Ezekiel 34, we're going to look
at two sections in this chapter, verses 1-6 and verses 11-16. And we've got basically two divisions
before us here tonight in this text, the 34th of Ezekiel, and
they're two very remarkable and vastly separate divisions. One, verses 1 through 6 shows
abuse and dereliction of duty and call. The other, verses 11
through 16, shows faithfulness, deliverance, and divine protection. One of these divisions, verses
1 through 6, is as far in the opposite direction from the others
as it possibly can be. We're going to see error versus
truth. self versus selflessness, works
versus grace, bondage versus freedom, hate versus love, helplessness
versus hope, man at his best, and God at his best. So let's
look at these this section what I've got entitled is Once Abused,
Now Delivered and Protected. Chapter 34 of Ezekiel and verses
1 through 6 in our First Division. And the word of the Lord came
unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds
of Israel, prophesy and say unto them thus saith the Lord God
unto the shepherds now this is the the pastors elders teachers
bishops their term shepherds under shepherds woe be to the
shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the shepherds feed
the flocks ye eat the fat, and ye clothe
you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not
the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened,
neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have you bound
up that which was broken, neither have you brought again that which
was driven away, Neither have you sought that which was lost,
but with force and with cruelty have you ruled them. And they
were scattered, the sheep were scattered, because there was
no shepherd. And they became meat to all the
beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep wandered
through all the mountains, and upon every high hill, yea, my
flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none
did search or seek after them. We're going to stop right there.
We're going to read verses 11 through 16, but let's just look
at this division, this first part tonight. Let's look at this one right
now, and then I'll read, and then we'll look at the others.
So what we have in verses 1 through 6 is false shepherds abusing
the sheep false shepherds false preachers pastors elders or teachers
and here is what he says in verse 2 God is speaking to his prophet
and true under shepherd one of his true under shepherds Ezekiel
and he says prophesy against them prophesy against them And
say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds,
Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves. Now,
we've got five or six things under this, these first six verses. But he tells, God tells the true
prophet or the true preacher, the true pastor, bishop, elder.
He tells him to prophesy against. preach against, speak against
these who say they know the gospel, who say they know the truth,
who say they're pastors, who say they're preachers, elders,
deacons, whoever, and they're not. He says prophesy against
them. Basically what that means is
expose them. Expose them. Now again, this does not give
any true gospel preacher license to go around either throwing
stones or publicly humiliating other men that are so-called
preachers. However, when we stand up here
to preach the gospel, or we read something, or we hear something,
or see something that is not of the truth, we have authority
from God's Word to rebuke it, to expose it, to say, well, that's
not the truth. That's not the truth. I'll give
you an example. Scott Richardson was out in his
yard, I think he was out in his garden, and he was tilling it,
working it, and these Jehovah's Witnesses came up to him and
started to talk to him. He just stopped what he did,
stood up, And just said with a loud voice, I perceive that
you are a false prophet. And they kept trying to talk
to him and he just kept on saying the same thing. False prophet.
Oh, but that's, you know, people today, that's not politically
correct. It's not all these different things. But we have an unction
from the Word of God prophesied against the shepherds that feed
themselves, that are more concerned about number, all these different
things that are not preaching the gospel. They're not preaching
the gospel. There's nothing wrong with standing
up. And again, you know, there's a balance here. Whatever that
is, I don't know. But I do know we're not to be mean-spirited
and all these other things. But there's nothing wrong with, as
Paul says, preach the truth, speaking the truth in love. And
it's not love when somebody is standing up and lying to people,
making them twice as bold as children as hell themselves,
like Christ says in the New Testament, by lying to them. And they're
not saying anything. And especially false preachers,
or they're called shepherds here, who are deceiving people day
in and day out. He says the first thing is prophesy
against them, expose them. Expose them. You know, that's
not the truth. That's not the truth. That's
not the gospel. That's not how God saves sinners.
