Reading:
Jeremiah 23:1-2
Write:
Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD… You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
Reflect:
Very harsh words! Those of us charged with leading God’s people have a very serious responsibility. If only it were taken seriously by all of us, all of you included.
It is very easy to make a mistake, especially when you are trying to lead God’s people. I do not think there is a single priest who has not had some mistake someplace in what he has said throughout his time as a priest. I know I have had mine. But… that is another story.
But just making a mistake is not what Jeremiah is warning about. He is talking about those who deliberately lie to people they are supposed to be helping to get to heaven.
It is easy to head down the wrong path. But it should not take much discernment to see that the path you are on is leading into a deeper, darker, more dangerous forest than you want to be in.
Some people are just oblivious to the dangers around them. They do not stop to take stock of their situation. So they go blundering around in areas they should not be. And if they are priests, they take others with them, and that is a real tragedy.
Some people head down the wrong path and out of pride refuse to make a change of direction. They refuse to admit that, as they tried to lead God’s people, they have led them in the wrong direction. But because of their pride they have to continue down the path that they have set for themselves, even if it means their spiritual destruction and even the spiritual destruction of those they are supposed to be helping.
Some people, by the grace of God, recognize the danger they put themselves in – and the danger that God’s people are in – and they not only correct their course, but they do all they can to bring God’s people back to the right path. [Pause]
In another place in the Gospels, Jesus says to St. Thomas: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” We hear in the gospel today that Jesus was teaching the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He was teaching them to follow him. He was teaching them the way.
But what are we to say about those who scatter the flock of God? I am not going to get into specifics of individuals and their topics. Some of them are very subtle. Some of them are very blatant. But if you listen carefully you will be able to hear when someone is speaking in a way that is not from God.
YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU. He is the one who guides, ultimately, every believer into the truth. Are you able to discern that truth? Absolutely! It may not come out as something that you are absolutely sure is right or wrong. But especially in the things that are being said that are wrong, there is something inside you that tells you there is something not quite right. Listen to that voice!
Someplace in St. Paul’s writings he says that we are to discern carefully what we hear. Which means he believes that every believer has been given a gift of knowledge and wisdom that is able to discern even the most nuanced mistake.
There are a lot of mistakes being made and being presented as though this is the way the church is supposed to go. Some of that is coming from leaders in the church, some of that is coming from our culture, some of that is coming from our politicians. Some of that is deliberate misdirection, some of that is simply confusion – whether intentional or not.
We have to be able to listen clearly to the Master’s voice. It is important that you learn how to discern good from bad. It is important that you not allow yourself to be misled by false teachers who “tickle your ears” with fancy sounding words that seem like a logical extension of the faith. There are some great resources available to us in our modern day. Unfortunately, there are also some very misleading resources.
As Jeremiah warned, some of those shepherds in his day were actually scattering the sheep and driving them away. This can be the result of two different things.
First, shepherds who refuse to teach the truth with the result that those sheep who are discerning will reject that teacher, that shepherd.
Second, there are shepherds who do teach the truth and there are some sheep who cannot stand that truth – and these feel as though they are being driven away when in reality they are choosing to walk away from the truth.
Third, there are shepherds who talk a sweet talk that is actually a deception, and there are people who unfortunately follow. [Pause]
We are in a dangerous place with people who seem to not always be sure which way is the right way to go. There are two paths before us. Jesus describes them very well. The road to hell is wide and smooth and many there are who find it. The road to heaven is narrow and rough and few there are who find it.
I spoke about this earlier today in a different way talking about a path that leads to a deep, dark, dangerous forest. It is not always easy to see the path that we are called to travel. We must learn to trust. We must learn to pray for our shepherds.
We must learn to rely on Jesus first. Then, relying on him, and praying for our shepherds, we can trust that he leads us on the right path to him in the glories of heaven. And remember one other line of Jesus: “do not live in fear little flock, it has pleased your heavenly father to give you the kingdom.”
Again, I urge you to pray for your shepherds that we may remain faithful to the Good Shepherd; that we will listen to his voice and so be able to lead you up the narrow path that leads to heaven.
