He Provides

The Good Shepherd Week 1

He Provides

Robert Morris

We’re beginning a new series called The Good Shepherd

Jesus is described as The Shepherd and we are described as sheep!

Today is “He Provides” (Psalm 23 – 3 messages)

Psalm 100:3

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

John 10:10

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

John 10:14

“I am the good shepherd”

I don’t know how much you’ve thought about this

But I’m really glad that I have a Shepherd!

Since I’m a sheep, I need a Shepherd!

Sheep can’t lead themselves or feed themselves!

That doesn’t mean that we can’t read the Bible

It means that He leads us to green pastures when we’re reading!

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:2

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

Psalm 23:3

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

David calls Him Shepherd and the first thing he reveals to us about Him is

3 things He provides: Green Pastures and Still Waters

Healing and Restoration; Paths of Righteousness!

The word want here means lack. I shall not lack!

Good shepherds don’t always give the sheep what they want (Lack)

But they always give the sheep what they need! (Lack)

God didn’t give the Jews what they wanted. He gave them what they needed!

They wanted a political leader! They needed a Savior!

The reason they didn’t recognize God’s provision) was

Because they were looking for what they wanted

Many times, I’ve been grateful God didn’t answer my prayers, my way!

1. Green Pastures and Still Waters

Psalm 23:2

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

A Believer’s life should be characterized by contentment and peace!

Green Pastures represent contentment!

And Still Waters represent peace!

Green pastures refer to plenty of good food!

The shepherd provides it but you’re going to have to bend down and chew!

Still waters refer to a peace.

No stress, anxiety, worry or fear!

This is one of the reasons that we come to Church

We need to sit beside the still waters of peace in worship

We need to eat from the green pastures during the message!

Once a week is not enough! God doesn’t want to have a weekend affair!

He wants to be married! He wants to live with you!

He wants to spend every day with you!

Look at these two words, “He makes…”

Sometimes He has to make us lie down!

The Lord showed me I was like a guy driving a gas truck (YOU TOO!)

I filled everyone else up but wasn’t taking time to fill me up

It’s OK to sit by the still waters and lie down in green pastures!

2. Healing and Restoration

Psalm 23:3

He restores my soul

How many times has your soul been hurt?

My heart was broken when my husband walked out on me!

My soul was crushed when my loved one died!

My heart was broken when I saw my child walk away from God!

My soul was crushed when I lost my job! (Isaiah – 700 years)

Two of my favorite verses are verses Jesus quotes about Himself

Luke 4:18

“He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted”

Matthew 12:20

“A bruised reed He will not break”

The first is from Isaiah 61 and the second from Isaiah 42

The pharisees are mad at Him for healing a man on the Sabbath

He says which of you will not pull a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath

“Isn’t a person more important than a sheep?”

The Shepherd will pull you out of the pit that you’ve fallen into

Or even the pit that you dug for yourself!

This Hebrew word means to return back to the point of departure

Even when we depart from God (Back up in Solitaire)

He is waiting to take us back and help us start over!

Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

God restores to us the joy of His Salvation! (Undeserved grace)

I blew it with some things I said to Debbie

And God immediately took me to Psalm 51!

3. Paths of Righteousness

Psalm 23:3

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

If you follow the good shepherd, He will lead you.

Righteousness means right standing with God

He is leading me to stay in right relationship with God!

There is a right standing with God that comes through grace

And there is a right standing with God that comes through actions

When we sin, it affects our standing with God, but not His standing with us!

It has nothing to do with how God sees me

But it affects how I see God and myself and others!

And it takes me farther and farther away from intimacy with God!

He leads me… Shepherds NEVER drive sheep! They always lead sheep!

In Israel, 15,000 to 20,000 sheep all knew their shepherd’s voice.

John 10:27

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

So, what’s the key to following our Shepherd? Hearing and knowing His voice!

Confidence comes from hearing and knowing God

It comes from the word confide!

4. Confidence Confide

John 15:15 (NLT)

“I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”

We’re able to follow the Shepherd

Because He confides in us!

But we have to hear His voice to have confidence to follow!

But we have a choice to follow Him or not

And we follow Him by hearing His voice

By spending time in His Presence!

I can’t make it very long without spending time in His presence

And I’ve been a Christian for 40 years! 41 next month!

I have to go to a room, shut the door, and worship!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He does provide everything we need

Green Pastures and Still Waters: Healing and Restoration

Paths of righteousness

New King James Version (NKJV) © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

New Living Translation (NLT) © 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.