Services | Psalm 23 | Part 2

Bulletin

2. He makes me lie down in green pastures

God makes me – I do not know on my own when all is well and provided for

Lie down = I am safe in His leading to this place

Green pastures = All that I need is there and comfortable/it is not a rocky place

Rest

Matthew 11:28

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

Hopefully, and I'll remind you, to bring each time your Bible.

Pen and pencil and paper. Not so much that I may hopefully I do, but that I may give you some things to write down a jot down. But the main purpose is for you to write things as we look at the 23rd psalms that you want to continue thinking about and meditating on and doing additional study.

And so I encourage you to do that.

Because I said one of the reasons that we're doing the 23rd Psalm.

Seems that in the life of.

God's people, we are either going through in or out of difficult circumstances and this is a Psalm that can give us comfort.

Also, the other purposes is that it's a very well known Psalm. It's a very well known part of the scriptures, and there's a tendency when we know scriptures or we've read him before to quickly read through them saying, yeah, I read that before we passers. Even can be guilty because will read a passage looking for a sermon topic as opposed to seeing the depth of what the scriptures have to say in Psalms 23 has tremendous step.

And so we're going to spend the next several weeks looking at the scriptures, literally word by word, to understand better the richness of this an other passages. So I'm hoping as you study this passage, other passages you know like John 316 other scriptures that the church knows very well and we memorize and rattle off. But it's so part of the memory.

Then we don't catch the tremendous depth of what God has to say. And so last week we took a look at the first verse and I wanted to just quickly summarize that the scripture was the Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want the amazing thing is that it's the Lord, the one and only god of Heaven and Earth, Yahweh Yehovah, the I am that I am.

That God is currently.

My individual, not our, but my Shepherd, the one who cares for Maine, the one who protects me, the one that provides for me.

So much so that is the scripture says that Jesus is the Good Shepherd that he lay down his life for his sheet. He also says that his sheep hear his voice and they follow him and so in that we understand that the God is our Shepherd, said amazing concept. So many people want to tell you that, if there was a God and if he did create the earth that after he?

Made the earth and mankind he just kind of went away and let us run amok. That's not what the scripture says, and that's not what psalms 23 says. So he says that he's my Shepherd. And then there's a thought. Well, maybe that maybe true for others, but I'm a Sinner. I'm a Malachi bomb, whatever, and then I'm not worthy. Wants you to understand two people. We took a look.

Add.

Jacob, also known as Israel, that at the end of his life he acknowledged that God was his Shepherd. Now Jacob at best, had a checkered past. He was not a perfect individual David, who wrote this Psalm, was going through probably some very difficult times, but David himself was not perfect. David lied, committed, adultery, murder, did all of those things.

Up

Being the king of Israel, and yet he wrote this song, so it doesn't matter how close you may think, you're to God or how far away you may be to God that he is your Shepherd. And then it says that I shall not want. It's kind of a dual. Same in the sense of that I do not want presently. There's nothing that that is not provided for me by the Shepherd.

Inshallah, same with faith that in the future there is nothing that my Shepherd will not provide for Maine. And so as we go knowledge ING that he is my Shepherd that he is your Shepherd. There are certain benefits of him being your Shepherd and we're going to take a look at that over the next couple of weeks and so in verse two it says this.

He makes me lie down in green pastures again. He is God. He is the one who created Heaven and Earth. He is my Shepherd. He is the one who is leading me and it says he makes me. There are times when we do not understand the benefits that God is giving to us or his wisdom, or is leading. And so there are sometimes that we do things because he requires it of us.

So we wouldn't do ordinarily now to show as an example of this of parents will frequently make their children brush their teeth. They'll make their children go to school. They'll make their children do their homework, is not something that children want to do. It's something that usually adults their parents require of them so that they will become independent adults an learn it. An acquire wisdom, and so hopefully.

Initially when you have young children you make them brush her teeth, but then you know when you've accomplished something when they no longer require you to tell them to brush their teeth, but you do it because they understand that you're teaching has been beneficial to them, and so there are times that God is our Shepherd makes us to do things, and in this case it says he makes me individually to lie down. Now sheep and other types of.

Farm animals and livestock and even.

Animals of the wild. Whether it be deer or giraffes or whatever, do not like to lie down. Part of the reason for this is that if they do, it takes considerable effort to get back up again. An if they do then they may be subject to being preyed upon by their predators. Weather, be Lions or Wolves or whatever, and so by not lying down they're ready.

To run, because that's generally one of their only defense mechanisms. But Jesus is telling us that in his leading we are safe to lie down.

