ARE YOU A GOOD MINISTER OF GOD?
Jeremiah 24:1-4
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
3And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
While this passage actually mentioned Pastors, I want us to know that it is actually referring to the leaders of the church generally; this passage is actually referring to the pastors, ministers, Heads of Departments, believers and workers. If we look at some other translations, New Living Translation for example, it says “what sorrows awaits the LEADERS of my people” while Message says “Doom to shepherd-LEADERS who butcher and scatter my sheep” So we should realize that as ministers, the passage is actually talking to us. In fact workers, Heads of Department are included.
II Corinthians 3:2 says “2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: So when people say “and you call yourself a Christian” or you claim, that is we do not except this from you. Then woe is gradually coming unto you.
The first thing we need to realize from this passage is that the flock belongs to God, in verse 1, the Bible says “…..thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock” the flock or the members of the church belongs to God, we are just custodians, laborers or servants that are just in charge for a little time until he will come and ask us to give accounts. The ministry of a pastor or a minister who is called by God is a dangerous one. Someone said that “Doctors bury their mistakes, but the mistakes of the pastors bury them” God is constantly weighing on our action as ministers to see whether we care or we are doing what we are doing just for personal gain.
Also in this short passage, “thus saith the Lord” was used four times, we all know that God is not a talkative; he says something only one time and it is done; “let there be light” and the Bible says that there was light, that is God, he speaks once, but twice we have heard Him. The repetition shows how important the issue of care of His flock is to the Almighty God.
God is a very good God, merciful, loving and kind, but He is also a consuming fire, when he wants to acts He can acts as a merciful, loving and kind Father and he can also show up as a Fire consuming God.
Also, this shows that God has two kinds of Divine Visitations, the good one. For example in Genesis 21:1&2; the Lord visited Sarah, the Bible says “1And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. This is God as a faithful, loving and kind Father.
However there is also the bad visitation, for example in Exodus 12:12, the Lord visited the land of Egypt and they lost their first sons. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” We can see God here as a fire consuming God.
The same way when God wants to reward people on earth, he will do in two ways; He can either bless them or curse them. When He wants to bless, he will use the words like bless, for example in Psalms 1:1-3, “ 1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
He may also use the word multiply as seen in Genesis 22:15-17; “15And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Here, God is saying that He will bless Abraham and will multiply Isaac. He will multiply Isaac for submitting and surrendered completely to his father when He wanted to sacrifice him to God. Isaac could have fought with Abraham and win or run away.
However, God can also curse as seen in Jeremiah 17:5-6, “5Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
6For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
However, one of the most terrible words that God can use is Woe. Woe as a word is more terrible even than the word curse. For us to have an idea of what woe is, let us look the book of Revelation 9:1- 12, “1And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
Woe is such an unimaginable word, that people would want to commit suicide but that will not be possible so that their suffering will continue. Woe means destruction beyond repairs, to be completely wiped out. It has the implication of burning to ashes and blowing away the ashes away or throwing it into a flowing river so that there is no way of bringing the ashes back again.
We can see an example of woe in Joshua 7:25-26 “…And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. 26 They piled a great heap of stones over Achan,…” Achan and members of his family were not only stoned and burnt, a huge pile of stones were put on them so that they will never rise again.
When lions kill an animal, they will ordinarily eat only the flesh and leave the bones, but in Daniel 6:24, the Bible recorded that “24And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. The lions even broke the bones of the enemies of Daniel so that God will not bring their dry bones back to life.
There was this story told to us by General Overseer, Daddy GO. Two men were fighting and one boasted that “by the time I finished with you, no one will remember you again” So he killed the man, and when his people came for his burial and they were going back, there was an accident, the first son died, they also brought him back for burial, and as they were traveling back, the second son died, until the last one. The man wanted to make sure that the last one suffered before killing him, so he made him a mad man. Being a student, he will be okay from the beginning of the session, but whenever he is about to do an examinations so as to move forward, the insanity will bounce back, this continues until someone remembered that someone boasted that they will not remember the other one again. So the mad boy was brought to the Redemption camp and top the glory of God, the boy was delivered.
Woe means to be wiped out. So God is saying to you and I, that if we do not take care of His flock, He is going to wipe us out. So it is not an easy thing to do the work of the ministry of God.
What can we do as ministers to cause God to say “WOE?”
First of all, when Pastors, ministers and leaders are feeding the sheep things that can destroy them. To make them to feel happy when all is not well. Let us see Jeremiah 6:13-15; “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
14They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
15Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.”
When we refused to talk about sin, consecration, and vengeance, when we depict God as a loving, merciful and kind without letting them know that He has an other side of being a fire consuming God. When somebody is mad, and he knows that he is mad then it is easy to do something about it.
Secondly, when we cause the members of the church to stumble. This is very important.
A brother came to me sometimes, he is a leader in his church that they have just started, he said that they were beginning to draw families to their church, when he was arrested by the law enforcement agents for fraudulent activities of the past. Most people left because the church because of that, some will never accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior again. Luke 17:1-4 says “One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.
