Satan Smites the Shepherds

The title of the sermon today, Satan Smites the Shepherds. Satan smites the shepherds.

When we think about Satan and his activity, what do you think of? Do you think of all the evil that abounds in the world? We see misery, we see pain, we see suffering, anguish on the faces of people all over the world. No nation is exempt. Without question, Satan is deceiving and has deceived the whole world, as it says in Revelation 12.9. For the most part, deceived people do not know or believe that they are deceived. Satan is not too concerned with those who are deceived. They are already pawns on his great chessboard. So what group of people is Satan most concerned with? The answer should be obvious. He is most concerned with those who know the truth. He is most concerned with those who can expose him and reveal him for what he really is. Expose him and reveal what his goals really are. Satan is on an insatiable quest to be worshiped. He is on a mission to break prophecy, to make God a liar, and destroy God's plan for humankind. And he's on a mission to destroy you and me. We're involved in a great spiritual battle. It is the battle of the ages. Notice, please, in Ephesians 6. Of course, Satan uses human beings, but Satan is the author of sin and death. Satan is a liar and a murderer from the beginning. That's what Christ said in John 8, 44.

Satan wants desperately to be worshiped. He wants to thwart the plan of God.

And in all the things that human beings are doing to try to bring peace to the world at the present time, God is not really involved in that. The efforts of human beings, which of course will never in and of themselves bring peace. In Ephesians 6, verse 10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Now, you could also read from Daniel chapter 10, I'm not turning there, about warfare that goes on in heavenly places, where the angel Gabriel tried to come to Daniel to reveal to him the vision that he had had, but he was withstood for certain days by the prince of Persia. And then after those days, he said, I've got to go and fight another battle with demonic spirits, wicked spirits in high places.

Satan is most concerned with destroying those who have been called into God's marvelous light, the members of the body of Christ. Now, we call the members of the body of Christ the church. Now, I'm going to read from Strong's what Strong, how Strong's defines the word, the Greek word ekklesia, that is translated church in the New Testament. So, the Greek word ekk or ecc, e-l-e-s-i-a, ekklesia, a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place and assembly, an assembly of people convened at a public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating. In a Christian sense, an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting, a company of Christians or of those who are hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observed their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and so on. So, basically, we shortened that meaning to mean called out once, called out to an assembly. What is the great identifying mark of a member of the body of Christ? Now, I know that we quote John 1335 and definitely it is a sign. Of course, the Sabbath is a sign. John 1335 says, Hereby shall you know that you are my disciples and that you love one another. But there's something more basic that has to take place, and that is the receipt of God's Spirit. So, what is that great identifying mark? One who has been given the gift of God's Spirit is a member of the body of Christ, and thus we say that he or she is in the Church.

Let's go now to 1 Corinthians 12. 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12. The basic thrust of 1 Corinthians 12, as you know, Paul explaining spiritual gifts.

In 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12. 1 Corinthians 12. For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. Now, the great rhetorical question in 1 Corinthians is found in 1 Corinthians 1.13, and that is, is Christ divided? And in 1 Corinthians, Paul shows that from your calling to the resurrection, Christ is not divided.

Now, verse 13 is our key verse here in this case. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. See, that's how we become members of the body of Christ. Man can baptize you in water. A man can put you under the water and immerse you, and the Bible commands us to be baptized, but that does not give you the Holy Spirit. No man can give you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and shed on us through Christ.

For by one Spirit we're all baptized into one body, whether we be Jew or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. Now we go to Romans chapter 17, Romans 17 and verse 14. I don't want Romans 17 verse 14 now. That's a mistake in my notes. I want to go to Ephesians 4. Ephesians chapter 4. In Ephesians chapter 4, continuing with the question of who is a member of the body of Christ, before we read that, our baptismal formula states that before we baptize a person, we say, I'm now going to baptize you not into any denomination or organization of man, but into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We talk about the Church being a spiritual organism and not limited to a physical organization of man.

