Psalm 23

one bite you to turn your Bibles to Psalm 23 we are carrying on the sermon series in our season of Lent and this is our next song We Remember that the season of Lent is designed to bring us into repentance and bring us into a posture of Greater humility a greater awareness for our need for God and so this song Will help us to do that. What's more the circumstances of our time now the world that we're living in all soaked us into this? And so this is a very a very timely portion of scripture. I feel for the state of the world the state that were in. And so we want to proceed along together with this so Psalm 23 how you can follow along in your bibles are on screen. The scripture reads this way. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want he makes me lie down in Green Pastures. He leads me beside Still Waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in Paths of righteousness for his namesake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This is the word of the Lord.

this song

Declares one overarching and magnificent and comforting truth and not the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want

The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want it's been the comfort of so many people so many individuals.

How many times has this scripture been turned to?

When there is doubt or when there is grief or when there is uncertainty or when there is pain that the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

except We do want.

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want and then sometimes the question comes back, but I am in want.

I do want

think of what we're living through right now in the scene of a global pandemic.

No one is ready for this. No one at least seemed ready for the extent that this would the toll that this would take on our society at Large.

It so we can say the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want but it becomes the reality that I am in one time. I'm in want of of answers. In the midst of a lot of doubt and a lot of questions. I'm in want for those things. I didn't want of guidance. This is uncertain. These are uncharted waters that we're all operating and in a lot of ways. I want that kind of guidance.

I'm in want of peace.

And circumstances that uproot my security and my well-being.

But even in the better times were in the best of times.

he on X of a pandemic or the global economy starting to tank we read these words. The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want and we think to ourselves like I still feel want. I'm in want of more time. I'm in want of Better Health. I'm in want of a better means for myself. I'm in want of better relationships. I am. I am in want.

but this is not where the song starts it's where the song begins.

The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want.

This song declares and describes why we will not be in once when God is our Shepherd. Why in the midst of times like this or in the midst of any number of Uncertain and critical and difficult and hard times?

The Lord Is Our Shepherd

And so as much as David who is the author of the song declares this he also describes an away instructing about the parameters and elements that we look to as we place our faith in God is our Shepherd.

So if the Lord is my shepherd. And I will not be in want I should know why that is the case.

Read together recess he makes me lie down in Green Pastures. He leads me beside Still Waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in Paths of righteousness for his namesake.

Green Pastures and Still Waters

seem Serene and it seems to cure and it's the Declaration that the Lord who is Our Shepherd leads us into these places of Peace material senses of Peace. The Green Pastures would be where the shepherd would roam in the midst of an arid climates Green Pastures were not a simple matter to come by. So the Good Shepherd would lead his flock.

But would need to search for Green Pastures a place where the flock could feed and sustain themselves where they could live for one more day.

Leads me beside Still Waters because not all Waters were suitable for drinking.

It doesn't take much research to discover that sheep are notoriously thick-headed animals and you couldn't just simply leave them by a rushingbrook and and think that they would be able to to get water for themselves. The water needed to be still it needed to be in a place that was safe A place that it was still that they could get the water they needed.

Lord Is Our Shepherd and we will not be in want for the material things that we need and that seems counterintuitive

Where you see? Stores being bought out of a various things. Are you see the ever encroach and pressure on your employment?

You say I don't I don't have. Green Pastures or Still Waters then we have to proceed onward.

Because our Shepherd Are Good Shepherd does not leave us in the wilderness. He leads us to Green Pastures and to Still Waters.

What's more it says that he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. This idea path of righteousness isn't the fact that God accomplishes righteousness for us for our safe. But that right are they are right ways instead of crooked ways. He leads us in Paths of righteousness pads that are straight and pads that show us. This is the way to proceed.

And so when you are materially sustained and when you are showing the way that you are shooting that you should go you are lead into peace and the Lord is my shepherd and I will not be in want because he leads us in the peace.

He leads us into peace.

All of these buildings to the reality that you find in the very heart of this section is that he restores my soul.

that idea of restoration is the idea that things will turn back to the way that they used to be things will go back into end and when you think about there so many questions that are happening right now about the pandemic and about are the impact in his having on our society will what's the single greatest question that people are are bringing back again and again, and again, it's this idea when will things get back to the way they were

When will Things become restored?

Okay, so you want to restore and rightly? So you want to restore Society back into the the states that it maybe once was in the state of comfort that it perhaps enjoyed before? Where do you start you? Should you start with the economy you start with the Hospitals and Clinics. Do you start with schools opening back up? Where where do you start and there are a lot of things to consider and in the midst of difficulty and and strife and stress.

