30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 15 1-7 To seek and to save the lost - part I The lost sheep 04 Shepherds who are concerned for the lost
📖 Luke 15:1-7
26Jan2020 - *Shepherds who are concerned for the lost* - _Luke 15:1-3_ - Bible reading: _Ezekiel 34:8-16_
_Luke 15:1-3 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. (2) And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." (3) So He spoke this parable to them, saying:_
We have begun with the study of the 15th chapter of Luke and we have titled this chapter as *To seek and to save the lost*. This is the heart of God and this is how our heart needs to be too. We need to understand the heart of God as we go into the study of this chapter.
The Lord was deeply concerned for the Pharisees and the Scribes for they were not in tune with the heart of God, which is to seek and the save the lost. These religious leaders, were only concerned for themselves. Not only were they were only concerned for themselves, they were also using the people for their benefit. Therefore, the Lord is angry with them.
_Ezekiel 34:8-16 "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock"— (9) therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD! (10) Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them."_
The sheep became a prey and food for the beasts of the field. People are lost in this world. Satan is holding people in bondage and slavery. People are being eaten up by the authorities of evil that are so plainly operating all around us. We are the under shepherds of Jesus and we ought to be seeking, searching and restoring back these lost ones back to the safety of God’s family. Instead of fulfilling our task, as under shepherds, what are we doing? We are feeding ourselves. Our first priority in life is to make sure that we and our children are well settled in life and then we will think about our task as under shepherds. God is therefore against us – under shepherds. God will require the flock at our hand.
_(11) 'For thus says the Lord GOD: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. (12) As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. … (15) I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down," says the Lord GOD. (16) "I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment."_
God Himself will search out the lost. This is what is happening today, all over the world. People are turning back to Jesus through dreams, visions and many other super natural means. This is God’s activity of reaching out the lost, which we as under shepherds were expected to be doing.
There are people around us, who are driven away, broken and sick. These are the lost that we need to begin with, as the under shepherds of Jesus.
*Thought to ponder*
```The judgement of God will be severe on under shepherds, who do not feed the flock but only feed themselves.```