We're all working for the same thing. No, we're not. No, we're
not. I listened to a CD, a message
the other day from Donnie Bell, and he was in a passage in Acts,
and he just said, you know, there's plenty of places in Acts where
people are speaking and they're not speaking the truth to the
apostles. They rebuke them. And he said, you know, you're
not telling the truth. You're lying on God. And if everybody
around here is preaching the gospel, or preaching the same
thing, and we're all saying the same thing, I don't know about
you, but it's time to close these doors, sell this place, and let's
go among them. It's that simple. It's the same
things being said. There's no need in being separate. But here's the issue here. Verse
2, not only does he say to prophesy against them, expose them, but
he says, woe unto them, and here's the charge, they feed themselves. They feed themselves. Now, when
I worked for the city, and there would be these conventions, these
religious conventions and stuff at the arena, one man said something
to me, and I didn't even pay attention because I wasn't paying
attention on purpose. But he came up to me, one of
my co-workers, and said, it must be a preacher's convention or
a religious... I said, what do you mean? He
goes, well, look out in the parking lot. Well, apparently the congregation
people were to park out front, but there was special parking
around the side so they could come in the side door. And that's
where the preachers were supposed to park. Every one of them had Cadillacs.
Every one of them had Cadillacs. No big deal? Probably not, but
I guarantee you, Religion in this country is high dollar. It's a lot of money. And those
men came in. They didn't go down. They had
five, six hundred thousand dollar suits, but they didn't pay $129
for them, Matt, like we do. They were paying top dollar for
that. They feed themselves. That's
a charge against them. In verse 2, Woe unto the shepherds. Woe to the shepherds of Israel
that do feed themselves. It was a problem back then. It's
a problem today. You know, you talk to, talk to
Scotty Cross when you see him about a church that's down there
in Springfield, probably the biggest church down there. And
Jeremy Walker was just, he couldn't believe it. And I said, listen
to him, listen to him. This church down there, you have
to apply for membership. I mean written application like
a job. Then after they read it, if they
want to talk to you, you have to go in and sit down for interviews
to be a member of their church. Maybe one, maybe two, maybe three
interviews. And then I'm all part of that
interview process. You have to guarantee that you're
going to give so much every month. I mean, they tell you if it doesn't
meet their standards, you're not going to be a member. Well,
incidentally, they have a Starbucks inside the building and this
guy says they're getting ready to put in a Burger King inside
the church building. You know, where's that? I know
quite a few missionaries who are actually preaching the gospel
who certainly could use help. But no, let's put a Burger King
in church so that's pretty far out there well that is out there
because there's nothing like that around here but there's
all sorts of stuff just like that in this area the second
accusation is he says verse 3 you eat the fat and you clothe you
with wool you kill them that are fed but you feed not the
flock they feed themselves they're well to do they have access to
They eat the fat, excess. With food and raiment, they would
be content. But there's all this other stuff
too. And again, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with having
more or desiring more, but this is at the expense of the sheep. This is at the expense of the
sheep. Well, he goes on to a fivefold
charge, starting with this verse here in verse four, a fivefold
charge against these false preachers. Look at what he says, starting
verse four, the disease you haven't strengthened. Secondly, you haven't
healed the sick. Thirdly, you haven't bound up
that which was broken. Fourthly, you haven't brought
again that which was driven away. And fifthly, you haven't sought
the lost. Five-fold charge. Now, two things
here. I'll stop talking about the false
shepherds. This is a very good description
of what we are by nature. What everybody in this room is
by nature. Diseased, without strength, sick,
broken, driven away, and lost. That is a good description of
everyone outside of Christ. The charge is that they didn't
desire to strengthen the flock by the preaching of the gospel,
by fellowship, communion. They didn't desire to heal the
sick by preaching the balm of Gilead, which is the Lord Jesus
Christ, but rather have traditions and works that do
not heal the sick. They didn't bound up the broken.
Those who were driven away, who were downcast, they didn't try
to help. The only help that's possible
is through Christ. We can help one another, but
the only lasting help is the help that's afforded us in Christ. And they didn't seek after the
loss. They were seeking after titles, and positions, and company,
and all these things. You know, I know Matt and I were
talking about, I don't know if there's money involved with it
or what, but there's certainly prestige to be the chaplain,
or the bishop, or the preacher, who says the prayer with the
football team, who travels with the basketball team, and all
these different things. There is prestige in that. It's
just to be seen of men. It's just to be seen of men.
