The Good Shepherd

Introduction

In 2012 a New Zealander farmer made the news circuit. He and his wife had become famous for handcrafting custom pink tutus and placing them on their sheep. Even more than that, neighbors would tell reporters that they had seen the farmer teaching the sheep to what appeared to be dancing. When asked about what the neighbors had seen, the farmer simply replied, “the sheep are getting ready for their baaa-llet.”

I figured if Jason was going to start his messages with a dad joke I had to do the same.

Greeting

We are continuing in our Summer in the Psalms

Introduction to the Psalms

This morning, believe it or not even my dad joke is on topic.

See, we will be looking at Psalm 23 today.

I encourage you to join me there/Bible plug

Psalm 23 is ripe with imagery to help illuminate the beauty

Psalm 23 is a praise to God for who He is and what He does for us.

As David writes this Psalm he is reminded of all the Lord has done for him.

It is in this psalm of praise that David refers to God as his shepherd.

The Lord is my shepherd, - Psalm 23:1a

This is a very specific image that would have been in the mind of contemporary readers.

Shepherds may have lost some of that imagery today.

A shepherd would care for the sheep.

To watch over and nurture the sheep.

In fact it was common place for shepherds to sleep near the sheep to help keep them safe in the night.

At times they would guide the sheep into pens and the shepherds themselves would sleep across the gate entrance.

This help ensure that nothing was going in or out of the pen without their knowledge.

Shepherds would know their sheep and care for their sheep.

it is this image that comes to mind when David, himself a former shepherd, would have when writing this psalm.

And so David declares God as his shepherd.

After this declaration, David begins sharing how God is a shepherd.

A Shepherd Provides

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. - Psalm 23:1 (NIV)

The NLT states it as “I have all that I need” and the Messages translates it as “I don’t need a thing.”

What we see about shepherds through this text is this...

A shepherd provides.

See, as a shepherd cares for their flock, so the shepherd will make sure the flock has what they need.

A shepherd was not a very good shepherd if they did not provide for their flock.

Either because the flock would not grow and be malnourished, or because the flock would perish.

If a shepherd cares for their flock, they provide.

Therein, if God is a shepherd and cares for his flock, as we know He does, then like a shepherd, God will provide.

And this is evident everywhere we look!

This world we live in.

There air that we breathe.

Even this morning was a provision from God as we know that we are not promised a single day.

Scripture throughout reinforces the fact that God provides for His creation.

Even Jesus teaches on the provision of God.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” - Luke 12:22-31 (NIV)

It is all to easy to be wrapped up in earthly wants and desire.

Allowing our wants to consume us where it is all we focus, keeps our focus off of God.

The challenge is, that if we are consumed with our earthly wants and needs it pushes God out of the picture and shows our lack of faith in God and His provision.

If all we do is fuse our resources on providing for ourselves and do not allow time to be used for God, we do not allow room for faith in God that he will provide and shows that our focus is not on Him.

And that is amazing, that we have a God, a shepherd who provides.

We know that the ultimate provision is the victory we have through Jesus our Lord.

That God would provide a substitutionary sacrifice in our stead, a redeemer, one who would die in our stead, His Son, so that we may have victory over sin and death.

God is our shepherd.

He provides for our physical needs.

He provides for our spiritual needs.

I don’t need a thing.

But David’s analogy doesn’t end there.

A Shepherd Guides

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. - Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)

Going almost hand in hand, with providing Psalm 23 illuminates that...

A shepherd guides.

The imagery that David gives us is a shepherd guiding their flock to green pastures to rest and to eat, and then to still waters to drink and be refreshed.

A shepherd that cares for their flock guides their flock.

And much like that shepherd, we see throughout scripture that God guides His creation and His Church.

The story contained in the Bible is how a loving creator guided His fallen creation to redemption through Christ Jesus.

That after the fall of man, God would create a nation to guide and protect, and eventually that nation would bring forth a messiah, Jesus, to redeem the world.

And even after Jesus returned to His throne above, God sent the Holy Spirit to be with His Church until Jesus’s return.

And so as a shepherd guides their flock so has God guided His creation to the arrival of Jesus.

Moreover, God offers guidance for those who seek Him.

Through prayer, scripture and the Holy Spirit God continues to guide His Church.