So thus the Church is not an organization per se. That is to say that in order to receive God's Spirit, you have to be in a certain organization. However, now here's where a lot of people go wrong. However, that is not to say that the members of the body of Christ should not be subject to an organizational structure. I think we're going to see that very clearly from the Bible.

Let me say that again. You don't have to be in a certain organizational structure to receive God's Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and preached, and after he preached, it says they were pricked in their hearts. This is Acts 2, 36, 37, 38. And they said, men and brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said, repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He gave a shortened version of, you have to repent, you have to exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ, be baptized, then receive the laying on of hand for receiving the Holy Spirit.

So, you don't necessarily have to be in a certain organization to receive God's Spirit. But, repeating again, that is not to say that the members of the body of Christ should not be subject to a certain structure. And usually, we call that an organizational structure.

Christ inspired Bible writers to define a broad outline for church organization. Now, we'll see some of that here. We're going to look at two main places. First of all, Ephesians 4, verse 1. Now, we have read, remember 1 Corinthians 12-13, by one Spirit, are we all baptized into one body, whether it be bond or free Jew or Gentile.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation, wherein you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit. See, that ties right in with 1 Corinthians 12-13, by one Spirit, are you baptized into one body, whether you be Jew, Gentile, bond, or free. Even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Some people are thrown by this phrase, one baptism. The Bible speaks of three baptisms, but you have to know which baptism he's talking about here. The subject has to do with keeping the unity of the faith and the bond of peace, and it says that there is one body and one Spirit. The Bible talks about water baptism, the Bible talks about the baptism by fire, and, as we have noted, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is one baptism into the body of Christ. There's one baptism into the body of Christ, and that is through what we've read in 1 Corinthians 12-13, by one Spirit. Are y'all baptized into one body? So one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according the measure of the gift of Christ. Now, grace here, charis, means divine favor. You're given divine favor according the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore, he said, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. We don't all have the same gifts. Our gifts vary widely. We all have equal potential in the sense that we all have equal potential, whether it be male, female, bond-free, Jew, Gentile, regardless of social, strat, economic status.

We all have the potential to be sons of God in the kingdom of God.

We don't have the same gifts. And Christ does not set each person in the body of Christ in the same way. Verse 9, now that he ascended, that is, it put that he also descended first in the lower parts of the earth. That descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fulfill all things. And he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, and for what purpose? Now, remember our statement about you don't have to be in a certain organizational structure necessarily to receive God's Spirit, but there is an organizational structure defined in the Bible that we're to be subject to. Now, exactly, and I remember in the early days of United, I was on the council for the first six years of the United Church of God. And the topic of governance and governmental structure and all of that was discussed quite often. And of course, most people would say, well, I'm going to talk about in these discussions, that the Bible doesn't really reveal an exact organizational structure. And of course, that's been debated many times, and that's not the purpose necessarily here today. But this says clearly of what he gave in verse 11. And then verse 12 defines the purpose for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, to become like Christ is, in summary, that we henceforth be no more children tossed who and fro cared about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to the sea. And almost every week you hear some new doctrine that perhaps you haven't heard before. It seems that some of that has died down in recent times.

But speaking the truth and love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head of Christ, even Christ, from whom the whole body fittily joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. So here a big purpose, one of the main purposes of the ministry is defined, and also it shows that Christ gave certain gifts, and he names those offices. Now we go to 1 Corinthians 12 again. 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 27.

Remember that the overall topic here is about spiritual gifts, and Paul uses the analogy of the body to show that each member of the body, each body part, doesn't have the same function, and there are different roles to be played in the physical body by the various body parts.

In verse 27, 1 Corinthians 12, 27, Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. Remember verse 13, By one Spirit are ye all baptized into one body.

And God has set some of the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles and gifts of healings helps governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing do all speak with tongues do all interpret?

But come in earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you a more excellent way.