Look at Isaiah 56. Turn with me to Isaiah 56, which
will be here in a couple of weeks, I guess. Isaiah 56. Concerning
the charge Isaiah brings, a very similar charge against false
preachers, false shepherds who tend more for themselves and
their own needs and not the needs excuse me, of the people that
they're pastoring. Isaiah 56, look at the start
of verse 9. All ye beasts of the field, come
to devour, yea, all ye beasts of the forest. His watchmen,
and that's, preachers are also called watchmen, are blind, they
are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark,
sleeping, lying down, loving the slumber. I know some preachers
like that. I really do. Yea, they are greedy dogs which
can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand. They all look to their own way,
every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I
will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink,
and tomorrow we shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
for his own gain. These charges are true because
they're in this book. And they will prove to be the
undoing and sure judgment upon all who preach the false gospels
of today. Woe to you If you follow such
a shepherd or under shepherd as this and woe to me if I become
one. I was listening to somebody preach
down for it doesn't matter who it was, but they said, you know.
Don't take what I say. What's this book say? I mean,
yes, respect me as your pastor and et cetera, et cetera, but
I'm a man, I'm a sinner. Search the Scripture, that what
I'm telling you is true. And I know people, you know,
there's people who will say, well, you know, we need to people
need to see Jesus in us. Well, they didn't see Jesus in
Jesus, did they? Had they would, they would have
not slain the Son of Glory. He came into his own and his
own received him not. What would Jesus do? He did it
and they hated him. So I think a lot of this stuff,
in my opinion, and I think it's based upon Scripture, a lot of
stuff is just to be seen of men. And it's just. We don't understand
how vile and corrupt we are, and that's why this fourfold,
fivefold description, this accusation against false shepherds, what
they weren't doing to the sheep is a good description of what
we are outside of Christ anyway, lost and broken, unbound, driven
away. But this isn't this isn't the
end of our study. Look at the one who is the true
and good shepherd, one which all true under shepherds should
and do follow his ways. Verses 11 through 16. So now
we had this these opposites, false shepherds. Do this and
don't do that. They're cruel. They're mean.
There's a man in the New Testament called Diatrophes in the book
of I think it's first or third John. And he loved to have the
preeminence. He wanted to have the power and
cast out people in the church, which I would say today would
be excommunication. If you don't do this, this and
that, you're out of here. And the Scotty and I were talking not
too long ago and he said had he gone on that you know had
he gone on this path that he was going before when his pastor
taught his former pastor he said yeah we would you know we'd had
to excommunicate you I'm like red flag people who are here by God's
grace I want people that are here that want to be here If
there's an issue, I want to be able to help any way I can. But
Linda and I were talking about this, that old saying, you can
lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. We can
indoctrinate, we can teach, we can preach, we can pray, but
unless God, the Holy Spirit, gives light and understanding,
it's just knowledge, just head knowledge. That's all it is.
Don't trust in bright lights, don't trust in Anything other
than what this book says. And I'm not going to dispute
people that say they've seen lights on it because that experience
was real to them or they said Jesus, somebody spoke to them.
All these things were real. But I know. If it's not according
to what this book says, it's not of God. It's not of God. But look at the true shepherd. He does not abuse, but delivers
and protects his flock. Look at the contrast. Verse 11,
For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I, will both
search my sheep. The other shepherds, they didn't
seek out the lost. He says, I'm going to search
them and I'm going to seek them out. Verse 12, as a shepherd seeks
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 where they have been scattered in the cloudy
and dark day. Verse 13, I will bring them out
from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring
them to their own land. They were driven away, but Christ
is going to get his people and bring them to himself. And feed
them, the other shepherds, the false shepherds, fed themselves,
Christ, at the expense of themselves, the just dying for the unjust.
He's going to feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the
rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. Verse
14, I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains
of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good
fold and in a fat pasture, shall they feed upon the mountains
of Israel. I will feed my flock and I will cause them to lie
down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost. It's just the opposite language.
