The Correction Of A Loving Shepherd
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Introduction
Introduction
We have been going through Psalm 23 this year for our communion Sundays.
We are taking it slow and diving deep into each phrase of this Psalm.
Today we come to the end of verse 4.
“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Our title today is “the correction of a loving shepherd.”
Let’s PRAY
Shepherd’s crook = Iconic picture.
The rod and staff were the shepherds tools of correction and protection.
Crook - used to pull an animal to the shepherd.
This could be corrective or protective.
Child and hot stove.
Pull them back.
It is both corrective and protective.
Pull animal to the path of the Shepherd.
Rod - straight part. Used to get an animal moving.
Again, corrective and protective.
Corrective - get them going the right direction keep from straying.
Protective, get them going faster to escape danger.
Beginning of v. 4 David speaks of not fearing the valley of the shadow of death because the Shepherd is with him.
How does David know the Shepherd is with him?
Because of the rod and staff.
When we are in the valley of the Shadow of death, what do we need?
We need the comfort of a loving Shepherd.
Part of His comfort is correction.
Why would a loving shepherd correct?
Today we learn three reasons a loving shepherd corrects.
When we are corrected we know it comes from a loving God Who is working for our good.
Reason #1…
1. Correction Is Necessary
1. Correction Is Necessary
There is a story in the Bible that most of us know.
Many of us probably learned the story at a young age.
Jonah.
This prophet of God had to be taught a very important lesson about God.
When God calls us to do something, He means it.
Jonah didn’t want to listen to God.
He wanted to do his own thing.
So he tried to escape.
The result was a rather epic display of God’s ability to correct His children.
Jonah was swallowed by a whale, he stayed there until he learned his lesson.
What was the lesson?
Obedience matters to God.
Jonah needed correction.
Child, stove, pull them back. Why? For their good! We know the pain that will come if they touch it.
Scripture compares believers to sheep.
There is a universal problem with sheep.
Sheep wander.
This leads to danger.
A sheep that continually wanders poses a danger to itself and others in the flock.
Therefore, to teach the sheep to stay close to the shepherd, he would break one of its legs.
He would then carry the sheep until the leg healed.
After that, the sheep stayed by the shepherd.
You can stay by the shepherd by choice or by force.
Jonah tried to run, he was swallowed by a whale.
Sheep that try to run will be caught by the shepherd. They will be taught to stay.
Are you running from God?
You can choose to stay with Him, or He can force you to stay with Him.
If we continually resist the Lord it may mean we have never trusted in Him.
If we we keep resisting Him and we are truly saved, He may call us home.
God takes our obedience very seriously.
David writes here that the Shepherd’s rod and staff provide comfort.
David is confident in His position before God.
Part of that confidence comes through his correction.
Go with me to Hebrews 12:5-8.
Hebrews 12:5-8
The correction of God is an affirmation that we belong to Him!
The correction of God is born out of love! We’ll talk more about that in a minute.
The author of Hebrews declares that the chastening, the correction of God, is evidence that we are His.
No good, loving father allows their child to engage in activity that will hurt themselves and others.
We need correction!
When we walk away from our loving shepherd, we need correction.
When we engage in activity that will hurt ourselves or others, we need correction.
Like Jonah, there are times in our lives when we need divine intervention to realize how important obedience is.
Correction prevents damage and destruction.
It may still be painful.
However, anything that draws us closer to the Shepherd is ultimately for our good.
Sing with me verse 1 of
“He Giveth More Grace” (verse 1)
In the midst of necessary correction we find abundant mercy.
Reason #1: A loving shepherd corrects because correction is necessary.
Reason #2: A loving shepherd corrects because…
2. Correction Is Purposeful
2. Correction Is Purposeful
This verse is where David begins to address God directly.
Why?
Because this is about relationship.
The rod and staff are very personal.
We serve a personal, knowable God.
The Shepherd’s rod and staff bring comfort to the sheep.
They are tools by which the Shepherd cares for the sheep.
I once had the privilege of taking a search and rescue class.
Part of this class was orienteering, or navigating your way by use of map and compass.
In any type of navigation you are taught how to make sure you stay on course.
Anytime you get off the heading you are supposed to be on you have to make a course correction.
If you don’t, you will end up in a vastly different location than you are supposed to.
The end of our class required us to do a solo hike.
We were dropped off at a location and given a map and a coordinate to navigate to.
One of our guys ended up at a freeway in almost the opposite direction he was supposed to go.
Another ended up at a gas station way beyond his destination.
They didn’t make a course correction.
A loving shepherd corrects the course of wayward sheep.
Go to with me once again to Hebrews 12:10-11.
Hebrews 12:10-11
Notice that the shepherd corrects us for our profit!
He corrects that we might partake of His holiness.
The goal of correction is fellowship.
W/o fellowship there is no relationship.
We must learn to stick close to the shepherd.
That is the purpose of His correction!
When crook comes around your neck and jerks back, it can be painful.
But the goal is to pull you back from the edge!
