I. EXORDIUM:
Are you a useless shepherd?
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To enumerate the characteristics of a useless shepherds.
IV. TEXT:
Zechariah 11:16-17 (Amplified Bible)
For behold, I will raise up a false shepherd in the land; the lost and perishing he will not miss or visit, the young and scattered he will not go to seek, the wounded and broken he will not heal, nor will he feed those that are sound and strong; but he will eat the flesh of the fat ones and break off their hoofs [to consume all the flesh].
Woe to the worthless and foolish shepherd who deserts the flock! The sword shall smite his arm and his right eye; his arm shall be utterly withered and his right eye utterly blinded.
V. THESIS:
Characteristics of a useless shepherds.
VI. TITLE:
Useless shepherds
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Zechariah, son of Berechiah
B. Date written: 520 - 519 B.C.
C. Purpose: to give hope to GOD's people and promote spiritual revival
D. To whom written: remnants of Babylon
E. Main theme: the future hope
Zechariah 14:7 (Amplified Bible)
But it shall be one continuous day, known to the Lord—not day and not night, but at evening time there shall be light.
F. Keywords: Your King is coming to you
Zechariah 9:9 (Amplified Bible)
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you; He is [uncompromisingly] just and having salvation [triumphant and victorious], patient, meek, lowly, and riding on a donkey, upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.
G. Key verses:
Zechariah 1:3 (Amplified Bible)
Therefore say to them [the Jews of this day], Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return to Me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you; it is the utterance of the Lord of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6 (Amplified Bible)
Then he said to me, This [addition of the bowl to the candlestick, causing it to yield a ceaseless supply of oil from the olive trees] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts.
VIII. MAIN BODY:
Ezekiel 34:2-6 (Amplified Bible)
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them, even to the [spiritual] shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the sheep?
You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep.
The diseased and weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the hurt and crippled you have not bandaged, those gone astray you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought to find, but with force and hardhearted harshness you have ruled them.
And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts of the field.
My sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill; yes, My sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought for them.
A. He will not miss or visit the lost and perishing sheep
"the lost and perishing he will not miss or visit"
Jeremiah 23:22 (Amplified Bible)
But if they had stood in My council, then they would have caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them [My people] from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.
B. He will not seek after the young and scattered
"the young and scattered he will not go to seek"
Jeremiah 23:2 (Amplified Bible)
Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for and feed My people: You have scattered My flock and driven them away and have not visited and attended to them; behold, I will visit and attend to you for the evil of your doings, says the Lord.
C. He will not heal the wounded and broken
"the wounded and broken he will not heal"
Luke 12:45-46 (Amplified Bible)
But if that servant says in his heart, My master is late in coming, and begins to strike the menservants and the maids and to eat and drink and get drunk,
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he does not know, and will punish him and cut him off and assign his lot with the unfaithful.
D. He will not feed the sound and strong
"nor will he feed those that are sound and strong"
John 10:12-13 (Amplified Bible)
But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock].
Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them].
E. He will eat the flesh of the fat ones
"but he will eat the flesh of the fat ones and break off their hoofs [to consume all the flesh]"
Matthew 23:2-4 (Amplified Bible)
The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat [of authority].
So observe and practice all they tell you; but do not do what they do, for they preach, but do not practice.
They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them.
F. He will desert the flock
"Woe to the worthless and foolish shepherd who deserts the flock!"
Ezekiel 34:16 (Amplified Bible)
I will seek that which was lost and bring back that which has strayed, and I will bandage the hurt and the crippled and will strengthen the weak and the sick, but I will destroy the fat and the strong [who have become hardhearted and perverse]; I will feed them with judgment and punishment.
IX. CONCLUSION:
We are not hirelings we are appointed by GOD to take care of the sheep and therefore as a shepherd of the flock be like the Chief Shepherd.
John 10:12-13 (Amplified Bible)
But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock].
Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them].
1 Peter 5:1-4 (Amplified Bible)
I WARN and counsel the elders among you (the pastors and spiritual guides of the church) as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness [called to testify] of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a sharer in the glory (the honor and splendor) that is to be revealed (disclosed, unfolded):
Tend (nurture, guard, guide, and fold) the flock of God that is [your responsibility], not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonorably motivated by the advantages and profits [belonging to the office], but eagerly and cheerfully;
Not domineering [as arrogant, dictatorial, and overbearing persons] over those in your charge, but being examples (patterns and models of Christian living) to the flock (the congregation).
And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will win the conqueror’s crown of glory.
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