell groups” and “government of 12 bodies,”
the Lord’s pattern for the church is God-ordained apostles, prophets,
evangelists, PASTORS (SHEPHERDS) and teachers leading those in the Body of
Christ. Of this list, I believe the PASTORS are the most important because
ultimately pastors have the most influence and care over the sheep. The pastor
is the one who interact the most with the sheep of the Body. Apostolic authority
even comes under the authority of the local pastor! In other words, if an
apostle comes into a fellowship, he is under the authority of the pastor leading
the sheep. The Lord has ordained it that way so that the sheep be protected from
false teachers, false prophets and false apostles. When the pastor is a hireling
though, he will allow just about anyone and anybody to minister to the sheep and
destroy people’s faith in the true and living God. The false minister may not be
preaching “evil” but be preaching a man-based, humanistic, self-help gospel that
points people to man-made doctrines instead of putting their faith in the
finished work of Christ.
Eph. 4:11 - And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
I want to relate an event that took place in the fall of 2004
in a church we attended that illustrates what I just said. There was a person
who came to minister from Tulsa, Oklahoma with the guise of being a gifted
prophetic minister. The very first morning he was there he called me and my wife
out and told me that I was going to receive a miraculous healing in 3 days and I
would not die. He acted as if I had been given a report that I would die and
needed to be healed. He turned to my wife and started telling her that she was
being healed of a back problem. NEITHER of these statements were true. I have
walked in divine health for many years, of which I deeply thank the Lord for. I
have never had a history of any type of extended sickness. Other than a need to
take a few pounds off and get my energy level up to snuff, I feel fine. My wife
did not have back problems as the man suggested.
He started saying these type things to several others in
attendance that morning. MOST of what the man said was blatantly FALSE and
misleading. I’m being very serious here without laughing. These prophecies were
not even CLOSE to being right. As I sat there my anger rose to the point of just
wanting to walk out. Instead, I went home that afternoon, called a fellow
minister friend of mine who was in the service that morning and asked him how he
viewed the events that morning. My friend also has a prophetic gift on him and I
look to him at times to see if the Lord is saying anything to him. He laughed on
the phone with me that the things this man was saying to he and his wife were a
million miles off as well.
We both agreed to just pray about it and hope the man would
calm down that night and just preach. Well, that night it happened again. He
even called my wife up again and acted like he didn’t know her and gave her
another wild off the wall prophecy. He had just spoken to her that morning and
was acting like this was her first service.
My friend’s wife went to the pastor and told him that this
man was spewing out false prophecies. The pastor blew her off and didn’t say
anything because the man ministering was a long-time friend who had been to the
church many times before.
We didn’t go back to any of the other services he was at that
week to say the least. The following Sunday however, the pastor gets up in the
pulpit and arrogantly proclaims that God “was ALL over the church this past
week,” and those who didn’t come missed their “moments of destiny,” and other
jargon most hirelings use in manipulating and abusing the sheep. (If I hear the
term “cutting edge” one more time in these modern church growth movements I’m
going to PUKE)
The pastor then glibly said something that basically sealed
my heart to take my family out of this church and quickly. He stated, “if you
have a problem with anything the prophet said last week, take it up with HIM,
not me. He’s the one you need to be talking to, I was not the one giving the
prophecy.”
That borders on blasphemy to be frank. The pastor was the one
the flock needed to come to for direction on this man’s error. The PASTOR was
the one ordained by God to PROTECT the sheep from wolves who would come in and
destroy their faith. I laughed this guy off each time he said something but
others didn’t laugh him off. There were some in the congregation, as there are
in ALL congregations, who thought God Himself had spoken to them and donating
hundreds of dollars to this man’s “cause.” He was a false prophet, neighbor, and
should have never been allowed in that pulpit. He should have been privately
talked to first by the pastor and if the situation did not correct itself
immediately, then he should have been told there would be no more meetings. If
that didn’t work and he pushed the issue, then a public rebuke would have been
in order if he persisted in wanting to stay at the church and say the crazy
things he said under the guise of prophetic inspiration.