It's been said.

That if everyone else for you is running around like their hair is on fire, then you just don't understand the seriousness of the situation.

However, I think would Jesus is trying to tell us in the teachers is it that he has it that we can trust him, that we can lie down and so he has us to do that. But notice it just doesn't have a slide out anywhere. He has his lie down in green pastures, green pastures of those that have abundance of food for the sheep to eat.

That is comfortable because the grass is certainly easier to lay upon then rocky ground and so he being our Shepherd makes us a lie down in green pastures so that I know that all that I need is present and that I am safe and comfortable in that place. Now to follow up on some of the scriptures to reinforce. That is one which I won't say the address.

But one that all too often we will say, but have great difficulty doing it, is be still and know that I am God, part of the making me to lie down in green pastures, being still not fretting, not running around with my hair on fire, but understanding that my Shepherd has brought me to a safe place.

Other scriptures to reinforce his point is in Matthew 1128 it says this this is Jesus speaking. Come to me all who are weary and heavy Laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Maine, or I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. Notice, he says that if you need rest, you will find it in him for carrying around all these burdens you can lay them down.

Is Jesus will give you rest in green pastures that he will give you rest not only for your body but for your soul? Some 7313 says this. So we or people and the sheep.

Of your pasture will give thanks to you forever. To all generations we will tell of your praise. Part of what we need to do as following this Shepherd and understanding that he is brought us to green pastures that are his pastures, that we should praise him and give him thanks for that.

Psalm 100 verse three says know that the Lord himself is God. It is he who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people, and the sheep sheep of his pasture. Again re emphasizing that you and I, as believers are his sheep, that he is our Shepherd, my Shepherd, Your Shepherd, and that he leads us to his pastures.

Ezekiel 3414 again, written many centuries after David said this.

Predicting what God would do I will feed them in a good pasture and their grazing ground will be on the mountain Heights of Israel. They will lie down on good raising ground and feed and rich pastures on the mountains of Israel. So again, Jesus has told us that he is a Good Shepherd and he is going to do these things.

The second part of verse two says this. He leads me beside quiet waters again. He God our Shepherd is the one who is doing the action and it says he leaves to lead means that you go out in front. You'll hear about generals who will lead their troops into battle, which means they're not behind the front lines that they are in the front with their troops commanding an leading.

The Army.

Jesus is in telling us where to go. He tells us that he leads us, and for those of you who are directionally challenged, this is a great blessing. It's not that Jesus says well, go down a mile and a half, make a left, go to the Oak Tree and then go another quarter mile and then you'll see a Hill or on that Hill and then you'll see what I'm wanting you to go now he doesn't give us directions.

He leads us and he leads me beside, not into, but by in front of.

Quiet waters.

Quiet the idea that the waters are not rushing there, not foaming. They're not causing additional anxiety, but there quiet waters. It doesn't say that there still waters that they're quiet cheap. Generally, like still quiet when they don't like dead subway. They like waters that stream slowly and quietly, and so the waters here are not enough or or their waters of Reston Com.

So that I may drink freely without concern.

Water.

Has a signal.

Significant

Theme in Scriptures.

John Chapter 4 verse 10.

Understanding that in the physical realm, waters at which is necessary to provide and sustain life, and using that physical aspect in John 410 Jesus speaking to the woman at the well, says this.

Jesus answered and said to her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is, who says to you?

Give me a drink.

You would have asked him and he would have given you living water, so we are being led by our Shepherd to quiet waters that are living waters in John Chapter 7. The same gospel song with Earth 37 through 30 nights of this. Now in the last day of the great feast. And this piece was the feast of Tabernacles. And that was the 7th east of the year toward the end of the year round, September Ann.

In that part of the ceremony in Jesus's time was the pouring of water, and so Jesus using that Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. So Jesus had his Earthly Ministry.

Discuss is that which, if we call upon him and believe in him, that those living waters, if you will, the Holy Spirit will flow up in us as living water, and even in revelation in the future. It says this revelation Chapter 7 verse 17.

For the lamb is in the center of the throng will be there. Shepherd will guide them to Springs of the water of life and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. So again there's that constant idea that water is that which God gives us that is living life sustaining but not just physical life sustaining a spiritual life, sustaining.

And then going back to Psalms 40, six, 124.

Actually, I'm going to read.

To verse nine, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change. And though the mountain slip into the heart of the sea.

Though its waters Warren Foam though the mountains quake at his swelling pride.

