Jehovah Ra'ah

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SERIES DESCRIPTION: In this series, Knowing God, Pastor Shawn explores what Scripture reveals about God through His names and titles. What does it mean that He is Jehovah Ra’ah, “The LORD My Shepherd”? Psalm 23 reveals the personal nature of our Shepherd, because if we don’t know Him as our Shepherd, we’ll spend our lives trying to lead ourselves and wander where we were never meant to go.

Altar Instructions: Please come up when read the key verse for for the last point “A Shepherds job is to PROTECT: Ps: 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

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Check: Send Clip notes to Anthony, Krista, Clay

Series | Knowing God

Pre-Message Welcome

Grace Place family! It’s awesome to have you here with us today, whether in person or online.

I’m Shawn, and along with my wife, we serve as the Co-Pastors of this incredible church.

At The Grace Place, our mission is clear: we are Caring People, Caring for People.

We pray that you experience God’s care in our time together and in your life.

Spanish Welcome - 2nd Service ONLY!

A nuestra familia de habla hispana .... Bienvenidos… es-pera-mos que usted… y su familia.. se-sien-tan bien a-tend-idos también.

To our Spanish speaking family... welcome, we hope you and your family feels cared for as well.

Transition: This week we are in week 5… of our series called…

Series | Knowing God

Series Intro

This series is all about discovering how the Names of God… bring definition and clarity to who God is

The challenge is this… everyone is trying to define God….

Here is the reality…

We DON’T get to name Him becuase he has already done that for us… through … The Word of God

Didn’t Pastor Krista do amazing last week…

I could tell is was a special service- My friend Mark I'm driving home Sunday afternoon… wiping our tears … as Krista was telling her story of giving birth to Eli.

It’s Good to know God as Jehova Nissi and Jehovah Shalom - our banner and God is PEACE…

If your wondering… What happened to me AGAIN… I race Mountain bikes on occasion.. this last weekend at my key event of the year… the mountain got the best of me during my warm up…

As they say, it’s not about how you fall… it’s about… how you get -up… that matters…

Honestly… Thank you for your prayer’s, and concern.

Open your Bibles to… Ps 23…

TEXT: Ps. 23 ESV

David, the shepherd boy… Mighty Warrior and author of this psalm.

Takes his experience as a shepherd… used the imagery of a shepherd to describe.. how he was SO BLESSED by the Yahweh… the Shepherd.

Ps. 23:1…

23 A PSALM OF DAVID 1  The LORD(Jehovah) is MY (Ra’ah)… my SHEPHERD; I shall not want. 2  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3  He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

***Feel free to encourage people to listen to the Holy Spirit speak to them personally as the message is preached

LETS PRAY

Transition: the title of our message today is...

Sermon Title | He is Jehova Ra’ah

If we don’t get this today… here’s…

What’s at stake?

Let's look at it on the screen together.

If we don’t know God as our Shepherd, we’ll spend our lives trying to lead ourselves, and eventually wander somewhere we were never meant to go.

Let’s discover what God is saying to us…. As he reveals himself as….

Jehova Ra’ah

Today… I want to look at… Ps 23 through the Lens of a…. Shepherds-Job-Description… which David gives it to… us right here in Psalm 23. This psalm is worthy of its own 8-week series…. We don't have time for that today, so I'm going to pick out Four of the key directives…

1st…. IN YOUR NOTES…

A Shepherd’s Job is to PROVIDE (Ps. 23:2a)

***Clay please put this text up on the screen underneath this point

We see this in Ps 23:2a…

Psalm 23:2a (ESV) He makes me LIE DOWN in green pastures.

He makes me what…. “Lie Down” … in where?

A shepherds job was to lead the sheep to pastures…

That we’re overflowing with green grass…

So they would have plenty to eat. …

So they would not anxious for their next meal…

These knew they are well cared… for… so they can relax…

In the book "A Shepherd's Look at Psalms 23," Philip Keller, describes….

That It's almost impossible for a sheep to rest or lie down… unless (Someone say UNLESS)… they have all their needs met.

Can anybody relate?

listen… Rest is the sign of a spiritually mature beleiver - they know they know their shepherd is dependable.