I’m not prophetically gifted. My heart is that more of a
shepherd. I care for the sheep that I see in these churches. As a shepherd, I
could see that this man was taking a holy calling and saying all sorts of things
just for gain – whether it was financial or just confidence from the people he
was from God.
One person in the congregation called us and tried to explain
that the man was just “up in years” and had a problem with age, thus the
prophecies were not coherent and right. Even I agreed with that argument, which
I didn’t, the man’s prophecies should have STILL been addressed by the pastor.
And the person the sheep needed to come to WAS the pastor, not the prophet.
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING OUR
CHURCHES!!!!!!!! This is why millions are hurting and feeling total rejection
and in need of a touch from the GOOD SHEPHERD to restore faith in the office of
ministry and the body of Christ.
When Christ spoke to John and He preached His last seven
messages to the church – He told John to send the messages to the “angels,”
which is translated, “pastors” of those local churches in Asia Minor. The pastor
is the key to it ALL! The term “shepherd” in scripture describes several things:
-
Of God as leader of Israel. Ps 77:20; 80:1.
-
Of Christ as the good shepherd. Eze 34:23; Zec 13:7; Joh 10:14; Heb 13:20.
-
Of kings as the leaders of the people. Isa 44:28; Jer 6:3; 49:19.
-
Of ministers of the gospel. Jer 23:4.
-
(Searching out straying sheep,) of Christ seeking the lost. Ezek 34:12; Lu 15:2-7.
-
(Their care and tenderness,) of tenderness of Christ. Isa 40:11; Ezek 34:13-16.
-
(Ignorant and foolish,) of bad ministers. Isa 56:11; Jer 50:6; Ezek 34:2,10; Zec 11:7,8,15-17.
With Christ as the Great Shepherd and
Bishop of our souls as believers, Pastors are under shepherds of Christ ordained
and charged with the care of those under their care. Let’s take a look at some
characteristics of the “good” shepherd, whom that follow such pattern, care for
the flock of God as CHRIST Himself cares for the flock of God.
The Good Shepherd Gives His Life
For The Sheep
John 10:11-15
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. [12] But
he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees
the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and
scatters the sheep. [13] The hireling flees, because he is an hireling, and
cares not for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
known of mine. [15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I
lay down my life for the sheep.
The Good Shepherd laid his life down
for the sheep. We are SAVED today because the good shepherd laid His life down
for us! Praise God. He was not “murdered,” as some well-meaning theologians try
to paint. Neighbor, Christ could have called, 10,000 angels to destroy the world
and set Him free. Let me say it again. He could have called MILLIONS of angels
who were standing at attention for even a flicker of his finger to summon them
to His side.
But had He done that, all of humanity
would have been lost. We’d be in hell right now. There would be no hope in the
hereafter. Paul said that if Christ not be raised from the dead, we believe in
vain.
1 Cor. 15:1-4
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you,
which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are
saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in
vain. [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how
that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Had Christ not died and gave His life
for the sheep we all would be bound by the powers of darkness. His life was not
one to serve Himself but to serve others. He came NOT to be ministered to, but
to minister.
Matt 20:28- Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Luke 9:24-25
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his
life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself,
or be cast away?
The Good Shepherd of the sheep came
not to be ministered to, but to minister to others. That concept is sadly
reversed today in many church settings. That doesn’t mean that the sheep do not
need to take care of the pastor. That’s not the issue. The sheep DO need to love
their pastor and give total honor to the man of God. But that honor needs to
come from the heart, not out of constraint or manipulation and control.
The LORD is my shepherd, David
proclaimed in Psalms 23. The Lord is our Shepherd today and all good under
shepherds follow in the example of the One they are serving!