Members of the church expect a standard not from the Pastors alone, but from the ministers, HODs and workers. Anyone people can look up to, ushers, members of the choir etc. People are on the look out for our actions, looks, utterances etc.
Thirdly, when we failed to gather together, we are scattering,
Matthew 12:30 says “30He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
I have concluded that in this church, unlike when we started, we are all too big now to do evangelism. We see ourselves too big to go out and give out tracts and flyers. I thank God that I do that at least once in month, for those that are doing it, I appreciate and I know that God appreciates too.
From the passage that we have just read, we can see that we can scatter by commission, that is when we refuse to do evangelism, when we refuse to go and invite people in “he who fails to gather”. We can also scatter by omission, that is when we refused to visit the people and pray with them. Matthew 25:41-43 says “ 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Also John 15:16 says “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
When I am too busy to visit the sick, no hospital ministry, no prison ministry, it is bad. There was the story of a man that was on a death row for 27 years. However, when the ministry of the RCCG got involved in Prison ministry and they learnt of this man’s situation, they intervened and to God be the glory, the man was pardoned and eventually he was released.
Woe be unto the Pastors, Assistant Pastors, deacons, HODs, believers and workers if they do not care whether the sheep makes it to heaven or not.
When you look at verse 3-4, we discovered good news for the sheep. God has an original purpose for His sheep, he has reasons for placing the sheep under us, whether we do our duties well or failed to do our duties, God is saying that His original will still come to pass.
As pastors, we have the power to scatter and destroy the flock of God. There are two types of Pastors and ministers, we have the good shepherds and the hirilings, the book of John 10:11 -14 says “11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
If we decide to treat the flock of God anyhow, do not care for them then we have turned ourselves to hirelings, bad shepherds. The book of Jeremiah 24:4 says “4And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them:
That means new pastors, shepherds ministers are going to replace the evil ones, as God will always be on the side of the helpless sheep. God always have a substitute for every one He calls, be a minister, deacon, pastors General Overseers to the least worker. So do not feel irreplaceable. Some people feel irreplaceable in this church, it is not so. The funny thing is that the substitute is always waiting on the wings and they always do better.
Moses was replaced by Joshua, Saul was replaced by David, Elijah was replaced by Elisha, Samuel replaced Eli and he became a kingmaker. It is a very dangerous thing to be replaced. When Moses was replaced, he did not reach the promise land, when Saul was replaced, he became a madman. I Samuel 16:14 says 14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him”
It is not a good thing for a minister or anyone called by God to be replaced. I Samuel 2:31-36 says “ 31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. 34And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them. 35And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. 36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
My prayer is that God will not replace us and we will not put ourselves in a situation where we will be replaced by God in Jesus name.
I want us to take cognizance of what God said He will do for His flock. He said He will take care of His sheep.
1. I will gather them My self, even if we as ministers drive them away. John 10:16 says “16And 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.
2. I will restore: That is whatever and whoever is lost will be restored. Luke 19:10 says “10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
3. I will feed them: Whether the enemies like it or not. Psalm 23:1-5 says
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. So it is possible for the ministers to be the enemy of the flock.
4. I will make them to be fruitful: The original plan of God is for them to be fruitful as long as we abide in Him. John 15:4-5 says “4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
5. I will increase them:
6. I will make sure that they will no longer be afraid. Psalm 23:4 says “4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Once people realized that God is with them, they will no longer be afraid.
7. They will no longer be dismayed. Isaiah 41:10-13 says “10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
13For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
8. They will lack nothing: Psalm 23:1 says ““The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. God will supply all their needs even if the pastors will not.
If we as ministers are doing our duties, these are the things that we will be experiencing with the flock of God.
So whether we do our duties or not or ministers, the original intention of God will eventually come to pass. So we are either good shepherds or hirelings.
Conclusion
As a minister what do you except to hear from the Lord when you see Him? Is it Matthew 25:34 that says “34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: or Matthew 25:41 that says “41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Or even the most dreaded word of all “woe.”
God is not using this to shame us, not to make us fear but to warn us. God will not replace us and my sincere prayer is that we too will not put ourselves in a position that will make God to replace us. Amen.
Let us pray.
PRAYER POINTS
Father, I want to thank you for your Words, for your warning, this morning.
Father, I ask for forgiveness in any way that I have not measured up to your standard in Jesus name.
Father, I asked for forgiveness in everyway that I have caused scattering of your sheep.
Father, I will not commit an error that will bury me in Jesus name.
Father, I refuse to be a hireling, every tendency of a hireling in my ministry, I reject in Jesus name.
Father, you will not curse me or address me with any evil words in Jesus name.
Father, your divine visitation to me will be a good one in Jesus name.
Father, you will not replace me in Jesus name.
Father, I will not do anything that will make you to replace me in Jesus name. I will not put myself in a situation that will make you to replace me.
Acknowledgements
Pastor E.A. Adeboye’s Bible Study notes.
