Psalm 23

Summer Playlist

TLK 2

Bottom Line: Jesus shepherds His people through every season

Intro

In a series called Summer Playlist…. We are looking at a book of prayers in song form called the Psalms that proclaims the truth of God’s Word for different seasons of our lives… Many of these Psalms give us great insight into the identity of Jesus and the significance of His life in our own… Last week we learned two things…. Jesus is the ultimate sufferer of Psalm 22 and there is a way to walk through suffering that honors God

Today we are going to get a different illustration to help us better understand Jesus’ identity and how this one title Jesus holds doesn't just carry us through one specific season of life but rather any season we will ever find ourselves in.

Truth

Psalm 23→ written by David

v1) Shepherd→ Here is the title Jesus holds… How do we know it is Jesus….

1) LORD is YHWH→ personal name of God used by His chosen people to represent the personal intimate relationship He had with those people… Jesus is the personal intimate name we call on for a personal intimate relationship with our creator

2) Jesus claimed the title himself→ John 10:11

David used this title intentionally→ very powerful illustration→ Shepherd's life was dangerous, dirty, lonely, exhausting, and never ending…. Why?

Sheep are surprisingly helpless→ wander, get lost, get stuck, fall into ravines, can't get themselves up if they fall, no real survival instinct or defense→ in short… sheep are stupid→ because of this the Shepherd knew every sheep→ he noticed injuries, sickness, personalities, and habits of each sheep to make sure he was keeping them alive and taking care of them…. If Jesus is the shepherd in this thing, who is the sheep? WE ARE… but that’s for later… right now let’s focus on the shepherd

David gives us great insight into how the shepherd cares for the sheep

v2-3) the Shepherd provides→ sheep are helpless… remember that

guidance/direction→ walked a head of the flock… sheep had to listen to the voice of their shepherd…

Satisfaction→ finding food and water for the sheep, also finding places of calm and comfort for the sheep… peaceful quiet waters

Rescue→ risking their lives to save them, giving them renewed life through finding places with food and water

v4) the Shepherd protects→ sheep are virtually defenseless

Cannot outrun, hide from, or fend off enemies…. They completely depend upon the shepherd… David knew this more than anyone else… fought lions and bears as a shepherd… Interesting points… rod was used to protect while staff what used to provide guidance, rescue, and gentle correction

v5-6) the Shepherd prepares→ sheep have no future without their shepherd

Table→ story transitions from a typical shepherd setting to one of host and guest… the sheep is now an honored guest with a prepared table with all they need to be satisfied…. Sheep have a future hope… though, notice, the enemies are still present there is an abundance for the honored guest… Not the absence of enemies but rather the presence of the shepherd that guarantees the future

Covenant language→ hesed→ God’s Covenant love for his people… also reveals the purpose of the shepherd’s role… to get the sheep home safely→ not how easy the sheep got home… Their journey was going to consist of green pastures, and dark valleys… did my sheep make it through

The shepherd prepares the future of the sheep so that they may have life another day

What does this mean for us? → let’s go back to the beginning…

Psalm 23:1 and John 10:11→ Jesus is the good shepherd for His people as they journey to their final destination… Jesus shepherds His people through every season of life

Jesus provides through every season

Guidance→ John 10:27→ voice→ hearing/responding starts with getting into His word

Satisfaction→ John 10:10→ the abundant life is not based on the season but rather the savior→ Jesus provides lasting satisfaction→ John 6:35

Rescuing→ John 10:11→ the cross… Jesus did not just risk His life… He willingly gave it

Jesus protects through every season→ John 10:28

No matter the threat or the season… we have hope, refuge, and security in Christ

Jesus stands in between us and our greatest enemy… we no longer live in fear of anything but fear of the Lord… totally different fear

Jesus prepares through every season→ Romans 8:28, Ephesians 2:10

Jesus uses every season to prepare us to accomplish his purposes in us… examples

Ultimate goal of our good shepherd is to get us to the home he has prepared for us… that is the beauty of the gospel→ we are just stupid sheep… yet our shepherd has a beautiful future prepared for us… no matter the current season… we know what is to come

Application

Whatever season you find yourself in… Jesus is shepherding (providing, protecting, preparing)

Uncertainty → direction, wandering, a future work/plan to accomplish

Anxiety→ peace, lies, a different outlook on life (surrender)

Loneliness→ community, isolation, a season of belonging and hope

Blessing → the source, our hearts, a season of blessing others

The challenge is not knowing what season you are going through… rather how will we respond

Karate Sheep show→ sheep is the one providing, protecting, and preparing… the problem is… its a kids show… thats not reality… thats a lie… yet we do the same

Some of us are in green pastures→ life is good… the invitation of the lie is to take credit for the season… i did this… the invitation of the truth is to remain humble… being grateful and dependant on the Lord

Some of us are in the valley→ lie→ work yourself out of it, trust in your own ability, wallow in your own pity… truth→ trust the shepherd’s presences and leading

Some of us are sitting at the table at the end of a long journey or longing for a better future→ lie→ bitterness for the season that just happened or currently in…. Anxious about the future because you're not sure where it is heading… truth→ live in hope and faith produced in that past season, knowing this is not our final destination…

Whatever season you are in… who will you allow to shepherd you? Whose voice will you follow?

Jesus is shepherding→ are we following?