SCATTERED SHEEP
Pastor William Heinrich
Jesus quotes Zechariah when He says in Matthew 26:31, “Strike the shepherd and
the sheep of the flock will scatter.” This happened when Jesus was crucified.
His followers fled and hid in fear. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead
and soon gathered His scattered flock around Him.
The average under shepherd leaves his church approximately every four years.
Each time it happens the prophecy of Zechariah 37:7 is fulfilled. Sheep are
scattered. In the case of Jesus, He returned to regather His sheep. In the case
of thousands of pastors, they move to the next pastorate in another town. Sheep
that are scattered often remain scattered. Some eventually bond to a new
shepherd. Some grow bitter, saying, “They kicked out my pastor and I’ll never go
to church again,” or “The church is full of hypocrites.”
People (sheep) who are well bonded to the Chief Shepherd can, and do weather an
assault against their shepherd. Yet the young lambs do not, and great damage is
done to them. Every flock has at least three kinds of sheep. Those who don’t
feel they need a shepherd and seek to find his faults, rather than submit to his
shepherding. Those who are submissive to their shepherd because of their love of
the Chief Shepherd and know this is His will for them. Lastly, those who are
perhaps more bonded to the shepherd than they are the Chief Shepherd. They are
those who are grateful for their shepherd showing them the Chief Shepherd. They
are, through love and the teaching of Scripture, becoming eternally bonded to
the Chief Shepherd. This last group are the ones who are harmed the most when
their shepherd is struck. They are the ones scattered. They are the ones who are
most likely to become bitter.
Great care and much prayer is needed when sheep are being scattered. We cannot
turn our back on this grave problem. We cannot coldly comment, “They are just
followers of a man and not Jesus.” To strike a shepherd brings serious
consequences, both to him and his family, and to his sheep. It should be avoided
if at all possible. When it is necessary, it must be done with great love and
care. After the shepherd is forced to leave his flock, personal and individual
care must be given to all of the sheep, especially the third group mentioned
above. A flock left without a shepherd may go months and sometimes years before
he is replaced. Visiting speakers are never able to meet the needs of
shepherding. By the time a new shepherd is found, far too many sheep are scarred
for life. God’s people must not let the trauma of this time in the life of
Christ’s Church allow them to ignore the danger to the scattered sheep.