The Lord is My Shepherd

Transcription

1 Sunday November 16, 2014 Phone: Pastor David Miklas Message: Psalm 23 - #4 Text: Psalm 23:1-6 Introduction: The Lord is My Shepherd If I were to ask for your favorite Bible verse, you might say John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Perhaps this is the first verse many of you committed to memory. It speaks of God s great love to bring us to salvation. If I were more specific and asked about your favorite chapter in the Bible, you d probably choose the 23rd Psalm. No one would deny Psalm 23 is the most familiar and best loved portion of the Book of Psalms, perhaps of the entire Bible. It has endeared itself to people in every circumstance of life. Literally it has become a solace of peace, as it has calmed troubled hearts for several thousand years. When the "chips are down" and our hearts are heaviest, it is to this magnificent "Psalm of the Shepherd" we most often turn. The pre-school child knows it by heart, yet it is a silent partner of the retired and always fitting at a funeral. From the CRADLE to the GRAVE, Psalm 23 provides timeless comfort and endless assurance. It is beautiful that the Lord allows us to begin our lives and finish our lives with the same passage of Scripture, the 23 rd Psalm. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. In this great chapter of the Bible we discover the name of God most familiar to us, Jehovah-Roli which means "The Lord is my shepherd." The primary idea contained in the Hebrew term Roli is to feed or to lead to pasture. The prophets depicted God as a shepherd. In Isaiah 40:11 we read, He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. In Jeremiah 31:10 we read, Hear the word of the Lord... He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. It is reassuring to know God love us, feeds us, nurtures us and brings us to fertile grounds of peace. It is His character as shepherd that is seen in the care for His flock. Page 1

2 However as you go through this Psalm, you will discover seven compound names of God, Jehovah, and their meanings embedded in this chapter. Verse 1, The Lord is my shepherd" is Jehovah-Roli (The Lord will lead). Verse 1, "I shall not want." is Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord will provide). Verse 2, "he leadeth me beside the still waters." is Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord our peace). Verse 3, "He restoreth my soul." is Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord gives health). Verse 3, "he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness" is Jehovah-Tsidkenu (The Lord our righteousness). Verse 4, "for thou art with me;" is Jehovah-Shammah (The Lord is ever-present). Verse 5, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies" is Jehovah-Nissi (The Lord our Banner). Before we proceed, let me offer a word of warning. When we come to a passage like Psalm 23 or a verse like John 3:16 let s not allow it to lose its razor-sharp edge because of familiarity. I trust you will not close your mind, because you think that you have heard it all before. Over 1000 times in the Bible, we come upon the words sheep, shepherd, and lamb. Sheep are defenseless, dependent animals. There is nothing about a sheep that is brave or courageous. There is nothing about a sheep that is noble or outstanding. There is nothing about a sheep that is majestic, or glorious. Yet, God says we are like sheep. In Isaiah 53:6 speaking of the suffering the Lord Jesus Christ we read, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. In Proverbs 14:12 we read, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. This is the very reason you need Christ. We are lost sheep, headed for death, and as such we need a shepherd. In Luke 15:3-7 we read, And he spake this parable unto them, saying, (4) What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (6) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Jesus gives us a parable about a man who had a hundred sheep, but one got lost. So he left the ninety-nine that were safe and did everything necessary to find the one lost sheep. YOU ARE THAT ONE SHEEP. I AM THAT ONE SHEEP. Jesus is the shepherd who came from Heaven s glory to this earth to seek and to save that which was lost. Yes, the heart of Christ is deeply moved by people who are lost. In Mark 6:30-34 we read, And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. (31) And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (32) And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. (33) And the people Page 2

