Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome

Good morning!

We’re so glad you’re here, whether you are here in person or joining us online, thank you for joining us this morning.

If you have your Bible with you, please open up to Psalm 23 this morning.

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Introduction

As a hospital chaplain, I have probably read this verse a couple hundred times over the last two years as I have ministered at the bedside when a loved one is gravely ill.

I have read it as my have passed into eternity and I have read it at funerals and memorials.

These words have brought comfort to millions… billions of people over the years.

Author, James Johnston, wrote...

Many people have taken false comfort from Psalm 23.

They want to believe that God is their Shepherd, but they do not listen to Christ or follow him.

None of God’s blessings come to us except though Jesus Christ.

Christ is the great Shepherd for God’s people.

If you do not belong to Jesus, God is not your Shepherd.

If you know Jesus and love him, Psalm 23 is for you.

James A. Johnston, Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41, ed.

R. Kent Hughes, vol. 1, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 245.

[pray]

Jesus is our Good Shepherd

The word here that is translated “Lord” in English, is the Hebrew word, adonai.

In the Old Testament, this word refers to God, Yahweh, Jehovah.

This psalm of David is saying that God is the Shepherd.

However, when Jesus spoke of Himself, He called Himself "the good shepherd"....

The good shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep.

Picking up on a theme we discussed last week, I told you that Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy: "The Lord knows his own" (2 Timothy 2:19).

The Shepherd knows his sheep and he will go to great lengths to take care of his sheep and protect them.

A little further down in the book of John, the Jews asked Jesus to tell them plainly if he was the Messiah...

Our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, knows who we are and he provides for us and protects us.

It could very well be that Jesus had Psalm 23 in mind when he said these things.

There are some takeaways that we can find in this psalm.

When we look at it from the perspective of Jesus being our Good Shepherd there are some things that we can understand… some expectations that we can draw from this beloved psalm.

Principle: Because I have a Good Shepherd, I shall not want...

The classic translation says this...

The classic Spanish translation says...

…which translated into English means… “I shall lack for nothing.”

This is likely the best and most literal translation of the original Hebrew.

WARNING: We must remember that this does not mean that God will automatically give us everything that we ask or desire.

Can you imagine how spoiled we would be if God gave us our every desire?

God is not in the business of granting wishes.

He is not a magic genie, nor is he a vending machine.

Rather, God cares for his sheep by providing for their needs.

Let’s take a look at some of our needs that are listed in this psalm...

Because I have a Good Shepherd, I shall not want for rest and refreshment.

This is a picture of abundant life.

The author of the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Philip Keller, say that sheep only lie down when they are safe and satisfied...

It is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.

Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.

Because of their social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind.

If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down.

Only when free of these pests can they relax.

Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food.

They must be free from hunger.

The shepherd has to provide for the physical, medical, social, and emotional needs of his sheep.

Our Good Shepherd does the same for us...

John 10:10b (CSB) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Even more deeply than our physical and emotional needs, the Good Shepherd cares for us spiritually as well.

The Good Shepherd provides for the needs of our souls...

Because I have a Good Shepherd, I shall not want for restoration and righteousness.

We have talked about this need for restoration and righteousness over the last several weeks as...

When one of us strays from God, the Spirit of God seeks us out and draws us back to God.

Jesus told the story of the shepherd that sought after the lost sheep to return it to the proper place...

This is restoration!

Isn’t that comforting to know when we lose our way—and let’s just be honest here, we ALL lose our way from time to time—Jesus cares enough to send his Spirit to draw us back up out of the weeds and get us on the right path again.

Brothers and sisters, has the Good Shepherd found you yet?

Some of you may be here today and feel that you have wandered far away from God.

You might have slipped into that condition inch by inch, but today you might be looking around saying to yourself “How did I get here?

Can there be any of this restoration for me?”

I have good news for you today.

You are not alone, someone is looking for you today.

The Spirit of God has led you here today with the purpose of bringing you back to his righteousness—that means that he wants to put you back onto a right path, back into his blessing, back into a prosperous relationship with him.

We talked about this idea of righteousness, of blessing, last week.

The Spirit will always be there pointing the way back to God.

We can find righteousness through relationship with Jesus, through relationship with his Word, and on the right path back to God’s glory.

This is the abundant life that God wants for you.

And if you follow him, you will live in that abundance of God’s provision.

But also God’s wants to provide for a secure life...

Because I have a Good Shepherd, I shall not want for protection in trouble.

There are times that our lives can seem dangerous and lacking.

When we get in these situations where we seem to be losing the game of life, our first thought is to question God.

“Are you sure about this God?

Do you think we’re going the right way?

It sure does look dangerous around here.

I’m not sure I can do this.”

I can tell you from having gone through years where it seems like I’m walking on thin ice that the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ has been there to catch me, just when I feel like I’m about to plunge into the icy abyss.

The best news that we can here is that Jesus promises to be with us.

When the going gets tough, the Good Shepherd is with his sheep and he protects his sheep.

“I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me” (23:4b).

Jesus reminded his followers before he ascended into heaven, and he reminds us...

Matthew 28:20b (CSB)

20b And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Psalms, Volume 1—Rejoice, the Lord Is King (Psalms 1 to 41) (Secure Life)

The Shepherd’s presence is the answer to our fear.

Jesus himself trusted God the Father through the valley of death—and God was faithful to him.

Jesus, our Shepherd, traveled through the valley of the shadow of death and came out triumphant on the other side.

We will not fear because our Shepherd is with us.

Principle: Jesus had a Shepherd in God and we also have a Shepherd.

We all walk through some dark valleys in life.

As a hospital chaplain I witnessed a lot of “the worst day ever” for people who started out their day never knowing that tragedy would strike before the end of the day.