Zechariah chapter 10, and I'd
like to read the first six verses of Zechariah chapter 10, and
we're going to spend our time in verse 3 of this wonderful
book, this wonderful chapter that shares so much about our
Savior, about His goodness to His people, about Him being the
absolute shepherd of His people, and that He has care for His
people from eternity to eternity. Zechariah chapter 10, verse 1,
The scriptures read thus, ask ye of the Lord rain in time of
the latter rain, so the Lord shall make bright clouds and
give them showers of rain to everyone grass is in the field.
What a wonderful contemplation. What a wonderful thought it is
that it is the Lord that gives the rain and he Considers it
a joy when his people when the church asks of him that blessing
those blessings He has for us every spiritual blessing that
we have in Christ For the idols have spoken vanity and the diviners
have seen a lie and have told false dreams They comfort in
vain and how true that is Today just as well as it was in the
days of Cain that they spoke a lie that there's no truth in
what they have to say about God and But we have comfort in the
Lord. Therefore they went their way
as a flock. They were trouble because there
was no shepherd. Now, verse three, mine anger
was kindled against the shepherds and I punished the goats. For
the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah,
and hath made them as a goodly horse in battle. Now, I was looking
today at a couple of other translations, and they put these verses in
verse like they were in the original. They were a poem. Now, they may not rhyme like
our poems, but they were a poem. They were in verse. So when we
look at that, we're going to find that these verses of scripture
were written in figurative language. They were to look at it from
a spiritual context, to look at the spiritual application
here and not just look at this as this is what God's going to
do with Israel in the latter days. The Lord has an Israel
that is the true Israel. That's the church. Not all Israel
is of Israel. That's what we find the Lord
gave the Apostle Paul words to say. Another translation reads
this verse three and thusly, my anger burns against your shepherds
and I will punish the leaders. Now, when we look at that word
goats here, we've got to find out that that does speak of the
leaders. For the Lord of heaven's armies has arrived to look after
Judah, his flock. He will make them strong and
glorious like a proud war horse in battle. Well, let's look at
this verse of scripture as we find in this passage of scripture
that the shepherds that were put into a position, they have
not done what they're supposed to do. Now, as we look at this,
we find out they did all they could do. You know, that's the
thing about a false shepherd. They do all they can do. They
can't get past, go, because they don't know anything else. They're
put into a position. They inherited a position. They
were voted into a position. But if they don't know the first
thing about the gospel, they cannot promote it. They can't
go beyond the point that they are. So we find that about these
shepherds. It says, for my anger was kindled
against the shepherds. Now, he put Pharaoh at the time
of Moses and the Exodus, he put Pharaoh in a position then that
he was going to show his glory. He will show his glory in these
shepherds also. He's going to demonstrate his
glory by bringing the true shepherd, the Lord himself is going to
be the shepherd over Judah, and there's such a comparison. I
mean, there is no comparison. We're going to find out what
a beautiful statement that is. My anger was kindled against the
shepherds. these who were shepherds by office
and goats in their ministry." They're shepherds by office,
they have that office, but they are They are goats by their ministry. They were ringleaders in idolatry
and soothsaying. That was their profession. They
were ringleaders in this. They promoted idolatry, they
promoted soothsaying, and goats will always end a verse of scripture
that they don't agree with, with a yeah, but, and then go off
onto some trail. These verses that we find here
share with us, this verse that we find here share with us some
wonderful things about our Savior, about the Lord Jesus Christ.
These goats as they were, they're there to push and to wound and
to trample. They put a yoke on their gospel
and the you musts are without number and the rules cannot be
counted. Every time we look at these goats,
shepherds found in the Old Testament, as well as in the New Testament,
they always came behind the gospel and said, yes, but you must add
this. Would you turn with me? Keep
your finger here, we'll be back. But turn with me over to the
book of Acts chapter 15 for just a moment. The book of Acts chapter
15. We have here the verse of scripture that shares with us
about what we have in Christ. Acts chapter 15 and verse 10. This is the comment that was
made with regard to those Pharisees coming back trailing the Apostle
Paul so often and saying there is that's far as he went he's
okay but there's this additional this comment is made here in
Acts chapter 15 and verse 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God
to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our
fathers nor we were able to bear Those disciples, the Apostle
Paul, he admitted he couldn't bear this yoke. Even in his being
trained by Gamiel, being a Pharisee of the Pharisees, being a position
that he held, he could not hold this once the gospel was revealed
to him. He couldn't keep up with this
once he knew Christ. He thought he was, and those
that didn't keep up with it to his standard, he found a great
deal of fault with and just became more of a Pharisee over it. So
our fathers and we, we couldn't even bear. So why put you this
yoke? Then we find a verse over in the book of Galatians chapter
five and verse one that shares with us again that how important
it is that as the gospel goes out and there's people come and
they sit down with us and they say that they're like us and
they believe just the same. Then the next thing we might
hear is something that you must do. order to stay the course
something that you must do well here in the book of Galatians
chapter 5 and there in verse 1 the Apostle Paul writing to
the Saints in in the churches of Galatia says stand fast therefore
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free so the lack
of liberty that was imposed upon the Jews upon Judah by these
Pharisee shepherds, these Pharisee goats, these leaders that were
brought upon them and put there on purpose by God, of course,
that they might know the difference when the good shepherd comes.
