A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

In the Bible days shepherds played an essential role in the economic welfare of Israel. Wealthy landowners hired certain men and women to tend their flocks of sheep. In some cases children of wealthy landowners often cared for their fathers flock. The Bible tells us that in Genesis 4: 2 Abel tended sheep. Later in the book we learn that Jacobs ten older sons also cared for their fathers flock near Shechem. In Exodus the daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, tended their fathers flock. 1 Samuel tells us that before David became Israels most powerful king, his father Jesse charged the boy to tend his flock in the fields of Bethlehem. These servants spent days at a time in the field guiding sheep into green pastures. But shepherds made sure that the sheep grazed within the boundaries of their owners territories. The masters charged their shepherds to protect the flock from the threat of wolves and other wild dogs. Thieves and robbers also posed threats to the flocks welfare. Thieves knew for sure that the only way for them to succeed is if they strike the shepherd, the flock would scatter in panic and be vulnerable. So shepherds fought off both man and beast. Often sheep strayed from the fold when they perceived an imminent threat coming from within the fold or from outsideso when one of the creatures darts out into the field, the shepherds job was to enclose the rest of the sheep within the fold, shut the gate, and leave them in safety so she might find that one lost sheep. Shepherds brought with them staffs to direct their lost ones back home under their care. The wealth of the landowner, the care of the sheep, and the livelihood of the shepherd depended upon how well the shepherd performed her task.

II

If you were going to be a shepherd in those days you needed endurance, courage, and integrity to perform the task. You needed endurance because its mundane work to care for sheep. You led them to food and water where they are plentiful. You made sure the sheep were protected from harm and danger. You made sure you accounted for
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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

everyone one of those sheep when you led them back into the gate at night. Good shepherds made sure that not one sheep was lost from the masters fold. This routine happens every dayall year. So shepherds endured the drudgery of this mundane yet necessary job. You also needed courage because potential threats were always nearby. The farther you led the flock away from the masters fold; enemies were ready to strike you when you least expected it. You had to muster up every ounce of courage to defend the flock and yourself from thieves, robbers, and every wild beast thats lurking in the field. If you were going to be a shepherd, you had to be on the lookout and know how to fight well. You had to be willing to potentially lay your life down for the sheep you were hired to protect. You also had to have a level of personal integrity. You had to know who you were, who hired you, and what you were charged to do. Shepherds need the heart to serve their masters under humble conditions. In other words you didnt get paid well to do what the master assigned to do in those days. So you had to be content with whatever the master gave you. You had to remind yourself of the fact that you were a servant in the masters house. You had to resist the temptation of cheating the master by stealing one of his sheep. It took Gods grace to stay faithful, to be courageous in the face of your enemies, to be patient with sheep that are not always obedient to your direction. To put it another way, it took strong character not to defect from this your post. In danger, good shepherds dont abandon the flock. The sheep needed someone by their side to protect them. They needed a shepherd they could count on. Instead of the wolf, the master now has to worry about you fleecing his flock. The shepherd who lacks integrity, courage, and endurance winds up becoming the thief, the robber, and the wolf in sheeps clothing.

III

Well such was the case in our Old Testament lesson this morning. In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, God appointed leaders to shepherd his people in the land of Judah during a volatile time. The threat of Babylonian invasion was around the corner. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon set his eyes on Judah ready to conquer. Yet Judahs rulers, prophets, and priests turned their backs on the Lord to serve themselves. In Jeremiahs day, the leaders were supposed to tend Gods flock; instead they led the people of
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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

God away from the God of their ancestors to worship the Canaanite god Baal. The priest erected idols in the Lords housein Pauls words they led the people to worship the creature rather than the Creator. These shepherds squandered the wealth of Judah. They abused their power and oppressed the weakest among them and committed grave offenses against their God and their neighbors. Things got so out of control in Judah, brothers and sisters, God sent the prophet Jeremiah to prophesy against these so-called shepherds. The prophet declares, Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture! declares the LORD Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done, declares the LORD. The state of the nation was so jacked up, Church, God says he will step in and gather the remnant of his flock from around the world and he will set things back in order. God says he has true shepherds that will tend them so they may no longer be afraid of those who did them harm. Further in the chapter Gods word grows strong against those who claimed to speak in Gods name the prophets. Sure Gods word was for all of the leadership of Judah who abandoned their Master. Nevertheless, if you read further down, Gods judgment focused on the prophets. In Jer. 23:9-11, the prophet says: Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and his holy words. The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the desert are withered. The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly. Then in an instant Jeremiah speaks in the voice of the LORD: Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness, declares the LORD. The word of God was so strong within Jeremiahs heart, he likened it to intoxication. The message in a nutshell was clear: the LORDs housethe house of prayer for all Gods people
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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