Ps 23:1
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (KJV)
Ps 80:1
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou
that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. (KJV)
The Good Shepherd FEEDS His Flock
And Gathers The Lambs In His Arms
Isa 40:11- He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs
with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are
with young. (KJV)
"With the pity and tenderness of a
shepherd," the Lord Jesus came to a lost and hurting world to seek and to save
that, which was LOST. So too we must as pastors today do the same The same that
rules with the strong hand of a prince leads and feeds with the kind hand of a
shepherd.
The true shepherd takes care of all
his flock, the little flock: He shall feed his flock like a shepherd. His word
is food for his flock to feed on; his ordinances are fields for them to feed in;
his ministers are under-shepherds that are appointed to attend them.
This speaks to us of the spiritual
diet we feed the sheep. This could be a journal all to itself without a doubt.
But hear this good. The Good Shepherd speaks and feeds the sheep with the WORD
OF GOD. All true shepherds today do the same. They don’t give their
congregations the latest book reports on the latest fads in the church. They use
the BIBLE for their text book, not the “Purpose Driven Life.” They use the BIBLE
as their reading source, not a list of 25 “mandated reading books” from the
government of 12. Good shepherds feed the flock of God with a message of the
CROSS. They preach CHRIST. They preach JESUS. They preach Jesus saves! They
preach JESUS heals. They preach JESUS baptizes in the HOLY GHOST. They preach
JESUS is COMING AGAIN. They preach Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. It’s not a
man-based message that just makes the sheep SICK and wanting to vomit. It’s the
WORD OF GOD that feeds the souls and sets the captives free.
I get tickled when I see these
church-based “schools of the prophets,” and “ministry schools,” etc. that are
supposed to be teaching the people about the Christian walk. In every one of
these to a tee, the Bible is just a “side” book to a list of a myriad of other
books. I don’t want to study out of a myriad of OTHER books, I want the WORD OF
GOD, and the unadulterated, pure milk of the Word that as those on the Emmaus
Road proclaimed makes our hearts BURN!!! No book on this earth can do that
except the Bible. Preacher, preach the WORD, preach the WORD. People don’t want
to hear your opinions and your rhetoric every Sunday. God help us. Spiritually
hungry sheep don’t care to hear about YOU, they care to hear about HIM!!!!!!!!
2 Tim. 4:1-3
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge
the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; [2] Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears;
1 Tim. 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
In
laying His life down for the Sheep, the Good Shepherd takes particular care of
those that most need his care, the lambs that are weak, and cannot help
themselves, and are unaccustomed to hardship, and those that are with young,
that are therefore heavy, and, if any harm be done them, are in danger of
casting their young.
The true shepherd is patient and apt
to teach those who are young converts in the faith, that are setting out in the
way to heaven, for weak believers, and those that are of a sorrowful spirit.
These are the lambs of his flock that shall be sure to want nothing that their
case requires. Sometimes this requires us tenderly loving and caring for those
who will let us. Other times it may require a word of truth that is not so
soothing to the flesh, but it ALWAYS is given in a loving way as to point that
person to CHRIST.
Hirelings don’t lift a finger to help
the weak. They berate them and abuse them for their lack of spiritual “depth.”
They may be labeled as having a great “ministry” but if they don’t know how to
truly love and care for the sheep, they are hirelings and under the judgment of
God.
The ministry today is turning out a
group of young preachers who think the world owes them something. It doesn’t. As
a result the sheep under the care of these young men and women who are
struggling feel no sense of caring from the pastor. And neighbor, if the sheep
is struggling and the pastor is not the type of shepherd who is willing to take
particular care to help them, that sheep will find other pasture! And most of
the time the other pasture is not another church; it’s the world. It’s the
world.
That’s why when you see a church that
is centered on a “man,” you inevitably have church splits. When the “man”
leaves, the sheep following the “man,” leave with him. The other sheep are just
left to wander aimlessly until another shepherd arrives to clean up the mess of
the one who left. Hirelings are always attached to splits! They would rather
split a church than humble themselves before God and men and care more for those
under them than their own feelings.