We'll bring again that which was driven away. I will bind
up that which was broken and I will strengthen that which
was sick. We'll stop right there. He searches and seeks his people
turn to Luke chapter 19 Luke chapter 19 and verse 10 Luke chapter 19 verse 10 for
the Son of Man that's who we're talking about before we talk
about people who call themselves Christians call themselves elders
bishops deacons but They mocked the gospel. They mocked the Son.
For thus, for the Son of Man, Christ, now we're speaking of
THE Christ, is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Seek and save. The second thing, He's going
to bring again the driven away ones. Turn to 1 Peter chapter
3. The accusation against the false
Preachers was that they didn't Bring back those who were driven
away, but Christ Brings his people back To one full first Peter
chapter 3 first Peter chapter 3 And look at Verse 18, for Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God. Driven away by false shepherds,
driven away by our own sin, but he once suffered for sins,
just for the unjust, brings us to God, being put to death in
the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. He brought us back, we
who were born and then practice literally running away from God
because of our sin. But He brought us back unto God
by blood, by grace, by mercy. Thirdly, He binds up the broken. Psalms 51 says, the things are
of God, the things that God sees, the things that God does, the
things that God will honor is a broken and a contrite heart.
I have this quote from Henry, I think it's very good here.
He says, nothing broken is worth much. A broken arm, a broken
leg, it's not worth much. But except the heart. Nothing broken is worth much
except the heart, which is then at its best state, because a
broken heart means a humble heart, a submissive heart, one that
has been made ready for pardon, peace, and forgiveness. People
say, you know, if something's broken, you get rid of it. Melinda
and I, we just, when we go to her mom's, we go, It drives us
crazy. It's broken. Of course, beauty
is in the eyes of the beholders, I guess. But it's like, it's
broken. It's not... Get rid of it. Well, a broken
heart. That's worth a lot because of
who broke it and what he's about to do. He's about to heal it.
He's about to bind up, says our text, bind up the broken hearted. Then he says, He strengthens. He strengthens the sick. In our
text He says, He binds up that which is broken and strengthens
that which is sick. He strengthens that which is
sick. Turn to Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53. He strengthens that which was sick. Isaiah 53 verses 4 and 5, Surely
he, that is Christ, hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. He strengthens the sick. The
chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes,
here it is, we are healed. Sick from our own corruption
and our fig leaf religious works, yet He heals by grace divine
and strengthens us and gives us songs in the night, trusting
only and solely in the merits of Emmanuel, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we'll close the last section
of verse 16. We have yet another contrast. Back in our text, Ezekiel 34,
verse 16, the last section, he says that he's Strengthen that
which was sick, but there's the contrast. He says he will destroy
the fat and the strong and will feed them with judgment. He will
destroy the fat and the strong. He's going to uphold and strengthen
and help and heal and seek the lost, the bruised, the weak,
the wounded. but those who are fat and strong
in and of themselves. The picture is this, I would
say fat made so by their own free will and overindulgent traditions. The incense, the crosses, the
walking the aisles, all these traditions People get, they get,
they get, they indulge themselves in these traditions instead of
the gospel, instead of the truth. And they see all this stuff going
on, so it's got to be a God because there's activity going on. The
guy's got a robe on, he's got all these different things going
on. Ah, they might be, look well to do. But he says he's going
to destroy the fat and the strong. Strong, those who think they
are self-sufficient in their own delusions and lies. There's an article in the paper.
I couldn't read it. It's a picture of a guy. He's
in Jackson. He's sitting up there and he's waving to everybody.
It's Jesus' day. He's got this big old cross on him. I read
the first paragraph. He hopes that God will save the
whole world. He's praying for the whole world. When we read the other day in
John 17, Christ himself says, I pray for these, I pray not
for the world. So, as nice as that sounded, He's on the other side of what
God says he's going to do. Again, these things are not politically
correct, and, you know, oh, you're so critical of this. Well, Son
of Man prophesied against. It's religiously nice. It looks good. We should be nice
to Him. He should be nice to us. I'm
not saying any of that. I'm saying when it comes down,
take all that stuff off. And the truth of the matter is,
the flock is being scattered because of lies. My desire for you and for me
is to flee to Christ, who is our healer. He is our help. And He is our health. Our health. Matt, would you close us please?