The author of Hebrews acknowledges that correction is painful!
But the goal is accomplished.
The purpose is for fruit to be produced in the life of the believer!
The shepherd uses his rod and staff to keep the sheep on the path.
He has a purpose for those sheep that can only be accomplished if they stick close to the shepherd.
God has a purpose for you and me.
We can only accomplish the purpose of God if we stick close to him.
How do we do that?
We stay in His Word, in prayer, and in community with believers.
Correction provides direction and maturity.
If we wander away from the Shepherd, we don’t know where to go!
If we wander away from the shepherd, we miss the green pastures, the still waters, and the path of righteousness.
Sing with me verse 2 of
“He Giveth More Grace” (verse 2)
Our God continually gives to us.
His grace is sufficient, His strength is everlasting.
His love abounds.
Reason #1: A loving shepherd corrects because correction is necessary.
Reason #2: A loving shepherd corrects because correction is purposeful.
Reason #3: A loving shepherd corrects because…
3. Correction Is Loving
3. Correction Is Loving
How many heard phrase, this will hurt me more than you?
As a kid that made no sense to me.
I was the one getting disciplined!
As a parent, I get it.
There is nothing I hate more than having to discipline my children.
I do it because God through His Word commands me to and because I believe it is best for them.
I am thankful for the correction I have received in my life.
It is correction I am passing on to my children.
I do that because I love them. I want what is best for them.
I want my children to grow up with an understanding of actions and consequences.
Hebrews 12:6 says this.
Hebrews 12:6
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
David says that the result of the rod and staff is comfort.
Comfort - נחם (nḥm)
Comfort - נחם (nEḥam) regret; be sorry; console oneself; comfort. to comfort v. — to alleviate sorrow or distress; give emotional strength to. Verb, Pi”el, yiqtol (imperfect), third person, masculine, plural +- first person, singular, active.
Our loving shepherd uses his rod and staff to alleviate our sorrow and distress. He gives us emotional strength.
It is a comfort knowing He will not let us stray!
He will always bring us back.
He chastens and corrects because He loves us!
He knows that the best place for us is with Him.
Every time we stray, the Shepherd lovingly draws us back to Himself.
There is another aspect to the rod and staff.
The shepherd uses them to defend his sheep.
There is comfort in knowing that our God protects us.
Psalm 27:1 says this.
Psalm 27:1
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
No evil can harm us, the God of all eternity fights for us.
We are safe in Him.
He corrects out of love. He defends us because we are His.
His rod and staff provide comfort.
Correction proves God’s love and care.
Do we trust the love of our Savior?
When He corrects, do we still trust Him?
Correction is not pleasant, but we know that our God wants only what is best for us.
We can trust Him.
Sing with me verse 1 of
“Just As I Am” (verse 1)
This is what we have to do.
We come to our shepherd.
We come when in need of correction.
We come when in need of direction.
We come to find the love, grace, and mercy that are only available at the feet of Jesus.
Come.
Just as you are.
Come to the Shepherd.
Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
This is a time for believers to remember the price that was paid. To be reminded of the penalty of sin. Taking part of communion does not save you. This is simply a way for us to be reminded of what Christ has done. If you know the Lord as savior this morning, please join us in bread and juice as we remember Jesus Christ. These are only symbols, they represent the body and blood of our Savior. Examination – verses 26-32
OBSERVANCE OF COMMUNION
OBSERVANCE OF COMMUNION
1 Corinthians 11:23-32
The Bread (His Body) vv. 23-24 #210 “Jesus Paid It All” (verse 1)
The Cup (His Blood) v. 25 #210 “Jesus Paid It All” (verse 2)
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
His care for us does not end there.
The Shepherd corrects the sheep because it is necessary.
There are predators out there. Predators who love to devour sheep.
1 Peter 5:8 gives us this challenge.
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Sheep that wander get devoured.
To protect us, the Shepherd corrects us.
Correction is necessary.
The Shepherd corrects the sheep to keep them close to Him.
The closer we are to shepherd, the safer we will be.
It is in the Shepherd’s presence that we find everything we need to grow and mature.
He leads us and we find all our needs supplied only in Him.
Vine & Branches
The Shepherd corrects that we might grow and mature.
Correction is purposeful.
The Shepherd corrects the sheep because He loves them.
His rod and staff provide comfort.
There is no comfort out there!
There is no comfort in a bottle of liquid or pills.
There is no comfort in a needle or a substance.
There is no comfort in sexual immorality.
The only true comfort comes in the presence of the Shepherd.
He loves you!
He gave His life for you!
Correction is the expression of a loving Shepherd.
Correction is loving.
In light of these truths, what commitment do you need to make?
COMMITMENT:
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I want to be an under shepherd who loves the sheep of God well.
Whatever commitment you need to make, I want to invite you to come up here and make it.
Our loving Shepherd is calling us to follow Him.
Following the Shepherd means accepting His correction.
Following the Shepherd means experiencing His love.
Find comfort, strength, and hope in the presence of the Shepherd.