The Lord Is My Shepherd

As you can see on the screen. The title of my message tonight is the Lord is my shepherd from Psalm 23 and if you would turn in your Bibles to Psalm 23 has I read a brief introduction of late we've had several bacon folks go through difficult trials summative suffered physically sickness others have struggled emotionally to the loss of a loved one to death. Still others have struggled mentally with hardships that have accompanied the pandemic that is gripped our world for some struggles have been written recent and still very raw. For others, the struggles of lasted months if not years.

And tonight we want to consider attacks. It is given comfort to millions down through the years. Psalm 23. Before we look into the text I want to read a poem entitled abiding in him. My heart and my hands were weary from the burden of my load I pled with God to change my path and grant an easier road from deep within my soul. He said all strengthen and provide abide in me. My precious child when you are sorely tried God showed me that the path I tried was fashion step-by-step to fires that purge the draws from me his image to reflect I learned of God is near. Before and sought to seek his face, the greater it was my soul deep pain.

The sweeter was his grace. Romans 826 and English standard version says likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

I made the comment in my introduction that some people had gone to the loss of 11 recently and I think most in our church know that my brother-in-law passed away this last week and quite honestly, I got the phone call around 215 Friday morning from my wife in California with my sister-in-law and she told me that they had called Becky and the girls. His two daughters and Jane to the hospital. The difficult part about that was eventually, they allowed Becky and one of the girls to want to see John and address them in a suit and had them stand behind Plexiglas and they basically watched him die will, which is very difficult.

Why mention that and I want to repeat. Romans 826 again and tell you the reason. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

For we do not know what to pray for as we but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. I will tell you that after I got the call from my wife between 215 515 give or take. I like the rest of my family agonized. It was obvious that John was not make it.

We did not want to lose him, but we did not want him to suffer, and I will tell you that I've had this experience before and I'm sure that many listening my voice have also I didn't know what to pray and all I could do it one point was to tearfully say God God God, and this may sound strange, a strange pairing but my attitude was of intense submission and I think you have ever been there or you just don't know what to pray and you want about the need to the sovereignty of God and yet you are intensely hurting the Holy Spirit steps in and you have such peace even just saying God God God.

Second Corinthians 12 nine says my grace is sufficient for the for my strength is made perfect in weakness. I want to read Psalm 23. At this time and then will shares thoughts. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake yay though I walk to 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. David begins Psalm 23 by acknowledging a personal relationship with the shepherd.

He states the Lord is my shepherd the words the Lord refer to the name Jehovah is the sacred name of the self existent eternal. I am that I am. It's the name of God, who has no equal.

Listen to these verses. Psalm 13 113 verse six, who is like the Lord our God who dwells on high who humbles himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and the earth.

Every time I read that verse, I think David, if you only knew then what we know now about the heavens. He says that God humbles himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and the and that's basically based upon David's knowledge there were a lot of stars out there, but he had no clue. Isaiah 55, eight and nine for my thoughts are not your thoughts are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Then finally a familiar verse Romans 1130 3O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.

I give these verses. Beloved, because it is my conviction and I trust yours to that God had an eternal plan that included a including my brother-in-law, including you moving me there are no accidents. There are no surprises. He ordains his perfect provenance and fulfills it perfectly, and our confidence in our contentment grows with our understanding of who the Lord is our reaction and this is important. Our reaction to trial may vary among Christian, but the remedy is the same. The remedy is the shepherd we can approach grief we can approach pain we can approach sickness differently as individual Christians. Yet, that's one thing we have in common. The remedy is the shepherd.

The word affirmation means to express a strong belief in or dedication to someone or something with that again. The word affirmation means to express a strong belief in or dedication to someone or something. How often do you affirm your love for and dedication to the Lord. Note this the Lord, the creator of the universe became more than your shepherd. He became the sacrificial lamb that saved your eternal soul. No, sometimes it's difficulties that make us stop to ponder who the Lord really is and what he has done for us and is doing in us. The second part of the verse is the words is my shepherd the Lord is my shepherd the words are in the present tense. They speak of ongoing personal assurance and confidence.

A person one must be born of the spirit before you can be led by the spirit being born of the Spirit obviously includes two things believing in the personal work of Jesus Christ in confessing our sins before the Lord more than knowledge and lipservice.

It involves placing your complete and exclusive trust in Christ hi give this illustration I probably shared it before. It's something like going up in a plane to skydive you get up there and you probably have your heart pounding in her mind would be in you think well thousands upon thousands of people have done the safety before but you will never be a skydiver until you jump from that plane. And then there's no return. You have left the point of return and in a sense, when we accept Christ as our Savior.

When we repent of sin, we have become a new creation in Christ there is no turning back. And I am very burdened at times for some of the young people who over time have demonstrated lipservice and head knowledge without a true saving knowledge of Christ. Praise the Lord for those who do know Christ in an intimate and personal way. In John 10 Jesus said I am the good shepherd. The good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd and I know my sheep and am known by my own my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.

