Sunday Sermon

Lineage Forward · Week 3 · Sunday, April 19, 2026

Lineage Forward · Week 3
The Shepherd's Staff, Not the Shepherd's Stick
Pastor Benjamin·37 min
Big idea

Jesus doesn't drive his sheep — he leads them, he feeds them, he lays his life down for them. The church is called to shepherd the same way, not with a stick but with a staff.

Text: Ezekiel 34:1–16 · John 10:11–18
Key points
  1. 1

    The difference between a staff and a stick is the posture of the one holding it.

    Ezekiel 34:4
  2. 2

    The Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name. Accountability without knowing is control.

    John 10:14
  3. 3

    Real shepherding pursues, never punishes. The goal is always restoration.

    Luke 15:4–5
For your community group
  1. 1.Where in your life have you experienced shepherding that felt like a stick? Where have you experienced it as a staff?
  2. 2.Jesus lays his life down for the sheep. What does that mean for how we accept shepherding from others?
  3. 3.Is there a person in your life God is calling you to shepherd this week — with a staff, not a stick?
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