Senseless Shepherds (Leaders)Senseless Shepherds (Leaders)

Ps. Sunder KrishnanPs. Sunder Krishnan

Calvin Miller: Spirit,word and storyCalvin Miller: Spirit,word and story

If the pastor really needs God, his search If the pastor really needs God, his search and hunger will inflame his little words. The and hunger will inflame his little words. The mystery of the Spirit will gild human mystery of the Spirit will gild human syllables till they glitter with the presence of syllables till they glitter with the presence of God. The devotional life of the pastor puts God. The devotional life of the pastor puts him in touch with the world of the Spirit and him in touch with the world of the Spirit and that world supplies the vitality of his that world supplies the vitality of his preaching. A devotional spirit cannot hide preaching. A devotional spirit cannot hide itself. itself.

Calvin Miller: Spirit,word and storyCalvin Miller: Spirit,word and story

No matter how the pastor tries, the most No matter how the pastor tries, the most obvious thing about him, to those who listen obvious thing about him, to those who listen to his sermons, will be his touch or lack of to his sermons, will be his touch or lack of touch with God. Preaching, in one sense, touch with God. Preaching, in one sense, merely discharges the firearm that God has merely discharges the firearm that God has loaded in the silent place. This silence may loaded in the silent place. This silence may not be the subject of many sermons but it is not be the subject of many sermons but it is the power behind all sermons.the power behind all sermons.

Senseless shepherds: Jeremiah 10Senseless shepherds: Jeremiah 10

V8: They (the wise men of the nations) are V8: They (the wise men of the nations) are all all senselesssenseless and foolish; they are taught and foolish; they are taught by worthless wooden idolsby worthless wooden idols

V 14: Everyone is V 14: Everyone is senselesssenseless and without and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idolshis idols

V 20: The shepherds are V 20: The shepherds are senselesssenseless and and do not inquire of the Lord; so they do not do not inquire of the Lord; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scatteredprosper and all their flock is scattered

The logic of v 20The logic of v 20

A scattered flock

Shepherds who do not prosper

Shepherds who are senseless

Shepherds who do not

inquire of the Lord

PrayerPrayer

Clarifies God’s will Clarifies God’s will Makes our words effectiveMakes our words effective

A great crowd

EZRA

A great crowd

Those who feared

Senseless shepherds: who don’t praySenseless shepherds: who don’t pray

Clarifies God’s willClarifies God’s will Empowers our wordsEmpowers our words Widens our influenceWidens our influence Sweetens our spirit Sweetens our spirit Sways momentum in spiritual warfareSways momentum in spiritual warfare

So what?So what?

So Prayer must become

a leader’s # 1 priorityMobilizing intercessors must run a close 2nd

Apostles in Acts 6

Why Paul recruited intercessorsWhy Paul recruited intercessors

Enables bold Enables bold proclamationproclamation

Enables wise Enables wise proclamationproclamation

Opens doorsOpens doors Speeds the spread Speeds the spread

and reception of and reception of God’s WordGod’s Word

Promotes unityPromotes unity Delivers from Delivers from

depression, depression, despair, deathdespair, death

Influences Influences political political authoritiesauthorities

So what?So what?

So Prayer must become

a leader’s # 1 priorityMobilizing intercessors must run a close 2nd

Apostles Acts 6

So important is this that

God will even use a leader’s sin

to teach him to pray

Abraham Gen 13, 20

Not to pray

eventually becomes sin

Samuel

PrayerPrayer

Clarifies God’s willClarifies God’s will Empowers our wordsEmpowers our words Widens our influenceWidens our influence Sweetens our spirit Sweetens our spirit Sways momentum in spiritual warfareSways momentum in spiritual warfare

So what?So what?

So Prayer must become

a leader’s # 1 priorityMobilizing intercessors must run a close 2nd

Apostles Acts 6

So important is this that

God will even use a leader’s sin

to teach him to pray

Abraham Gen 13, 20

Not to pray

eventually becomes sin

Samuel