So Paul says nothing wrong with desiring spiritual gifts, but the more excellent way is the way defined in chapter 13, and that is the way of love, to become love as God is love. So if we accept what the Bible states, then we can clearly see that the Bible outlines an organizational structure for the members of the body of Christ that we call the church, that is the members of the body of Christ. We should also note scriptures that clearly show that officers of the church were given authority over church affairs. Now first of all, let's go to Matthew 28. Matthew 28, Matthew 28, the Great Commission. Let's read it. Matthew 28 verse 19. In Matthew 28, go ye therefore and teach all nations.

So certainly evangelizing, proselytizing, going into the world, taking the gospel to the world. You know, back there where I read in Ephesians 6 about, put you on the whole armor of Christ because you wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against wicked spirits in high places. One of the parts of the armor is having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which means that you're willing and ready to take the gospel to the world.

So go therefore and teach all nations.

A better translation might be disciple or make disciples of all nations. Baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things. Watch over, I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the world. Now in Romans 10 and verse 14, I'm short-cutting to some degree as we are turning to Romans 10 and verse 14, I will hasten to remind you of John 16, 7, 8, about Christ said He would send the Holy Spirit, which would convict you of the truth.

And then this Holy Spirit that convicts works in conjunction with the Word of God, and the Word of God has to be preached. And one of the main roles, once again, of the Church, that is the called out one, the members of the body of Christ, is to go disciple all nations, teach them to observe all things whatsoever I've commanded you. In Romans chapter 10, verse 14, How then shall they call on Him, and whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in Him, of whom they have not heard? So how do you expect people from various parts of the world to be converted? The people in Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, you name the place, you name the country. How do you expect them to be converted? And how shall they believe in Him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? The preacher, as it were, is on the front line, and he goes forth taking the seed and sowing the seed, but he has to have a whole supporting cast behind him. And how shall he preach unless he be sent? Verse 16, But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah said, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So in order for the Holy Spirit to convict a person, the word has to be preached. And the preacher is necessary. And some of the principal areas that officers of the church were given authority in include the following. We'll briefly look at five things. First of all, doctrine. Look at 1 Corinthians 12 again, verse 1. We could turn to several places.

1 Corinthians 12, verse 1. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. So Paul is going to teach them and instruct them in spiritual gifts. And he begins to teach them. Of course, there are many places in which we are taught what the true teaching really is. Another area is tithing. If you go to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. 1 Corinthians chapter 9. I said we're going to briefly look at these. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 1. See, one of the main things going on in Corinth was that they were saying that Paul was not an apostle because he wasn't among the original twelve.

And this is part of Paul's defense of his apostleship. 1 Corinthians 9.1. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? And he was taken into Arabia and taught of the Lord. So we read in Galatians. And also in the book of Acts. Are not you my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you, for the zeal of mine apostleship, are you in the Lord? My answer to them that do examine me is this. Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, as the brethren of the Lord and Peter or Cephas?

Or I only in Barnabas have not we power to forbear working? Who goes to warfare any time at his own charge? Who plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit thereof? Or who feeds a flock and eats not of the milk of the flock?

Say I thee things as a man, or say, or says not the law the same also. It is written in the law of Moses, you shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Does God take care of auction? And then Paul explains that he had not taken tithes from them so that he would be blameless. So that they couldn't say that Paul is just here for a filthy lucre. Paul is just here to reap of our physical assets. Paul said, verse 12, If others be partakers of this power over you, that is to receive offerings to live with the gospel, we rather nevertheless we've not used this power, but suffer or permit all things that we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

Now some say, well, Paul really did the Corinthians a disservice because he didn't command them to tithe or give offerings. And some try to use this to show that the Bible, the New Testament, doesn't really teach tithing. Now let's go to Hebrews chapter 7. In Hebrews chapter 7, there's a discourse about the change of the priesthood. And it uses the example of tithing. How that initially, and we'll start in verse 4, Hebrews 7, 4, Now consider how great this man was unto whom that is Melchizedek, the one he's speaking of, whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of his spoils.

