Dining with the Devil. (Psalm 23)

(serve communion 1st)

Now for my farewell sermon here I have prayed for and asked God to lead me.

When a pastor leaves it can leave an empty feeling because the pastor and their family has belonged to a fellowship.

it has seen and became use to being a part of the congregregation.

it’s usually a long process to find another pastor. It’s almost like a death occurred.

So I have prayed long and hard about what would be a good message for something that’s speaks to death but also gives hope.

Something that would summarize my tenor here as Pastor.

One of the most familar passages you hear at a funeral is Psalm 23. As it talks about death but also gives hope in the midst of it.

Let’s read...

Psalm 23:1–6 (NIV)

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Now we have to remember something important. That this isn’t our Church. It’s God’s Church.

He is the leader of it. Not the pastor. Not the music leader, and not the board or anyone else.

This week I want share with you some things that we don’t lack when the Lord is our Shepherd!

The first is...

We Shall not lack direction

v4a.- Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I seen a picture online that said “Being a Pastor is a walk in the park…then underneath it, was a picture of Jurrassic Park and dinosaurs chasing someone off.

As a pastor you will face conflict but more so you will walk with people through the valley of the shadow of death.

Whether it’s someone with cancer, a suicide, someone losing a child, or a freak accident. There are many ways in which you walk with people through death.

in Psalm 23 Some modern translations say it’s “a valley dark as death,” The word itself does not necessarily mean death; but by definition a dark place is a dangerous place.

The valley of the shadow of death conjures thoughts of a dangerous situation where a sheep's life is in jeopardy unless the shepherd is alert and attentive.

The path through the valley is also one of the paths of righteousness in which God leads. "He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me . . . "

But why would a good shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep lead a lamb into a valley filled with danger and death threats?

There's only one possible answer: "To get them to a better place!"

Think about Jesus, when he taught the disciples to pray the “Lords prayer”-lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil

In Matthew 4 it says “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil”

secondly...

We Shall not lack protection

v4b.-I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

It is important to note that “the valley of the shadow of death” is as much God’s right path for us as the “green pastures” which lie beside “quiet waters.”

That is, the Christian life is not always easy or, as we say, a mountain-top experience.

God gives us valleys too. It is in the valleys with their trials and dangers we develop character.

Now Sheep are one of the dumbest creatures. They will lead themselves to just walk over a cliff unless directed otherwise by the Shepherd and His staff.

Shepherds also don’t allow sheep to drink from running water because while sheep are bending down to drink they have the risk of falling in and getting hurt.

Instead Shepherds would draw water from wells.

Yet when we experience the valley and it’s difficulties there is this hesitancy as we face the unknown.

The problem is fear. What is the answer to it? Clearly, the answer is the shepherd’s close presence, for he is the only one who can protect the sheep and calm our anxieties.

We are never so aware of the presence of God as when we pass through life’s valleys.

Thirdly...

We shall not lack provision

v5.-You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

verse 5 states that God prepares a table for David in the presence of his enemies.

This is a reference to a meal or a feast. Now David is called by God and anointed by God so he is under God’s protection and care.

So even in the prescence of his enemies he had nothing to be afraid of.

Now we might think more of, how God provides what’s on the table. That is true too.

We give God thanks for what he has provided

but…

what I think God wants us to focus on here in the 23rd Psalm is not what’s on the table but who David is at the table with.

and who we can be at the table with.

David, even though he is a king is seated with the King of Kings. This is a one on one conversation with the Lord!

David says you have set a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Now this doesn’t mean his enemies were sitting with him at the table.

When we are in someone’s presence, it could mean that they are just lingering around.

Close enough to hear and see but not close enough for it to be intimate.

A pastor named Loui Giglio said he recieved a text from someone that would change his life forever.

It said “Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table”

Remember Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may steal, kill, and destroy”.

He may be in our presence but it doesn’t mean we have to give him a seat at our table!

Loui Giglio explained an example with this. “Now remember our enemy isn’t flesh and blood. Our enemy is the principalities of this dark work.”

Loui said he was out at a restaurant with his wife celebrating her birthday.

A gentleman comes up to him and says “I know who you are. You are Pastor Loui Giglio!”

He replies well, yes I am. I am having a birthday dinner with my wife.

The man says well I just wanted to come over and say hello. Sorry to intrude. Then he left.

A few minutes goes by and pastor Loui see’s the same guy start walking over toward his table again.

Loui looks around to see if the man left his cell phone or watch on the table but he see’s nothing.

The man comes over and say’s “Pastor Loui, last night I had a dream about you. God spoke to me and here you are. Do you mind if I have a seat here at your table?

Pastor Loui says, “Actually yes I do. I do mind. I am trying to have a birthday dinner with my wife so will you please leave!”

That’s what it means to not give the enemy a seat at your table.

We have allowed the enemy access to our conversations, attitudes, emotions, the way we respond to people, and the way we view situations.

We have allowed the enemy to enter our story. We are, in essence, having a conversation with a killer at our table.

Now what happens when someone sits at our table?

Sometimes they will take what isn’t theirs, right? They will start picking the grapes of our plate, or the cheese, or even start drinking from our cup.

Now it was custom and an act of hospitality in biblical times that when a guest would come, that you would anoint their head with oil and they were also to fill the guests cup up to the very brim or top as a expression of their generosity.

The enemy comes though to take your anointing, and to take from the cup that you have been given.

We have a Good Shepherd though, and He promises that if we come to Him every day, that if we allow him to sit at our table.

He will anoint our head with oil and our cup will overflow.