The Good Shepherd

Introduction

The way we describe things brings differing aspects to light.

If we talk of the church as a business, we start thinking in legal and tax terms, with a constitutions and statements of belief, church discipline, and budgets. We immediately jump out of the ordinary thoughts of the church and move to a differing level. This is why using God’s definitions is so important. It highlights what God wants to show us.

Sometimes we see the Church as the Family of God. Here is a definition that God gave. It shows and emphasizes relationships. There are parents, brothers, sisters, authority, responsibilities, and family squabbles.

Yet the Church is more than a lose knit family, holding together. In Timothy is the called the Pillar and Support of the truth. It is given the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. I speaks for God. This brings to mind a fortress that is with standing the enemy. Sometimes the warfare is in the open, but often it is through deceit and infiltration. It has been said that Satan intimidates, then imitates, than infiltrates. The only weapons against this are holding to the truth.

Yet here is another metaphor for the church and our relationship with God. God is the Good Shepherd. This of course is also what Jesus taught”

Isaiah 40:11 “11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.”

Ezekiel 34:15 “15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God.”

John 10:11 “11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

The First Characteristic of the Good Shepherd

Psalm 23:1 “1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

The Lord is my Shepherd

We must first come to a sad conclusion. Not everyone can say that the Lord is His Shepherd.

What does this imply?

It implies obedience and a willingness to follow God wherever He leads.

Matthew 7:15–23 “15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Here are men in Shepherds clothes. The look like a Shepherd and Smell like a shepherd.

But are they

inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

What are the signs that Jesus warns about?

There fruit is awful.

They practice lawlessness.

God’s law and righteous living are not followed.

They claim God’s grace covers my sin so I can have my sins....

David on the other hand states with the Spirits witness that The Lord is His Shepherd.

He fell, yes, but he also repented in scripture. and immediately when being confronted by Nathan the Prophet.

He also shows a life where he was willing to suffer and even die for the Glory of God’s name.

This is why He fought with Goliath.

It is why He didn’t kill Saul.

The First Characteristic of a follower of the Shepherd.

“ I shall not want!”

We often talk of how the Lord’s sheep aren’t to be fearful or anxious. Philippians 4:6–8 “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Yet our change in heart goes beyond that.

We are to have our minds set on God, on God’s glory and to comfortable in His provisions.

Has He provided for today? Rejoice. Are you worried about tomorrow? repent!

God’s people are content. They trust in the Lord so neither worry nor are fearful, nor lust after the riches of this world.

1 John 2:15–16 “15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

Here it is spelled out. Don’t love the World! Don’t get your eyes caught up in it. Keep you eyes on God.

Colossians 3:1–3 “1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Notice also that God provide 2 things for us.

Psalm 23:2 “2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”

We Lie down in green pastures.

Notice both parts here. We rest in a place of plenty. We are harried and scurrying around, fearful of every sound. We are resting in a place of plenty.

The second part is that he leads us besides still waters.

Sheep are dumb. The bump and push to get to water. If the water was rough and they were pushed in, there fur gets wet and they sink. They die.

The smart shepherd plans for this and leads them to still waters, a place where there isn’t current to carry them, and the depth is shallow. even if they are push in, they can get back out.

What is David talking about with this Illustration?

First this is good provisions. God does provide for His own with care.

Green Pastures are also probably the words of God.

David would have known that God provided Manana in the wilderness.

Deuteronomy 8:3 “3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Amos 8:11 “11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.”

Here David is probably thinking of more than bread, but that God has given us His word to lead us, to provide for us.

God law was a good law, His wisdom is true wisdom. We might not like it, but it is unalterably true. We can trust and build on it.

It is also the perfect food for us. It is a green pasture for sheep in need, and place to rest our souls.

We find our comfort in our knowledge of God.

It rests us and sustains us.

The Water was a common way of Speaking of God’s Spirit.

Water in the Wilderness that came from the Rock. Numbers 21:16–18 “16 From there they went to Beer, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well! All of you sing to it— 18 The well the leaders sank, Dug by the nation’s nobles, By the lawgiver, with their staves.” And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah,”

Isaiah 44:3 “3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;”

Psalm 1:1–3 “1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

John 7:38–39 “38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Here we see a much greater fuller picture. When Christ takes about water it is the water of the word and of the Spirit.

Why is it important to us today?

AS we meet for the Lords Table, we as well have two elements. The bread and the cup.

These are similar and fuller pictures than Davids, even more abundant in ability.

We have the bread which is the body of Christ which was broken for us.

This is the where we rest, knowing that in the broken body of Christ, our sins were punished. It is our comfort. Our Love.

1 On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain: So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.

We also have the cup of juice that is the remembrance of His shed blood.

It is a peaceful cup. The agony of the cross has purged the guilt and carried the iniquity. It is a calm joyous cup as it will be drunk again with our Lord. The Judgment was carried by another and it is finished.