No, we really wouldn't know the high quality of water we have
here in the Dalles if we hadn't tasted some bad water somewhere.
Nancy used to live in a little town in Idaho called Homedale. The only thing the water was
good for was to take a shower in, and then it was really poor.
It was sulfur water. You couldn't drink it. Well,
after tasting that and tasting this, this tastes really good
here in the Dalles. Well, so it is with these shepherds,
those who truly know the gospel. When that shepherd was overthrown,
taken away, and the true shepherd came in to shepherd his flock,
they could instantly tell the difference of the freedom that
they had in Christ Jesus the Lord. He was not imposing rules. He was sharing himself with us.
He was not imposing needs to do. He was sharing with us the
bread of life and the water of life and how good and how free
it is. So, going back over here to the
book of Zechariah, we find, my anger was killed against these
shepherds, and I punished the goats, I punished the leaders,
I took it out on them, for the Lord of hosts has visited. The Lord of hosts. As we think
about these shepherds, there's another New Testament word that
often comes up that represents these shepherds throughout the
Old Testament. The word is hypocrite. Mike was talking about hypocrites
and sunning, and we hear that word, but it's to say one thing
and do another. To say something, impose something
on somebody, and do exactly the opposite. Well, it's interesting
over in the book of Matthew. Would you turn there with me
to the book of Matthew chapter 6? In Matthew chapter 6, we find
the Lord speaking about these hypocrites, these actors. Matthew
chapter 5, excuse me, Matthew chapter 6, and there in verse
2, it says, therefore when thou doest thy alms, do not sound
a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues.
This is the comparison. Don't do it like the hypocrites.
Don't do it like these folks who say one thing and do another.
These are the folks that will, they want to have it covered
up when it goes down through the tubes. They don't want anybody
to know how little they put in. Well, here it says, Don't do
that. Do not sound a trumpet before
thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have
their reward. For thou doest thine own. This
is what we're to do. And then it tells us in verse
5, and when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites
are. For they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the
corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily
I say unto you, they have their reward. We look at the Old Testament
prophets that were false shepherds that had no interest in the sheep.
We find them named right here called hypocrites. And one of
the place here in verse 16, we have these words. Moreover, when
you fast, be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance, for they
disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast.
Verily I say unto you that they have their reward. They appear
to fast, but they're eating their pork. They say one thing and
do another. That's what we have over here.
And the Lord said, I'm angry. I'm angry. My anger was kindled
against the shepherd, and I will punish the goats. My anger was
kindled against these that had been put into this position.
And Job had something to say about this, too, if you'll turn
with me to the book of Job, Job chapter 27. In Job chapter 27,
we have this term used in the Old Testament setting, Job chapter
27 and verse 8, we have these words about a hypocrite. Job
brings this up, Job chapter 27 and verse 8, it says, for what
is the hope of a hypocrite? Now we can just say that, what's
the hope of those shepherds? It is just today. It is not spiritual. It is just today. What is the
hope? As we read here in verse 8, it
says, and what is the hope of a hypocrite? That though he hath
gained, when God taketh away a soul, what is the hope? There's no hope in that life.
There's no hope in that shepherd. There's no hope in that false.
There's no hope in that gospel. There's no hope in that Christ.