became a brothel where the people prostituted themselves to idols that have no life in them. Like her northern sister Israel years before Judah became treacherous. God compared the twin nations to the fallen cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; the people did unspeakable things in the temple of the Most High and in the land. Whats even worse, Church, the prophets, the supposed mouthpieces of God, spoke words out of their own imaginations, when they did not sit in the council of the Holy One. They were what some scholars call peace prophets. These prophets gave good reports, when disaster reared its ugly head from around the corner. They forecasted good weather conditions when the twisters of Gods judgment were heading towards them. They said, Gods gonna bless real good! when the whole house of Judah was in a sinful mess! They overlooked the abusive actions of the rulers and the idolatrous leadership of the priests and they spoke false oracles to the people of God. God charged them with being full of wind but not full of the Spirit. These windbags told lies in the name of the Lord. They blew past the poor, the defenseless, the widow and the orphan. Because of their failure to heed Gods word, God tells them that he will cast them out of his presence and make them an everlasting disgrace among the people. Because of her failure to repent as a nation, Judahs enemies, the Babylonians, invaded the Holy City, destroyed the Temple, and led Judah into captivity. Truly God was not having it!

IV

Lest we think that this biblical account does not concern us, my brothers and sisters, consider the days we live in. Church, we live in days like Jeremiahs. In various regions around the world dictators crush their own people under iron fists. Through brute force they terrorize and uproot communities from their native lands, forcing them to seek refuge in lands they have not known before. In some African nations, guerilla regimes force themselves upon women and young girls; young boys are forced into armies to fight wars they never started in the first place. In these beloved United States, some politicians appeal to peoples prejudices and arouse their fears in order to get their votes; beaurocrats and a handful of greedy business moguls in every sphere of society squander the wealth of nations. Others seek to bend the laws in favor of
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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

the rich and powerful, leaving the poor and the uninsured behind to fend for themselves. Church, these times are so hard some are willing to go to extreme measures in order to survive. Recently James Richard Verone, a man from Gastonia, North Carolina faced joblessness and multiple medical conditions. Not wanting to burden his siblings with his care, Verone staged a bank robbery in order to get shelter and healthcare in prison. He told local news, "The pain was beyond the tolerance that I could accept. I kind of hit a brick wall with everything." Verone demanded from the bank one dollar. Verone hoped to be charged with bank robbery, but instead he was charged with a lesser felony. Get this: Verone vowed that he will rob again if his stint in prison was short. Last November Destiny Mathis, a 26-year old single mother from Indiana, struggling to make ends meet, wrote and sent a letter to the President seeking help. President Obama wrote a letter back to Mathis. Now the young woman hopes to sell the received letter for $11,000 to avoid eviction and feed her children. Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy upon us! Mammon reigns supreme in the minds of the impressionable. Greed holds grip over the minds of a few who control ninety-five of the nations wealth. Some pursue riches instead of pursuing knowledge and wisdom. Others pursue fame instead of pursuing meekness and contentment. Instead of trusting in the Lord and serving Him until they die, many in this land march to the drum line of Get Rich or Die Tryin. Never mind Destiny, many say, forget James! I dont care about you and yours. Im about me and mine and Im gonna get whatever I want! Furthermore, we have contemporary windbags. False prophets invade pulpits, podiums, and auditoriums Sunday after Sunday, proclaiming words which dont come from the mouth of Almighty God, but originate from their own vain imaginations. They speak of blessing and prosperity for some but not for all. These pseudo shepherds abuse their power and take advantage of the impressionable, the weak, and desperate. They fleece the flock, using their resources to fill their own pockets and purses and build their own kingdoms rather than advancing the kingdom of our Lord. Theyre thieves in the temple stealing the bread from the hungry, and withholding freedom from the captive. Theyre robbers taking the peace of mind from many mothers. They lord over people rather than
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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

