The Good Shepherd - Part 2
Notes
Transcript
This is the second week on Psalm 23. If you remember from last week the goal from for this two part sermon series on the Psalm 23 is not for you to become better acquainted with the Psalm. You already know the Psalm. It’s the most popular piece of poetry that has ever been written.
You already know the Psalm. I want you to know the shepherd. It’s my prayer that you leave with a better understanding of who your shepherd is.
The Lord is our shepherd. What an amazing thought. What an amazing truth to hold onto. I hope that little phrase has been ringing in your ears all week. The Lord is my shepherd.
Remember the big idea from last week.
The quality of our life depends on our shepherd and our trust in our shepherd.
But what makes the Lord a good shepherd. Why is it that we can trust Him? Why can we follow Him. What makes the Lord a good shepherd?
From last week we saw that the Lord as our Shepherd…
1. Meets our needs
2. Gives us abundant life
3. Restores our soul
4. Leads us in paths of righteousness
What you may have noticed from last week was a complete lack of down to earth life application. There was a reason for that. Application is a wonderful thing. We desperately need it. Application gives us direction. Application helps take the theoretical and makes it practical.
But application can sometimes become burdensome. It can be hard to hear again what I need to do differently. How I don’t measure up. What I need to change.
Sometimes we just need to look to Jesus for all that he is and let that change our heart. That’s how real lasting change happens anyways. That’s how behavior changes. IT comes from heart change.
Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Jesus tells us in Mark 7:21–23 (ESV)
Out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
We don’t change by looking at a to do list. We change when our heart learns to trust our savior.
I’m sure that I have shared this before but one of the things in my life that opened my eyes to this concept was foster care.
We were taught when you parent a foster child you need to spend less time disciplining wrong behavior and you need to spend more time meeting needs.
Now that sounds very new age. Very postmodern. But it really isn’t. That’s not to say that discipline isn’t important because it is. To not discipline a child is not love a child.
And If you come to our house sometime you will see us disciplining our children because we love them. But we’ve had to learn in through experience that it is actually more important to meet needs than it is to discipline.
Let me try to explain.
Every child has a need for safety or security and love. They need to know that they are both safe and secured as well as loved. But as you can imagine when a child enters the foster care system both of those needs go out the window. In a moment they are ripped from their home and their family.
Where even though they may not have been safe there they felt safe and secure because that’s what they knew. But in a moment they are taken from everything they knew and placed in a new and to them a scary environment where they don’t recognized their surroundings the smells are different, the people are different, the animals are new, everything is very different and that is an unsettling experience to put it mildly.
It’s scary to be somewhere new on your own with people you don’t know. They don’t feel safe regardless of how much safer they probably are.
Not only do they not feel safe they also don’t feel loved. Their parents although they may have loved them imperfectly they do normally love them very much and in an instant they are ripped from any connection to their loved ones and they feel alone, unsafe, and unloved.
As you can imagine when a child experiences something like this they typically act up in a variety of ways. They may scream at you, call you names, lie to you, hit and punch you, run and hide from you, break your things, kick your dog or just outright rebel and disobey you, or some mixture of all of those things.
And it is hard to parent a child like that. Because every fiber in your body wants to discipline them for those behaviors and there is “some” room for that. But the child is merely acting out in those ways because they don’t know how to constructively express their feelings so they act up.
But what we’ve found is that a much more effective way to deal with their behavior is not any kind of discipline, or rebuke, or punishment. If we gave them a list of things that they could do differently that would result in a better life. It would fall on deaf ears and blind eyes. Now Foster parents do all of that but even more important than discipline even more important than teaching is meeting needs.
Showing them that they are safe and they are loved. That they are secure and that they are cared for. And when a child feels safe and loved it is amazing the difference in their behaviors. And once they trust you it opens the door to productive teaching and discipline.
But here’s the important part. This a process not a one time event. We have to show them day after day, moment after moment that they are safe and that they are loved. It takes years for them to trust and it’s not a smooth progression. It’s two steps forward one step back. 2 steps forward three steps back. But if they child is going to grow and mature they must be consistently reminded how much they are loved and reassured that they are safe.
And hear this, the journey isn’t over after adoption. Being adopted doesn’t magically convince the child you will always love them. Sacrificing your entire life doesn’t magically convince them they are loved no matter what. They have to see it and feel it daily for them to really believe it.
Here’s the point. We are the same way. Think about all the ways the Bible describes us before salvation. We are lost. Enemies of God. Children of wrath. Slave to sin. Separated from God and guilty and deserving of eternal punishment.
Talk about trauma!
Now if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation then the Bible describes that as being adopted into the family of God. But just because we are adopted into the family of God doesn’t mean we always feel loved. Just because Jesus sacrificed everything for us doesn’t mean we believe that we will be loved no matter what. We must see it and feel it daily before it begins to change our heart. Then and only then will we experience lasting change. Then we can make progress on changing our behavior.
So again today there will be little application this morning. My goal, my hope, my prayer is that you leave this morning with a heart that trusts that the Lord is a Good Shepherd and that He loves you!
The Lord is my Shepherd.