And verily they that are the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham. Of course, the Levites can trace their lineage back to Abraham.

But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, that is Melchizedek, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradictions, the less is blessed to the better. And here men that die receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom is witness that he lives. And as I may so say, Levi also who received tithes paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, that is Levi, when Melchizedek met him, Abraham.

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek and not be called after the order of Aaron. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. That is, the tithing now would go to the order of Melchizedek. But the basic thrust is that you have an unchangeable priesthood through the order of Melchizedek.

But you see here that it says that a change in the law, the law, two aspects, that is, to whom do you tithe, the priesthood of Melchizedek, and it doesn't say you don't continue to pay tithes. Now, verse 22, by so much which Jesus made a surety of a better covenant, and they truly were made priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man, Melchizedek, because he continues ever had an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore, and obviously speaking of Jesus Christ, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come into God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

The Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father makes intercession for us. Another area is discipline for disobedience. In Romans 16, verse 17, I'm looking here at five principal areas that offices of the church were given authority in. In Romans 16, verse 17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which we have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I'm glad therefore on your behalf, but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. And of course, Satan is the one who is continually stirring things up. And also in 1 Corinthians 5, this is concerning administering discipline in the church. In 1 Corinthians 5, 1 Corinthians 5, verse 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his father's wife.

And you are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you. So this is a really a very good example of, are you your brother's keeper? If you know that someone within the body of Christ is doing evil, are you to bring that to light?

Are you to be concerned about it? According to Paul here, yes, you are.

It was like the Corinthians were saying, well, what he does is his business. It doesn't bother me. You know, God is his judge, and so he is in the ultimate sense, as we shall see.

But that does not negate our responsibility. For I verily is absent in body, but present in spirit of judge already, as though I were present concerning him that has so done this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. When you're gathered together in my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh of the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. And so this man was disfellowshipped. And 2 Corinthians, Paul is urging them to receive him back because this person has evidently repented. Verse 6, your glorying is not good. No, you not, that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Then he urges them to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Verse 9, I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners, idolaters. For then you must at ease go out of the world. But now have I written unto you not to keep company if a man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater, a railer, a drunkard, an extortioner with such a one, know not to eat. This is the Word of God. You don't hear this very often. These scriptures read, mentioned in the church anymore.

We've sort of fallen into the speak to me smooth things, but I view the Bible as all of it, if properly understood, should be soothing and comforting in a way. Though at times it cuts to the quick and none of us are exempt. For what have I to do to judge them that are without? Do not you judge them that are within, but them that are without God judges, therefore, put away from among yourselves that wicked person. So no question that discipline was administered in the church.

The settling of disputes. Continue chapter 6. Dare any of you having a matter against a brother or another go to law before the unjust and not before the saints? Don't you know that the saints shall judge the world and that the world should be judged by you?

Are you unworthy to judge the smallest matter? Don't you know that you're going to judge angels? How much more are the things that pertain to this life?

So Paul goes on to say that set the least one in the church and let him judge the matter. I'm not reading all those verses, but you get the point.

Now, another great responsibility, and one of the greatest of all, is to feed and shepherd the flock. If you would now go to 1 Peter chapter 5. Remember that the title is, Satan Smites the Shepherds. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 1.

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, a witness of the sufferings of Christ, also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Peter was one of the ones who went with James and John and Christ to the Mount of Transfiguration and saw Jesus Christ being revealed in his glory. Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of ready mind. Neither is being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away. Now Psalm 23 reveals the good shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. Psalm 23 reveals him as the... I'm sorry, Psalm 23 reveals him as the good shepherd. And then Psalm 25 reveals him as the great shepherd. I'll get this right in just a moment. I didn't write this down. But anyhow, Psalm 24 reveals him as the great shepherd and Psalm 25, the chief shepherd. So we look at verse four again, and when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away. Now let's note a particular doctrinal dispute that Satan used to try to destroy the apostolic church. You go now to Acts chapter 15. This single question, the question of circumcision, almost split the New Testament church, and it was a continual bone of contention, especially among the Jews. The book of Galatians also addresses this question.

