Services | Psalm 23 | Part 1

Bulletin

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

The Psalm is one of guidance and protection and comfort, and we use it to comfort those going through or emerging from great difficulty. But it is something I think that we should appreciate not only when we're going through difficulty, but even when we are in green pastures.

The motif is that of one of a Shepherd and also one of God being a host, and so we will take a look at this. And like I said, so I'm going to read a line. Then we're going to go back and look at each word in that line and give it some consideration. Now this week I have a number of Bible verses because of the motif of Shepherd is very well used throughout the scriptures. The idea of a Shepherd is not only done before.

David, but many of the.

Profits after David used the idea of the Shepherd in the coming Shepherd, and then Jesus certainly used it as the Good Shepherd. And so we will start with the 23. The first line says this.

The Lord is my Shepherd.

Now they tell you how deep dive we're taking a look at it. The very first word is the you say, well, what can you get out of that? Well, First off it's the Lord is not a God is not. Some God is not one of many gods, it's the Lord. It's one and only. So the Lord the Lord here is Yahweh or Jehovah, also known as I am that I am so it is that Lord, the Lord the god of Heaven.

And Earth that one.

Is.

My Shepherd, so the Lord.

Is how is again taking this deep dive is current is not he was or he's going to be with the Lord. Currently is my Shepherd.

Can you imagine?

That the god of Heaven and Earth.

Yahweh Hovah

The I am.

Is your Shepherd.

Is not a god of far off is not a God that let's things happen and just wonders what's going on. Let you figured out it's.

The Lord is my Shepherd currently.

And then my.

Me is my Shepherd.

I find this interesting because when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told us who say our father who art in heaven. But in this Psalm it says the Lord is not our Shepherd. the Lord is my Shepherd.

And so it is personal. It is something that we need to consider is God my Shepherd or is someone else? My Shepherd? Is it me who's leading and guiding my pathway aura by allowing God to be that Shepard though it's me it's my.

And then he uses the word Shepherd.

David is not the first to use this concept of God being his Shepherd. As a matter of fact.

Jacob, who is also known as Israel, uses this concept, though in Genesis Chapter 4815 at the end of.

Israel's life at the end of Jacob's life is blessing his children.

And then he comes to Joseph. And it says this, he blessed Joseph and said that God be hope, for whom my father, Abraham and Isaac walk the God who has been my Shepherd all my life to this day.

So even Israel.

Who had his.

Battles with the Lord acknowledged that all of.

Israel's life, including the days that he was Jacob God was shepherding him, and he was shepherding him all of his days, even until the time of his impending death. And so he is my Shepherd.

All the days of my life.

But to compare and contrast there are also some bad shepherds, so we want to take a look at what a bad Shepherd is versus what a Good Shepherd is. And so in Ezekiel 34 verses one through 10, it says this in the Lord of the the word of the Lord came to me saying, son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy an sated, those shepherds the says the Lord God woe shepherds of Israel, who have been eating themselves.

Should not the shepherds feed the flock you eat the fat and clothe yourselves with a wool. You slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly, you have not strengthened the disease. You have not healed the broken. You have not bound up the scattered. You have not brought back, nor have you thought, or the Los. But with force and was severity, you have dominated them.

They were scattered for lack of a Shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. My flock wandered through all the mountains and every high Hill. My flock was scattered over the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them. Therefore you, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. As I live, declares the Lord God. Surely because my flock has become a pray, my flock has even become food.

For The Beasts of the field, for lack of a Shepherd, and my shepherds did not teach, or my phlox, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my flock. Therefore you, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord the says the Lord God be fault. Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. The shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver my flock.

From their mouth so that they will not be food for them. So we see what the bad Shepherd does, an much of what the batch ever does is exact opposite of what the Good Shepherd does or what the Shepherd in this Psalm will talk about the Shepherd. In this song, Tom will do the things that are protective, the Flock and providing for the flock. In this situation the bad shepherds are those who seek to benefit from the Flock and are not concerned about him.