What is God saying as he call’s Himself Jehovah Ra’ah?

IN YOUR NOTES…

God is saying I am PROVIDING for you.

You can relax. …When you follow me… you will NOT LACK spiritual nourishment.

You will well fed (Someone say AMEN lol)… so well taken care of… that you will have NO NEEDS… You shall not lack…

Can you imagine a life of NO NEEDS!

No one to prop you up - or make you feel good about yourself.

No one to defend or protect you…

No… Physcal, Emotional SPIRITUAL needs…

God says I AM - your shepherd… who takes care of your NEEDS…

Now, I didn’t say wants I said needs…

He Provides for us through…

The Word of God, prayer…

The body of Christ… the church

and In Supernatural ways

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: What do you need the Shepherd to provide for you today?

Tell him…

imagine what life would be like as he began to fill this need of yours

So… start seeking his provision, in…

The Word of God, prayer…

The body of Christ… the church

and In Supernatural ways

We’re talking about…

Jehovah Ra’ah our Shepherd

If we were to write out the JOB DESCRIPTION of an ancient shepherd…

David tells us. …His Job is to PROVIDE -

The next thing… IN YOUR NOTES…

A Shepherd’s Job is to RESTORE (Ps. 23:2b-3a)

***Clay please put this text up on the screen underneath this point

We see this in Ps 23:2b-3a…

Psalm 23:2b–3a (ESV) …2b. He leads me beside STILL WATERS. 3a. He RESTORES my soul….

We will get tired along the journey of life… we will be UNSETTLED… we will need restoration.

Some of you run at 100 mph… And never stop… You have a constant need to strive… And achieve…

God is saying to us… We can only experience restoration. When We move slow beside His still waters.

There is something about the serenity… of quiet and still waters…

One of the things I love to do is park by the lake… and just sit with the Lord

It’s my go to place when I am unsettled and need restoration in my soul.

Friends, you can only go so fast for so long before you need restoration….

God leads his Sheep to the water for refreshment, rest and cleansing:

If sheep are NOT led to still CLEAN water… they get restless… anxious… and start drinking from polluted and dirty waters.

Some of you have drunk and are drinking from polluted waters and have gotten sick…

What is God saying as he call’s Himself Jehovah Ra’ah?

IN YOUR NOTES…

God is saying I am RESTORING you.

I am here to settle your soul… Through still waters

I'm here to …Restore your marriage. Restore your sanity. Restore your health. Restore your career.

Did you know When sheep fall down… they are 100% Dependent upon their Shepherd to restore them:

Philip Keller talks about how a shepherd restore’s a “cast” sheep or fallen sheep

When a cast sheep falls… it rolls onto its back and cannot get upright. It panics and struggles, which makes matters worse. Left there, it can die. The shepherd finds it, turns it upright, holds it, massages its legs to restore circulation, and patiently steadies and comforts it… until it can stand and walk again.

Has God done that for you…?

PERSONAL STORY:

I wish I could tell you that I've always walked on the straight path… That I've always made the right decisions, always trusted God, and never found myself in a place where I needed Him to pick me back up.

But that's not my story…

I didn’t surrender my life to Christ until I was 18 years old… my life was messy, I was not the kind of guy you would have wanted your daughters to marry… I had a lot of sin habits to be delivered from, I had a lot of emotionally and relational dysfunctions to work out of my life…

Someone say…. But God…

But the GOOD Shepherd… left the 99 for me…

He found me…. crying out in my room one night…

I was cast… i couldn’t help myself up..

He gently put me on my feet… comforted me…

Friends when you fall your Shepherd… doesn’t leave you there struggling helplessly…

He gets down in the dirt with you… knees to the ground… chest / to mess…

He is not worried about soiling his fit… as he picks you up and puts you back on your feet… steady’s you… patently waits by your side… until he know’s your ok.

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: Can you think of a time that Jesus restored your soul?

What was it like…, how did it feel, how did it change the direction of your life?

Maybe you need him to restore you right now….

