Sunday Service | Ezekiel 34 | Sorry Shepherds

Ezekiel 34 confronts us with a sobering reality: throughout history, leaders have repeatedly failed to care for those entrusted to them, choosing instead to serve themselves. We witness God's passionate lament over shepherds who eat the choice portions, wear the finest wool, yet leave the weak unstrengthened, the sick unhealed, and the lost unsearched. But here's where the message transforms from indictment to hope—God himself declares that he will be the shepherd. This isn't just ancient poetry; it's a prophetic promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who explicitly identifies himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10. What makes this message so relevant for us today is its dual application: we're called to recognize Jesus as our ultimate shepherd while also examining how we shepherd others in our own spheres of influence. Whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, we face the same choice those ancient leaders faced—will we trample the grass and muddy the water for those who come after us, or will we lead as Jesus leads? The beauty of Advent is captured here perfectly: we remember how God kept his promise to come as our shepherd in the incarnation, and we wait with confident hope for his return when he'll finally set everything right.