Sabbath 10/31/15 Daytona Seventh Day Baptist Pastor Wray sermon “Shepherds” Ephesians 4:11-13
Throughout the Bible, there are examples of the ideal that people are like sheep and they need a shepherd. Scripture says that pastors or shepherds are given to the church as a gift. Scripture defines the duties of shepherds are to feed the flock, strengthen the flock and heal the diseased and sick sheep. The shepherd is to seek the lost sheep. The sheep under the care of the shepherd must eat what he feeds them and heed the warnings of the shepherd. There are two musts for the sheep. The first is that they must know the voice of the shepherd and the second is that they must follow the directions of the shepherd.
The shepherd is ordered by God. God sent Moses to lead the children of Israel. God send Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. When God wanted people to have a golden era, He sent David. When He wanted a statement prophet, He sent Isaiah. When God wanted a church planter, He used a servant leader named Paul. Whenever God had a need for his sheep to be led, He picked a servant leader.
Leaders are made through God’s calling, commission and indwelling power of the Holy Ghost. God makes the leader and it is God who does the calling. If they have a gift at birth, it is of God. Some people may take what was divinely given then and use it for their own purpose. Men like Caesar, Napoleon and Hitler had the gift of leadership but were bad men. We should thank God that He is the giver of the leadership gift and not man. God chooses the person He calls.
· Joseph
Joseph was a called leader of God and he was almost killed by his brothers. Joseph remained faithful to God and to the dream God had given him. When all the troubles he went thru came, he held onto God and the dream of his future God gave him. He didn’t let the difficulties he had change his dream. A dream will give you a target to hit and a path to follow.
· Caleb
Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent to search out the land of Canaan. Ten spies said the land could not be conquered, but two believed God and said they could take the land. These two believed God. The difference had to do with where the spies put their faith. The ten spies looked at their own ability. Caleb had faith in the power of God. Caleb knew that God was bigger than their problem. He magnified God and believed in God’s word. He believed that God could and would keep his word that He would help them conquer the land. Caleb believed and acted on God’s word.
· Barnabus
Barnabus was a Levite who sold his land and gave the money to the apostles for the church. Barnabus means encouragement and counsel. To encourage someone is to comfort and challenge them with the Word of God. Christians are called to encourage one another. Barnabus encouraged throughout the book of Acts. He was a great encourager. At times, we all need encouragement when we are tired and weary. Often our gifts can be an encouragement to others. God’s gifts we receive can be an encouragement to us. The things that some of us have in storage units are a sign that God has blessed us enormously and this is an encouragement. There are many around us who are distressed, sick, shut-in, divorced and homeless. We should all encourage them. The workers that help the lost and homeless need encouragement just like the deacons and ministers in the church need encouragement too.
· Jabez
I Chron. 4:9-10 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. He prayed to God and asked that God would bless him, enlarge his coasts and keep him from evil. He asked for God’s goodness and favor. He asked God to bless him with an intimate understanding of God’s name. Jabez wanted a closer walk with God so that he could make a greater impact on the world for God. This is why Jabez asked God to enlarge his territory. Jabez’s prayer and faith in God got him mentioned in the chronicles of Judah.
We should all want to be witnesses of Christ. We should ask God to enlarge our influences and make them be for God. Ask God to use us to have a greater ministry so we can witness for the Lord. We all need the Lord and we must know that we cannot do it alone. We must all walk in the Spirit and pray more that He will keep us from evil. We need to walk with God in all things so that when trouble comes, we will be protected and at Peace. Jesus asked for God to deliver us from evil. Jabez’s prayer said the same thing when he asked God to keep him from evil. We need God to do the same thing for us, that God will keep us from evil.
AMEN
Throughout the Bible, there are examples of the ideal that people are like sheep and they need a shepherd. Scripture says that pastors or shepherds are given to the church as a gift. Scripture defines the duties of shepherds are to feed the flock, strengthen the flock and heal the diseased and sick sheep. The shepherd is to seek the lost sheep. The sheep under the care of the shepherd must eat what he feeds them and heed the warnings of the shepherd. There are two musts for the sheep. The first is that they must know the voice of the shepherd and the second is that they must follow the directions of the shepherd.
The shepherd is ordered by God. God sent Moses to lead the children of Israel. God send Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. When God wanted people to have a golden era, He sent David. When He wanted a statement prophet, He sent Isaiah. When God wanted a church planter, He used a servant leader named Paul. Whenever God had a need for his sheep to be led, He picked a servant leader.
Leaders are made through God’s calling, commission and indwelling power of the Holy Ghost. God makes the leader and it is God who does the calling. If they have a gift at birth, it is of God. Some people may take what was divinely given then and use it for their own purpose. Men like Caesar, Napoleon and Hitler had the gift of leadership but were bad men. We should thank God that He is the giver of the leadership gift and not man. God chooses the person He calls.
· Joseph
Joseph was a called leader of God and he was almost killed by his brothers. Joseph remained faithful to God and to the dream God had given him. When all the troubles he went thru came, he held onto God and the dream of his future God gave him. He didn’t let the difficulties he had change his dream. A dream will give you a target to hit and a path to follow.
· Caleb
Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent to search out the land of Canaan. Ten spies said the land could not be conquered, but two believed God and said they could take the land. These two believed God. The difference had to do with where the spies put their faith. The ten spies looked at their own ability. Caleb had faith in the power of God. Caleb knew that God was bigger than their problem. He magnified God and believed in God’s word. He believed that God could and would keep his word that He would help them conquer the land. Caleb believed and acted on God’s word.
· Barnabus
Barnabus was a Levite who sold his land and gave the money to the apostles for the church. Barnabus means encouragement and counsel. To encourage someone is to comfort and challenge them with the Word of God. Christians are called to encourage one another. Barnabus encouraged throughout the book of Acts. He was a great encourager. At times, we all need encouragement when we are tired and weary. Often our gifts can be an encouragement to others. God’s gifts we receive can be an encouragement to us. The things that some of us have in storage units are a sign that God has blessed us enormously and this is an encouragement. There are many around us who are distressed, sick, shut-in, divorced and homeless. We should all encourage them. The workers that help the lost and homeless need encouragement just like the deacons and ministers in the church need encouragement too.
· Jabez
I Chron. 4:9-10 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. He prayed to God and asked that God would bless him, enlarge his coasts and keep him from evil. He asked for God’s goodness and favor. He asked God to bless him with an intimate understanding of God’s name. Jabez wanted a closer walk with God so that he could make a greater impact on the world for God. This is why Jabez asked God to enlarge his territory. Jabez’s prayer and faith in God got him mentioned in the chronicles of Judah.
We should all want to be witnesses of Christ. We should ask God to enlarge our influences and make them be for God. Ask God to use us to have a greater ministry so we can witness for the Lord. We all need the Lord and we must know that we cannot do it alone. We must all walk in the Spirit and pray more that He will keep us from evil. We need to walk with God in all things so that when trouble comes, we will be protected and at Peace. Jesus asked for God to deliver us from evil. Jabez’s prayer said the same thing when he asked God to keep him from evil. We need God to do the same thing for us, that God will keep us from evil.
AMEN