Jesus uses those imperfections, our imperfections, he accepts them as he restores the power. We're all jars of clay, but in our weakness, in Christ we are strong.
Not just the people but the church is altogether broken. As Switchfoot sang in The Beautiful Letdown, we're bent and broken, painfully uncool.
The church of the dropouts
The losers, the sinners, the failures and the fools.
Here's how God sees things:
"The people say, ‘Come and hear what the message is that comes from the Lord!’ So my people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Their mouths go on passionately, but their hearts pursue dishonest profit...They hear your words, but they don’t obey them...You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened animals, but you do not tend the flock. You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost."
(Ezekiel 33:30-32, 34:3-4)
They keep the rituals and the offerings. And they feed entertainment to the congregants like a musician or an actor, playing a role. Lording over the community of people within the temples, the shepherds feed themselves rather than the flock. Feeding the business that is the temple worship, misrepresenting God as they represent God.
Ezekiel 34:11 “For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them."
And that he did.
Jesus said, (John 10:11-14) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
And we see this even today. I'll never forget seeing the abandonment, and the self interest on display (especially among churches) during the 2020 pandemic delusion. Not unlike the times of Jesus' earthly ministry, the state came into the temples and influenced the leadership in terrible ways. The human frailties being challenged by an overbearing government were overwhelming for too many shepherds, and the flocks scattered. And I don't think they ever took a good hard look at those frailties and the response by the hired hands.
Ezekiel 34:6 "My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and there was no one searching or seeking for them."
And Jesus does shepherd them. He seeks the in Spirit and Truth. He said, "I will shepherd them with justice."
Ezekiel 34:17
“‘As for you, my flock, the Lord God says this: Look, I am going to judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and goats."
He's going to sort things out. He makes a covenant of peace with them in Christ Jesus. The priests are done. The sacrifices are done. The rituals are done. The lording over them is done. The keeping of the fat calves and the trampling and muddying of the fields is done. It is finished in Christ Jesus' Spirit and Truth. In Christ, God has eliminated the dangerous animals that threaten the flock. Christ is the good shepherd. He's the good shepherd. All we can do all things through him who strengthens us. The trees of the field will yield their fruit, and the land will yield its produce, and Christ secures our salvation. This is the will of God. God loves the church and provides for her in spite of the scattering. Everything the church needs will be established in Christ. God is powerfully active in our lives. He gives strength, the weary will find rest; we supply the weakness, God supplies the power.
If it's God will that the scattered flocks press on, they will have his power to keep them. He'll use the thorn in the flesh to strengthen them. His power is in our weakness. When we're weak he is strong. Everyone is a crackpot, and he uses that weakness to remold and remake them. Christ's strength does that. He resurrects the weak.
And we?...we do well, having fellowship in our afflictions, content in Christ Jesus. Denying ourselves and taking up our crosses. Discipling one another in discipleship.
"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
(Philippians 4:9)
A disciple is one who has entered into the narrow gate. They're moving away from their old self (denying himself), and turning towards Christ, being taught and making disciples. Teaching them to obey the word, and obeying the word. Disciple means "student", and is accomplished by teaching. It's a passing down of information from one to another. Hearers, learners, seers, teachers, doers. They are dwellers.
(Philippians 4:8)
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
That's discipleship.
That's renewed minds.
That's a flock gathered together in the Word.