Bad Shepherds | Bishop Eric Ellis

Ezekiel 34 issues a sharp rebuke against leaders who feed themselves while neglecting the flock. The Bible portrays those leaders as eating the best, clothing themselves with the wool, and killing the fat sheep without feeding the people. That neglect produces weakness, sickness, wandering, and vulnerability to false teaching; people without faithful care become "food for every animal of the field." The congregation receives a direct reminder of value: the sheep belong to God, not to human hands, and God will intervene when leaders abuse their role.

Matthew 7 warns against false prophets who come dressed like sheep but act like wolves; appearance cannot substitute for a life that mirrors Scripture. John 10 clarifies the remedy: Christ stands as the gate and the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. The contrast between the hired hand who runs when danger comes and the shepherd who protects and seeks the lost highlights the kind of leadership God honors.

First Peter 5 calls leaders to shepherd willingly, not for dishonest gain, and to lead by example rather than by lording authority over those entrusted to them. The charge presses leaders to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, restore the strayed, and look for the lost—practical ministry priorities that measure spiritual care more than numbers or reputation.

Practical warnings thread through the teaching: churches must train people to witness, avoid turning ministry into platform building, and guard against commodifying faith as a route to material blessing. Congregants must come to worship with expectation, discern where spiritual nourishment actually happens, and not allow charisma or celebrity to replace gospel integrity. The congregation receives an invitation to test teaching against the Word, to demand pastoral accountability, and to expect transformation rather than mere entertainment. The text ends with a pastoral vision for genuine community care—leaders who serve sacrificially, congregations that grow spiritually, and a God who will rescue his flock from false shepherding and lead them into green pastures and safe pastures under Christ’s care.

---

Key Takeaways

• 1. False shepherds feed themselves False leaders prioritize status, comfort, and income over spiritual formation. When leadership consumes the "fat" of the flock—resources, attention, and praise—congregants grow weak and bereft of real care. Spiritual practice requires leaders who give away strength, not hoard it, and communities that refuse to mistake spectacle for shepherding. [14:02]
• 2. Discern wolves in sheep’s clothing A ministry’s appearance can mask destructive motives; charm and ritual do not prove fidelity to God. Discernment grows where Scripture shapes judgment and where communities test teaching by fruit—repentance, holiness, and love for the lost. Protecting the flock means learning to read both behavior and outcome, not only sound bites. [36:57]
• 3. Christ alone is the gate Access to life and true pasture flows through Jesus, not through programs, personalities, or institutions. Entering by Christ secures salvation, sustenance, and a shepherd who finds the lost and provides rest. Trusting Christ as gate reorders expectations away from earthly fixes toward spiritual abundance. [45:38]
• 4. Leaders must shepherd sacrificially Effective leadership sacrifices comfort for care, visibility for vulnerability, and prestige for service. True shepherding lays down life in honest confession, restoration work, and persistent searching for the strayed. Communities flourish when leaders lead by example and when ministry resists the lure of dishonesty and self-enrichment. [52:03]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [08:42] - Scripture index and opening
• [11:30] - Ezekiel’s charge to shepherds
• [14:02] - Leaders feeding themselves exposed
• [19:21] - Neglect of the weak and lost
• [25:00] - People wandering without shepherds
• [36:57] - Warning: false prophets and wolves
• [45:38] - John 10: Christ as the gate
• [52:03] - The good shepherd’s example
• [59:20] - 1 Peter: willing, servant leadership
• [65:39] - Closing exhortation and announcements

Bible Reading
Ezekiel 34:1-10 (ESV)
1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.”

---

Observation Questions

1. According to Ezekiel 34:3-4, what specific failures do bad shepherds exhibit toward the flock?
2. In Matthew 7:15, how does Jesus describe false prophets, and what warning does He give about their true nature? [36:57]
3. What does John 10:9-11 reveal about Jesus’ role as both the “gate” and the “good shepherd” for His people?
4. What practical priorities for spiritual care does 1 Peter 5:2-3 emphasize for leaders? [59:20]

---

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does God say He will “rescue [His] sheep from [the shepherds’] mouths” in Ezekiel 34:10? What does this reveal about His view of His people’s value?
2. How might a leader’s focus on “feeding themselves” (Ezekiel 34:2-3) create vulnerability to false teaching among believers? [14:02]
3. Jesus contrasts Himself as the “good shepherd” with hired hands who abandon the sheep (John 10:11-13). Why is sacrificial love essential for genuine spiritual leadership?
4. How does the call to lead “by example” in 1 Peter 5:3 challenge modern cultural ideas about authority and success?

---

Application Questions

1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually neglected or misled. How can Ezekiel 34:1-10 encourage you to seek God’s care directly?
2. What practical steps can you take to “test the fruit” of a leader’s life (Matthew 7:15-20) when evaluating their teaching? [36:57]
3. In what areas of your life do you rely more on programs, personalities, or institutions than on Christ as your “gate” (John 10:9)? How can you reorient your trust?
4. How can you support leaders in your community who model sacrificial service (1 Peter 5:2-3) rather than self-interest? [52:03]
5. The sermon highlights believers becoming “food for every animal of the field” when neglected (Ezekiel 34:5). What habits or relationships help you stay rooted in Scripture to avoid spiritual wandering?
6. The pastor shared an example of a grieving mother still choosing to worship ([49:20]). How can you cultivate perseverance in faith when facing pain or disappointment?
7. How might you encourage someone who feels disconnected from a church community due to past hurt from leaders? What biblical truths could you share?