He says even if that's all going on, he says this because God is our refuge. There is a River who streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling, places of the most high York Loving kindness a Lord extends to the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Oh Lord, you preserve man and beast. How precious is your loving kindness? Oh God.

And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of your house, and you give them to drink of the River of your delights or with you is a fountain of life in your light.

We will see like so we see constantly that God is telling us that if you trust him that if you allow him to lead you he will lead you to not only physical but most importantly spiritual life.

It's amazing one of the benefits.

That we have Jesus being our Good Shepherd.

Is that it makes this lie down? He makes us still.

He gives us comfort and security and provision.

He leads us.

The life sustaining water.

Where is com.

He just does more than that.

Or three says this. He restores my soul. He again is my Shepherd, my God, the god of the universe. Again, I want to emphasize over and over. God didn't just make man and go away. He is intimately involved in your life and in my life. And he has a Good Shepherd. Restores my salt again. As I said, he is the Lord.

The Good Shepherd.

Says Resource.

We saw is to take something and return it to its original condition.

So I want to use a couple of examples.

Some people like classic cars.

And usually if you find one that's completely re stored, it costs a lot of money. So a lot of times what people will do is buy one that is not such a good condition. It's cheaper and also because they like the restoration process and so they'll take that car. Let's say a 66 Mustang, which is one of my favorite older cars, red fastback.

God takes that.

And restores it to knew he doesn't repair it. He doesn't make it look like you. He says he restores.

Another example, a week or two ago I watched a program and they were showing how to restore a piano.

I was very impressed because I know that there are the keys. The White IRI Keys and The Black Keys, and I know that there are string and I know that there's what I call Hammers. I don't know if that's the accurate term and there's felt.

But even all of these surrounding would an whatever is in myriad of pieces. And so I watching this program, how they disassembled the entire piano, they.

Took the paint in the Varnish is scraped it off.

The new paint new varnish they took, whatever would that had been misused and replaced it. They took the strings and made sure that they were tuned correctly that each of the.

He's hit the hammer.

The way it should and create the sound and when they were done you could not tell that that piano had been restored. It looked as if it were new and that would God does as our Shepherd. He doesn't just repair you, he doesn't just put glue and say, OK, I'm playing good enough, but is he God who re stores?

Too often we want to.

Make.

Resolutions that will be better that we will learn more that we will be better will do these various things. Not isn't asking us to turn over a new leaf. He's not asking us to be a better version of ourselves. He saying that I want to restore you.

When God created Adam and Eve?

You made them in his image.

When Adam and Eve sinned, in essence they marred that image so much so that people, even though they will say well, there can be a God, could look at all the way people treat each other.

'cause we lard the image of God?

But Jesus, our Shepherd.

All fix us doesn't take a broken plate. Put glue on it an mended back together and it appears to be broken. He restores it like new.

He doesn't just restore if you will.

Physical things he says he resource again my this is personal. Want you to get that this Psalm is personal. It's about you. It's about me. It's about David. It's about us individually. He resource my soul.

I heard someone say.

Just because you've been broken hearted.

Doesn't mean that you're broken.

However, many of us because of the way we've conducted our lives or whatever, have broken our souls.

It needs to be restored. It needs to be made new IT needs a savior, and so the Good Shepherd doesn't just make us better.

Makes us like knew he restores my soul.

My soul, that eternal aspect of who I am, my soul that will live.

In the next age to come either.

In his presence, because he's my Shepherd.

Or out of his presence.

Because I did not him.

And then he does another thing.

That is a great benefit to us as his sheep.

The second line of the verse 3 is this. He guides me in the paths of righteousness.

Again, he is God.

He's the one that is doing this, so as I said, how can we think that God is a far off? He doesn't care. Look at how he's leading, how he's guiding, how he's making us to do.

For our benefit, so he God guides me now guide again.

Unless you are adventurer usually don't need a guide. Sometimes you may go to a museum and you get the most benefit out of the museum. You will get somebody to guide you through the museum to tell you all the significant articles artifacts in that museum. Do you greater appreciation, but my mind kind of goes to climbing Mount Everest.

Most people

Don't know how to do that. There is a base camp that you get to and you have to acclimate yourself, but there are guides there who made the trip before who understand how to get to the top of Mount Everest.

In the most judicious.

And these hazardous way. So they guy and again Jesus is in there to tell you how to do this. He's there to guide you to be there with you as you walk through those again. He guides me personal.

One of the great benefits.

That the Jews, having in their teaching.

As even.

And Passover, which is coming up soon.

When they go through the Passover, they don't say well, many generations ago, godfried our ancestors and now we celebrate that we're no longer slaves, but we are free people.