3 saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. (34) And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. Jesus was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as SHEEP NOT HAVING A SHEPHERD. I wonder if we have that same compassion for this neighborhood realizing there are hundreds and hundreds of people out there without a shepherd, without the LORD as their shepherd. Those who are students of the Word of God understand that before and after the 23rd Psalm there are two other great Psalms, Psalm 22 and Psalm 24. These three Psalms form a TRILOGY, in which we see a revelation of the work and ministry of Jesus Christ as our shepherd. Psalm 22 is the psalm of the Saviour s cross, that intimate, vivid description of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Psalm 24 is the psalm of the Sovereign s crown, as it records the triumph of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Psalm 23 is the psalm of the Shepherd s care. Now you know, as well as I do, that you can go from the Old Testament through the New Testament and you will find Jesus Christ on three occasions being referred to as the Shepherd. In JOHN 10:11, Jesus is referred to as the GOOD SHEPHERD, who gives His life for the sheep. Here we read in John 10:11-14 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. In HEBREWS 13:20 our Lord is called the GREAT SHEPHERD who intercedes for us. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, In I Peter 5:4, Jesus is called the CHIEF SHEPHERD, who shall someday appear. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. These three descriptions of our Lord Jesus, as the shepherd of the sheep, coincide with the three shepherd-related psalms. Psalm 22 is the Psalm of the Saviour's cross and it depicts Christ as the GOOD SHEPHERD, dying for His sheep. Notice verse 1, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me...? Then as you move through this Psalm, it depicts what can only be alluded to as a Roman crucifixion. So here you have the picture of the Good Shepherd, who is laying down His life for the sheep. In the gospel of John, chapter 10, we also have a picture of Jesus as the GOOD SHEPHERD. In Verse 7 we read, Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. Jesus is the door of the sheep, the way into the fold. In Verse we read, The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: Page 3

4 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the GOOD SHEPHERD: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Jesus is the Good shepherd that lays down His life for his sheep. In Verses we read that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, cares for the sheep, The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. In Verses 27-28, we know the voice of the Shepherd. This gives us assurance as in those two verses Jesus tells us, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall NEVER, NEVER perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Psalm 24 is the Psalm of the Sovereign s crown and it depicts Christ as the CHIEF SHEPHERD coming for His sheep in power and great glory. In verses 7-10 we read, Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (8) Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (9) Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (10) Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. Psalm 24 records the triumph of the King; as He enters into the city that for so many generations had refused Him and rebelled against Him; where now the triumphant procession again declares him to be the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The Word of God says in I Peter 2:25 we need a Shepherd for our souls. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. Who is the Shepherd of our souls? In I Peter 5:1-3 we read, The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: (2) Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (3) Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. The Pastor is to feed and declare to his flock the things of God. He is to be an under-shepherd to the people of God preaching the Word of God. Then in verse 4 we read, And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Here the Lord is our Chief Shepherd of our souls. Psalm 23 is the Psalm of the Shepherd s care and it depicts Christ as the GREAT SHEPHERD. In Hebrews 13:20 we read, Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that GREAT SHEPHERD of the sleep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Jesus is the Great Shepherd today who is caring for His sheep. The LORD is my shepherd. He is my Good Shepherd. He gave His life for me on the cross. He saved me from the penalty of my sin when I trusted Him as my Savior. The LORD is my shepherd. He is my Great Shepherd, the risen Savior, sitting at the right hand of God the Father. He is ever living to make intercession for us, as we read in I Timothy 2:5, For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. The LORD is my shepherd. He is my Chief Shepherd. He is my coming King. He may come today. Are you ready to meet Him? Page 4

