You Better Quit Playing (Rev.)

Text:

Ezekiel 34:7-12, 15-16:

7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

12 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 where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

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15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

 

Theme:

You Better Quit Playing (Rev.)

 

Introduction:

• The prophet Ezekiel writes the Book of Ezekiel. During the beginning of the Judaic captivity in the land of the Chaldeans, God commissioned Ezekiel in a unique fashion compared to the pre-exilic prophets of before:
  • to prophesy to the entire house of Israel from a land of exile (present day Tel-Aviv)
  • to show God’s people their transgressions
  • to prophesy what to some is gloom and doom – terrors of the Lord in their destruction
  • to prophesy an encouraging word to the people in the coming of the Kingdom of the Messiah
• The Book of Ezekiel is divided primarily into four parts:
  • The account of his call to the prophetical office
    • The first three chapters give an account of God calling, qualifying, preparing, and commissioning the prophet Ezekiel.
  • The prophecies of denunciation against the Jews
    • Chapters 4 through 24 are prophecies that Israel will suffer because of its sin.
  • Time cleanly separates the first and second halves of the book by the destruction of Jerusalem.
  • The prophecies against various surrounding nations
    • Chapters 15-32 are prophecies of the surrounding countries that are also wicked will get their just reward also.
  • The prophecies delivered after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
    • Chapters 33-39 depict the good times to come à the ultimate prosperity of Israel and the Kingdom of God as well as Messianic times.
• Our text comes from the fourth part of Ezekiel à the ultimate prosperity of Israel and the Kingdom of God
  • Ezekiel prophesies of the impending judgment for the “shepherds” whom God has chosen to lead and provide for His flock.
    • The “shepherds” are the pastors
      • The word pastor literally means “shepherd” or “feeder” from its literal Latin root origin.
      • Now the term is primarily used to denote “the Christian minister in the capacity of having spiritual charge of a congregation or group”
        • Jeremiah 3:15, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
    • The shepherds have not been doing their job à they have been “playing around”
      • Pastors have been leading people into the world and not to Christ!
        • As Jeremiah 23:2a explains, “Therefore 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:”
      • Pastors have allowed people to be used and abused by the ignorance, cunning, and wrath of the world.
        • Verse 8 of our text explains that “my flock became meat to every beast of the field,”
      • Pastors have been striving for personal gain and prestige instead of “Winning Souls To Christ” to glorify God à It’s about THEM and not GOD!!
        • Verse 8 of our text explains that “the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;”
    • God knows what the “shepherds” have been doing à Judgment is coming!
      • As Jeremiah 23:2b reminds them, “behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.”
• “I am reminded of” — my growing up with 2 younger brothers and being raised by a single mother.
  • I had to watch them all the time.
  • Mama would say ‘You are not their Daddy’
  • In my trying to keep them out of trouble and to get them to do what Mama wanted us to do and to get them to act the way that Mama wanted us to act, I would always be scolding them saying, “YOU BETTER QUIT PLAYING!”
• In the same way, I speak to my “brothers and sisters” in the ministry of Jesus, the Christ.
  • We are all responsible for upholding truth as long as we have breath in our body.
  • We are not God. I cannot tell you what to do.  God is our Father and Judge!!
  • But, Just like Ezekiel, I can give you a word of warning à YOU BETTER QUIT PLAYING!

 

Body:

• We have what we need to be God-called “shepherds” à YOU BETTER QUIT PLAYING!!!

WE HAVE THE INSTRUCTION, EXAMPLE, & POWER

• We have the INSTRUCTION of the Word of God to direct us to be effective laborers with God!
  • We are called and chosen for the Work of God.
    • Ephesians 4:11, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”
  • We must identify with those to whom we minister.
    • 1 Peter 2:25, “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
  • We must understand the requirements of our role.
    • 1 Timothy 3:1-7, “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach….”
      • Culminates in verse 7 with “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
    • It is all about “feeding the flock”!
      • 1 Peter 5:2, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”
      • Isaiah 40:11, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
    • There is a reward for a “job well done”.
      • 1 Peter 5:4, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
• We are given the EXAMPLE of the “shepherd” in Jesus, the Christ!
  • John 10:11says,“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
  • Then John also says in 10:14, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
  • Hebrews 13:20, “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,”
• We are given the POWER of the ultimate “Shepherd” in God, Himself!
  • God has sealed the power to complete the task into our very lives.
  • David in Psalms 23 explains:
    • The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    • He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
    • He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
    • Yea, 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.
    • Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
    • SURELY (for those of us who obey God’s Word) goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

Conclusion:

• Remember, there are consequences à YOU BETTER QUIT PLAYING!!!
  • God says in our text, “I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment”
    • If you think that you are “all that”, God is gonna take you down!
      • Psalms 37:1-2, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”
    • God’s judgment swift and strong. He don’t like you messing over His children!
      • Matthew 18:6, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
• It’s up to YOU à YOU BETTER QUIT PLAYING!!!
  • Stop lying
  • Stop whoremongering
  • Stop cheating
  • Stop hating
  • Stop backbiting
  • Stop tatting
  • Stop manipulating
    • Start loving
    • Start seeking
    • Start reaching
    • Start teaching
    • Start encouraging
    • Start forgiving

Start lifting His Name and not our own!!!!

 

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