Psalm 23:1–6 (ESV)
1 The Lord is 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.
Three things the Good Shepherd does for His sheep.
We see the first one in verse 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.
The Good Shepherd Comforts us. We’ve already seen that the Good Shepherd gives us abundant life and leads us to green pastures. But we know that life isn’t always like that. That we often go through difficulties and this text reminds us that even in the hard times the Good Shepherd is there to care for us.
The text says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Those are ominous words. The literal translation is even though I walk through the shadowiest of shadows. Even though I walk through the darkest most evil of days. These words are supposed to give you that pit in your stomach that you feel when you go through something difficult or scary.
Sometimes life feels like that doesn’t it. We’ve all had moments that feel like you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. That danger may lie behind any corner.
Maybe your homelife isn’t good. And at any moment the next explosion of anger may come and you feel like you’re walking on pins and needles. Or maybe that explains your job. You work for a boss who is constantly finding opportunities to drag you across the coals.
Maybe people are talking behind your back and you dread what the next person is going to say about you. Maybe you honestly have no idea how you are going to pay the bills this month.
Maybe you don’t feel like your walking through the valley of the shadow of death but rather you’ve set up camp there. Your life is in the valley with seemingly no hope in sight.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
I will fear no evil. How is that possible? How could this possibly be the case. How can will live in the midst of so much danger and have no fear?
The text is clear. It says, “for you are with me.” Remember from last week. Nothing calms the nerves of the sheep as much as knowing that the shepherd is near and nothing calms the Christians nerves as much as knowing that Jesus is near.
But lets pay special attention to what the text says, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. This morning you may feel like there is no hope in sight. That those green pastures we talked about last week are figments of our imagination. That we really have no hope to get through this valley.
But hear me in the kindest possible way. You are wrong. If Jesus is your shepherd then he will not leave you in the valley. It may takes weeks, or months, or even years to make it through but the Good Shepherd does not leave His sheep in the valley he leads them through.
He does not let them wander alone in the valley but he stays nears.
I said this last week but it bears repeating today.
If you are nervous this morning. If you find yourself anxious over something. If even now you are having a hard time focusing because there is something going on in your life that is causing you to worry that is causing you to fear.
Hear this, “our Shepherd is near, and He will keep you safe.”
Remember what Robert Murray said, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.”
Take a deep breath Jesus is near and He will keep you safe.
You know how many times I’ve had to tells my children that. Daddy is here. I’m in the next room. I will protect you. I will keep you safe. You have nothing to fear. They have to hear it over and over over again before they believe it.
And so do we. Jesus is near. He will protect you. He will keep you safe. He will not leave you alone. He will lead you through.
But what I think is fascinating is the next part of this verse.
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You don’t have to be a seasoned shepherd to know this phrase is interesting. Your rod and your staff they comfort me. What were the road and the staff used for?
The staff was used for helping the shepherd walk and at times it was used to hook on to the sheep and pull it out of something so that makes sense. But the rod was not a pleasant tool. The rod is what the shepherd would use to discipline the sheep. To keep the sheep from wandering away. It’s safe to say that the rod was not a pleasant tool. It is definitely not a tool that brought comfort to the sheep.
And yet that is what the text says. But you understand that it was also the rod that the shepherd used to drive away danger. To fight off wolves or even lions if necessary. And therefore it was the rod that brought comfort to the sheep because the sheep knew that if the shepherd had his rod they would be safe.
Like a disobedient child fear the hands of his father because the father uses those hands to spank the child. What does the scared child reach up to grab when he is in fear? Those same hands. Because he knows it is the same hands that punish him in times of disobedience will also protect him in times of trouble.
Proverbs 3:12 (CSB)
12 for the Lorddisciplines the one he loves,
just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 13:24 (CSB)
24 The one who will not use the rod hates his son,
but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.
That’s the relationship that we have with our father, our shepherd. Yes, he disciplines us. Yes, he uses the “rod.” But it is never abusive like has been modeled by many evil men. But it is an act of love. And it is that rod that will keep us safe in times of danger.
Some of my favorite times as a parent is when my children are scared. That’s terrible isn’t it… But what do they do when they are scared. They cuddle up next to me and let me hold them.
I love taking them to play ground or a big green field and watching them run and play and have fun. I love to watch them have that abundant life and yet there is something special about those times of fear when they look to me as their father to protect them to comfort them. Honestly it is a more personal, more intimate connection that just doesn’t happen when they are care free.
But it is in those moments of fear that they learn to trust and it is that trust that is the foundation for the good life.
The quality of our life depends on our shepherd and our trust in our shepherd.
Here’s the point. Don’t run from the shadows. Don’t run from the darkness. Trust in the shepherd. Let him comfort you. Let Him lead you.
The Lord is my shepherd and he is near.
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.
There is some debate as to whether these final two verses continue with the shepherd metaphor, however, I think that argument can miss the big point of these verses.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
It’s one thing to survive a threat it’s quite the other thing to be given absolute triumph. But that is what this verse is showing.
Even while still in the presence of enemies the Lord prepares a table for a feast. He anoints our head in festive oil and fills our cup until it is overflowing.