Some interesting insights in here with regard to apostles and shepherds and all of that. Acts 15 and verse 1.

Certain men came down from Judea. These are Jews, taught the brethren, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.

When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem under the apostles and elders about this question.

Being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phineas, Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. When they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders. And they declared all things that God had done with them.

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

And the apostles and elders came together to consider the matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, Now notice this very clearly. Peter was the apostle who spoke on the day of Pentecost, as in Acts 2, when it was evident that the Holy Spirit was sent to the Jews. Also, Peter was the one who was used in Acts chapter 10 to go to the House of Cornelius, and there it was revealed that the Holy Spirit was sent to the Gentiles as well. Now Peter is called the apostle to the circumcision.

Paul is called the apostle to the uncircumcision.

But neither one of these made the decision that day.

Continuing here. Verse 7.

Verse 11.

And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, listen unto me.

Simeon or Peter had declared how God at the first had visited the Gentiles and take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets as it is written. The sermon I gave at the feast was titled, Raising Up the Tabernacle of David.

So James here quotes from Amos chapter 9 about raising up the tabernacle of David, which is a type of the church. After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up that the residue of men might seek after the eternal and all the Gentiles or nations upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does these things, known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sense is that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but we write unto them that they should abstain from pollutions of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. Now these things were singled out. It doesn't mean that that was all and they did not have to keep the spiritual law. But these were the things associated with pagan worship that the Gentiles were steeped in.

As verse 21 shows you, For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day. So the commandments and the teaching of the Pentateuch had been there all along. And then it pleased the apostles and elders and the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, her name Bar-Sabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. And they wrote letters and so on, and that was the sentence. So we see here that Satan's attempt to destroy the church over this question was averted. They all came together.

They all discussed it. And after that discussion, then a decision was made. And they went forth from there. And we see here that the resident pastor, James, the Lord's brother, who was also an apostle, was the one who passed judgment on the matter after having listened to the testimony of Peter and Paul and hearing the discussions on it. So Satan was not successful in his attempt to destroy the fledgling church of God because they came together through open, honest discussion, reached an agreement.

So you might ask, was this one-man rule? I suppose some could argue it was, but I wouldn't take that position. Now, during the last days of Mr. Armstrong's life, he taught the Petrine Doctrine of the Primacy of Peter, that Peter was the supreme apostle and that Peter made all the decisions. The pastor general that succeeded him took to himself the same position.

Now, if the Petrine Doctrine were true in every sense of the word, then you and I would not be personally responsible.

We just say, as I sat in a meeting one time in the last pastor general's office, where he talked with a lady who was concerned about the direction of the church, and he told her, you know, you don't have to worry about that. He says, you know, we sit in this office, we make the decisions.

We have determined that this is right. I forgot exactly what the issue was, but the woman was right, and he was dead wrong. And of course, over the issue, because she was conscience Schmitten, as many people did along those times in the early 90s and mid 90s, she left. She was a faculty member at Ambassador. Just leave it to us. So just believe a man. It relieves me of personal responsibility. Just believe me and all will be well. Is that what the Bible teaches?

Let's go now to Acts 17, verse 10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so. Therefore, many of them believed also of honorable women, which were Greeks and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had acknowledged that the word of God was preached to Paul and Berea, they came there and stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go, as it were, to the sea. But Silas and Timothy abode there still. So Satan is continually hounding them and trying to stop the gospel from being preached. Notice 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 21. See, God never absolves you and I from personal responsibility.