Don't heal them will provide for them, but only Hague from them. And unfortunately there are those pastors and other religious leaders who first thought is about themselves and not the flock of God. And so God is comparing and contrasting what a bad Shepherd is as to what a Good Shepherd is and in the same is equal. 30 four he provides for a future Shepherd and says this for the says, the Lord God. Behold, I myself will search for my sheep.

And seek them out as a Shepherd cares for us. Heard in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for my sheep, and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered.

On a cloudy and gloomy day I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries.

And bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the streams and in the inhabited places of the land.

I will feed them in a good pasture and their grazing ground will be on the mountain Heights of Israel. There will they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in the rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock.

And I will leave them to rest, declares the Lord God. I will seek the Los and bring this scattered Vine up so broken and strengthen the sick.

But so far.

But a fair, and that's wrong. I will destroy.

I will feed them with judgment. Then in verse 23 through 25 is is this, then I will set over them one Shepherd, my Shepherd, David and he will feed them and he will feed them himself and be there Shepherd. and I the Lord will be their God and my servant David will be Prince among them ISIL or has spoken. I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beast from The Lancet that they may live securely.

In the wilderness and sleep.

In the Woods and then going to verse 30 says this. Then they will know that the Lord their God and with them, and that they the House of visual are my people, declares God.

As for you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, you are men, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.

So this is a comparison.

Contrast between what God will do as the Shepherd and what Bad Shepherd to do.

Much of what we say in Ezekiel we see that same concept and language as we do in Psalm 23, that God is going to provide the God is going to be that Shepherd that Good Shepherd.

Going on with again, that number of scriptures that this motif, this theme of the Shepherd throughout the scriptures in Isaiah 40, verse 11. This is this like a Shepherd. He will tend his flock and his arms. He will gather the lambs and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead the nursing youth, so we see again the scriptures prophesying of this coming Shepherd.

And then Jeremiah Verse Three, Chapter 3, verse 15 says this. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart.

Who will feed you on knowledge and understanding?

Jesus.

Understanding how the Good Shepherd is and what the contrast the bad shepherds sees the people in Mark and Matthew 936 and says this. Seeing the people he felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a Shepherd. So we see that that.

Jesus has this compassion because his people are not being shepherded correctly.

But as a Shepherd, he also knows that sheep into stray, and we tend to straight the first Peter 225 using again the Jesus as a Shepherd says this.

Or you or continually strain like sheep. But now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your soul.

And because we stray, we return. But sometimes we return not on our own initiative, and Matthew 18. Verse 12 through 14. This is this. What do you think of any man has 100 sheep and one of them has gone astray? Does he not leave the 99 and on mountains and go and search for the one that is strained?

If it turns out that he finds it truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than the 99 which had not gonna straight so will not. So will it not be the well of your father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones arish

So we see in the Ministry of Jesus these hints that he has a Good Shepherd.

Seeks the Los seeks those and because.

In

Or Merrick live. Or a Shepherd might seek the lost sheep. Jesus is saying, surely just as that Shepherd would do, he would go and seek the Los.

And the New Testament continues on by saying.

Now the god of Peace, who brought up from the dead, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Eternal God.

I'm done internal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.

So again.

So god of Peace who raised Jesus to be that Great Shepherd.

And then it says.

In first Peter 5 four and when the chief Shepherd appears, you'll receive the unfading Crown of glory.

And then one future again, revelation of that Shepard in Revelation Chapter 713 through 17, it says this.

And one of the elders answers saying to Maine, these were clothed in white robes. Who are they and where have they come from?

I said to him, Lord, you know, and he said to me, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Or this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne was spread his Tabernacle over them. They will hunger no more thirst nor thirst anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them.

Or any heat or the lamb in the center of the throng will be there Shepherd and will guide them to Springs of water of life and God will wipe every tear from their eye so he see again and again that Jesus is compared to.

