Why Pastors Are Not Employees Of The Church
Text: Ezekiel 34:11-16 In the name of Jesus. Amen. Shepherds exist for the sheep; however, sheep do not exist for the shepherd. Indeed, the arrow always points from the shepherd down to the sheep, not from the sheep upward to the shepherd. Listen to this very clearly: when sheep exist for the shepherd, and the arrow points from the sheep up to the shepherd, things go wrong. Let's say it this way: when sheep exist for the shepherd’s sake, it is a telltale sign of spiritual abuse. When we consider the verses right before our Old Testament reading from the book of Ezekiel, we hear all about evil shepherds; we hear how the leaders of Israel drank the sheep's milk, made clothes from the sheep's wool, and roasted the lambs to feed their mouths. The shepherds did not bind up the weak sheep, heal the sick sheep, strengthen the injured sheep, or go after the stray sheep; instead, they bullied and badgered them. The shepherds spiritually abused the sheep of Israel, using the sheep fo
