Woe, to the Wicked Shepherds

1. Woe, to the Wicked Shepherds Ezekiel 34

2. the Irresponsible Shepherds Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28

3. the Irresponsible Shepherds Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 1 Peter 5:2

4. the Irresponsible Shepherds The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, 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. Ezekiel 34:4

5. the Irresponsible Shepherds So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. Ezekiel 34:5

6. the Irresponsible Shepherds But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. John 10:12

7. the Irresponsible Shepherds My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.“ Ezekiel 34:6

8. the Irresponsible Shepherds Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:8 " As I live," says the Lord God, "surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock"—

9. the Irresponsible Shepherds therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! 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 shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.“ Ezekiel 34:7-10

10. the Irresponsible Shepherds All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:32

11. What is a true shepherd? "For thus says the Lord God:" Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 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 were 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, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. Ezekiel 34:11-13

12. What is a true shepherd? "I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment." Ezekiel 34:16

13. What is a true shepherd? For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25

14. What is a true shepherd? 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, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. 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 lie down," says the Lord God. Ezekiel 34:13-15

15. What is a true shepherd? But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10:2-4

16. What is a true shepherd? Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Hebrews 13:20

17. What is a true shepherd? "And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God:" Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. Ezekiel 34:17

18. What is a true shepherd? 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.“ Ezekiel 34:18-19

19. What is a true shepherd? " Therefore thus says the Lord God to them:' Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21 Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, Ezekiel 34:20-21

20. I will save my flock I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. John 10:14

21. I will save my flock I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. Ezekiel 34:23

22. I will save my flock therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. Ezekiel 34:22

23. I will save my flock "I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. Ezekiel 34:25

24. I will save my flock I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. Ezekiel 34:26

25. I will save my flock Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid.

26. I will save my flock I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. Ezekiel 34:27-29

27. I will save my flock Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people," says the Lord God. '“ " You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God," says the Lord God. Ezekiel 34:30-31

28. Why is such a strong warning from Ezekiel needed today. • There are shepherds today who are not looking after the fold. • There are shepherds today who are leading the fold into the field with beasts. • There are some shepherds that are still doing what is right and need to be reminded to keep doing such.

29. Why is such a strong warning from Ezekiel needed today. For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self- willed, not quick- tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,

30. Why is such a strong warning from Ezekiel needed today. but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober- minded, just, holy, self- controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

31. Why is such a strong warning from Ezekiel needed today. whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. Titus 1:5-11

32. Are you doing your part? 1. Are we watching out for one another? 2. Are we modeling ourselves after the true shepherd to follow His example?