The Shepherd tending his flock. The Shepherd who protects his flock. Though Shepherd, who provides for it the Shepherd when a sheep strays, seeks for it. A Shepherd who is there to protect his sheep.

Then Jesus is going to.

Particularly, identify with the Shepherd and it's the last verse will be looking versus will be looking at from other places other than.

Psalm 23

And it says this in John Chapter 10, verse one through 10 truly, truly and again, as I frequently say, when Jesus speaks, it's the truth. When he says, truly, truly, then we need to pay more strict attention. This is truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, a climbs up some other way. He is a thief and a robber, but he winners by the door is a Shepherd of the sheep, the him, the doorkeeper, opens.

And the sheep hear is voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leaves them out when he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice, a stranger. They simply will not follow or will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.

This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were, which he was had been saying to them. Jesus had been talking to the religious leaders who refused to believe that he was the Messiah and he was speaking to them because they were blind. And now he saying to them that they don't here, and the reason that they don't here is because there not is cheap. So uses this analogy. You try to get them to understand.

Now, one of the things I want is to say to you is that he talks about a sheep fold. A sheepfold is like a pin or a paddock where.

Very shepherds will place their locks or protection in Israel. It was usually made up of stone walls and so if you weren't a Shepherd and you wanted to steal or destroy, you have to climb over the walls, but it would be the shepherds who went through the door and there would be a doorkeeper in that person, but allow the various shepherds to go in now.

He says.

That when the Shepherd goes through the door, he calls his sheep and his sheep hear his voice and follow him.

David is said.

The Lord is my Shepherd, which means David knows the voice of the Lord and follows him.

We and then say if we hear his voice and we know we are is sheep and we follow his voice. So again, it says that he goes through the door, calls a sheep and they go out of the paddock out of the sheepfold, and then, when all of them are out he then goes ahead of them, and they follow him.

But they didn't understand it was talking about. So Jesus be gained more clearly and said in verse 7. Though Jesus said to them again, truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. Now again, Jesus didn't say I'm like a door. He says he is the door. He is the way gain into the sheep full and the way to exit the sheepfold. He is the door I am. Jesus is using that as.

God had spoken to Moses when Moses said, who do I say that you are when I go the people God told Moses to say I am that I am the Jesus is using a specific language and say I am the door the God.

And all who came before me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal into Killens, Troy I can that they might have life and have it abundantly again. Jesus is saying that he is that entrance. He will later, saying John I am the way.

I am the truth. I am the life you saying. If you want access to God there.

There's no other way but through him, he is that entryway and that his sheep hear his voice, and so when you'll hear people say, well, I don't understand what you mean by saying that Jesus is the only way. Obviously there's gotta be other ways.

I hear his voice. I know it's true when he doesn't even need to say truly, truly. I understand that he is the only access to God.

I want you also to notice the other thing that Jesus had commented on. He said that this Shepherd new is sheep by name.

Jesus, as your Shepherd knows your name. The Scriptures also say that not only does he know your name, he knows the very number of hairs on your head. He knows when you rise up, he knows when you sit down.

God is intimately acquainted with your person.

The question is, are you following him as Shepherd or are you allowing someone else to Shepherd you? Maybe even yourself?

John rice and continuing to write what Jesus spoke, and he says this in verse 11.

I am the Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

He was a hired hand and not a Shepherd who is not the owner of the sheep sees the Wolf coming and leaves a sheep and fleas and the Wolf snatches them an scattered them. He flees because he is hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.

I am the Good Shepherd and I know my own and my own know me even as the father knows me and I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also and they will hear my voice and they will become one flock with one Shepherd. Now believe what Jesus is saying. There is that the other sheep are the Gentiles. He came first to the Jew. The Gospel was presented first in June and then the Greek or the Gentile. Though Jesus is saying that he's going and the Gentiles will also hear his voice and the point is we will all follow.

M not due following him and we following somebody else.

