Even Though

Even Though

It’s Thanksgiving this week!

So I wanted to share for a few minutes on being thankful.

Ephesians 5:20 “ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

“Giving thanks ALWAYS”?

That sounds hard

But I believe we can do it.

This morning I want to talk about this from one of the most popular scriptures in the Bible that I don’t hear associated with this topic very often.

I think there’s a lot we can learn from this scripture when it comes to being thankful.

Especially during a time like now!

The title of this message is called, “Even Though”

We’re going to look at Psalm 23

And we’re going to break it down and see what God is saying to us.

Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

It’s interesting to think of that word “shepherd”.

Most of us don’t really understand what that means.

First, by calling the Lord a shepherd that means he’s calling us sheep.

That’s not a compliment.

Most people when they think of sheep think they are “dumb, defenceless and harmless creatures that mope about on hillsides doing not very much. They are good for two things: being eaten and producing wool.”

But David is making a point.

One commentator said, “In the word shepherd, David uses the most comprehensive and intimate metaphor yet encountered in the Psalms, preferring usually the more distant ‘king’ or ‘deliverer’, or the impersonal ‘rock’, ‘shield’, etc.; whereas the shepherd lives with his flock and is everything to it: guide, physician and protector.”

David is making the point that like a shepherd, God should be our EVERYTHING.

We need Him to guide us, heal us, and protect us.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

Scholars interpret this in a couple different ways.

First, they believe it talks about rest and peace.

Lie down and being by quiet waters.

But some believe it is also talking about God’s provision.

Being in green pastures was providing food for the sheep

Quiet waters obviously gave them water to drink.

Just like a shepherd provides for his sheep, God provides for us.

3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Just like sheep can tend to wander off if they are not guided by their shepherd on the RIGHT path they are to walk.

We too can tend to wander down the wrong paths.

That’s why we keep our eyes on our shepherd who will always guide is down the right path.

Now when I read this it sounds like a prayer of thanksgiving.

Like David is bragging and giving thanks to God for being his provider, protector, and guide.

Some of you hear that and think, “well God clearly blessed David!”

“Must be nice to be so blessed and for God to do so much for you without any trouble but I can’t relate to that.”

Clearly David isn’t aware of what 2020 was going to look like and how it was going to affect people.

But then he continues...

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

David goes from what sounds like this prayer of thanksgiving of how amazing God has made his life to all of a sudden he’s talking about walking through the darkest valley.

Now some of you can relate to that

2020 has been a non stop dark valley!

But I love how David transitions into this.

He says, “EVEN THOUGH”.

Did you notice how he words this to almost sound like he’s currently in a valley right now?

He doesn’t say, “Even though I may someday walk in a dark valley.”

He says, “Even though I walk…”

He says, “I will fear no evil”, why?

It’s almost like he’s going into thankful mode again.

Because your rod and your staff they comfort me.

He goes back to God being his shepherd.

You see shepherds traveled with a rod and a staff.

The rod was a shorter heavier stick. Like a club.

He would use this to protect the sheep and fight off animals that would try to attack.

The staff was a longer stick with a hook on top that he would use more to guide the sheep and help pull them back in when they wander.

Listen to what he says next.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

David shifts from portraying God as his shepherd to now he’s portraying Him as a host.

What does this mean?

Let’s focus on that first part.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

Picture you sitting at a table with God and you are surrounded by your enemies.

This is significant because as a host you are responsible for the protection of your guests.

So if you have people over you make it clear that I don’t care if you hate each other, you better not lay a finger on anyone.

So David is saying, even though I’m surrounded by people who want to destroy me, I’m safe because I’m in the presence and house of God.

Again, He is my protector.

I don’t need to be afraid of what my enemies may do to me.

But be grateful for God’s protection.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

God’s goodness and love will never leave you.

And I dare say we all want to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The point is David shows us how to have an attitude of gratitude.

He’s telling us the qualities of God as our shepherd to comfort us who are His flock.

To encourage us for when we feel like we are in a dark valley.

Because we all have and will face dark valley’s in our lives.

Some of you are in one right now.

You’ve lost your job, maybe you’ve lost a loved one, money is extremely tight, or maybe just the chaos and division in this country have you a little afraid.

David says, “EVEN THOUGH”, I will not be afraid.

Even though my business shutdown…

Even though my loved one is in the hospital…

Even though the person I voted for might not have won the election…

I WILL NOT BE AFRAID AND I WILL BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND WILL DO IN MY LIFE.

You see even in a dark valley we always have something to be thankful for.

God’s got you.

And you can be thankful for that.

That even though life might not always go my way, God is FAITHFUL!

He’s our shepherd who loves us.

Jesus even refers to himself as a shepherd

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Jesus not only calls himself a shepherd but a GOOD shepherd.

Because a good shepherd does the unthinkable.

He lays His life down for his sheep.

Jesus is saying I’m not only going to protect you, provide for you, and guide you, but I’m going to lay my life down to save you!

And that’s exactly what He did on the cross.

And that alone is something to be EXTREMELY grateful for.

And one way to show that gratefulness and to show how thankful you are for what Jesus has done for you is to get baptized.

We get baptized not only because Jesus told us to but because it’s a way of publicly declaring that you are a true follower of Christ.

It’s a way of saying THANK YOU GOD for what you’ve done for me.

So I encourage you, if you haven’t been baptized to do it today.

Stand before your peers and declare how thankful you are to God for saving you and for laying His life down for you.

Altar Call