Is the sense that we get frantic, we're let out of a sense of peace.

But David here says the Lord who is my shepherd restores my soul.

He puts back into order my saw it and that that's all it is is the word nefesh. It means it means life or so. It can also mean breath and so in a sentence, what was David is saying here is he says he leads me. He draws us to Green Pastures leads beside Still Waters shows us the way that we should go so that we can just simply catch our breath.

You restores our soul and gives us peace.

But there is more that the Lord dies as our Shepherd then delivering Us in two piece.

I want you to think about for a time when perhaps you're walking along you're with someone with someone that you trust implicitly completely. Good friend or your spouse someone that you love someone that you not just love but that you feel a sense of security around and and all the sudden for whatever reason that the environment around you goes dark. Maybe you're in a room somewhere in and the power goes out and it's completely dark or you're in some some new place or out in the in the woods or camping something and it's everything goes dark.

There's a moment of panic.

But immediately all you want to know is is that person still with me? Are you there? Are you still there? Are you like and as long as that person is there even though it's dark even though there are times in this in this moment when? I can't see everything around me. Are you there? Are you still there? I just need to know you're there.

This is the reality that the song missed calls too. But David calls to when he he talks about God is our shepherd He says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I fear no evil. For you are with me. the rod and your staff they comfort me.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death through the valley of immense darkness that even death itself does not present itself a threat to me because I know you're with me.

The Lord is my shepherd and I will not be in want because he remains president in my pain.

If he remains present in my pain.

And it's a presence that is so important to think back think back to that dark room or that dark space. That. What do you want to know? Are you still there? Are you with me? You reach out your hand and you say if I can just if I can just know that you're there. I will feel better. And even though there is something in the dark that may be lurking out there. You're with me and David is saying even though I walk through that Valley of the shadow of death. I will not fear evil because you are with me.

There's a lot of talk right now.

But not being controlled by fear not making decisions motivated by fear.

And we need to ensure that we are not operating out of fear. But if we are stepping out in faith, if we are continuing enjoying the presence of God in the midst of this uncertain time. Even decisions that that are judicious that are wise decisions that mean that the closing churches is not is not a an Avenue that many of us have ever been down.

How to decision that's rooted in fear because we know that he's with us.

We'd know that he is present we know that this is not this isn't even about the level of persecution what this is is consideration and care for others and we're not being operating. We got bit operating out of fear. the operating in faith and in love because we know he's with us.

Maybe God does not feel very present when we enter the presence of God when we pray to him. Actively go and say God I need we need you here in present with we enter the presence of God when we stop we enter the presence of God when we when we seek Him think back to that dark room. And the lights go out it does no good to to flail around like a maniac and and and lose your head or lose your cool. But instead you call out to the one that you know, who is was right there before. you stop you say I will I will root my actions based on the presence of this individual here with me and the comfort is here that David had this is your rod and your staff comfort me. There is Comfort Inn in what is in the hands of the shepherd? To implement a rod the shepherd would carry two things a rod to to protect the flock.

From predators are from from anything. That would threaten the flock. There is a rod that is there designed to protect against something else, but there's also the staff Your Rod and your staff comfort me. The staff was to be used on the ship.

A Good Shepherd would not abuse. is sheep

I would use the staff to guide.

Direct

there is comfort knowing that the God who is present with us in the Valley of the shadow of death. protects us from that which we could not withstand ourselves with the rod. He protects us from others but also protects us from ourselves. What is staph?

And it's the image of Our Shepherd the Lord being Our Shepherd and we are not in want because he remains present in in this time of pain. Protecting us from ourselves and from others.

But all of this works to something else and work towards something else now if I say to you simply the word good. What do you think about? I say good. You think of a food? Boy, that was a good good meal last night. I was really good that was tasty or or conduct. I've been very good today or this or that. They're very good person or maybe like a day off. This is get Mike my kids like the school closures think that this is a good thing somewhat differently. They think that's good or maybe favorable is all we received good news today. That's something that is favorable, but good can be a very very Sticky Thing. Because what is good for you may not necessarily be good for me.

Closing schools seems like a good thing to my children who go to school does not necessarily mean good things for me if you look into a longer scope of things.

What good is what the psalmist describes what David describes here? That's what God is leading us into. He says you prepare a table before me the image changes a little subtly, but it said there was a shift of a of an image share either you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup overflows surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prepare a table before me. in the midst of the opposition that I'm facing

You put this together anointing my head with oil and my cup overflowing their images of prosperity their images of a good.

It even says this surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And so after walking through the valley of the shadow of death that David is experiencing here. He says you've prepared this for me this table in the presence of my enemies. And goodness and mercy will be the characteristics of them.

