Feeding the Sheep or Entertaining the Goats?

"Preach the word... For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Timothy 4:2-5, ESV) #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #EntertainmentORWorship

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

5 Things that Are "Wrong" Around the Birth of Jesus In Luke 2:8-20 (Short Bible Study)

Open Your Bible to Luke 2:8-20 (NIV):

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

5 Things that Are "Wrong" Around the Birth of Jesus In Luke 2:8-20:

#1 Controversial Pregnancy?

#2 King Born in the Manger?

#3 Short Heavenly Announcements?

#4 First Evangelists Were the Shepherd?

#5 So BIG News, So Little Responses?

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God the Good Shepherd (Bad News for Corrupt Religious Leaders) Ezekiel 34:11-16

“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather then from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land… I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice”

(Ezekiel 34:11-13, 15-16, NIV).

It’s always hurtful when religious leaders let us down. It happens all the time – it’s nothing new. The Bible is full of religious leaders who didn’t take care of their flocks (the people), from Eli and his sons to the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. Above, the prophet Ezekiel offered up a special message to religious pretenders – and to the people who have been hurt by them.

Israel’s shepherd had failed them. The priests had not only didn’t kept them from troubles, they had spurred them toward it. Some corrupted their worship with idolatry. Others served only for money, and looked for opportunities to cheat the people.

Only in the text quoted above, God already said “I will” ten times. There are more. God promised to destroy “the fat and the strong” (34:16, NKJV) – to feed them with justice. But the other side of that promise was a promise to the sheep who had been left to fend for themselves. God promised to be the Good Shepherd: He would seek out those who had been scattered for want of a shepherd’s care.

Ultimately, God is our Shepherd, not our human leaders. Our hope is that our leaders will serve us well, but whether they do or they don’t, God is our Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. Remember what the Lord Jesus said when He declared: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 14-15). He is indeed the Good Shepherd. Amen!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.