Trans

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We’re talking about…

Jehovah Ra’ah our Shepherd

If we were to write out the JOB DESCRIPTION of an ancient shepherd…

I would say

His Job is to PROVIDE…

His Job is to RESTORE…

The next thing… IN YOUR NOTES…

A Shepherd’s Job is to DIRECT (Pss. 23:3b)

***Clay please put this text up on the screen underneath this point

We see this in Ps 23:3b

Psalm 23:3b (ESV) …He LEADS me in PATHS of RIGHTEOUSNESS for his name’s sake.

God is not taking us on a random journey…

He is leading us to a life of Righteousness…

He is saying… hey over here…

This is WHERE I want you to go…

This is WHAT I want you to do,

This is WHO I want you to be.

We begin to realize…. Our old ways no longer look good on us….

When the shepherd picked me up - I had to follow him where he was directing.

If I stayed home… in the environment I was in… I had very little chance of becoming who God wanted me to be.

I had to leave, I had to learn how to do things different… it was time for me to BE WHO GOD CALLED me to be.

It's time for me to Take responsibility for my own actions. And stop repeating. What I learned in my family of origin

So… At 18 years old… with barley enough money in my pocket for the 1st month of ministry training school… and a one way ticket to Phoenix Arizona… I embark on the greatest journey of my life… as the shepherd lead me… My calling became clear…. And I met the greatest gift… Of my life… My Wife.. She was the cutest sheep in the pasture :)

What is God saying as he call’s Himself Jehovah Ra’ah?

IN YOUR NOTES…

God is saying I am DIRECTING you.

Do you hear him?

Are you letting him Lead You… Or are you still trying to control?

It’s amazing to me that even wandering sheep hear his voice…

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: How might God be directing me at this moment in my life?

Write out what you are sensing him saying, pray about it, ask him for clarity, submit it to a mentor or friend who will parter with you in prayer.

We’re talking about…

Jehovah Ra’ah our Shepherd

If we were to write out the JOB DESCRIPTION of an ancient shepherd…

I would say

His Job is to PROVIDE…

His Job is to RESTORE…

His Job is to DIRECT…

The next thing… IN YOUR NOTES…

A Shepherd’s Job is to PROTECT (Ps. 23:4)

***Clay please put this text up on the screen underneath this point***Clay please put this text up on the screen underneath this point

We see this in Ps 23:4…

Psalm 23:4 ESV

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

Even though I what? “Walk”… Walk where?… through difficulty… when evil is present.. I know I can be okay because God will protect me.

Church… did you know there is a real enemy… his name is Satan… he does not want you to follow Christ… he will make every excuse in the book for you… he will get you to believe lies about Gods permissiveness… lies about his Character… he will try to draw you away from the flock…

Here is the problem for sheep…

Sheep are defenseless.. animals… against the enemy…

The best they got is to play dead or give a big baaahhhh.. baaaahhh i don’t know about you thats not very Intimidating…

Do you realize how defenseless you are against the enemy? Without the help of Christ

Do you realize how defenseless you are, even as a believer? When you walk outside of this protection… When you position yourself outside the flock You are vulnerable…

What is the Shepherd's response to our inability to defend ourselves?

Shepherds say… his purpose for carries a ROD & as a primary weapon against predators.

It was also used for correction, not to BEAT the sheep… but they describe the rod more like a club… describing the shepherd throwing it near a wandering sheep to turn it away from poisonous plants or danger.

It was also used was used for inspection, the shepherd could part the thick wool and carefully examine the sheep for wounds, disease, or other hidden problems

He would also carry a staff that was hook shaped at the top…

The shepherd could use the hook to dtaw a sheep toward himself, guide it along a path, or reach an animal that had gotten into difficulty.

Friends Good is our GOOD shepherd…FIGHTING battles for us, some that we see and others we can not!

So when David says, “Your rod comforts me,” he's saying...

I can rest because my Shepherd is armed.

There are things I cannot fight that my Shepherd can.

When your in a dark ally with the biggest guy on the block… there is not much that you fear!

What is God saying as he call’s Himself Jehovah Ra’ah?

IN YOUR NOTES…

God is saying I am PROTECTING you.

Could you imagine a worry free life… knowing that you are PROTECTED… that God has GOT YOUR BACK!

