Sermon in Phoenix 26.04.2009

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us quiet our hearts this morning and give prayer unto the Heavenly Father.

Dear Heavenly Father, Maker of heaven and earth, we thank You, dear Heavenly Father, that Thou hast called us here this morning to Thy services. We pray, dear Heavenly Father, that Thou would reveal Your Word unto us. That Thou would allow us to pause and open our ears to receive this Word of hope into our hearts. That Thou would continue to guide us on this journey of living faith. That Thou would keep us in Thy flock here upon this earth. To call us when we are going astray. To use that rod and Thy staff which comforts us.

We thank You, dear Heavenly Father, that Thou hast called us into this flock here upon this earth. We thank You, dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for our brothers and sisters in faith. For our families, our homes, all of those temporal goods that Thou hast given us here in this life. Most of all, dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this gift of living faith. That Thou hast granted us grace and given us this faith in our heart. And we pray, dear Father, that we would continue to cherish this faith as the most important matter in our lives. And we pray that Thou would give us the strength to continue the work of Thy kingdom here upon this earth.

We pray for those who are on the outside of this kingdom that they too could hear this word and that this word would cause restlessness in their heart. That they could understand their condition of unbelief. And that they would be opened and their eyes would be opened and they could receive the grace of repentance and come unto this living kingdom of God here upon this earth.

We pray for those who are troubled, even today, who are experiencing trials and difficulties in their life, that this word today would even comfort them. And we thank You for all of this in the name of Thy dear Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And we pray even in that most precious way that He has taught us to pray.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

For our text this morning hour, we'll read from the Old Testament from the words of the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 34, verses 11 through 16. And the words are as follows in Jesus' name.

For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep and seek them out. 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. And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountain of Israel by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. 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. Amen.

Amen.

Our opening song today spoke of a theme for this Sunday, which is the second Sunday after Easter. We sang about the Good Shepherd from that song which was created from the 23rd Psalm. And that is the topic for today: the Lord is my shepherd.

I will always cherish that particular psalm, as before I received the grace of repentance early in my adult life, it was a psalm that I had memorized. And I am sure even the young ones here today who go to Sunday school that this is probably one of the first portions of the Bible that you may learn and speak of, especially since it is one of our commonly sung songs in our songs and hymns of Zion. And it is certainly a comforting psalm. And it is a fitting psalm even for this Sunday.

The particular portion of Scripture that we've read is from the prophet Ezekiel. And in this particular portion of Scripture, it speaks of the Lord God, but it also makes reference to the shepherds of God's kingdom, those who have been appointed by God to serve the kingdom of God.

And if we would even go back to the very beginning of this particular chapter, we could read from verses 2-4, which read in this way:

That 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.

Here, Ezekiel was prophesying of those shepherds within the kingdom of God who were not performing their duty correctly. Jeremiah also spoke briefly of this in one of his chapters, chapter 23, which begins in this way: Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord.

So we know that this has been a problem or a difficulty that God's kingdom has faced throughout the generations of time. And of course, as a speaker brother myself, it is not an easy topic to even speak of. But God's word, particularly on this Sunday where we study how the Lord is our shepherd, that this is one of the themes that is spoken of in God's word.

And here we see how, and we have even experienced in recent times in the last 30, 40 years, how there have been some appointed in God's kingdom as shepherds over the flock to serve the flock who have led this flock of God's children astray through the various heresies and divisions that have occurred in God's kingdom over the years.

But God in His love and in His wisdom has recorded these verses even for us that we would have an understanding of this and that we could be given those words of understanding and wisdom and encouragement that God's word would be spoken correctly and that His flock here upon this earth would receive the nourishment that is needed in order to journey in the center of His flock here upon this earth.

One important matter to note in this that we can see when we read even these words of the prophet and it begins with this verse 11:

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

Here it is shown unto us that the true shepherd is the Lord our God. He is that perfect shepherd. He is that shepherd that loves his flock and he is that shepherd that has that desire that all in this world would be called, all would be offered that invitation to become part of that sheepfold here upon this earth.

He goes on to write, the prophet writes, 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 the dark day.

