Untitled Sermon (2)

Psalm 23:1-4 (NIV)

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.

Psalm 23:5-6 (NIV)

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.

Introduction/Illustration

As a newborn baby, we enter into this world solely dependent on our parents. We all cry for our parents to let it be known, there is a need so they can offer comfort. As we grow from infancy to toddler, from toddler to childhood, from childhood to teenage, from teenage to adulthood, we gradually move from depending on our parents to making our own decisions. Saints, this process is called The Cycle of Life. In other words, it is the cycle for human growth and development.

As we are living life, we will depend on one another through family, friends, acquaintances, or work relationships. There are times when we depend on Professional Services for their expertise. We see a Licensed Counselor to reset our mind. We see a Medical Doctor to restore our health. On Sunday’s, we see the Shepherd of the House to receive the Word of Truth and comfort from Our Father, the Great Shepherd. We also depend on informal relationships. Informal relationships are formed when people interact with one another to get to know one another. We have a choice to keep the relationship or lose the relationship.

Psalm 23 was written by David. He was Jesse’s youngest son, the second and greatest of Israel’s kings, the eloquent poet and one of the most prominent figures in the history of the world (Ruth 4:17, 22; I Sam. 16: 13). Walking through the Old Testament, we see, hear, and feel the peaks and valleys that David experienced.

As a young child, David’s father trained him to tend to the sheep. Being the youngest in the family, he was a responsible and accountable child. Oh! This was pleasing in the sight of God. God gave him a BIG job promotion. He was chosen and elevated from a Shepherd to the King of Israel by God Himself.

For a time such as this, do you have a personal relationship Our Father, the Great Shepherd?

This morning, we will focus our attention on verses one through four. In the text, David reflects on his Dependence on God. The Parent-Child Relationship here is the interaction between the Lord as Shepherd and the sheep. This relationship is important because it is the foundation for David’s growth and development.

Walking with the Shepherd (v. 1)

When walking through the valley, we can ALWAYS depend on the greatest Shepherd of All Times.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing - David reflects on his relationship with God. David has an authentic, genuine, and real relationship with God. So there are no issue when it comes to dependence on God. You may ask, what is dependence on God? Dependence on God means to be ALL IN with Him – trusting in is His power, His wisdom, and His guidance. Dependence on God is needed whether we are walking through the green pastures or walking the valley.

When you are walking with Jehovah - Rohi, the Lord of Shepherds, the Shepherd of Shepherds, you walk with peace.

Walking with Peace (v. 2)

When walking through the valley, we can walk in the Peace of God.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul - David reflects on his inner peace with God. He depends on God for his relational, physical, spiritual, and emotional peace. God cares for His sheep when we are walking into the valley, walking through the valley or walking out of the valley. He satisfies our hunger with spiritual food through the Word of God and he quenches our thirst with waters of refreshment through the Spirit of God. He satisfies our hunger with plenty of grass to eat and plenty of water to drink. This spiritual nourishment is needed to give us life peace of mind.

When you are walking with the Shepherd, you walk in harmony.

Walking in Obedience (v. 3)

When walking through the valley, we can realign ourselves for restoration.

He guides me along the right paths - David reflects on his obedience to the voice of God. In John10:27-30, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” God promised to lead us, guide us, and direct us. We are His sheep so He already know we will wander and lose our sense of direction. But we must be obedient to His Word, His Will, and His Way to stay on the right path and not stray away. God gives us guidance day by day through prayer, His Scripture, and His Spirit.

When you are walking with the Shepherd, you walk by faith.

Walking with Confidence (v. 4) companion

When walking through the valley, we can walk with our Protector, our Comforter, our Counselor, and our Keeper.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me – David reflects on the protection of God. The protection of God is the indwelling Spirit of God. In 2 Timothy 1:14, Apostle Paul says, Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. God promised to be with us during the darkest times so fear no evil.

David reflects on how the presence of God gives him peace in the midst of the dangerous situations. He says, even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with mebecause God is with him. Valleys can be dangerous place because the enemies can ambush from the high ground above to attack. Our Shepherd is our Protector, the One who will lead us, guide us, order our steps, and keep us from evil. The Lord promised, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”(Exodus 33:14).

When you are walking with the Shepherd, you walk without fear.

Relevant News …

Continue to pray for the families of the two teens that were fatally shot by an Onondaga County Sheriff's deputy. Here again, we have another senseless shooting by a police officer.

Last Friday, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson urged Americans not to shy away from uncomfortable facts about the history of violence against Black Americans.

Her remarks were part of a ceremony at the 16th Street Baptist Church marking the 60th anniversary of the racist 1963 bombing of the building, in which four young Black girls were killed.

She says, “If we are going to continue to move forward as a nation, we cannot allow concerns about discomfort to displace knowledge, truth or history. It is certainly the case that parts of this country’s story can be hard to think about,” Jackson said. “We cannot forget because the uncomfortable lessons are often the ones that teach us the most about ourselves. ... We cannot learn from past mistakes we do not know exist," she added.

As black and brown people, we experience racism, classism, sexism, ageism and all the other ism that’s impacting our community. We are oppressed in our schools, on our jobs, and our communities. Jesus was also oppressed and killed by the Romans, the Europeans, but one Friday, He got up and gave His life for us.

Closing

In closing, God is calling us to shift our dependency from mankind to God Himself. He will always be our Shepherd, and we will always be His sheep. Amen

Call To Action / Decision/Response to Christ

Who is your Shepherd, your Protector, your Comforter, and your Counselor? Are you the sheep that strayed away? Are you the one? Today is your day …