5 If we truly know this Shepherd of ours, as the GOOD SHEPHERD, the GREAT SHEPHERD, and the CHIEF SHEPHERD, then we can say with confidence, I shall not want. Amen!! As we move through Psalm 23 beginning with verse 1, we realize that shepherding is actually meant to keep certain deficiencies out of our lives. God's goal is to provide His people with a life freed from want. Isn't that what we read in verse 1? "I shall not want." On the surface that sounds very pious doesn't it? But when Monday morning rolls around, I want gas for my car, so where does Psalm 23 come in? I want a little respect so where does Psalm 23 come in? I want a little raise in salary so where does Psalm 23 come in? I want a new suit so where does Psalm 23 come in? Notice again verse 1, He is the Great Shepherd, so I may say, "I shall not want" because He is what He is. However, please underscore this fact. God s provision is not meant to provide whatever I want, whenever I want it! I want a new Ford Mustang, but that doesn't mean I will get one. Maybe, I will, but I doubt it. I would like to spend January and February in Florida, but I know that is not possible. Like many of the Psalms, Psalm 23 states its case in the first verse and simply amplifies it in the remainder of the song. Notice again verse 1 and the phrase "I shall not want." The key thought in this verse is, BECAUSE THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT FOR ANYTHING, THAT HE, THE SHEPHERD, SAYS I SHALL NOT LACK. I shall not lack REST or PROVISION. WHY? "He makes me to lie down in green pastures." I shall not lack PEACE. WHY? "He leads me beside quiet waters." I shall not lack RESTORATION or ENCOURAGEMENT when I faint, fail or fall. WHY? "He restoreth my soul." I shall not lack for GUIDANCE or FELLOWSHIP. WHY? "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name s sake." I shall not lack COURAGE when my way is dark. WHY? "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." I shall not lack COMPANIONSHIP. WHY? "For Thou art with me." I shall not lack COMFORT. WHY? "Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." I shall not lack PROTECTION or HONOR. WHY? "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." I shall not lack POWER. WHY? "Thou anointed my head with oil." I shall not lack ABUNDANCE. WHY? "MY cup runneth over." I shall not lack GOD S PERPETUAL PRESENCE. WHY? "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Page 5

6 I shall not lack SECURITY. WHY? " I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Oh, how precious is Jehovah-Roli, The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. But the most important word in the whole psalm is that little pronoun MY. The LORD is MY shepherd... I feel sorry for those who say God is out there somewhere. I feel sorry for those who have not experienced the intimate presence of the SHEPHERD. If you can say The Lord is A SHEPHERD you can still be lost and without hope of heaven. If you can say "The Lord is THE SHEPHERD you would be closer to the truth, but you may still not know genuine forgiveness of sin through Christ. If you can say, "The Lord is MY SHEPHERD that means all is well with your soul. Millions of people know the Lord is "A" shepherd, but they really do not know He is "THEIR" Shepherd. I wonder if you can say, "The Lord is MY Shepherd. The intimate fellowship of the Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd, is the most precious privilege you and I have all because of Calvary. Years ago in England a group of eminent writers, musicians and actors gathered in a London drawing room for an evening of mutual entertainment. It was an evening that radiated with talent. They sang; they played; they recited; they gave monologues. Last of those to perform was a very prominent member of the British stage, who stood before that company of celebrities and recited the words of Psalm 23. His enunciation was perfect; his intonations thrilled them. And when he finished, they all agreed that this was the greatest thing they had heard that evening, and they awarded him the purse of gold. Just then, someone in the back of the room spoke and said there was a little old man there who had done nothing yet to entertain the group. Having been urged to do something, he began to quote, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The audience was hushed as he took them through the round of the Shepherd s intimate care of the sheep and ended up with a glowing face, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. At that moment the great actor who had won the purse of gold reached out his hand to the little old man, and placing the purse of gold in his hand, he said simply, Sir, I know the psalm; but you know the Shepherd. On numerous occasions, I suppose all of us have read this Psalm. Some have memorized it and others have perhaps recited it from earliest infancy. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Today, I wonder Do you know the psalm or do you know the Shepherd of the Psalm? *********************************************************************** If God has spoken to your heart, after reading the sermon The Lord is My Shepherd, right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you. Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in Acts 16:31,...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation. Page 6

7 If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, let me know. Please send an to and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life. The Weekly SERMON was sent as a ministry of Bible Baptist Ministry, 48 Alexie Rd., Hanover Township, PA Privacy policy: your address will not be sold, or shared with any third party. Copy write permission: Because the Weekly SERMON will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: The Weekly SERMON in its original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the Weekly SERMON must set forth in full the heading that is given before each Weekly SERMON. Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pdmikbbm@aol.com or by phone at Page 7