He speaks of that cloudy and dark day. Even in the 23rd Psalm King David writes of how we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We know that the only thing that can separate the child of God from this kingdom of God is sin. And if the flock is scattered, if the sheep are scattered, it is because of sin.

And he writes in this way that he will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and the dark day.

When we are tempted and tried in this life, when we find ourselves weak and faulty, we fall into sin. And when we fall into the darkness of sin, we have experienced and we know that the day is no longer bright. The day is no longer sunny. But rather, the day becomes cloudy and dark. And the child of God might experience this throughout their lives.

For we know that as children of God, through faith, we stand before God as children of God, but we still carry this weak and sin-corrupted flesh. And when sin begins to accumulate and it is not cared for in the correct way, then this sin can drive a child of God away from this kingdom of God, just as a sheep might become lost from that sheepfold.

But our Heavenly Father promises us that He will seek out His sheep and He will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the country.

We know that the 23rd Psalm describes the beauty of God's kingdom. We know that it is a place where there are green pastures to feed. There is a crystal clear river flowing through those pastures which represents the cleansing of that sinfulness. We know that there are pastures to feed in where we can be nourished by that word of God, by that bread of life.

And isn't that why we have come here today to these services, dear brothers and sisters in faith, that we could be nourished by this word of God, that it would give us the strength to journey, that it would cause us to quiet in our hearts, and that we can receive the nourishment of that gospel of the forgiveness of sins.

I've said this many times and I'll say it again. When I was first asked to serve the flock of God's children, I had spoken a sermon and afterwards our brother Art Forsty came to me and said that the children come to these services for one reason and that's to hear the gospel. And that is truly the duty of a servant of God, is to preach that gospel.

And even this morning hour, each and every one of you here today can lift up your hearts and believe all sins, doubts, and temptations forgiven and washed away in Jesus' precious name and atonement blood.

As a servant of God's word, and the other speaker brothers would agree, I believe, with me, it is important that we keep our own matters in order so that we can diligently and freely serve the children of God.

And I would even this morning ask that can I hear that gospel message too? Can I even believe my sins forgiven?

And I promise to believe with you, dear brothers and sisters in faith, in a week or so, the speaker brothers and their wives will even gather here in Phoenix to discuss matters of God's word and His kingdom. And even those gatherings can be good and uplifting for us on this journey of faith.

But even so, we need to remember, as do each and every one of us, as to who the Good Shepherd is. He is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our mediator between man and God. He is that Good Shepherd that calls those even from the outside of God's kingdom into this fold.

And it is also the Good Shepherd that cares for those sheep that have strayed from the kingdom. He speaks through the mouths of God's children. Yet, even the condition of the hearts of those children need to be correct and pure. And they can only be corrected through the preaching of this gospel by believing that all of our sins and our doubts and our temptations have been forgiven and washed away in His name and atonement blood.

This is a matter that is central to our faith. In Timothy, it is spoken in this way. 1 Timothy chapter 4 verses 16:

Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them. For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.

These are good instructions for those who serve in God's kingdom, both to the speakers and to the teachers and to the elders: that we take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue in them.

The most important matter, dear brothers and sisters, is that our own personal life of faith is in order. That we can only believe for ourselves. That no one else can believe for us.

So even here in this, as is spoken of from Paul to Timothy and to all of us, that we would continue in this doctrine, that we would take heed unto ourselves, and that in doing so, we would save both ourselves and also them that hear us.

Here, again, going back to our red text, it reads:

I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

Thought about these mountains and comes to mind that picture of God's kingdom on that Mount Zion, how that the children of God are gathered together in this flock, in this fold, and we are held together even in that kingdom high up on the mountains of Israel.

And how the Heavenly Father, it reads, I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.

Truly, when we are fed with that word of God, when we receive that gospel message, that it allows us to have that peace of God in our hearts, it causes us to lie down and to rest.

And in this world that we live in, this world which is so busy, and where there are so many different temptations, where every day we find ourselves in situations where we need to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd, through that Holy Spirit that has been shed into our hearts, that we are tempted on every side by the world and by Satan and our own sin-corrupted flesh.

And in these times that we are living, we know that the society as a whole is changing and more and more people are turning their back on God and on the teaching of His Word.