In 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 16, rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing. Verse 18, 1 Thessalonians 5, 18, In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you, quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from all appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray, God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Prove all things. We are personally responsible to God for all our actions. God will not hold me responsible for what you do unless I lead you in the wrong way, and I influence you to depart from the truth. Neither will God hold you responsible for what I do unless you lead me and influence me to do the wrong. All of us need to internalize Romans 14. Let's start in verse 5. We'll read down to our main point in Romans 14 verse 5. The basic topic here in Romans 14 is which day a person is going to fast on. It's amazing how nitpicky that people can become. Of course, the Pharisees had certain days that they would fast on, and even the pagans had certain days that they would fast on. In Romans 14.5, and this is steaming one day above another, it has to do with a fast day. Romans 14.5, for one man is steamed one day above another. Another is steamed every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regards the day regards it unto the Lord, and he eats or doesn't eat. Verse 7, for none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord. Whether we die, we live unto the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and rose, and revived, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and living. But why do you judge your brother, or why do you set at nothing your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And the judging here has to do with which day you're going to fast on. Now, there is a time to judge righteous judgment. As we have already noted, you are your brother's keeper, as Paul brings out in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every niche shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. We are going to be individually, and we are individually and personally responsible. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Yes, there is individual and personal responsibility.

Now, let's shift gears a bit. But as we reject the Petrine Doctrine, we see here that we do have personal responsibility, that we don't just do what a man says, that we prove all things, and we take individual responsibility. Do we come to believe that we don't need anyone to shepherd the flock? Many have come to that conclusion. In other words, in the vernacular, do you throw out the baby with the bathwater? Satan would have you believe that you don't need shepherds for the flock. Satan would have you believe you don't need the ministry. Satan knows that if he smites the shepherd, the flock will be scattered. And it has been. Look at Zechariah 13, verse 7. Zechariah 13, verse 7.

Zechariah 13, verse 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, says the Lord of hosts, smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. Now, Christ quotes in the Gospels from Zechariah 13, verse 7. We're going to go to Mark's account, Mark chapter 14, and verse 27. In Mark 14, and verse 27.

The cock crowed three times. Peter did deny him.

We hear a lot today about the war on terror. We have to track down and kill the terrorists. We have to kill them over there so they won't come over here and terrorize us here and kill us. We tend to forget that Satan and the demons are the progenitors of terrorism. They've been terrorizing the people of God for centuries. Satan tried to kill Jesus Christ through Herod's decree to kill all the babies in Judea up to two years of age. The Pharisees called Jesus illegitimate and of the devil. Satan inspired the crucifixion of Jesus. We'll see a brief summary of this. Let's go to Revelation 12, Revelation 12, verse 1. Revelation 12, verse 1.

Jesus was of the lineage of David, the tribe of Judah. There appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon, who was identified as Satan the devil, having seven heads and ten horns, seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, where he deceived a third of the angels going back and did cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman, which was ready to be delivered for to devour the child as soon as it was born. And, as so often the case, Satan the devil works through civil authorities, and Herod, fearing that this one prophesied to be the king of the Jews, would unseat him, made a decree that everyone, two years and younger, would be killed.

Verse 5. And she brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up unto God and to his throne. So it goes from birth to crucifixion, to resurrection, to being at the right hand of God in the heavens.

And then, verse 9, the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast out in the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying, In heaven now has come salvation and strength, the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuses him before our God day and night. Then after he is cast down, and this is toward the end of the age, this time is surely coming, and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.

As they confessed their sins, repented of their sins, and exercised faith in the sacrifice of Christ for forgiveness, by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death, therefore rejoiced you heavens, and you that dwell in, woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea. For the devil has come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows he has but a short time. Those first four seals that are revealed in Revelation 6, when they're open in their grand climatic stage at the end of this age, we know that the earth's population will be greatly reduced, as some of the climate change people are advocating now that really the earth can sustain and keep everything, you know, the environment can sustain a little over a billion people. Well, they're going to get their wish and Satan's wrath, where the population of the earth will be greatly reduced. And when the dragon saw that he was cast under the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child.