No, they say in essence the godfried them that he was. He who delivered them from bondage. They make it personal and again that's what David is done in this Psalm. Continually talk about it is me. And then it says in the path of righteousness. Now notice he didn't say the freeway of righteousness. He said the path of righteousness of path usually is a small.

Little Rd if you will and not even a robe somewhere where that is worn that people have walked over and over and over, and so the ground is created in such a way that you know people have gone there before and so it is he's guiding me in the past of righteousness. So God is giving direction to Maine.

There's a story that.

Another evangelist sold, and I've shared it once before and I will share it again. His name is Jay John Cannon and so it was his story, so I don't want to make it look like I'm doing something original.

And he said that Azure walking along a path.

And the pass Forks in the road 1 going to the left and one going to the right and on the left there's a dead man laying in the road. On the right there's alive man, and you're not sure which direction you should go.

Who would you ask for directions?

The Wise man will ask the living person now there are lots of religions that will tell you how to get places, how to intern righteousness, how to attain, nor Vona how to attain paradise.

But all of the heads of those religions.

Died.

And say that.

Jesus our Good Shepherd

DI was very I was raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures he's alive. He has knows this path as he said in jaune. He's the door. He's the way he is. The access to the father and so.

The path is not any path. The path is of righteousness.

The right standing with God. The correct standing with God. Romans Chapter one. Verse 17 says. Or in the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

But the righteous man shall live by faith. So this path, taking the Correct Fork in the road, if you will.

In space on your faith in God.

Your faith that Jesus.

Is your Good Shepherd?

Now notice.

We don't believe that he raised from the dead and hope so. It's a fact and bases in our whole faith our whole religion. If you will. Our whole being is based on that historical fact, and if it's not a historical fact and.

Christians are quite frankly wasting their time, so we proceed on this path of righteousness by living by Faith. Proverbs Chapter 2 verse 20 says this.

So you walk so you will walk in the way of good men and keep to the path of the righteous. So there is a path of the righteous egg and there's a path that other sake.

Also says I have directed you in the way of wisdom. I have led you an upright path.

Second, Timothy verse 220 says this, now flee from youthful us and pursue righteousness they love and peace with those who call on.

The name of the Lord from if your heart. So Paul writing to Timothy says that we need to flee from those things that will cause us to get off the path of righteousness and to pursue righteousness, not just let it happen.

To be intentional about it.

Matthew 631 through 33. Jesus talking says this do not worry then saying what will heat or what will we drink or what we will wear for clothing or the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things or your heavenly father knows that you have need of these things.

Let's see first his Kingdom and his righteousness. And all these things will be added to you. So you see, again, Jesus tells us.

Keep the main thing the main thing as the main thing he says. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Seek that path of righteousness.

And God will provide all the rest.

Because he is a Good Shepherd. He is my Shepherd. I shall not want.

Matthew 713 and 14 says this in Jesus speaking.

Enter through the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is rod that leads to destruction and there are many who entered through it or the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and there are few who find it.

Most of us like to be popular. Most of us like to be well thought of. Most of us want to be in the group, and even when we say we want to be individuals, we tend to do things that cause us to be identified with other individuals.

And so we liked oftentimes go to churches that have a lot of people or we like to do concerts or whatever. Where there are a lot of people because it makes us feel better makes, is feel good.

However, just because something is popular doesn't make it right. As a matter of fact, looking back at the Old Testament, when the people of God had left Egypt.

Now we're heading to the promised land. They since flies out.

To see the land.

Ascend 12

It came back with two reports.

Ten of these five said all man, it's a great land that in the grapes are huge and everything. But the people there are Giants and we are like grasshoppers in both our eyes and in there's.

And so they said, we should go in.

The two even minority report said no no. God gave this land to us. Let's take it.

And the people of God followed the majority opinion.

And so don't be wrapped up in what other people say or think. What is it that the voice of God says? Because again, as we said, he has a Good Shepherd.

His sheep hear his voice and follow him, so follow Jesus. Even if an it will be narrow as uses themselves, as in few will find it.

But the destination is awesome because that as destination is a very presence of God himself.

John Chapter 14.

Verses 2 through 6 says this and often times we will quote this scripture In addition to the scripture we used the song 23 at a funeral or memorial service, and that's one of the things that is again why I am using this particular song. Because often times this is when it's red and when it's red people are clouded with grief.

And they hear it, but they don't hear it.

And there's a sense that seeking some comfort.

But the comfort is more, and what we're going to be talking about next week.

But there's comfort in the here and now, as Jesus is my Shepherd.

