The Wonder of His Peace

Introduction

Good morning it's great to be here with all of you today celebrating the cornerstone Bible church official beginning of the Christmas season! Sheep are astoundingly mindless creatures at times. I'm thankful for videos like this one reminding those of us who live largely in the city of what sheep are like.

When sheep are with their shepherd they feel safe and secure. In the biblical time period a shepherd lived with his sheep he or she would know everything about the sheep. In fact that was one of the reasons that a shepherds were actually looked down on by the many people in society period shepherds were People who smelled like they had been around sheep all day. Because they had.

A shepherd would care for his sheep and put them in a safe place at night frequently they would build pens out of stones. They would build a semi circular wall out of stones and a shepherd mite lay down in the barrier. They would lay down in the only exit to the pen so that sheep wouldn't accidentally wander out and predators would not make their way in.

Shepherds took care of the life of their sheep.

Knowing the Wonder of Christmas means knowing the Wonder of God’s Peace

Part of the wonder of Christmas is knowing the wonder of God's peace. It means that not only did we have a savior born but he was born to be our Good Shepherd. The Bible literally uses that phrase to describe God's care for us! In the Manger would grow up to be the best shepherd ever.

Think about it the city that our Good Shepherd was born in was known as the city of David. Perhaps one of the most famous shepherds in the Bible miss David. And The funny thing is many times we don't think about him as a shepherd. We think about him as the boy that's killed Goliath. We think about him as the king that ruled and screwed up and ruled and repented and ruled and wasn't really a great dad :) :). But before all that David was simply a shepherd.

David wrote perhaps one of the most famous passages in the Bible that portrays God as a shepherd. And in this description of God as a shepherd we will find who God wants to be for each of us.

Before I read this I want to invite you to believe that God wants you to experience peace this Christmas. Our schedule gets so filled up around Christmas time with good things. And yet those good things can rob us of the peace that God wants to give us. Anticipating next year can bring anxiety to our lives robbing us again of the piece that God wants to give us. I want to invite you to slow down and really hear how God is described as a shepherd in this passage and another one that we will look at today. Take a deep breath and trust that your father in heaven and mine truly cares for you.

Let's read:

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I love the simple beauty of psalms 23. Describing God as a shepherd that cares for us. Perhaps more than many things this the passage should be something that we reread and think about this Christmas season. This Psalm has offered hope to those who have suffered greatly. It offers comfort to those who have hope less health situations.

When David was a shepherd he understood exactly what he was writing about. He knew what it meant to watch out for his sheep to protect them. David knew everything there was to know about his sheep as a shepherd and because of that he was perfectly positioned to protect his sheep.

It's like spending time with good friends this holiday season. People that are very close to you know you more intimately than almost anyone and because of that they are perfectly positioned to care about you love you and invest in you. Ashley and I celebrate New Year's every year now with friends we have loved since college. While we don't live near each other the strength of our friendships allow us to care for each other when we see each other.

Because David is with his shepherd he does not want.

because God is the Good Shepherd he takes care of our needs he provides for us he leads us he were stores us

I love how in verse four it talks about God the Good Shepherd being with David even through the valley of the shadow of death! This has brought me hope in life so many times. When I think of the pains and the fears that come our way I'm thankful that I'm not alone. You are not alone even in the middle of the night as you face the looming shadow of death.

You can have peace this Christmas because you can trust that the Good Shepherd God cares for you he is with you.

And you know it's not just David in the Old Testament that talks about God being a Good Shepherd. Jesus also uses this language to talk about God's love for us explanation point let's take a look at one more passage in the New Testament brought to us by the apostle John.

John 10:1–6 ESV

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

do you remember the video at the beginning of our time here? Sheep are described as dumb livestock. In fact many scholars believe that if sheep hadn't been domesticated they probably would have gone extinct a long time ago.

If we stop and think about our lives it's possible to see how we can be like sheep in many areas we can be dense or at least I can be. We can tend to follow the wrong leaders. We can make the same mistakes over and over again.

We make choices that we know are wrong. we make the same mistakes at work and have the same arguments with our spouses. It's so easy for us to be just like sheep. Undisciplined and repeating our mistakes time after time.

But what saves a sheep? Sheep thrive when they have a shepherd who wants them to thrive. Sheep thrive when they have a shepherd who leads them. When sheep have a Good Shepherd sheep don't need to want or worry

John 10:7–15 ESV

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

And this good shepherd loves us so much He laid down his life for us

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus showed us how the Good Shepherd is willing to lay down his life for the sheep. That's exactly what Jesus set out to accomplish. Not only did Jesus save us for eternity by laying down his life but he also brought peace into our lives today.

That's what some of the verses in psalms 23 talk about the piece of psalms 23 comes from following the Good Shepherd. Someone was trying to three is about what happens when a shepherd leads his sheep. But let's take one more look at psalms 23 2

Psalm 23:2 ESV

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

It's really hard for sheep to lie down. They're skittish and fearful and that they sense a threat or if they are afraid they won't lie down. The only time they lie down is when they feel safe and secure.

Also when cheaper around running water they get skittish and afraid that's why in the Psalm 23 it talks about still waters. Of course if you add on to this the reality that in the climate of Israel stillwaters were safe waters. Many times running water was dangerous water or water that was getting ready to flood. Resting calmly beside a pool of Stillwater describes a sheep who is well loved and cared for by their shepherd.

This same language describes our relationship with Jesus our Good Shepherd. Just knowing his presence in our life should free us to a life of peace and rest.

Perhaps that's the most important message you can hear this Christmas season. Perhaps that's what Jesus wants to remind you about that he wants you to enjoy his peace. You can count on him and he will never lead you. If you and I follow his leading in our life he will lead us to places where we can find provision and safety and peace. The greatest piece we could ever want was one for us on the cross, Jesus won peace with God. We have the peace that comes from knowing that God has forgiven and continues to forgive us. We have the peace that comes from knowing we can seek and receive forgiveness from those around us with boldness because of Jesus. We had the peace that comes from knowing we can trust God with our future.

Conclusion

How is God calling you to experience his peace today? Regardless of the sicknesses procedures financial woes impending recession and whatever else comes our way we must remember that we have a Good Shepherd who is watching over us. If we follow our shepherd we will enjoy his peace. If we walk daily with our shepherd we will enjoy his peace.

How is God calling you today to extract yourself from the stress and anxiety and worry of Christmas and to find the peace that comes from rusting in him?