GOOD LEADERS FOLLOW
JESUS
V:1. "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter
the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD."
A. Woe= hoy=
judgment is coming.
1. Pastors and
teachers need to be careful to lead God's people according to God's
Word.
2. We need to
keep in mind that we are God's people and that pastors and teachers
are God's shepherds.
a. The
pasture belongs to God and the people belong to God.
3. Likewise,
parents must remember that their children belong to God.
a. Parents
must be careful to train their children in the way of the Lord.
b. Husbands
must be careful to lead their families in the way of the Lord.
B. Any leader who
knowingly misleads God's people will be judged.
V:2. "Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel
A. When the interest of leaders become selfish, they forget the reason they were selected,
A. When the interest of leaders become selfish, they forget the reason they were selected,
elected or
called.
1. God selects and
calls pastors
2. Man elects
leaders.
3. God is in
control of the whole process.
4. The purpose of
leaders is to govern and direct people fairly and justly.
5. The purpose of
pastors or shepherds is to lead people in the righteousness of God.
A. Three characteristics
of a bad leader.
1. "They
scattered my flock."
a. They teach
those in their charge to worship other gods.
1) If we
teach the pursuit of wealth, position or power, we teach the worship of
idols.
2) There is
nothing wrong with gain as long as it is used to glorify the Lord.
b. Some leaders use their position for
personal gain.
c. They
neglect the spiritual growth of the flock.
2. "Drive God's
people away."
a. Their
actions have caused God people to walk in the way of the world.
b. Instead of
tearing down altars to idol gods, they promoted the worship
of idols.
3. "Fail to visit God's people."
a. Knowing that the people had gone astray,
they do not remind them of their evil
ways.
b. Because
their ways were evil, they paid no
attention to God's people.
B. Because God's
leaders fail to look after His flock, they will be judged accordingly
and punished.
V:3. "And 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."
A. Because of the
sins of Israel
burn down their
cites and take them into captivity.
B. God has a way of
preserving and protecting His people.
1. In times of
trouble, God may move his people out of the way of destruction to
be restored in
another day.
2. God chooses
who He will save out of trouble.
a. remnant=
sheerith= a surviving portion
b. Not everybody who gets into trouble
will be saved.
3. God is with us
in our trouble.
a. He brings
us out of our trouble to be fruitful.
b. To the
faithful, He promises an increase in their lives.
4. Though we may stray away, we can't get to
far that God can't bring us back.
V:4. "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."
A. For every bad
shepherd, God has a Good shepherd waiting in his wings to replace
the bad shepherd.
1. God select
those He wants to lead His people,
2. He selects
leader who know His Word.
3. God selects leaders who will follow His
Word.
4. "They have
no fear."
a. God selects
leaders who will encourage and comfort His people.
B. God's people will
not be dismayed over the things of the world.
1. God's people
will be given wisdom and insight that exceeds the worlds wisdom.
2. God's people
realizes that He is in control.
B. "Neither
shall they be lacking."
1. God provides
provisions and protection for His people.
2. God's people
will be equipped with all they need to do His will.
V:5. "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I
will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper,
and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."
A. This is the
prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ given 600 years before His birth.
1. The "days
come" is 600 years.
2. His genealogy
includes King David.
3. He would be a
righteous King.
a. All the
kings before him had sin in their reign.
b. There will
be no sin in the reign of Jesus.
4. The reign of
Christ is prosperous.
a. Prosperous
in establishing the Church.
b. Prosperous
in redeeming man from his sin through the blood of Jesus.
c. Prosperous
in convicting man of his sin.
d. Prosperous
in making peace between man and the Father.
e. Prosperous in doing away with
spiritual death for all believers.
f. Prosperous
in proclaiming the Good News throughout the world.
B. In the reign of
Christ, all men will be judged by their words and deeds.
1. The non
believers will be judged and condemned to the Lake
of Fire
2. The righteous
(believers) will be judged and placed in heaven.
V:6. "In his days Judah Israel
A. All Israel shall
be saved.
1. Judah
a. Jesus
genealogy includes people with all background.
b. In the genealogy of Jesus is murders,
prostitutes, liars; people of all walks of
life.
c. Israel
B. All men are made
savable through Jesus Christ.
1. Every man in
Jesus is a new creation.
2. Every man in
Jesus is under His protection.
3. Every man in Jesus has His provisions.
C. Jesus is the Lord
Our Righteous.
1. Every man is
made righteous through His blood.
2. Every man in
Jesus can stand before the Father in the righteousness of Jesus.
3. Jesus is our
Lord.
a. Jesus is our righteousness before the
Father.
V. 33:14. "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that
I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel Judah
A. God keeps His
promises.
1. God's promises
are not conditional on our goodness.
2. God is not on
our time.
a. His plans
for the ages includes our distress and our happiness.
3. God has some
good that is promised for those who are faithful to Him.
a. We first must
trust God to be true to His promises.
b. Second, we
must be patient to wait on God's timing.
c. Third, we
must continue to let God guide our decisions.
d. Fourth, we
must walk in His foot steps.
B. God promises are
to His people and not to the world.
1. Throughout the
Bible, God recorded His promises to the faithful.
2. God promises
will be kept, but they are for the benefit of His people which
is His
Church.
V:15. "In those days, and at that time, will I cause
the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute
judgment and righteousness in the land."
A. Jesus was born
into the line of David as God planned.
1. Jesus
established His Church upon faith for those who believe in Him as their
savior.
B. Jesus death on the
cross gave us the right to eternal life.
1. After His
resurrection, all power over heaven and earth was given to him.
2. Jesus is in
control of the world.
C. Jesus gave us His
wisdom to know right from wrong.
1. He gave us His
spirit to treat others with justice and righteousness.
A. We have the
assurance that our salvation is secure.
1.We are in
"those days".
a. The
Church has been established.
b. God's
plan of redemption is complete in Jesus Christ.
c. All
mankind have the opportunity to be saved.
B. God
Church
1. God provides
all the Church needs to survive.
2. All provisions
are made available to believers.
3. All who call
on the name of Jesus will be saved.
V:17. "For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want
a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel
A. The reign of Jesus
as King is permanent.
B. The House of
Israel represents all believers; Jews and non Jews.
1. There is but
one God, one Lord, one Spirit and one Savior.
a. They are all in Jesus Christ.
C. The ruler of our
life is Jesus, not man.
1. Man is under
the authority of Jesus.
V:18. "Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man
before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do
sacrifice continually."
A. Jesus' death on
the cross fulfilled all the requirements of the Law.
1. Jesus is the
final sacrifice.
B. After the death of
Jesus, the veil in the temple separating the Holy of Holiness was
was torn into by the
power of God.
1. We no longer
need a priest or preacher to intercede for us before the Father.
2. The High Priest
is Jesus.
a. We can go to
our High Priest in prayer 24/7.
b. Jesus is
our High Priest and the mediator between us and God.
3. Our faith in
Jesus makes the throne of God available to us at any time.
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