He is using his staff right now as some of you are about to Wander into the biggest mistake of your life… And he's pulling you back to protect you.

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: What do you need God to protect you from?

Some times he takes care of the situation for you.

Sometimes he’ll give you wisdom to take care of it yourself.

Close

PAUSE -CLIP BEGINING

As David considers how wonderful it is to have a God our Shepherd…

We too can see… how blessed we are… To have a good shepherd that

Provides, restores, Directs and protected us.

God is… Jehovah Ra’ah. “The LORD OUR Shepherd.”

When we have fallen over - And helpless to pick ourselves up

The Good Shepherd leaves the 99… To find the one

To find you…

PAUSE -CLIP ENDING

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The Old Testament was constantly pointing people forward to Jesus…

***Clay please the following 2 Scriptures on 1 screen slide if possible. If it is not.. the lets settle for the last 3 new testament passages on one slide and Isa. as its own.

Psalms 23 teases us up with shepherd imagery…. Isa the Profit in ch 40:11 was pointing us forward to a coming Messiah says That would be like a shepherd.

It says….

Isaiah 40:11 (NIV) He tends his flock like a SHEPHERD: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

As we move into the New Testament… Jesus reveals this of himself in Jn 10:14

John 10:14 (ESV) I(Jesus) am the GOOD SHEPHERD. I know my own and my own know me,

I am the Good Shepherd that you have been waiting for…

Friends… if you have NOT looked into God…if he is NOT your home… your center…today is the Day for SALVATION

So today… if you do NOT know Jesus as your Lord and Savior today is your day…

Salvation Altar Call

I believe Jesus is here today, and He wants to save you. Salvation simply means to deliver or to free. It’s not just about delivering you…

It’s about believing

Believing in Jesus means trusting what He say’s—about sin, and eternal punishment, thats the bad news.

The good news is this… that His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins, making us right with God.

Ephesians 2:8 reminds us: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Salvation requires two things:

1. God’s Grace—His undeserved gift of forgiveness and life because of His love for you.

2. Faith—placing your trust in Him for salvation.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to save you, today is your day. If you’d like ask him… , raise your hand.

I want to invite you to Repeat a prayer after me

· There is nothing magical in this prayer.. it simply is a way of declaring to Jesus what has taken place in your heart.

Here is how I would like to end the service for everyone else….

Call to Action Altar Call

We’re going to end the service with A question as we do nearly every week.

ALL ACROSS THE ROOM – HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT spoken to you in anyway today?

The Good Shepherd… Provides, restores, Directs and protected us.

I am drawing near the shepherd…

Come near… to say Thank you

Resources

Book: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, by Phillip Keller (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976)

Book: The Bible Knowledge Commentary by Dallas Seminary Faculty (Victory Books, 1983)

Going Deeper

What stuck out to you the in this passage? Ps. 23

What do you need the Shepherd to provide for you today? Ps. 23:2a

Can you of a time that Jesus restored your soul? Ps. 23:b-3a)

How might God be directing me at this moment in my life? Ps. 23:3b

What do you need God to protect you from? Ps. 23:4

What might the Holy Spirit be saying to you in light of this teaching?

How might the Holy Spirit want to transform you in light of this teaching?

What actions might the Holy Spirit want to take in light of this teaching?

Tongues & Interpretation

1. To STRENGTHEN the Church (1 Cor14:5)

For prophecy is greater than SPEAKING in TONGUES, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be STRENGTHENED.

Believers, God has operated through this gift today to strengthen you today. Let your faith be strengthened and know that God is in control and using supernatural measures to speak to us.

2. Is a SIGN for unbelievers. (1Cor. 14: 21a, 22)

1 Corinthians 14:21–22 (ESV)

In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

22 -  So you see that speaking in tongues is a SIGN, not for believers, but for UNBELIEVERS.

The Bible explains to us God has chosen to use this gift to be a sign for you. A sign for what? It is a sign of his realness for those of you who have been doubting or questioning the existence of God. He wants you to know he is REAL and he wants to bring you spiritual life and health. If you're in here today and you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior... he wants you to know he has gone to great lengths to show you his love today. (Great opportunity for a salvation altar call if it fits).