Neighbor, I know you are reading this
and saying, “well the sheep can be pretty rough on shepherds.” I KNOW! I’ve been
a shepherd. And one day God will deal with those sheep that are causing
rebellion among the ranks as well. We as pastors though must never put our own
agendas and lives ahead of those for the sheep. The GOOD SHEPHERD NEVER DOES!
He’d rather leave and encourage the church to stay intact, than to take 1/3 of
the church away into another movement with his name on it so he can have a
“ministry.” That is the spirit of the hireling, not the spirit of a good
shepherd!
As Christ gather’s His sheep in the
arms of his power; his strength shall be made perfect in their weakness, so too
the good under shepherd does the same for the sheep under HIS care.
2 Cor. 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
He will gather them in when they
wander, gather them up when they fall, gather them together when they are
dispersed, and gather them home to himself at last; and all this with his own
arm, out of which none shall be able to pluck them.
John 10:28 - And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish;
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
So too will those with the heart of
Jesus never let any one else pluck their sheep out of their hands through false
doctrine. They will always seek to lift up the hands that hang down and
encourage those who are fallen. They will never seek to manipulate people into
obedience, but lovingly point them to CHRIST, the GOOD SHEPHERD and leave the
matters of the heart to the Holy Spirit.
In laying His life down for the
sheep, the Good Shepherd will carry them in the bosom of his love and cherish
them there. When they tire or are weary, are sick and faint, when they meet with
foul ways, he will carry them on, and take care they are not left behind.
Friend, listen to me. Life will cause all those things to happen at times to us
ALL! There are times when we ALL need a shepherd to lovingly guide us and help
us in time of need. That is why the enemy has put the heart of the devil in many
pastors today and has caused many to abuse and hurt the sheep as to get the
sheep to wander and stray into sin and the world.
The good shepherd does what he has to
in order to carry the sheep on his shoulders. We all meet with foul ways at
times, but that’s why the Body has been structured like it is. Good shepherds
gently lead sheep; they don’t beat them. By his word he requires no more
service, and by his providence he inflicts no more trouble, than he will fit
them for; for he considers their frame.
We will pick this up in part two of
this message series on the Good Shepherd. I pray you know the Shepherd of our
souls today. His name is Jesus Christ and He loves you. He has come to give His
life as a ransom for many so that we may inherit eternal life through the shed
Blood of His sacrifice on a cross 2,000 years ago. May we follow the GOOD
SHEPHERD always while seeking the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit on the under
shepherd He wants us to submit ourselves to on this earth.
If you’ve been hurt in a church
setting, take heart today. You’re not alone. I have had to deal with some hurt
myself over the past few months as the result of an abusive, man-centered,
split-church, setting my family just came out of. It was a very tough year in
2004 because of it. We’ve found other pasture now and a great shepherd who does
not berate and beat us each week we come, but lovingly preaches the word of God,
feeding our souls with manna from heaven and leading us and pointing us to
CHRIST.
In Closing
In
closing, let me say one more thing. If the shepherd you are currently under is
pointing you to himself instead of Christ – he is a hireling! You need to get
out and get out quick. Don’t create rebellion or division. Just leave. Leave and
ask God to send you to a place where you can be fed. I know the number of true
shepherds is dwindling in this modern era of church growth movements. But the
Holy Spirit I believe will raise up some old veterans who have been hurt in the
past; heal their wounds, and give them a heart like Jesus for the sheep once
again. The new group of shepherds will be specially equipped for the days ahead
which will be tough!
I pray you find that peace today
neighbor. If you are struggling and in need of a friend to help you find a place
of fellowship, please email us.
We’re here to partner with you and
help minister to you in these divine days we live in. Things ahead of us are not
going to get any easier. We will need the fellowship of other believers to help
us get through. That’s the call of the Holy Spirit to you today – “COME BACK” to
the fellowship of the saints. There is a GOOD SHEPHERD who is truly looking for
you today! He’s missed you but has never taken His eye off of you during your
journey! He loves you today and so do we. God bless.