Have you ever seen this in any movie or depiction of a battle? One side has sword drawn charging and the other side is sitting down for a meal?
No of course not that would never happen. Unless the one side was so assured of victory that they didn’t even have to bother getting up from the table.
But that is the life that the good shepherd provides. The Good Shepherd gives us victory.
And it is that trust in the shepherd. Trust that he will give victory that keeps us from so much foolishness. Think about Peter in the garden as the roman soldiers came to take Jesus away. What does he do? He foolishly reaches for his sword and cuts the ear off one of the soldiers. Does Jesus applaud Peter for standing up and fighting back? No of course not. Jesus rebukes peter reaches down grabs the man’s ear and heals him.
I also think it’s interesting what happens before this incident. Jesus takes his disciples, his sheep, into the upper room and sets them down at the table and prepares for them a meal.
Who is at this meal? None other than Judas Iscariot. The traitor. In the presences of His enemies, the Good Shepherd prepares a meal for his sheep.
What’s the point? That Jesus will have victory. The darkest moment in all of history is coming. The disciples are about to walk through the shadowiest of shadows. They are about to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. There has never been a darker day in all of human history. There has never been a moment in all of history when the devil our great enemy seemed more victorious. And yet moments before it seems as if all hope is lost. Our Shepherd prepares a table in the presence of our enemies and In fact he even goes on to say in John 16:33 (ESV)
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
It is that trust in the Good Shepherd that keeps us from so much foolishness. Peter thought Jesus needed help. Peter was unaware that at any moment Jesus could call down 12 legions of angels. Peter didn’t trust that Jesus had already secured the victory. So Peter grabbed his sword and acted like a fool.
Do you trust in the good shepherd this morning? Do you trust that Jesus has already secured the victory. What’s happening in our country and in our world is often described as a culture war. Good verse evil.
Can I be honest. That phrase rubs me the wrong way. Because what often happens is Christians think we are at war and that Jesus needs our help so they grab their sword and we act like fools.
12 but we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Our neighbors are not our enemy. It doesn’t matter what sign they has up in their yard.It doesn’t matter who they voted for. It doesn’t matter what they think about gay marriage or gun control. It doesn’t matter what they thinks about abortion.
Put your sword away and prepare your table. Invite them in tell them about Jesus and have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; Jesus have overcome the world.”
Do you trust in the good shepherd this morning? He has promised us victory. Fear causes people to act like fools. Trusting in the Lord gives wisdom and it fosters love.
The Lord is my shepherd. He gives us victory.
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.
The Good Shepherd showers us with mercy.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. I believe this phrase communicates a couple of things.
1. That if we follow the good shepherd our lives will be filled with goodness and mercy. We will have abundant life in him.
2. But second, notice the construction of the sentence. Mercy and goodness follow me. It seems to have the idea that wherever we go mercy and goodness follow.
Apparently sheep are regarded very highly in certain parts of our world because of the reviving effect they have on the land. When a shepherd leads them properly the sheep are actually known to restore the land.
So what we find is that the good shepherd imparts to the sheep goodness and mercy but that goodness and mercy doesn’t stop with them. It flows through them to the land.
The same is true for us. The goodness and mercy that the shepherd imparts to us must not, in fact, it cannot stop with us. It must flow through us to others. If the Lord is truly our shepherd. Then goodness and mercy will flow from Him through us to others. It is the only option.
God doesn’t make dams he makes rivers. Men construct dams. Men try to hold everything back for themselves. But the river of goodness and mercy that flows from our shepherd cannot be stopped. It flows from Him, through us, and to others.
So my question to you this morning is…
What’s flowing through you? What are you leaving behind? What’s following you.
Ask yourself these questions.
Do you leave behind peace or turmoil?
Do you leave behind forgiveness or bitterness?
Do you leave behind contentment or conflict?
Do you leave behind joy or frustration?
DO you leave behind love or hate?
Do you have a restorative effect on those around you? Does goodness and mercy follow you everywhere you go?
If not ask yourself why?
If not, then you need to get to know your shepherd. See that’s what the whole point of these last two sermons. Because goodness and mercy don’t flow from a set of rules. They don’t flow from a list of things to try harder at. They flow from the shepherd.
Only as we look at our shepherd. Only as we understand more of his heart towards us will goodness and mercy flow from us.
Listen to one of my favorite quotes of Dane Ortlund from his book Gentle and Lowly. He says,
Only as we drink down the kindness of the heart of Christ will we leave in our wake, everywhere we go, the aroma of heaven, and die one day having startled the world with glimpses of a divine kindness too great to be boxed in by what we deserve.
That’s my dream for myself. That’s my dream for this church. That we will be a group of people who spend our lives drinking in the kindness of Christ and leaving in our wake the aroma of heaven.
Let’s drop our sword. Grab hold of our shepherds hand, let him lead us through the dark valley, let him prepare for us a table of victory, and lets startle the world with glimpses of divine kindness to great to be boxed in by what we deserve.
Psalm 23:1–6 (ESV)
1 The Lordis 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.
I can’t wait for that day. Let’s pray.