God contrasts selfish, abusive leaders with His own promise to shepherd His people with compassion, care, and restoration. Earthly rulers often exploit those under their authority, seeking their own gain at the expense of the weak and vulnerable. But God declares that He Himself will seek out the lost, bind up the injured, and feed His sheep with good pasture. In a world filled with leaders who disappoint and harm, God’s heart is to gather, heal, and satisfy His people, offering the true shepherding we all long for. [04:02]
Ezekiel 34:11-16 (ESV)
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”
Reflection: Where in your life do you feel scattered, wounded, or overlooked by those in authority? How can you invite God to shepherd you in those places today?
When confronted with the truth of Jesus, Herod saw only himself—his fears, guilt, and desires—turning a window into God’s kingdom into a mirror of self-obsession. This self-absorption blinds us to the reality of Christ’s presence and keeps us trapped in cycles of fear and regret. Like Herod, we can be tempted to make everything about our own reputation, comfort, or anxieties, missing the invitation to look beyond ourselves and see the compassionate Shepherd who stands before us. [14:59]
Matthew 14:1-2 (ESV)
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”
Reflection: When you hear the message of Jesus, do you find yourself focusing on your own fears or failures? What would it look like to shift your gaze from yourself to Christ today?
Unlike Herod, whose gut reaction was self-preservation and exploitation, Jesus’s first response to the needy crowd was compassion—healing, feeding, and caring for them even when it cost Him personally. True compassion is not mere feeling but action that seeks the good of others, even at personal sacrifice. Jesus models a heart that is moved not by annoyance or frustration, but by a deep, habitual mercy that leads to real help and restoration for those in need. [19:50]
Matthew 14:13-14 (ESV)
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Reflection: Who is someone in your life you tend to avoid or feel frustrated by? What is one concrete act of compassion you can show them this week?
Jesus, the true Shepherd, not only feels compassion but abundantly provides for His people, satisfying their deepest needs in ways no earthly leader can. In the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus takes what seems insufficient and multiplies it so that all are fed and satisfied, with more left over. This miracle is a sign pointing to His sufficiency and His desire to meet the needs of His people, inviting us to trust Him with our lack and to receive from His generous hand. [22:26]
Matthew 14:19-21 (ESV)
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel you don’t have enough? How can you bring your need to Jesus and trust Him to provide and satisfy?
The greatness of Christ’s compassion is measured by His willingness to sacrifice Himself for us, even to the point of the cross, so that we might be healed and restored. Unlike the false compassion of the world, which may be mere sentiment or empathy without truth, Jesus’s compassion is grounded in action and ultimate self-giving. He did not merely feel for us; He gave Himself for us, showing that true compassion is costly and redemptive, calling us to follow in His footsteps. [38:22]
Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Reflection: What is one way you can sacrificially serve someone this week, even if it costs you time, comfort, or resources?
In Ezekiel 34, God rebukes the shepherds of Israel—its rulers—for feeding themselves at the expense of the sheep, neglecting the weak, the sick, and the lost. God promises that He Himself will come to shepherd His people, seeking the lost, binding up the injured, and feeding them with good pasture. This sets the stage for the contrast in Matthew 14 between two kings: Herod, who rules for his own pleasure and self-preservation, and Jesus, who embodies the selfless shepherd God promised.
Herod is a ruler after his own heart, driven by lust, fear, and guilt. When confronted with his sin by John the Baptist, Herod does not repent but instead silences the prophet, ultimately having him killed to preserve his own reputation and satisfy the demands of others. Herod’s feast is a grotesque celebration of self-indulgence, resulting in death and depravity. He is so consumed by himself that even news of Jesus becomes a mirror reflecting his own paranoia and guilt, rather than a window into the kingdom of God.
In stark contrast, Jesus, upon hearing of John’s death, seeks solitude but is met by a needy crowd. Instead of frustration or annoyance, Jesus is moved with compassion. He heals the sick and feeds the multitude, not with mere scraps, but until all are satisfied, with abundance left over. This miracle is not just about provision, but a sign pointing to Jesus as the true Shepherd-King, fulfilling God’s promise in Ezekiel. Where Herod devours, Jesus gives; where Herod enslaves, Jesus satisfies.
The world is full of “Herods”—leaders, influencers, and even our own desires—that promise fulfillment but leave us empty. We are tempted to classify people, to see them as objects to use or avoid, and to respond to others with annoyance or anger. Yet Jesus shows a different way: compassion that is grounded in truth, that acts to alleviate suffering, and that ultimately leads to the cross. True compassion is measured by sacrifice, and Jesus’ sacrifice is the greatest of all. We are called not just to imitate this compassion, but to see ourselves as the needy crowd, recipients of the Shepherd’s grace.
Ezekiel 34:1-6, 11-16 (ESV) — > The word of the Lord came to me: “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? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 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. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. 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. ... For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”
Matthew 14:1-21 (ESV) — > [Read aloud in group or individually]
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