SHEEP STEALERS
Pastor William Heinrich
The Good Shepherd is Jesus. All who trust Him as Savior and Lord become His
sheep. He gave His life for the sheep, but a hireling will not sacrifice for his
sheep, but flees when the wolf comes (John 10:11-12). The Good Shepherd knows
His sheep and they know Him and follow Him (John 10:13-27).
A sheep stealer, of the worst type, steals sheep from the Good Shepherd. He will
teach a false gospel and point them to himself and not to the Good Shepherd. He
will be more interested that he feeds himself than his flock. He will not care
about the sick and scattered. He will not search for the lost because he is not
a true shepherd (Cf Ezekiel 34:1-31).
God has chosen under shepherds to point His sheep to the Good Shepherd. They too
can be sheep stealers. Some can steal sheep from their proper allegiance to the
Good Shepherd. Some can steal sheep from other shepherds. Sheep are not stolen
from churches but from shepherds. In the plan of God, He wants His sheep under a
shepherd. When a shepherd is removed, the sheep will scatter because the church
or its deacons are not their shepherd.
There are many ways to steal sheep from the under shepherd (pastor). Shepherds
(pastors) themselves are thieves, when they move every few years from church to
church. Their departure is as a thief tearing the sheep from their shepherd.
Sheep who do not want to shepherded are also sheep stealers. They are always
grumbling and hindering the right relationship of others to join their griping
attitudes. These sheep have been stolen by other sheep.
Sheep stealers are usually called that when they receive disgruntled people from
other churches. Because of that, we often think of churches stealing sheep from
churches as sheep stealers. But, one is not a sheep stealer unless he steals
sheep from a shepherd. The building is not the issue. The sheep and their
shepherd is the issue. A shepherd must care for his sheep, or he is the
worthless hireling of John 10, or an irresponsible shepherd of Ezekiel 34.