So, Israel and the Church of God, a woman can represent a nation or a church, it can represent the false church or the true church, and to the woman were given two wings and a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness in her place where she is nourished for three and a half years from the face of the serpent. And then the serpent cast out his mouth and waters a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood, symbolic of the army. And the earth helped the woman, the earth opened up her mouth, swallowed up the flood, which the dragon cast out of his mouth, and the dragon was angry with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We have ample testimony of Satan desires, perhaps above all things, to destroy the Church of God.

Now, one of Satan's principal strategies through the centuries has been to discredit the shepherds of the flock. We've mentioned how that Satan, along with human instruments, tried to destroy Jesus and to discredit him. The Jews tried to discredit Paul.

And we can all point to the sins of any person that you want to name, from David to Paul, to people in our day and you fill in the blank.

For all of sin comes short of the glory of God. There's none righteous, no, not one.

All of us here are here today because of God's mercy and His grace.

But Paul, you know, states toward the end of his life that he has fought a good fight. He's kept the faith that a crown of righteousness will be given unto him when the Lord appears.

So even though we sin, we fall short, whether we be in the ministry, whether we have offices in the Church, whether we be members, whomever, wherever we are, at times we all fall short. We sin. Sometimes we make very large mistakes. Before Paul was converted, he was killing Christians. David committed adultery, he committed murder, and he numbered Israel. As a result of him numbering Israel, thousands of people died because of that. When Satan began terrorizing the Church with the gross heresies in the late 80s and early 90s, you probably heard more about it in the early 90s, and eventually the Church began to fracture, many people fell into one of two ditches. Now these are the two extremes. One said, well, you know, and I was there. The pastor general gave a sermon on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1995. That is all right. He played a little golf on Sabbath afternoon.

That's all right, to eat unleavened bread. I mean, leavened bread during the days of unleavened bread. And many said, that's all I need to hear. I'm set free. The pastor general said it. That's all I need. Another group said, remember these are the extremes. I don't need the ministry of the organized Church. I don't need anyone to teach me. I can do a better job than any of these guys. Then there were those who stood somewhere in between these two extremes. Nearly all said they did not want one-man rule. They tried to develop a structure that would be governed by a council or board and a set of governing documents. To a large degree, these documents were patterned after documents that you might find in non-profit corporations or corporations. And when you try to be governed by the instruments that the corporate world, even though it may be non-profit, you surely open yourself up to a lot of interpretation and misinterpretation and wrangling over the the rules and regulations and the procedures and all of that. And you can get bogged down in policies and procedures.

And do you want to be a spirit-led church or a policy and procedure-led church?

But regardless of the structure that was adopted by various ones, and there are many splinter groups, as you know, they splintered and in one broad sense, or in the broad sense, the ministry was discredited.

Once again, we could all point to abuses that some ministers perpetrated on the members of the flock.

And it seems that the focus continues today to highlight the shortcomings of the ministry. Of the leadership.

And to a large degree, I'd say we have failed.

Not in the total sense, and not in every case, but obviously all of us could have done much better in serving God's people in the way that they should be served.

But does human failure negate the offices that God ordained for edifying the body of Christ? So we get down to that question.

I submit that it does not. Satan is just about completely destroyed respect for the office of minister in the Western world. And to some degree, even in the Church of God.

Could you or I fall prey to Satan's strategy?

So the shepherds have been smitten and the flocks scattered. The prophet Ezekiel describes what has happened to some degree and how God holds the ministry responsible to some degree. Let's go to Ezekiel 34.

Now, of course, you can look at this from the point of view of history of the shepherds, the kings, and religious leaders of Israel who led Israel astray. You remember what Solomon did? You remember that at one time, the Israelites were actually sacrificing their children to Molech, to the sun god.

Ezekiel 34, and the word of the Lord came into me saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say unto them, thus says the Lord, God and the shepherds, woe unto the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves, should not the shepherds feed the flocks. Remember, we read from 1 Peter 5, feed the flock of God, one of the great responsibilities of the ministry. Now, this is written more from a physical point of view, but it has a spiritual counterpart. You eat the fat, you clothe you with the wool, you kill them that are fed, but you feed not the flock. The diseased have you not strengthened, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost, but with force and with cruelty have you ruled them. And they were scattered because there is no shepherd. And they became meat, prey, food to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. Yes, Satan smites the shepherd and the sheep are scattered. We have scattered sheep today.

