Hireling Shepherds

John 10:1-16

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7 Then said Jesus

unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

We must note that the sheepfold is “a flock,” which is the “Household of Faith,” the “Body of Christ,” or the “Church.” Jesus implies there are those who would enter into the sheepfold without having come in at the door and would be shepherds over God’s heritage, but they are thieves and robbers of the flock and seek to make merchandise of God’s people.

However, the servant who enters into the sheepfold by the door is a shepherd over the sheep. According to verse 2, we know Christ is talking about those who would be shepherds of the flock, for in verse 9 He refers to Himself as “the door.” Therefore, the one who enters in by Christ is a true shepherd.

Thus the porter, or the Holy Spirit who is the watchman and spiritual overseer of the Body, will open the door and allow the shepherd to lead the sheep out of captivity.

The method by which the servant of the Lord must lead is that he must go before and the sheep will follow. He is their teacher, trainer and example. Because he is a true shepherd, he speaks the truth and the spirit of the sheep will bear witness of the truth. Therefore, the sheep will follow him because they witness the truth manifested in the life of the leader and they will not follow strangers.

Stranger: Strong’s 245 allotrios (al-lot'-ree-os);

From 243; another's, i.e. not one's own; by extension foreign, not akin, hostile: alien, another man’s.

True sheep will not hear the voice of those who are alien to the faith.

Jesus is the door. The sheepfold are the sheep themselves. Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep.” I am the way to the sheep. All servants or shepherds must come through Me.

Others who came before Christ raped and pillaged the flock. However, the servants who enter in through Christ are:

• Saved,
• Will lead the flock by the direction of the Holy Ghost,
• Will be given pasture for the flock to feed.
• They will receive the Word of the Lord by revelation.

This is important, because it is the Word of God that gives life to the sheep. Without it, leaders can only kill and destroy the flock.

Jesus came to give life to the sheep and by His Spirit the sheep are born, and through the knowledge of Christ the sheep will live. The revelation of Christ will give them an abundance of true life, which can only be found in Him.

From 243; another's, i.e. not one's own; by extension foreign, not akin, hostile: alien, another man’s.

Note that the Lord refers to those who were not sent by the Father into the sheepfold as hirelings. They are leaders who have no love or compassion for the flock. Instead they lord over the flock for filthy lucre and allow the wolves to come in and scatter the sheep. This is what happens when leaders expose the flock to the ways of the world.

They take the body of Christ into enterprising and financial networking. The flock is so involved in these get rich church schemes until the nurturing of the soul is forgotten. Thus, when hard trials and tribulations come, they are dismayed and lose faith in the power of God. Therefore they scatter, wandering aimlessly, looking for something that will feed their soul.

Isaiah 56:10-12

10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

When the watchmen of the nation of Israel moved away from serving the Lord, the whole nation moved off course. It was the watchmen who did not sound the alarm. Thus, damnable heresies caused the people of God to seek after idols.

The servants of the Lord are to work daily on behalf of the flock. They are not to slumber and sleep and use the liberty of their position to not work during the day. Many of those who call themselves full-time ministers of the gospel simply lay around or run the streets all day in the name of ministry. They do nothing pertaining to the care-taking of the flock. They are not in place on a daily basis for counseling, neither are they given over to study and prayer. They are loafers and they use the money of the church to support their idleness. Their own desires are always first and foremost. They are greedy and gainsaying, and they work their people all year to raise money to satisfy their own lusts.

I dare not say that the laborer is not worthy of his hire; but I will say that to work the people constantly for monetary gain with little or no effort toward soul winning is an abomination before the Lord.

God’s people are being used to make the Church a conglomerate of mass business. However, it is the preachers and their inner-circles that are getting rich. The people’s responsibility is to support all the programs and money raising projects every month, and sometimes every week. The people are exhausted from being used as merchandise.

Another observation from these passages is that the shepherds are never satisfied. The more they take from the people, the more they want. They are striving to be rich and fat with things. This is painful to the Lord. I know because it is painful to us when we give our best to someone and it is never enough.

Imagine buying a present for someone you love. Perhaps you really could not afford it, but because you wanted to make them happy you sacrificed what you really wanted for yourself or by-passed paying a particular bill to get that gift. But when you give it to them they complain you did not give them something more costly than what you chose. It becomes obvious that person really has no regard for the efforts or hardship caused. They are self-centered and greedy and they do not appreciate the efforts others take to make them happy. Neither are they sensitive to the feelings of others.

Greedy shepherds are the same way. They care nothing for the flock. They see the people as dollar signs and subjects for them to rule. That is why the Lord said that leaders are not to lord over His creation because He knew that a lordship spirit would not consider the disposition of the flock.

Romans 2:21-24

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

In the above passage, Paul describes hypocrisy as those who are teachers of the Word of God but neglect to become doers of the Word. According to the apostle, this blasphemes the name of the Lord.

When we preach the Word but our life is far from the Word, we dishonor God. We make the power of God seem powerless and meaningless and we rob the sinner of hope and assurance.

II Peter 2:1

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Take note that these false teachers are men who knew God, yet denied Him. However, the consequence of such actions will receive swift destruction.

II Peter 2:2

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

The sad part is that many will follow them because they will speak evil of the truth. The truth places restrictions on the flesh. It will identify and deny any provisions for the way of the flesh. The lust of the flesh, the pride of life and the intents of the heart are discerned by the Word.

II Peter 2:3

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

We have come to a point in time where the judgment of God on the unrighteous is at hand. It behooves us to remain steadfast in that which we know to be the truth.

II Peter 2:9-16

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Balaam is a typical example of the disposition of leadership in the Church today. Leaders love money, which as Peter states, the love of such is the root of all evil. There is a relentless pursuit for the wealth of this world by the leaders of the Church. This pursuit has caused them to bring the curse back into the Church. As Balaam counseled Balak to allow his women to marry the men of Israel, so have leaders today counseled the Church to mix and mingle with the mindsets and goals of the world.

Somewhere the purity of holiness was lost in the pursuit of wealth and prestige. Today it is all about buildings, numbers in the congregations, massive amounts of money and television celebrities.

The mind of the saint is not pure anymore. It is clouded with illusions of fame and fortune. I know there are some of us who have escaped these pollutions. However, the time is fast approaching wherein these temptations will become so much greater than they are today. Therefore, we must gird ourselves with the truth and become rooted and grounded in the faith so nothing will move us out of place.

II Peter 2:17-19

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

For years the Church has been told they could receive the wealth of this world by simply believing and quoting a few scriptures. Needless to say, this wealth did not find itself in the hands of the forever believing saints. However, a new thing has developed. The pursuit of grants and funding of programs has replaced the quest for souls and the perfecting of the saints. With these grants, we say “my church is rich and prosperous.” But where is the prosperity of the individual saint? Where is the fulfilling of the promises of financial liberty and the abundance of things?

II Peter 2:20-22

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Some leaders have escaped the pollutions of the world and yet hold the key of knowledge. Because of wantonness they refuse to enter in the way of righteousness and stand in the way of those who would enter. For this there will be a recompense. The Lord will destroy them. They will have their portion with the unbelievers, says the Lord Jesus Christ.

Beloved, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. The day is far spent and the night is upon us. Hold fast the faith that was handed to you. Set your affections on things above and cleave to that which is pure.

I Love You,

Doc