We know that there are many different things in society today, many different ideas that are contrary to the Word of God. Not only is the idea of birth control accepted, but we know that abortion is also accepted among many of those in society.

We still even hear today how there are those in society that would have that desire to legalize mood-altering drugs. And we know that matters such as premarital sex and adultery are often considered to be acceptable by many in this world.

There is, as we have heard many, many times, the enemy of the soul brings sin into our homes through the power of the internet.

And as a speaker brother in God's kingdom, God's Word exhorts us to speak of even these matters that we would even reinforce to the children of God's kingdom that we are waging a warfare here in this life.

And that we would not want to listen to the power or the words of the enemy of the soul, that we would want to gather around God's holy and precious Word and to hear the instruction which is preached from His Word.

God's Word tells us how we should live our lives in this world and how we should abstain from sin. To hold fast that doctrine of Christ, and that it would be the power of God and His strength that allows us to follow in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

What did Jesus tell Simon Peter when he asked him that thou lovest me? And he was asked this three times and Peter told the Lord Jesus that thou knowest that I love thee. And each and every time Jesus told him to feed my sheep.

These were precious instructions that were given unto Simon Peter and each and every one of us here in God's kingdom have also received this instruction.

Even in our own believing homes, we feed the flock of God's children. We are encouraged to raise our children in the fear and the admonition of the Lord.

And I am sure that each and every one of you would agree with me that when we have children that come to us in the evening or in the morning or whenever it might be and they have that desire to hear the gospel, when they ask that can I have my sins forgiven, that this is truly sweet music to our ears.

And we have that desire to feed even those sheep and to preach all your sins are forgiven in Jesus' precious name and atonement blood.

We feed these sheep through both the use of the rod and the staff. Oftentimes we need to be corrected in our lives. We fall into sin. We have a wrong understanding. We have that desire that our brothers and sisters would come to us and speak to us of those matters.

We also have that desire that when we do fall into sin and others are not aware of it, that God would give us that strength to put those sins away, to seek out a confessor brother or sister and to ask that can I have my sins forgiven.

This is the way we would want to travel in God's kingdom as little children, as these lambs of God, that we would want to be cared for, that we would want to travel in the midst of this flock of God's children.

And that we pray unto God that we would continue to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and that voice still sounds unto those who are on the outside of God's kingdom, those who are traveling in unbelief, that they too could receive the grace of repentance. They too could be cured of this disease of unbelief.

For we know that that is the greatest sin of all, is that sin of unbelief.

I remember even when I received the grace of repentance, having spoken to two believing brothers and they explained to me as to where the kingdom of God was and how one would receive the grace of repentance.

And I went home that evening and I prayed over those matters that would God show me the correct way. And God in His love and His mercy was able to open even my eyes.

And this is how He works with all who are traveling in unbelief, that He brings those ones to the door of the kingdom of God and encourages those ones to knock on that door, those ones who are restless, those ones who are troubled over the sins in their lives.

And when they knock on that door, the door can be opened from within and they can receive that forgiveness of sins in Jesus' precious name and atonement blood.

And God promises even as we have read that He will feed His flock and He will nourish His flock. He will cause them to lie down in those green pastures. He will restore their souls and He will lead them down those paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Here in verse 16 of our red text, He reads in this way:

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.

We who are in this kingdom of God, we know that this is the kingdom of those of sinners. It is the kingdom of those that find themselves poor and unworthy.

In the book of Ephesians in chapter 5 verses 14 it reads in this way:

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

It is that is the difference between the world and this kingdom of God. In the world there is darkness and there are those who sleep in darkness, but we who have been called into this kingdom, we live in a kingdom of light.

And it is truly the light of the word of God that shines on our pathway to heaven.

And even this morning we can give that prayer unto the Heavenly Father that He would continue to light that pathway for us, that we can continue to travel towards our home in heaven in this flock of God's children here upon this earth.

And you can continue to lift up your heart and believe all sins, doubts, and temptations forgiven and washed away in Jesus' precious name and atonement blood.

This is the encouragement that we need in order to journey in living faith and to walk with that peace of God in our hearts in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Let us close our services this morning in closing benediction:

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make His face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up His countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Amen.