There's no hope in that shepherd. There is no hope. There's only
more to do. Well, we find gloriously brought
out here in the book of Zechariah that someone who is so different
than those shepherds and so different than those leaders, so different
than those goats. They had their office, but they
had their personality too. They were shepherds by office,
but their personality were hypocrites. They were goats. And here we
find concerning the Lord, it says, for the Lord of hosts hath
visited his flock there in Zechariah chapter 10 and verse 3. I will
punish these goats for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock
the house of Judah." Now what a comparison we have here. I'm
angry with them because they don't know anything. They won't
share Christ. They won't talk about God in
a positive sense. It's always putting doo-doo-doo
on people and I'm angry with them and I'll punish them for
And now we have the glory of the shepherd, God Almighty coming
down to his folks. And don't you think that those
who knew something knew there was something different about
him? That he no longer was their enemy. These guys were their
enemy with their hands out all the time. And this one had his
hands out. I'm going to the cross for you.
That's all he had. So we have this, my anger is
against them for the Lord of hosts has visited his flock.
You know, we have this word and we brought it out when we first
started the book of Zechariah, this name of God, Lord of hosts. Mentioned more times per capita,
more times per verses in this book of Zechariah than any other
book. The Lord of hosts. Zechariah was led to talk about
a God that was all powerful to these people who were living
in perilous times. He was led to write about a God
that was in charge of things. He was led to write about a God
that was all-powerful and all-knowing and determined to do what he
was going to do. He was not as other gods. He
was not as idols. He was a God that could perform.
what he promised he could fulfill. He was rich enough to pay his
debts, if you please. He paid the debt of his people.
Here we have this good shepherd who is called the Lord of Hosts.
He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is that one that
a pagan king talked about. He rules among the armies of
heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. He rules. He overrides. He purposes. He does as he pleases
in all things. He is the capital A. He is the
capital God. He is the number one. He's the
esteemed one. He is the high and lifted up
one. He's the lofty one. And that's the God that Jeremiah
wrote about in this book time after time after time to a people
that had come back from Babylonian captivity after 70 years there,
and it looked like things were really bad. Here, Zechariah writes
to them about a God that knew why they were there, purpose
that they were there, and purpose that they would be released and
come back to Jerusalem. This is different than any God
that there was through Babylon or any place else, even in Israel
or Judah prior to this. Any of their gods that they had,
this God is the high and lofty one. This is the God that can
do something. In the book of Ezekiel chapter
34, we have a comment made. Ezekiel makes a comment about
a shepherd, about this shepherd, about the Lord, our shepherd.
the lord of hosts, this shepherd, this powerful shepherd. You know,
I've read stories about sheep herders that have lost sheep.
We even have a comment by the lord in the bible about a man
having a hundred sheep and he lose one, he goes to find it.
Well, that's something that the lord alone can do. I've heard
about sheep herders losing sheep to wolves, to coyotes, to cattlemen,
They had no way to protect it like the Lord protects his flock. He is the supreme over his flock
and he has lost none of them. Now some of them have died. Over
the over the period of the years, but that was all purpose by Almighty
God. The day that they would die,
the glory that they would see at the instant they died. What
a glorious thing that this shepherd would take care of all of that
and take care of the fear of passing over the veil, over the
Jordan, over all those pictures that we find in scripture. So
here in the book of Ezekiel chapter 34, We have some words about
a shepherd. We have some words about the
shepherd, the Lord of hosts. Ezekiel chapter 34 and verse
12. We have these words so gloriously
recorded for us. Ezekiel uses the term shepherd
many, many times. And here in chapter 34 and verse
12, he says, as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that
he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out
my sheep. This is what a shepherd does.
A shepherd seeks out his sheep. This shepherd seeketh out his
flock. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that
he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out
my sheep and will deliver them out of all places. What a wonderful
statement about this shepherd. this Lord of hosts shepherd,
this Lord of hosts that knows wherever his sheep have been
scattered. They were scattered in Adam and
through the process of time were taken off by the generations.
Their parents and grandparents were taken off to other places,
but the Lord knew exactly where all his sheep were in every generation,
just as a good shepherd would do. This is the great shepherd. This is the Lord of hosts shepherd. This is the shepherd that knows
all things about his sheep. He knows where they are and what
problems they're in, what kind of life they're living. They
knows their mom and dad and had them put into the right place
at the right time. So we have a great deal said
about a shepherd when we have the Lord, our shepherd seeking
after his sheep. Ezekiel goes on to share with
us, and will deliver them out of all places. What a word to
be delivered. Stuck in traps, muck and mire,
waterlogged. There are just all kinds of ways
that sheep can get into trouble, and yet we have this one that
will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered
in the cloudy and dark day. You know, I was thinking about
that cloudy and dark day and most people want to move it ahead
just before the Lord comes back. You know, the darkest, most dismal
day this earth has ever had was the moment that Adam put his
teeth through the skin of a piece of fruit. That's the darkest
day this earth has ever seen. When Adam, the brightness of
the glory of God, in Adam, was taken away in an instant and
every atom of the universe was touched by the fall. Every critter
was touched by the fall and Adam and Eve in darkness when they
lost all spiritual contact with God. What darkness came upon
this earth and we find that Ezekiel talks about that in that cloudy
and dark day. Oh, it's the worst day the world
has ever seen. They can say this about that
day or that about that day, but this day was the worst day when
Adam took that forbidden fruit from his wife's hand. You know,
I'm amazed that nothing happened until he broke the skin of that
fruit. And instantly, we have what we
have, a cloudy and dark day. And we need someone to get us
out of the darkness. Someone to take us out of that.
