DUMB DOGS & GREEDY DOGS
DOGS AT CHURCH

Isaiah 56:10-11

This sermon is about the apostate leadership in many churches of our day! God called those kinds of preachers Dumb and Greedy Dogs in the book of Isaiah. Our president and other leaders often bring a state of the union address to bring us up to date on the condition of our country but it is high time someone  addressed the condition of our churches!

We take our scripture reading from the book of Isaiah chapter 56 and verses 10-11: "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber". Isaiah 56:11- "Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." The Hebrew word for "WATCHMAN" in Isaiah 56:10 is tsaw-faw' and is the same root word as "SHEPHERD" in Isaiah 56:11 which is translated-"Pastor". God used some very harsh words to describe the condition of the "Pastors" of that time and I am afraid we have some of those among us as we present this message!

1- GOD DESCRIBED SOME PASTORS AS IGNORANT, BLIND AND DUMB DOGS.
Isaiah 56:10: "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs",

It seems like Christianity has digressed very near the situation described by Isaiah! A watchman when used in scripture is always translated as Pastor or Shepherd and God is calling the Pastors Dumb Dogs in this passage. This doesn't mean that there aren't some good Pastors and Preachers left but they are getting mighty scarce! The Watchman or Pastor is given a command to watch for the sheep who have gone astray, watch for danger lest the sheep perish and to warn of impending danger but look at what they are doing instead:

(1)-  BLIND
Some pastors are spiritually blind.

Not all Pastors are like this but we are seeing it more and more in these last days.
Isaiah 56:10- BLIND is the Hewrew word in-vare' - Having no sight.

They don't see the need to compel sinners to be born again when they are instructed to warn them. Ezekiel 3:18- "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hands".

(5)- SLEEPING
God said Some Pastors are Sleeping.
Sleeping is the hebrew word law-zaw'- To dream.
Proverbs 29:18- "Where there is no vision the people perish".
While millions are going to hell in a hand basket. The mission program is grossly neglected! Rev. 22:17- "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely".

(7)- LOVING TO SLUMBER
God said Some Pastors Love to Slumber.
Slumber is the Hebrew word noom- To be drowsy.
He loves his relaxation while watching his favorite football game and his Sunday sermon is about football while leaving off thus saith the Lord! He loves relaxation while sailing on a cruise ship in the name of religion after he sells tickets to his constituency in order to get his fare for free.

(A)- God said Some Pastors Slumber at the pulpit.
If you had a watchdog that was trained to protect your family, who was supposed to bark when a stranger approached and growl when he came nearer with his lips raised and teeth showing in order to show the adversary that he meant business and was ready to take on the situation with rigor if need be and the watchdog wagged his tail and let the stranger come past to enter into your home to harm your loved one's; would you continue to provide such an animal with food and shelter? I don't think so and God said in this passage; you have a watchman who cannot bark! I like to hear a little bark from the pulpit. It let's me know that the Minister is still alive.

(B)- Some Pastors Slumber in their sermon preparation.
How can sinners be saved when all they hear is some panty waist preacher telling them to join the fellowship instead of telling them that sorrow for sin is required and repentance is mandatory in order to go to heaven? This easy believe-ism movement makes me sick- not to mention how it makes God feel. Getting saved is not a hard thing but it requires certain criteria be met.
 
(C)- Some Pastors Slumber in Soul winning.
There are more man made converts in churches today who are on their way to a devils hell than you could imagine! Someone once told D.L. Moody, "I saw one of your converts in a bar last night". Mr. Moody's reply was, Yes, he apparently was one of my converts and not God's convert!
There is a difference! Those who walked down a church isle and shook hands with the preacher without a repentant heart are just as much a child of hell as before. Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 23:15- "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves".

(D)- Some Pastors Slumber in taking a separatist stand.
The Evangelist, Billy Graham- started out as a hell fire preacher but for many years has fallen into Ecumenicism with the clergy from every walk of life on his platform where people are advised to return to the church of their choice after they supposedly come for salvation. Mr. Graham will stand before a Holy God one day and answer for that in my opinion. The church of your choice is most likely not the church of God's choice. The scripture tells us in Proverbs 16:25- "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."


2- GREEDY DOGS
God called some Pastors Greedy Dogs.
Isaiah 56:11:

(1)-Never getting enough.
"Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough,
 
(2)-Never Understanding.
and they are shepherds that cannot understand:
 
(3)-Never seeing the Needs of Others.
they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter".
 
When I first became a Christian and God called me into the Gospel Ministry I never imagined how greedy some preachers would become. Those like Jim Baker who robbed many  Christian Church members for personal gain and Jimmy Swaggart whose sexual appetite caused the downfall of many faithful Church members! These people will answer to God for their actions if they are saved and if not they will have a hotter place in hell!

CONCLUSION:

I ask pastors and other ordained ministers to take an inward look and see if you are conducting your ministry according to the Word of God and get rid of all those carnal practices of man made origin. Practice your ministry like God instructs from His Word.  Speak out against sin! Open the life gate that all may come in!

I also ask every child of God to take an inward look to see if your hands will be blood stained for not caring about sinners spending an eternity in hell. Get on line and tell your friends and neighbors how the Lord saved you and offer them the plan of salvation from God's word. Maybe the Lord has wants you to be a prayer warrior. You don't even have to own an automobile nor do you have to be able to walk to be a prayer warrior! It takes a consecrated life and a dedicated outlook but you could make a difference by praying for Ministers, Missionaries and lost souls as well as individual Christians.

BY JAMES TYSON SR.