Preaching

Jeremiah, in typical trenchant phrases, gives us the job and person specification of the shepherd and spokesperson of God:

... if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.

Jer 23:22

Ezekiel fills out the responsibilities of the shepherd of God's flock, declaring ultimately that the Lord himself would shepherd his people.

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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.

Ezekiel 34:11-12

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These two passages stand as two sentinels next to me as I prepare any sermon: these people are God's people, the message is God's word, the Lord is the Shepherd of his flock and I have to deliver God's word to God's people.

A third passage from Isaiah accompanies Jeremiah and Ezekiel to advise me how to speak:

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Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned

Isaiah 40:1-2

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Speak tenderly to the people of God.  Do not beat up the bride of Christ, rather tell her that she has a Father whose arms are always open, she has a husband who gave himself for her, she has the Spirit who pours out God's love into our hearts.  

Speak tenderly to her!

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