We just need someone. We need a savior. We need a shepherd. We need a shepherd that cares.
That will not run off in trouble. You know, most shepherds at that
moment would have just left those two alone and said, that's it,
over. We'll not be worried about this
again. But this shepherd, the Lord of Hosts shepherd, he said
in that I will be glorified in this. He was a lamb slain from
the foundation of the world, and he would get glory in this. His brightness would overwhelm
the darkness, and his glory would overwhelm the clouds, and he
would be the shepherd, as Ezekiel wrote about. And as we find here
in the book of Zechariah, a shepherd that would come The Lord of hosts
hath visited his flock, the house of Judah. Now, he knew their
names wherever they were. They're all house of Judah. They
were his children, lost children. They're the house of Judah. Wherever
they are, they're the house of Judah. We're not looking for
that. Now, whatever, God, I've had a lot of questions just recently
about Israel. You know what? I can't answer
them. But I do know this, that most
of the time in the Old Testament when we hear of the house of
Judah, I'm hearing the songs of Zion. I'm hearing the sweet
melody of grace. I'm not looking at a people that
have some property. I'm looking at a church that
has the glory of the Son of God. So I'm just going to stay right
there. Now whatever God does with national Israel or physical
Israel, that's His business. And I'll say yea and amen when
it happens. But right now, I'm just gonna stay with this is
Zion. This is the church. This is what
all those verses of scripture share with us about the glory
of God. We have a shepherd that's gonna
take care of the house of Judah, and he's promised it from the
very beginning. There is no greater display of
greatness than to see the comparison between those shepherds and this
shepherd. Those shepherds that were called
or implanted or put up or voted upon to put in their place that
they did nothing for the health and welfare of the sheep of God. But this shepherd in his glory
makes those shepherds just fall away. You know, that's one thing
about the church. I don't know how many people have told me
after the Lord saved him, I just can't go back. I just can't go back. I can't
take the swill. Well that's a glorious place
to be in. The glory of the Lord of Hosts
is so grand that we just can't go back. Well, let's look at
this. We just cannot see anything better
than this comparison. We have in this one verse of
scripture in Zechariah chapter 10 and verse 3, we have those
shepherds and now we have someone that's going to visit the house
of Judah and has made them as his goodly horse in the battle. Now, when we look at those shepherds,
and we find them scattered throughout the Old Testament, we have them
around during the New Testament times, we have them during the
Dark Ages, we have them even today. Those shepherds. But we have
the shepherd. Now there's no comparison, but
we're given the opportunity to compare. Jesus, when he had those 5,000
lead, Now, that's a misnomer. That's only the men. They represent
their families. They left. You know, he asked
his disciples, will you also go away? And the answer of the
church, where shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. Now the comparison, they're going
because they didn't get bread, and you're staying because you
have the bread of life. Okay, let's look at this. John
chapter 10 and verse 11. In John chapter 10 and verse
11, we have this message brought out by the Lord concerning a
shepherd. John chapter 10 verse 11, it says here, I am the good
shepherd. Now how do we know that? The
good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Now that's how
we know it. The good shepherd giveth his
life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. Now over
here, these guys would probably say they're pretty good shepherds,
but in comparison, there's not a good part about them. I look
back, I had friends in religion. I had pastors in religion. But
when it came to the gospel, they didn't know a fragment of it. There was nothing there. And
when the Lord saved me and I went to visit some of them, we didn't
have anything to talk about. There was no relationship at
all. In fact, I was told that I'd had a mental breakdown. I
just told them, well, you need one too. All right, I am the
good shepherd. Now, not only is he the good
shepherd, turn with me to the book of Hebrews. The book of
Hebrews, what a glorious statement is made here about the Savior,
about this shepherd that came down and was going to take care
of the house of Judah. This one that had already parted
them out. He had already called him by
name, and he'd already declared that he would be their shepherd.