For this reason, the father loves Maine because I lay down my life that I may take it up. No one take has taken it from Maine while I lay it down on my own initiative. I've authorities lay it down. I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from my father.

So again.

Jesus saying that he as the Good Shepherd will lay and has laid down his life for the sheep.

He knows us by name and he did this because he received as a commandment of the father is not only lay down his life that had taken up again. No one took the life of Jesus. Jesus gave it voluntarily as a father gave him authority to do that, and in return he gave him also authority to raise.

On the dead.

I want you to see.

Then it says the Lord.

Is my Shepherd.

Is God himself, who is my Shepherd?

How is it that I know that he's my Shepherd?

Because I hear his voice.

And he knows me by name.

And if I stray like sheep tend to do.

You will call me.

If I stray further and further away.

You will come seek me and find me.

Now, as I've said before.

There was a great outpouring of sentiment and music that Jesus will.

Cross any divide.

Will cross any mountain bite any obstacle to come to us in a sense that true?

But in the real sense.

The only thing he needed to do.

Who rescue us as sheep.

Is what he did by climbing a Hill called Mount Calvary?

And suffered the shame.

Of death on the cross.

There are sins might be forgiven.

They was raised on the third day, according to the scriptures that that we might know for sure.

And he is the Good Shepherd.

And he lay down his life for his sheep. But he protects them.

And so.

Looking again at this one line, the Lord the god of Heaven and Earth Yahweh Jehovah.

Is currently

Miami.

Shepherd, the one who leads me. One who guides me. The one who protects the one who provides for me. The one who sees to it that my interest.

Are protected.

Is he loves me.

The question is.

Here's the Good Shepherd.

Are you hearing his voice?

And are we listening?

The second line of that first verse is this.

I shall not want.

Hi.

Me thought about others.

About me I shall shall is kind of a a man. Other translation says, do I do not want, I shall not is an affirmative or determination of statement of reality and faith.

When you hear the word showers almost like a command, so it's almost like a command and I do not I shall not I will not want because God has provided.

Not want.

All provisions have been taken care of by My Shepherd. It's going to go through and the other verses that talk about what those provisions are is a statement of faith is just as.

Israel at the end of his life said.

The God who has been my Shepherd all my life.

Is this day?

Is.

Lord

Your Shepherd.

All your life.

To this day.

If not.

Hear his voice.

Under him

You can have the assurance.

Uh, the protection of vision.

And all other aspects.

Of what is good?

Does the Good Shepherd?

They provided for us and leads us.

David.

Being a Shepherd boy.

Understood she in quite frankly, sheep is not a very.

Laura's term as analogy for his people.

Let's face it, sheep.

Or not that bright?

They need a Shepherd.

They don't have their own protection. They don't have any type of way to fend off natural predators like Wolves or Lions.

All they have is their wool.

They can't even run faster than those that might seek them.

Oh, it's the Shepherd who protects them is the Shepherd who guides them so that they might.

Be safe.

Lord

Amazing the Lord himself.

Is my.

You don't hear his voice.

There's always the opportunity to hear it.

There's always the opportunity to say, Lord.

Be my ship.

Be my God.

And I might know you as you know me, Jesus in John says, just as I'm the father know each other. I know you is that intimately acquainted with you and I.

Yes, as he's intimately acquainted with God.

Because.

Good Shepherd has provided all that we need.

I not only can say I do not want.

I shall not, because there is a statement of faith there that says everything that I may need or want in the future.

Shepherd knows.

And he will provide.

So we will take a look at next week.

And verse two and maybe verse 3 to discuss some of the provisions.

At the Shepherd does for us how he leads us, how he guides us where he does.

And that we can have confidence in the Shepherd is not like the bad shepherds was only worried about himself.

Is the Good Shepherd.

Lay down his life for the sheep.

He's worthy to be followed. He's worthy to be listened to.

He's worthy as he knows your name.

Thank you and God bless.