Good morning everyone, Now that the holidays are all over, and we all have a bit of more pounds to carry, and we all have some joyful memories of our gatherings of families and friends and even presents that some of us all are wearing at this very moment, may it be a new watch, or a pair of earrings, or even those new socks you have on your feet. Most of us had a splendid time; the church has been in prayer and direct communication with most of the needs of the poor, and the not so lucky family gatherings, also the ones that were left without food, or homeless, or friendless, and even some with out any families at all. This year there were many people that were totally alone, during the course of these holidays. Which of course keep me very busy, but now that the New Year has come, Let us start with a new beginning for the Love for Jesus, with all our brothers and sisters, and let us open our minds and spirits, let us all be renewed within our hearts, and let us all now have our opening prayer.
Father in Heaven we thank you for letting us all be here together to worship and praise your name, to love you, and be in spirit and in truth, we all count all our blessings and not our pain, we count all our gains, not our looses, we count all our joys, instead of our hurts, we count all our friends, instead of our foes, and we count all our good health and not our wealth, in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.
Then this message came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: Destruction is certain for you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn't shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the broken bones. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with force and cruelty. So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd. They are easy prey for any wild animal. They have wandered through the mountains and hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.
"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. Though you were my shepherds, you didn't search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, along with their right to feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey. Ezekiel 34:1-10
Please open your bibles to Ezekiel 34
As you all know in this world here there are good shepherds, and bad shepherds, and as we all know that another word for shepherd is pastor, leading and guarding, teaching and caring for the flock. And we now who is the flock the flock is not just the people that are hearing this message but the flock of Jesus Christ is anyone outside the door, all are and will be with your help part of the flock. And another thing you are all shepherds too, you must lead and guide your children your pets, your baby sitters, to some, your employees and also fellow workers, and neighbors. We are all the part of the body of Christ
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.Rom:12:4-6
You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am about to say is true. When we bless the cup at the Lord's Table, aren't we sharing in the benefits of the blood of Christ? And when we break the loaf of bread, aren't we sharing in the benefits of the body of Christ? And we all eat from one loaf, showing that we are one body. 1Cor.10:15-17
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit.
Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part 1Cor. 12:12-14
In other words some of us are black, some of us are poor, some of us are Hawaiian, some of us are Japanese, some off us are rich, but we are all a part of the body of Christ, and we should share and help everyone amongst ourselves, with different functions forming one whole cell, the body of Jesus Christ.
And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence. Eph 1:22-23
So let us get back to Ezekiel, so in this message what is spoken, Ezekiel is referring to all Jews or people in captivity from both the northern and southern kingdoms. Ezekiel criticized Israel’s leaders for taking care of themselves, rather than taking care of their people. Does this sound familiar? So basically what I am saying is good shepherds take care of the flock, strengthen the week and the sick, search for the lost, regulate lovingly and gently, gather and protect the sheep and give the best to the sheep.
Now the bad shepherds take care of themselves, worry about there own health, regulate harshly and brutally, also abandon and scatter the sheep and keep the best for themselves. Now have any of you experienced this difference? I know I have.
Now God will judge now, and He did even back then the religious leaders, because there were so caught up into themselves, and forgetting about there duties and care, and were neglecting there service to others. We should never concentrate about ourselves but think about others, before ourselves. Please turn to Philippians, Chapter 2
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than your selves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phil 2:1-4 NIV
Let us just sum this up in a simple way, turn to the book of John, Chapter 21.
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. "John 21:15-18
Now let us turn to John Chapter 10, "I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice."
Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant, so he explained it to them. "I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep," he said. "All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren't his and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he is merely hired and has no real concern for the sheep.
"I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd. John 10:1-16
Most of you all know me, an know that I am a little different then most. I have lived a quite different lifestyle. I believe the Lord had put me in the world and temporary grow up with packs of wolfs so to speak, so I can see the other wolves very plainly.
We pastors are shepherds for the sheep, to guard the flock from the wolves of this world, and if any of you yourselves have ever been with a pack of wolves, or been somewhat of a wolf yourself, you will be able to spot, smell and taste a wolf right away. I have noticed many wolves in sheep’s clothing, wearing all sorts of disguises as shepherds. . I stand here today to preach truth so you will remember this service all week and not to forget it a few hours later like a lot of other services and you yourselves know what I am preaching. I am not planning or even setting up this sermon, this sermon has been done by the spirit of the Living God, and nothing is of myself. It is the words of the spirit showing you to the way of the truth and the light of Christ, and to stay there, and not to be walking off the path, or away from the flock or the church, by deceiving wolves or sinful spirits.
Dear Father, please have this flock, the body of Christ, remain hungry for the Word of God, Please Lord have them want to continue to learn and examine your Word, and to study your Word and continue in prayer for others. Please have them gain knowledge and truth from your Word, so they don’t fall back into a life of sin and death. Amen.