The Lord of hosts would be their shepherd. He's the one that was
gonna come down and take care of them. This one, all right,
in the book of Hebrews chapter 13, we have some words about
this too that are fulfilled in the Lord of hosts as he took
care of the house of Judah, the church in the Old Testament,
the church in the New Testament, which is one church. Here in
the book of Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20, it says, Now the God of peace that brought
again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of
the sheep. Not only is he the good shepherd
that will give his life for the sheep, but this great shepherd
is far beyond anything else. Those shepherds died, but they
did not raise. This shepherd died, and he's
the great shepherd because he says he was brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep through
the blood of the everlasting covenant. Now probably some of
those shepherds in the Old Testament got their hands bloody by animal
sacrifices but this shepherd He gave his life, his blood,
a ransom for many. This is a good shepherd because
he'll give his life for the sheep and a great shepherd because
he rose from the dead on their behalf. What a glorious thing. He is so different. He is the
first in the resurrection. He's the chief. in the resurrection,
all right? And then we find out in 1 Peter
5, as we think about this shepherd, compare him with the Old Testament
shepherds, compare him with those shepherds of old, those shepherds. Now, there were a few in the
Old Testament that cared. They truly had been given the
grace of God, and they cared about the flock. Most of the
flock didn't care about them, But they cared. They preached
the gospel. Zechariah is one of them. He's
in the middle of preaching the gospel to these folks, and a
big bunch of them wanted nothing to do with what he had to say.
They wanted their territory, but they didn't want the gospel.
Well, here in the book of 1 Peter, chapter 5, we find something
else about that shepherd, the Lord of hosts, that came down
to the house of Judah and was going to deliver them. In 1 Peter,
chapter 5, and verse 14, the Scriptures share this. verse 4 excuse me chapter 5 verse
4 it says and when the chief shepherd shall appear now we
have the good shepherd given his life for the sheep we have
a great shepherd resurrected from the dead for his sheep and
what what is this shepherd it tells us here in verse 4 when
the chief shepherd shall appear for his people my goodness this
is the shepherd It's good that he gave his life. It's good he
raised from the dead. But hallelujah, it's great chief
that he'd come back for his people, save them from their sins. He
left them in their flesh. And in that day, in a moment,
in a twinkling of an eye, that flesh will be taken away and
they'll see him as he is, all glorious. So there's no greater
display than to see the comparison between those shepherds and this
shepherd, the Lord Jesus. He's a shepherd. He will be returned
unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls. He's the one that
is really protecting us. Did you know we couldn't protect
ourselves out of a raindrop, spiritually speaking? We just
can't take care of ourselves. We can't take care of ourselves
spiritually, but we have that shepherd and bishop of our souls. He's the one that takes care
of us. He guides us, directs us, reveals to us, opens the
scriptures up to us, causes us to have an interest. I was so
blessed, Sonny. That old Darryl came in, and
after services, he said, Norm, I'm sorry I was late. And I said,
we don't take, we don't have tardy slips here. He says, I
just needed to be here. I just needed to be here. Going
through some deep water. I just needed to be here. And
then he said, and I'm such a sinner. I needed to be here. Well, he
speaks for everybody. I just need to be here. I need
to hear something of high quality about someone who can take care
of his people. And he's the shepherd and bishop
of our souls. You know, it's interesting when
we think about the Lord Jesus Christ that there's a passage
of scripture over in the book of Genesis that talks about the
relationship shepherds had in Egypt. Have you ever read that?
Yeah, it says that they are an abomination. The shepherds. Every shepherd is an abomination
unto the Egyptians. That's in Genesis 46-34. That's why Joseph took his family
to Goshen. That's why God gave him a place
for the people of God. Goshen. Because every shepherd
is an abomination to the Egyptians. Well, that just speaks very high
of our Savior. He's an abomination to most of
the world. He just doesn't play fair. You
know, I've been asked to go to Michigan in July, and I'm working
on a message about spit in my face. Do you know we find the
Lord mixed up? Mike brought a lesson on that,
and I just started rabbit trailing with that. And how many times
the Lord used spittle to heal people? And yet, that is the
most worst thing anybody could do to me, is spit on me. And yet, when God saves us, we
bow. We bow. His gospel is just grates
are hide until we're saved, and then we bow. Alright. In the book of Numbers, would
you turn with me to the book of Numbers chapter 27? Someday
we'll get there in our study, but right now we're just going
to look at one verse of scripture in the book of Numbers. Book
of Numbers chapter 27. The book of Numbers chapter 27. This is just a wonderful statement
about the Lord as the shepherd. In Numbers chapter 27 verse 15. The scriptures share this, and
Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, Let the Lord, the God of the
spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which
may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which
may lead them out, and which may bring them in, that the congregation
of the Lord be not as sheep without no shepherd. Now that's Moses'
words. And the very next verse we have
Joshua. Joshua is going to be the shepherd.
