Gathering and Scattering

Peter Fitch, St. Croix VineyardSunday, December 4, 2011

There are good shepherds . . .

Jeremiah 23:1-6

1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:1-6

3 “Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:1-6

5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: The Good Shepherd (17th c.)

Last Weekend and This

• Ezekiel 34 (God’s frustration with improper leaders; His promise to come as the Good Shepherd)

• Connection to Psalm 23• Yesterday morning: surprised by Jeremiah 23• Last evening: Space focused on ‘scattering and

gathering’

More than one way . . .

• Jeremiah 23 goes on to complain about false prophets who bring their dreams and words but they are not from God

• It also expresses God’s frustration at leaders in Samaria who worship Baal and leaders in Jerusalem who practice adultery

External & Internal Modes for Scattering

• Baal worship connects well with selfish and pride-filled materialism

• Adultery is placing more value on sexual experience or temptation than it does on family loyalty

Relevance to Christmas Season

• Jesus, the Righteous Branch of David, is a King who leads in a different direction

• He leads toward humble-hearted generosity and servant-hood

• He leads toward sexual wholeness and loyalty to family, friends, and even enemies

And, He leads toward MEANING

• Victor Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning quotes Nietzsche: “He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.”

• Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the One who is with us and prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, calls us to be shepherds, too

Jeremiah 23:18

18 “But who has stood in the council of the LORD, That he should see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and listened?

Jeremiah 23:22

22 “But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds.”

Your job, should you choose to accept it . . .

• Shepherds of your situation• Kings of your context• Representatives of the Good Shepherd for all

those in your immediate circles• Preparing a table in the presence of their

enemies until they learn to rejoice in a God who knows them and loves them

There has been a lot of scattering: it’s time to gather

• Develop Christ-like character by growing in humility, generosity and servant-heartedness

• Develop sexual wholeness by valuing family loyalty over experience or temptation (and whatever other healthy steps will help)

• Develop a life of intimacy with God by ‘standing in His counsel’ in Word, Prayer, and Companionship