Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Negative example of pastoring. Part 2

Ezekiel 34:1-6. NASB95
1 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying,
2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?
3 “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.
4 “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.
5 “They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.
6 “My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.” ’ ”
Sometimes we learn by positive example and sometimes we learn by negative example.

Pastors:
  • Feed the flock
  • Strengthen the sick
  • Heal the diseased
  • Bind up the broken
  • Seek out the lost
  • Walk in humility, gentleness, service (NOT “ with force and with severity you have dominated them”).