23 Goodness and mercy

Title: GOODNESS AND MERCY WILL FOLLOW ME

Text:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, 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 runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Intro: 1. A shepherd looks at the 23rd Psalm- Phillip Keller who grew up as a shepherd in East Africa

2. The 23rd Psalm is a year in the life of a shepherd

3. We have come to the end of this year long journey

4. The shepherds is bringing the sheep back home

I. SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY WILL FOLLOW ME

A. Goodness

1. Benefit, good things, prosperity, happiness

2. The Shepherd has the best in mind for the sheep

a. He puts the sheep above his life

b. All the hard work, preparation, planning is for the sheep

c. Even in those times the sheep don’t understand

1) Mac getting shots as a baby

3. Do you believe God has your best interest in mind?

a. My peace has at its basis in his ability to do the best thing in any given situation

b. works all things together for good

c. No purpose of yours can be thwarted

d. I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope

e. He is committed to our best

B. Mercy

1. Covenant love- loyalty, faithfulness, devotion

2. It is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient

3. Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule

4. He is committed to the relationship

C. Follow me

1. Literally will chase you down

2. If you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God

3. Sheep can under mismanagement be the most destructive livestock of all

a. They eat the roots so nothing grows again

b. In short or they can ruin land beyond remedy

4. They can also be the most beneficial wildlife if managed properly

a. There manure is the best balance of any produced by domestic livestock

b. No other livestock will consume such a wide of a variety of grass and plants

c. Sheep eat all sorts of weeds and undesirable plants that might invade a field

d. In ancient literature sheep or referred to as those of golden hoofs simply because they were regarded and esteemed so highly for their benefit on the land

5. What follows you? In your wake

a. Skiing- no wake zones, impossible in real life

1) When it’s windy you ride in the wake

b. Do I leave behind piece or turmoil, forgiveness or bitterness, contentment or conflict, joy or frustration, love or division?

c. If you care about people you leave goodness and mercy in your wake

d. If you are selfish you leave destruction in your wake

II. I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER

A. Back home

1. This passage is reflecting on a full round of the year's activities with the flock

a. He has taking them from green pastures and still waters of the home ranch up the mountain passes and on to the high tablelands of the summer range. Fall has come with it storms and rain that drives the sheep to the foothills and back down to the home ranch for the long quiet winter.

b. Now the sheep are back into the fold

c. Isn’t really talking about heaven

1) Not forever as in eternity

2) The rest of the days of my life

2. Our good shepherd is faithful to bring us home

a. Home is Him

b. Home is under his loving care, concern, character

c. His banner over me is love

B. Dwell in the house of the Lord

1. To sit down, live with, marry, stay

2. Root word means return

3. Abide in Him

a. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me

b. The fruit of the Spirit is a by-product of abiding in the Spirit

c. walk in the Spirit (abide) and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh

4. Stop dating God

a. This is an engagement

b. This is a commitment

c. O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night?

d. We need a habitation, not a visitation

C. Stay close to the shepherd

1. The sheep’s only job is to stay close to the shepherd

2. To follow Him wherever He leads us

a. Bezalel- in the shadow of God

b. Stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and bless you

1) Stay under the umbrella

c. If we trust Him that He has our best in mind, we don’t mind following Him wherever

3. Problems come when we stop, wander, get stubborn

a. If you are being stubborn about something it’s a matter of trust

b. If you have stopped following, growing you’ll get lost

c. He has our best in mind even when we don’t understand it

4. Do you trust Him enough to follow Him?

Cncl: 1. Why ever leave the home pasture?

a. We would never grow

b. We would never experience new things and stretch ourselves

c. We would never learn we can trust the shepherd

2. What are you leaving in your wake?

3. Do you trust Him enough to follow Him?

Altr: 1. Trust Him with your life

2. Things in your wake you aren’t proud of

3. Stubborn, stopped- a matter of trust