And of course, one of the great challenges that we're all going to face in the days that lie ahead is that we do not become more fractured and more scattered.

Now, you need to read this whole chapter. I'm not going to read all of it here today, but Christ makes it very clear that the time is coming, which he is going to intervene, and he is going to search out and seek those that are lost. Verse 11, For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, even I will both search my sheep and seek them out.

As the shepherd seeks out his flock in that day, that he is among his sheep that are scattered. So will I seek out my sheep will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in that cloudy and dark day, a time merging into the millennium. So the shepherds bear a heavy responsibility.

Now we go to Ezekiel 33, and we see that the flock bears a heavy responsibility as well. In Ezekiel 33, verse 30. Ezekiel 33, verse 30.

Also, you son of man, the children of your people still are talking against you by the walls. Now some translations bring out that this probably, this word again, should be translated about. They're not necessarily talking against you. Like today, this type of sermon, there will be discussion. People will ask one another, what do you think about the sermon today? And they'll talk about the sermon. What do you think about that? Also, the son of man, the children of your people still are talking about you by the walls and the doors of the houses and speak one to another, everyone to his brother saying, Come, I pray you and hear what is the word that comes forth from the Lord. And so they come unto you as the people comes, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but with their heart they go after their covetousness. And lo, you are unto them as a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice, can play well on an instrument for it. They hear the words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass, and lo, it will come, then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.

So I submit to you that we are all responsible for not searching the Scriptures daily, whether these things be true, and closing the gap between what we know and what we do. We all need to rekindle that first love and be set on fire, as you heard in the sermonette, set on fire for the first love for the truth, for the pure and plain, direct and simple words of God as revealed in the pages of the Bible. We need to understand that Satan walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and he wants to destroy and discredit each and every one of us. But the principal target basically has been at the leadership, and you have seen how many leaders have fallen out of the church and the church. They fall by the wayside. And it seems as soon as America can get some kind of hero, he falls. The latest being Tiger Woods. What a tragedy! One of the most respected figures in the whole world in his field of endeavor.

We need to understand that sin is deceitful, and we can fall prey to the wiles of the devil before we realize it. We need to get off our high horse, our high horse of self-righteousness, and realize that apart from the grace of God, you or I would not be here today. Not a one of us.

You and I are not here by right. We are here by the grace and mercy of God. Remember, God would have mercy and not sacrifice. Ask yourself, do you want your pound of flesh before you cast the beam out of your own eye?

We need to rededicate ourselves edifying, comforting, and exhorting the body of Christ. We don't know it all. Even the apostle Paul, who had been directly taught by Christ himself, states, For we now see through a glass darkly, but then, face to face, now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. 1 Corinthians 13, 12. We have much to learn.

But one cannot teach a person who thinks he knows or she knows at all, and has a closed mind with regard to growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

So this day, and from this day forth, let us go forward with this admonition. Ephesians 4, 17. Ephesians 4, 17.

In Ephesians 4, 17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles or nations walk in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, lawlessness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned, Christ, if so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning the former conduct, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be removed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, wherefore put away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. It's one of the great lessons of the Church of God through the decades, in the 1900s and now into 2000s, it's not learned. We think that what some call organizational loyalty is more important than loyalty to God and to your brother. We are members one of another. We have that common essence, the essence of God, his spirit, in us. Thus we are called brothers and sisters in Christ.

Verse 26, Be angry and sin not, let not the sun go down on your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands, the thing which is good, that he may have to give to them that needs. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed under the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be you kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you. So, brethren, let's go forward with renewed zeal and determination to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and let us not fall prey to Satan's way, where Satan smites the shepherd and the sheep are scattered. Let's do everything that we can to follow what God has said for us to do.