Now Moses realized the law can't be a shepherd. It just is not
going to work. Never has, never will. The law
is not going to save a soul. But Joshua This one, whose name
is Jesus, in the Old Testament as in the New Testament, take
thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit,
and lay thy hand upon him. Why? That the congregation of
the Lord be not as a sheep without no shepherd. We have a shepherd
appointed. He's been appointed from the
foundation of the world. He's been pictured throughout
the Old Testament. We have him in person in Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John. And there he's declaring himself
as, I'm going to lay down my life for ransom. The good shepherd
gives his life for the sheep. And then we have him telling
his people after the resurrection, I raised for your justification. I raised because you are justified. And then if you'll look with
me in the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 23. Jeremiah chapter
23. The Lord said, I'll get rid of
those shepherds and I'll become the shepherd. I'll be angry with
them. Rightly so. Rightly so. He's angry with those who will
not hold forth the word of life. Those who have no sin debt paid. Jeremiah chapter 21. Excuse me. Jeremiah chapter 23. Jeremiah chapter 23. And here it tells us in verse 4, it says,
And 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. Isn't that wonderful? Boy, when
that shepherd came and preached me the Gospel, he didn't try
to put a burden on me. He just preached the Gospel.
And as it tells us there, in that wonderful verse of scripture
in verse 4, it says, You feed them, there be no practice of
fear, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith
the Lord. Well, Peter committed a great crime. In most people's
minds, he denied the Lord Jesus. You know what? Jesus said, I
prayed for you. Peter was someone that the Lord
loved very deeply. He was called. He said, Thou
art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said, Flesh
and blood hath not revealed this unto you, but my Father which
is in heaven. Now not long before the Lord ascends back to glory
to prepare to come to be that great shepherd of the sheep. He gives this information to
Peter in John chapter 21. John chapter 21. We have him
ask him three times. John chapter 21 verse 15. It
says, So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon
son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? And he saith
unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto
him, Feed my lambs. He said to him again a second
time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? And he said unto him,
Yea, Lord, thou knowest I love thee. He said unto him, Feed
my sheep. He said unto him a third time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? And Peter was grieved, because
he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee,
and Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. I am the shepherd. There's going to be overseers
placed over the flock. They're my flock, though. They're
my lambs, and they're my sheep, and your responsibility. You
know, if you will go to Bible school, what's the most important
thing you can do? Is go down and get people saved. You know
what the most important thing that God said to Peter? Feed
my lambs, feed my sheep. And you know what? Some lost
sheep are gonna hear that. But feed my sheep, feed my lambs,
feed them. And then that wonderful statement
they made there, I will make them like a goodly horse in battle.
You know, there's a verse of scripture over in the book of
Revelation, I have to read at this point, Revelation chapter
six. Revelation, the success of preaching the gospel is not
in the preaching. The success is in God. Here we
have this wonderful picture in Revelation chapter six. You've
heard us say this many times. Revelation chapter six and verse
two. And I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him
had a bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering
and to conquer. Now what's that white horse?
He uses the church just like he does over here. He said Judah's
gonna be like a glorious war horse. But the rider's the important
part. This king of kings riding into
battle, conquering and to conquer, he's the one that's in charge.
But he uses the preaching of the gospel, his people. are that
which he uses. They're the glorious war horse
going into battle. But the battle is his, it's not
ours. So we have this wonderful shepherd
coming out and he said, now you rascals, I am angry with you
and I'm getting rid of you, but I'm coming to the house of Judah
For the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah,
and hath made them as his goodly horse in battle. The battle is
not flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities, to
the bringing down of strongholds. And there's nothing greater than
the resistance that a human being puts in against God. And when
the gospel comes and the Holy Spirit comes, the holy war is
on. And the battle is the Lord's, and they fold. He's the conqueror. Well, Lord willing, we'll pick
up verse four next week, and we'll look at that. Out of him
came the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow,
and out of him every oppressor together. You know, all the agents
must have their commission from God every minute of it.