serving them. They declare themselves prophets but God says I never spoke with them! God I wish I had somebody to turn this situation around! I wish I had somebody who will speak words of hope and deliverance to a dying world! I wish I had somebody who is worthy to stand up to the wiles of the Devil and speak truth to principalities and the powers of this world. I need somebody to help me see the light of the sun when I am in the darkest of pits! I dont need some joker on a cable access channel or BET to tell me that I can get a word from the LORD by making a one thousand dollar deposit for a prophetic consultation! I need somebody who has a word from God for me when Im broke as a joke! I wish I had somebody who is fed up with the way the poor are being mistreated by systems which cater to only one percent of the nations population. God, I wish there was somebody who would deliver us from the pursuit of power at the expense of the weightier matters of justice and the true liberation of the oppressed. Lord, the sheep are scattered and we need somebody strong enough, courageous enough, and has the tenacity to go the distance and to cross the boundaries, to climb to the deepest parts of human depravity and deliver us from our wicked ways! We need somebody who has a word from God to save us from this never-ending cycle of sin and death. We need a shepherd we can count on!

WellI know a Man from Galilee who fits that description! Let me tell you about Him! His name is Jesus:

Hes Gods appointed Man. Hes Gods only-begotten Son. Hes Marys baby boy! Hes the root of Jesse and the offspring of David! Hes the righteous Branch; a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved

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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

Hes the treasure of Heaven sent down from glorycoming down through forty and two generations. In Bethlehem he was born a King in a manger cause there was no room in the inn. Hes the Light of the world. He heals the sick! He raises the dead! He opens blind eyes! He sets the captives free! Hes Bread when you Hungry. Hes the Living Water; drink of Him and you will never thirst again!

Hes is the Gate which all Gods sheep will enter through. All those who came before Him are thieves and robbers. The false prophets, unfaithful priests, and conniving rulers no longer pose a threat to Gods people because the true Lord and Master has come to save usheal usand love them back into the fold of God. God sent Jesus on a rescue mission. He comes to restore peace into the lives of those who face turmoil and despair because they dont have a way out of the darkness. He is the One who makes a way out of no way! Hes the One who says, I am the good shepherd. My sheep know my voiceand I lay down my life for the sheep. Im so glad this morning that God sent Somebody who could get the job done of saving a dying world. Im so glad this morning God sent Somebody strong enough to bear the heavy load of sin and break the chains of death the Devil held for eons. Im so glad that Jesus came into my life! Church, Jesus is a Friend we can trust with our deepest fears and comforts us until all your fears fade way! Jesus is the kind of Shepherd who put his necks on the line for sheep like you and I! Jesus is the only One strong enough, courageous enough, and has the integrity to do what the Father appointed him to do without fail. God sent Jesus into the world to bring deliverance to a world enslaved to sin. He bore our burdensour failuresand our weaknesses, and He nailed them all to that Old Rugged Cross on Golgothas Hill. I heard Isaiah say, [But] he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

But thank God thats not how the story ends! For on the third day the Spirit of the eternal Father raised Jesus from the dead with all power in His hands! Now my Lord and your Savior sits at the right hand of the Father. That means the Good Shepherd is Ruler over all things! So when the Enemy comes in like flood, the Lord will raise the standard of his Word, and dispatch his angels to protect you and me from harm. When you feel like giving up on life, put your whole trust in the Lord for he is our Life.

Call on Him, Hell answer you! Call on Him, and Hes mighty to save! Call on him, and he will come to your side! I hear the old folks sing, I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto Me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast. I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad. And you know what? There were right about it!

VI

Church of the living God, turn your attention away from the thieves and the robbers that come to steal, kill, and destroy and put your trust in Jesus, the One who gives abundant life! He comes to set things right in this world! Hell put all the broken pieces of your lives back together again. Hes here to guide you through dangers seen and unseen. Hes a Shepherd we can count on! Hell never let you down! When youre lost, Hell find you! When youre down, Hell pick you up! When you stray from Him, Hes not very far! Hell come rescue you! Hes never lost one of his sheep! He always keeps his promises! I stopped by here to tell youwherever you are in lifewhatever you need today, The Good Shepherd is here for you today! Hell bless you! Hell lead you! Hell guide you! Hell fix you! Hell deliver you! Hell strengthen you! Hell feed you! Hell comfort you! Now I know the Psalmist is right. Because I tried Jesus for myself! 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
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A Shepherd We Can Count On

Jeremiah 23:1-8; John 10:7-15

names 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 goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Thanks be to God for Jesus, a Shepherd we can count on! Amen.

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