The Entertainer
NB. Sermon preached at St Peter’s Stanley mid-week service 19 September 1999
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23 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 30 - 33 30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.
33 “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Chapter 34:1-10
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.
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Serving
Setting the Scene
Ezekiel lived at one of the most important times in the history of Israel. The City of Jerusalem was destroyed (by Nebu), the temple was burnt, the monarchy ended. Many were taken to Exile. A priest called Ezekiel was in exile, taken after Nebu took Jerusalem in 597BC. Thus, Ezekiel spent his time prophesying from Babylon.
Despite the book being full of warnings and calls to repent there are messages of hope - and our readings today offer both warning and hope to the exiles.
There are obvious dangers in trying to apply the lessons of Ezekiel to today. It was after all 2500 years ago, but they had fears and uncertainties as we do, modern society has its false idols, false prophets, heroes of chat shows, and national problems of bigotry. there is corruption in large institutions, greed, and taking advantage of disadvantages - our society is in fact similar.
In the Ezekiel reading for today, we have a warning to Ezekiel about people enjoying him as a kind of chat show hero but the warning is to the leaders of the people about not caring properly for the ordinary people.
We all know of Michael Parkinson (who died in August 2023). He was one of the finest chat show hosts. There have been many trying to emulate him, we had Clive Anderson, Mrs Merton, and Bob Monkhouse more recently Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton. Something like that was happening to Ezekiel. People who were in exile were flocking round him - wanting to hear him. Church attendance was good - on the surface it all looks good. Ezekiel 33:30, sadly they were looking for entertainment. The message was not penetrating deep (33:31) They listen well BUT they don’t put the words into practice - ‘their mouths express devotion but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.’ Then in 33:32 to Ezekiel - “you are nothing more than a singer of love songs (a performer) they hear but do not put them into practice.’
Just as you may listen to the beautiful tones of Bing Crosby but don’t practice the things he sings about. The unpopular prophet had become popular. There is a warning to all Christian leaders myself and vicar Bill included. The challenge of being public entertainers as opposed to portraying a living faith, living out our faith so that people we know will hear the gospel. There is a real importance of testimony today. Telling your story, of your journey of faith, your spiritual battles and spiritual victories. Friends, are you living out your faith or are your Sunday Services no more than entertainment - that was the issue Ezekiel was having to challenge his people with and that is the issue we must respond to today. It is a hard message maybe but if we are obedient to this word we will see our friends come to faith, come to church and walking on in faith and in fellowship.
Conclusion, if that was a hard message to hear then the next issue is a warning to all leaders (whether they be directors of companies or NGO, local authorities and other organisations even our politicians. In particular, there is a sober warning to church leaders. Not long ago an MP was fined millions for insider dealing in council houses - he was abusing privileged information. This is the gist of Ezekiel 34:3-4. Ezekiel would have remembered the failures of the most recent kings before the exile and he attacks the greed and selfishness of these leaders.
1>They had exploited people.
2>(About pastoring) The shepherds not looking after the sheep.
3>They allowed the flock to be scattered.
The interesting thing is how God addresses the people as MY SHEEP (Ezekiel 34:6) - despite their failings. The people are ‘the Lords flock’ and the shepherds will be punished and the scattered sheep will be rescued and cared for by the Lord. There is a message of hope and a promise that peace and harmony, blessing and times of prosperity would return.
People, please pray for your leaders, Christian leaders in particular. Pray that we will be good pastors caring for others before ourselves.
Pray that we honour our calling, that we are ordained to serve. Not to be entertainers, not to be power seekers or oppressors.
Finally, please pray for yourselves that you will continue to be challenged and obedient to the word of God and testify to his transformative saving work in your life.
