One Shepherd

“My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever. I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the LORD, who makes Israel holy.” [Ezekiel 37.24-28] 

Following yesterday's post, A Famous Preacher Once Said... regarding Ezekiel 34, we have here again today a mention of Israel's servant prince David. If indeed Israel represents the Church today, we should understand that God's declaration in Ezekiel 37 of only one shepherd can only be referring to Jesus.

It seems prudent to exercise caution then when hearing modern-day preachers and teachers referring to themselves as "shepherds." While this caution should not prevent them from the act of shepherding, it should make everyone mindful that Jesus is the Shepherd! In so doing, everyone stays focused on Jesus with no idolatrous dependency upon a man.

Furthermore, God's "Temple among them forever" can only be the work of the Holy Spirit within each and every true believer. And, just as the activities of the Temple were well-defined before Christ, so, in modern-day believers, the activities of the Temple (God's Holy Spirit within) are well-defined. Jesus gave us a most accurate definition of this for Himself and all who would follow Him:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” [Luke 4.18-19]

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” [John 20.21]

"Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers" all play specific roles in shepherding people (see all of Ephesians 4). In fact, "disciples" also play a role in shepherding people. Although the scriptures imply these could be, they are not necessarily individual callings, but rather gifts everyone in the Church is called to in measuring up to the full and complete standard of (unity with) Christ. Anyone who "loves others as himself" is shepherding people! What does that mean? It means promoting Temple activities (as Jesus defined above) as a lifestyle. Those Temple activities all revolve around one Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and the Good News He proclaimed and taught us to proclaim.

In a "perfect Church," all the gifts would work together in harmony and unity. However, because humans with all their opinions make up the Church, we see struggles and divisions. These struggles almost always come down to who's in charge and what they believe. While it might simply be remedied by reminding everyone, "Christ is the head of the Church," this simply doesn't work with man's insistence upon large gatherings and the hierarchy necessary to administrate them. And, while Jesus could not care less about our distraction with large gatherings (He often avoided crowds and it was a crowd that shouted, "Crucify Him!"), He remains intensely focused on unity among His followers to accomplish His ongoing mission to the world. “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News..."

Any time a person is given undue authority and sway over others, there is risk of failure. However, in a world where large (or at least growing) churches are desirable, authority and hierarchy are absolutely necessary because marginal followers of Christ (if that is even possible) 'blow past' talk of Christ being "the Head of the Church" like it was never even said demanding structure like a baby demanding to be fed. The sad result is a building full of people exercising no gift whatsoever in the Church putting all the responsibility upon one or two leaders trying the best they can to operate in all the gifts and tell people what to believe. Is it any wonder how many fail? Modern religion's methods are self-defeating in so many ways.

The insight into this modern problem that is offered by Ezekiel is remarkable. "One Shepherd," Jesus Christ, should be our goal. And, whether we ever admit it or not, any one person we depend on, preacher, teacher, or otherwise, has become an idol to us. Should we not depend on Christ alone? Until we do so, our "Temple activities" will not reveal God in all His holiness to the world.

This discussion should inspire each of us to dig deeper into relationship with God through our Shepherd Jesus Christ. It's not a matter of, "Have I dug deep enough?" but rather, "I must keep digging!" A person does not have to agree with everything said here, but if this serves to cause a person to keep digging, it has accomplished its goal!

Father, help us to see the Good Shepherd You have placed over us. Forgive us for depending on (having faith in) any apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher. Forgive us for placing so much pressure on humans to do what You said You would do. Help us instead to operate in unity with all these gifts as Jesus Christ shepherds us! May all our faith and trust be in Christ so that we might effectively encourage and support others to do the same. So be it.