You prepare a table.

The word means to put in a in a straight line.

Order it in the way that you wanted to be and we have to look at the circumstances that we find ourselves in.

Recognizing the fact that God remains Sovereign in these times.

And for me, that is a great sense of comfort.

because there's so much that does not feel like Like anyone is in control?

And so the Lord is my shepherd and I will not be in one because he works us towards good.

I remember what's good for you is not necessarily good for me and perhaps what's good for God is not necessarily what we imagines be good for us.

David said surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life goodness is that is a word that if it's it's those things that are useful and pleasing and beautiful. It's a it's a deeper word in the English same as Mercy is the worst said richer word in the mirror English translation that carries certain notes of Allegiance and loyalty because of great love towards another person.

And so through the lens of this song David recognizes that what is good is now defined by the table that God has set for us that thing that that God has prepared the table he has prepared for us is good that he has set out before us.

What is good and what is merciful? All the sudden stop depending on the ways that I Define them.

If God is Not Our Shepherd than goodness, and mercy are capricious realities that become beaten down by our own circumstances.

I think it's I think the world is good the way it was at the end of 2019 with no pandemic. And no uncertainty and no Devastation of economy and and no no no paranoia and no hysteria and any of these things and we say to her stuff. I need to look beyond what I believe to be good and trust in God is my shepherd.

with prepared a table before us

a goodness and mercy will be defining and persistent qualities of my life.

The Lord is my shepherd and I will not be in one because he works us towards towards good.

Set the Lord is to be your Shepherd. You have to put faith in him. For the Lord to be your Shepherd, you must place your faith in him personally and practically.

The song reads introductory in it in the introduction in a very very specific way that the Lord is my shepherd. It doesn't read the Lord. Is there Shepherd as some appeal saying you know what see what they're doing over there at the Lords their Shepherd. They should be the one we should look at what they're doing.

The Lord is my shepherd.

For the Lord is a Shepherd. The Lord is is one particular way maybe that we could work that we could eat out a living in some particular way maybe getting a sense of Peace may be having some some semblance of what we think might be good or right he maybe he could work. Maybe that's a way that we could go know the Lord is my shepherd.

The Lord is my shepherd. Is he yours?

right now

after you watch the news or check what's happening?

Add loved ones to see how they're doing.

Check your stocks. I see how badly they've tanks today.

You wonder about a layoff?

You wonder what's going to happen? your Shepherd

as followers of Jesus Christ these words carry even greater weight because Jesus himself identifies as as our Shepherd. John Tenny says the thief just just comes to steal and to kill and destroy but I came that they could have life and have it abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd and the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the Sheep. Jesus Christ remains Are Good Shepherd the one to reconcile us to God restoring our soul it in that very way.

We place our trust in him.

The thief just comes to steal peace in to kill the presence of God to destroy the good that he would bring.

A Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd. And if he is to be our Shepherd, we have to place our faith in him personally and practically he must be your Shepherd.

But practically we temper our actions then and we remain faithful to him if Jesus Is Our Shepherd If he if he is my shepherd. Then there are things that will not be I will reject as my shepherd. The reality is described as peace and presence of good unfold when we make Jesus Our Shepherd. And so, dr. Hinshaw is not our Shepherd and Jason Kenny is not our Shepherd. Justin Trudeau is not our Shepherd and the who is not our Shepherd or the latest greatest news or or fully stocked grocery shelves or recovered cases of Colvin are not Our Shepherd. Jesus Is Our Shepherd

The we filter the world around us and we do not forsake Him and we do not forsake seeking him. We do not abandon him. Because of the Valley of the shadow of death or because of the things that would stand against our faith The Lord Is Our Shepherd and so we walk in faith with him. He remains Our Shepherd who leads us into peace and into goodness comforting us with with his presence. The Lord Is Our Shepherd And we shall not want. I invite you to pray the words of this song. As we close our time today.

father we recognize that you are a Shepherd. You are the one leading us and we will not want.

God help us see the ways that you are leading us to Green Pastures and Still Waters.

Show us the clear ways that you restore our soul leading Us in Paths of righteousness and that this is for your namesake. I got even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We will not fear evil.

As you are with us. It's Your Rod and your staff are with us and they will come for us

God you prepared a table before us you set into order specific events in the presence of our enemies help us see that you anoint our heads with oil our couple overflow. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the Days of Our Lives. We will dwell in your house forever.

father help us to rest NBA assured of your continuing presence in these times

and so we pray that we will remain faithful followers of you.

. Sing your peace and your presence and your goodness in this time? We pray in your name Jesus. Amen.