It makes me lie down. He leaves me.

He guides me.

He restores Maine.

And so and John again, it says in my father's house are many dwelling places were not, so I would have told you before I go to prepare a place for you if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. Where and that where I am there you may be also, and you know the way where I am going now Jesus tells him, you know the way because I have been with you. I've been teaching you. I have been guiding you. I have been leading. You have been making you.

To lay down.

But Thomas, as most of us.

Are there more dense than we like to admit, or more like sheep? Then we would like to admit, Dama said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going. How do we know the way?

Thomas is sane. We don't know the final destination. We don't know what road to take to get there.

Well, in that time it said all roads lead to Rome. Jesus is probably not going to Rome. So where is he going and How do I get there? And Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but through me. So you see the paths of righteousness is Jesus himself. He's the way to righteousness. He's the way to righteousness through faith.

In him

And then Psalm 5/8 as this, oh Lord, Lead me in your righteousness because of my foes, make your way straight before me so the Samus is saying, Lord, I want to follow you.

And there are those who don't want me to follow you that there my enemies and yet.

I'm struggling to Lord. Don't make the road winding make it straight so I can find the road and stay on it.

But then he said something very dishonest, something very interesting.

The second lines is this or his name sake.

Again for his it's.

Be cause of for the benefit of his Good Shepherd, the Lord the god of Heaven and earth, for his name sake.

God does.

The leading you in the path of righteousness.

And we can be assured of that.

'cause otherwise his name would suffer. He is going to make sure that you get to where you need to be off for his leading and guidance.

Because his name would be affected if he did it.

One of the examples I want you to know about that.

To avoid the fact that his name is holy and would not allow anything to taint that name, I want to give you an example found in exodus 32 Seven through 14. I'm not going to read it, I'm just going to talk about it.

God had had it.

After here with this FIFA.

They constantly bickered, they constantly complained God would provide them water.

And man, I and manner wasn't good enough to provide them me and they were still complain. They complain about God and they complain about Moses and they just simply complained. They kept saying aren't there enough graves in Egypt? Why'd you bring us out here and they were just?

Belly aching all the time and so God finds that sit on a wife amount.

I'm a start over with Moses.

Moses

The Lord, he do that.

Egypt and the rest of the nation's will say you weren't able to accomplish this.

That you couldn't do this, and that's why the people died and your name would be affected.

Because your name is holy, your name is hollowed, so God, for your name, if for no other reason, do this. Keep the people I know. The funny thing is, the more than Moses saw just the opposite. It's an outright debauchery of the people he was ready to wipe them out as well, but he interceded for God's people not saying that they were worthy of it, but that God's name was worthy.

Of it.

And so the last scripture I want to talk about is Psalm 929 two.

It says there's ascribe to the Lord the Glory do his name worship the Lord and holy array.

You see, the Lord is your Shepherd. the Lord is my Shepherd.

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside quiet water.

He restores my soul.

He guides me the paths of righteousness for his name sake.

How awesome.

Is that Shepherd?

There are all kinds of reasons to praise him.

Each of these partial versus.

Give us more than enough reason to praise him.

And even the times when you don't think that.

You'll make it.

That you think that God doesn't hear you, that your prayers don't go above the ceiling?

That you are unworthy of God's leading.

Remember this.

He does it or his name say.

What comfort?

That I don't have to.

Yeah Superman.

I don't have to be Super Religious.

Just need to hear his voice.

And to follow.

Just need to walk in the path of righteousness and make that my primary goal in life.

Knowing

The path is narrow.

To narrow the only way to enter.

You see the door called Jesus.

Next week we're going to take a look at other benefits that the Shepherd gives us.

But I want you to contemplate these first 3 verses.

'cause we so quickly read past them.

And yet they provide comfort.

Security.

Onsolis

And God knows that God cares that he leads the guides.

He loves you.

Let's pray.

Her learner garden.

We thank you.

That you're our Shepherd.

Thank you, you are the Good Shepherd that lay down your life for us.

There are times when we try to get away from you, and that voice may seem a little less loud.

But you weren't also says God that as a Good Shepherd you will leave the 99 and seek out the one that is lost.

So God, if there's one who's participated in this Bible study, who feels separated from you.

Bring them home.

Not if there are those who wandered off the path because it's the other popular way God help us to get back on that narrow path.

And God, thank you.

That your promises are so certain.

That your name is on it.

For those or anxious.

May they see the security and comfort in these verses?

Or as in Jesus name that I pray.

A man.

I've Russia.

And we'll see you next time.