Harkening back to a psalm that Jason looked at last week

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. - Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

Though there is an inherent challenge in that statement.

How does a lamp shine light if it is not lit.

How do you ask for guidance, if you do not listen?

God guides us through His word, but that means we must listen.

Spending time in prayer.

Spending time discerning and seeking the Spirit.

Spending time in the Scriptures.

These avenues allow us grow closer to God and seek out His guidance.

This is where we look to see how we can live for Him.

This is where we look to see how we can show love for others.

This is where we look to find peace.

God, through His word, through reaching out to Him in prayer, and through the Spirit guides us to green pastures and still waters.

It is how God refreshes our souls.

God is our shepherd.

He guides us in times of difficulties.

He guides us in times of peace.

He guides us to redemption and victory through Jesus.

A Shepherd Protects

Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” - Psalm 23:4-5 (NIV)

David writes how no matter where he is, no matter who comes against him, David knows that he is not alone.

David even mentions specifically two tools.

A rod used to fend off any wildlife that may be trying to make a meal out of the sheep.

A staff used for guiding sheep and for defense.

Both instruments that were used by the shepherd for the protection of the sheep.

And so we read that...

A shepherd protects.

Shepherds who care for their flock are ones who are ready and prepared to protect their sheep.

David understands that God, like a shepherd is a protector, a refuge for His people.

This idea is found all throughout scripture.

My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. - Psalm 62:7 (NIV)

It was God who protected Israel against her enemies.

It was God who protected the early church.

It is God who protects us now.

Now, I want to be specific here, because I know what can be so easily thought of.

If God protects us, why does it the life hurt so much.

Why do we lose loved ones.

Why do people hate.

I think Paul says it well in his second letter to the church in Corinth...

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV)

Paul is writing this to encourage the brothers and sisters as they follow God.

But it is a very real encouragement.

This life is hard. There will be times that you may feel pressed on every side, that you may be perplexed, persecuted, or struck down, yet there is always hope.

That even in life’s difficult moments God is there.

And that we have the hope of the ultimate victory.

While Paul writes about the reality of life, he also writes about the reality of victory through Jesus...

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. - Romans 8:31-33 (NIV)

All throughout scripture we see God’s people hurt and persecuted, yet God is with them, protecting them.

And we see the ultimate fruition of this protection through the saving power of Jesus, whose sacrifice protects us from the punishment we so rightfully deserve.

God is our shepherd.

He protects from our enemies.

He protects us from death.

His protection is our comfort.

Yet there ate just two more verse of this psalm.

A Shepherd Dwells

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. - Psalm 23:5-6 (NIV)

In the final imagery we see an intimate setting.

Scripture illuminates that...

A shepherd dwells.

A shepherds job was not a remote work.

A shepherd that cared knew their sheep.

After all they spent hours with the sheep.

Providing for them.

Guiding them.

Protecting them.

Dwelling with them.

As we even stated before, it was normal for a shepherd to even sleep near the sheep.

A shepherd dwelt with their flock.

As we know, we are blessed to have God dwell with us through the Holy Spirit.

That we are the temple of God and have the Spirit dwelling within us.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? - 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV)

Which is such amazing by itself.

That God has designated that we should receive His Spirit and He should dwell with us.

This is a great comfort in our life.

However, we also can know that fulfillment of dwelling with God is when we are called to be with Him in heaven.

While we see this idea throughout Scripture, one of my favorite descriptions is found in Revelation

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” - Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV)

And so while we may rest in the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells with us in this life.

We can truly rest in knowing that we will can have full communion with our creator.

God is our shepherd.

His Spirit dwells within us.

He promises to dwell with us forever.

And so David understood the promise of dwelling with God.

Conclusion

And so David pens a praise to God.

How He is our provider.

How He is our guide.

How He is our protector.

How He is our shepherd.

But there is one more wonderful thing we can talk about.

See, we can see more of God’s story.

David is not the only to refer to God as a shepherd.

Jesus, during His ministry reveals that He like the father is a shepherd for His people.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:11-15 (NIV)

Jesus is the good shepherd.

He is our provider.

He is our guide.

He is our protector.

He knows us and is our advocate.

It is through Him that we are redeemed.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. - Psalm 23