Feed My Sheep*

This month of October is a month reserved to honor pastors. It is also a time to bring forth an important message for the Body of Christ. It is becoming more and more obvious in media and on the internet that there are many who are unbelievers. How have the pastors been bringing forth God's Word? The prophet Ezekiel brought forth a sobering prophetic word from the LORD regarding the pastors, or spiritual shepherds, of the sheep: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered...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." (Ezek. 34:1-10, excerpt). The foundational truth of any pastor's calling is not a "religiousity", but the transforming truth of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain...And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." (1 Cor. 15:13-14,17). As with Christ's own disciples at the time, there are those who struggle with unbelief, who require visible evidence. Jesus understood this need with some, and provided them with evidence that they could see. In John 20, Mary Magdalene found Christ's tomb empty after His death. She ran to tell the disciples that someone had taken the Lord's body from the tomb. Both Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves. John got there first, looked into the tomb from the outside and saw the linen burial clothes lying there. Peter, upon arriving, went into the tomb and also saw the burial clothes. John then went into the tomb also, "...and he saw, and believed." John believed based upon what he saw, because they did not yet know the scriptures pertaining to His resurrection (v. 8-9). What did they see that convinced them? Was it just the empty burial clothes, or could they have seen an image on those linen clothes that convinced them? I believe they saw an image. Mary was outside the tomb weeping, but saw two angels in the tomb positioned where Jesus' head and feet had been. They asked why she was weeping. Still distraught, she turned and saw a man, who asked her why she wept, and for whom was she seeking? Mary asked the man if he knew where Jesus' body had been taken. The man spoke her name, "Mary", and she knew immediately that this was Jesus who was speaking to her. She later ran to tell the other disciples that she had seen and spoken to the Lord (v. 11-18). Later that same day, Jesus appeared to the disciples, except for Thomas, who was not there, and showed Himself: "And when he had said so, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord." (v. 20). Later, when Thomas arrived, the disciples told Thomas that the Lord had appeared to them. Thomas replied that he would not be able to believe until he saw and touched the Lord for himself (v.25). Eight days later, the Lord agin appeared in the midst of where the disciples were gathered. Jesus singled Thomas out and showed him His hands and pierced side, and even offered for Thomas to touch Him in these places. Thomas immediately believed (v.26-28). While Jesus understood His disciple's need to see in order to believe, He also said to Thomas, "...because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (v. 29). The belief in His resurrection is so vital to our Christian faith, that Jesus was willing to provide physical, visible evidence for those who needed to see in order to believe. Pastor's must provide the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Shroud of Turin may well be a piece of physical evidence left behind by Christ that we can utilize to convince unbelievers to "see and believe". In any case, with atheism and agnosticism becoming widespread, and unbelief spreading even in the Church, pastors will be held accountable if they do not shepherd and feed their flocks responsibly, according to Ezekiel. After His resurrection, and after presenting Himself three times as physical, visible proof to His disciples, Jesus spoke of the kind of pastoring He expected of them to Peter. After asking Peter three times if Peter loved Him, and receiving Peter's affirmtive response, the Lord then commanded Peter, "Feed my sheep", and "Feed my lambs" (Jn. 21:15-17). Though Jesus told Peter that this love of Christ, and the pastoring feeding and keeping of the sheep would impact Peter's life in a most sober manner, He commanded Peter nonetheless, "Follow me" (v. 18-19). In Matthew 28, the scriptures reveal a conspiracy through bribery to keep the truth of the resurrection of Christ from the people. The conspiracy was engaged in between the religious leaders of the day, and the forces of the world, Roman soldiers, who had been ordered to keep watch over the tomb that had held the body of Jesus. The scriptures say that this conspiracy of lies continued "to this day" (Mt. 28:11-15). This is indeed true to this day as books are still being written continuing to support this lie that was conceived to cover up the resurrection. Even some of the disciples who saw and met with Jesus after His resurrection continued to doubt (v. 16-17). Doubt and unbelief is a stubborn force, but Jesus said that His power is greater, commanding His disciples: "...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (meaning age)." (v. 18-20). This month is Pastor Appreciation Month. I have dedicated myself, since the Lord called me, to feed His sheep the Bread of life, the Word of truth to the best of my ability, and as led by the Spirit of God. It is a blessing when the flock appreciates and blesses a shepherd who has been faithful to feed and keep the sheep. This month should also serve as a warning from the prophet Ezekiel to those shepherds who have not fed the sheep, and properly tended to them, but have fed and kept themselves instead. *The above is based upon Dr. Stevenson's 10/11/20 message to the Church. To contact this ministry, or to order the book, "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling": PO Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705 or Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com