Jeremiah 23:1-2
Write:
Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD… You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
Reflect:
Very harsh words! Those of us charged with leading God’s people have a very serious responsibility. If only it were taken seriously by all of us, all of you included.
It is very easy to make a mistake, especially when you are trying to lead God’s people. I do not think there is a single priest who has not had some mistake someplace in what he has said throughout his time as a priest. I know I have had mine. But… that is another story.
But just making a mistake is not what Jeremiah is warning about. He is talking about those who deliberately lie to people they are supposed to be helping to get to heaven.
It is easy to head down the wrong path. But it should not take much discernment to see that the path you are on is leading into a deeper, darker, more dangerous forest than you want to be in.
Some people are just oblivious to the dangers around them. They do not stop to take stock of their situation. So they go blundering around in areas they should not be. And if they are priests, they take others with them, and that is a real tragedy.
Some people head down the wrong path and out of pride refuse to make a change of direction. They refuse to admit that, as they tried to lead God’s people, they have led them in the wrong direction. But because of their pride they have to continue down the path that they have set for themselves, even if it means their spiritual destruction and even the spiritual destruction of those they are supposed to be helping.
Some people, by the grace of God, recognize the danger they put themselves in – and the danger that God’s people are in – and they not only correct their course, but they do all they can to bring God’s people back to the right path. [Pause]
In another place in the Gospels, Jesus says to St. Thomas: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” We hear in the gospel today that Jesus was teaching the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He was teaching them to follow him. He was teaching them the way.
But what are we to say about those who scatter the flock of God? I am not going to get into specifics of individuals and their topics. Some of them are very subtle. Some of them are very blatant. But if you listen carefully you will be able to hear when someone is speaking in a way that is not from God.
YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU. He is the one who guides, ultimately, every believer into the truth. Are you able to discern that truth? Absolutely! It may not come out as something that you are absolutely sure is right or wrong. But especially in the things that are being said that are wrong, there is something inside you that tells you there is something not quite right. Listen to that voice!
Someplace in St. Paul’s writings he says that we are to discern carefully what we hear. Which means he believes that every believer has been given a gift of knowledge and wisdom that is able to discern even the most nuanced mistake.
There are a lot of mistakes being made and being presented as though this is the way the church is supposed to go. Some of that is coming from leaders in the church, some of that is coming from our culture, some of that is coming from our politicians. Some of that is deliberate misdirection, some of that is simply confusion – whether intentional or not.
We have to be able to listen clearly to the Master’s voice. It is important that you learn how to discern good from bad. It is important that you not allow yourself to be misled by false teachers who “tickle your ears” with fancy sounding words that seem like a logical extension of the faith. There are some great resources available to us in our modern day. Unfortunately, there are also some very misleading resources.
As Jeremiah warned, some of those shepherds in his day were actually scattering the sheep and driving them away. This can be the result of two different things.
First, shepherds who refuse to teach the truth with the result that those sheep who are discerning will reject that teacher, that shepherd.
Second, there are shepherds who do teach the truth and there are some sheep who cannot stand that truth – and these feel as though they are being driven away when in reality they are choosing to walk away from the truth.
Third, there are shepherds who talk a sweet talk that is actually a deception, and there are people who unfortunately follow. [Pause]
We are in a dangerous place with people who seem to not always be sure which way is the right way to go. There are two paths before us. Jesus describes them very well. The road to hell is wide and smooth and many there are who find it. The road to heaven is narrow and rough and few there are who find it.
I spoke about this earlier today in a different way talking about a path that leads to a deep, dark, dangerous forest. It is not always easy to see the path that we are called to travel. We must learn to trust. We must learn to pray for our shepherds.
We must learn to rely on Jesus first. Then, relying on him, and praying for our shepherds, we can trust that he leads us on the right path to him in the glories of heaven. And remember one other line of Jesus: “do not live in fear little flock, it has pleased your heavenly father to give you the kingdom.”
Again, I urge you to pray for your shepherds that we may remain faithful to the Good Shepherd; that we will listen to his voice and so be able to lead you up the narrow path that leads to heaven.