A personal relationship eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. Then David next speaks of provision by his shepherd. The second part of verse one and verse two I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. The words I shall not want speak of resources for the body and I'm sure you as a Christian, have had the Lord demonstrate his faithfulness in that area of your life or to trust God is our protector and our provider and then demonstrate contentment with his provision for us. I am sobered when I read these next words. Christ taught us to pray. Give us this day our daily bread. Have you ever had to pray that Lord if you don't give me my bread today. I'm not going to eat.

I have never had to pray. That, and yet I need to make certain I've got that attitude to be content with daily bread.

Hebrews I should say. Paul wrote in my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

In Philippians 4, I shall not want speaks of resources for the body and the words he makes me lie down in green pastures speaks of rest from fretfulness in fear, lie down in green pastures. Second Corinthians chapter 1 verses three and four wonderful verses. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercy and God of all, who comforts us in all our tribulation.

Why that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. He comforts us in part so that we can comfort others and then Hebrews 13 five. The second part of it. He himself is said I will never leave you nor forsake you in common.

Tatars say that in the Greek there are five negative so that you could read that verse as follows. It's like saying there is absolutely no way whatsoever that I will ever ever leave what assurance we have, no matter what difficulty in trial.

We may be going through at the time.

David's personal relationship with the shepherd not only gave him resources and rest it gave him thirdly peace through his shepherd says he leads me beside the still waters line Fanny Crosby said when my spirit closed immortal wings it's flight to realms of day. This my song to endless ages. Jesus led me all the way. What a wonderful, wonderful thought. One of my favorite verses of any him when my spirit closed immortal wings it's flight to realms of day. This my song to endless ages. Jesus led me all the way, the word still waters speak of a time for reflection. I want to read aspersion quote, I'll do it slowly is not superlong but it's so practice as many of his things are still waters speak of a time for reflection. Listen to this. If you would Spurgeon says it should be among our day thoughts and my thoughts to remember the flight of time.

The changeable character of earthly thing. The brevity of both joy and sorrow. The preciousness of life are utter powerlessness to recall the hours once flown in the irresistible approach of eternity. He says David's S labor night. Reminds us to prepare for our last time David's S work for God and night invites us to rest in him.

David's S look for endless day and night warns us to escape from everlasting. Nine. Truly, folks, none of us.

None of us know what today will bring forth. We need to take time to reflect.

Isaiah wrote. You will keep him in perfect peace. His mind is stayed on you, why because he trusts in you.

Philippians 4 Paul Paul writes be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Not only does he have peace through his shepherd. But this leads us to the most important aspect of the Psalm. I believe that is this he has purity through his shepherd. Verse three he says he restores my soul restore means to bring back to repair. To refresh, like sheep, we are prone to wander, think of David's prayer in Psalm 51 he ended up saying restore to me the joy of your salvation.

The sweet psalmist the man after God's own heart had a pray Lord restore on the main the joy of your salvation. And then the words he leads me in the past of righteousness for his namesake speak of right living in speaks of right living, guiding our life by the word of God and notice this. David says paths of righteousness.

He speaking of more than one path and the imagery accord and commentaries is one of several meandering parallel paths.

All following the shepherd or they mean by that.

The details in the lives of his sheep can vary. We can take different paths, but the destination is the same. We are all headed home.

We are headed toward a destination that is heaven, and that something rejoicing. The words for his namesake, tell us the motive behind our Shepherd's leading he restores our soul and he leads us in paths of righteousness for his glory and praise the Lord for those who have become crime sheep to saving faith in who he is and what he's accomplished their great benefits for time and for eternity. In the last part of the Psalm verses 4 to 6 we see some of those listed first of all, presence of the shepherd. He says yay though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me walk through the valley of the shadow of death that speaks of a steady gait not running in fear, understanding and stagnation, not staying in the valley but walking through the valley. This speaks of a temporary journey that leads to joy unspeakable and full of glory for us is the valley of the shadow of death and shadows are not reality. One commentator that I read said the shadow of the dog does not by humorous way of putting what he was saying is just reemphasizing shadows are not reality is not the valley of death itself, or death has lost its sting in the grave has lost its victory for Christians because of Christ's triumph on the cross.

Then David goes on and he says I will fear no evil for you are with me doesn't deny that evil may come in our lives. Now here's the thing I felt was interesting. The word evil in this context means adversity, affliction, displeasure, grief, hurt, misery, David said that he would fear none of these things because is all powerful, all-knowing I am that I am shepherd is with him, come what may. And that something that all of us can rejoice and if we do know Christ as Savior. The more we know about her shepherd, the greater will be our comfort in times of difficulty and I'm sure this verse many many times from Asaph and Psalm 7326 one of my favorite verses probably my lifesavers my my flesh in my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Take that apart my flesh. I'm at the end of my physical wrote.

I'm beyond helping myself. My flesh fails then he goes on to say, my heart feels I'm at the end of my emotional broker. Maybe my spiritual rope I am done. I'm at the end. But God is the strength of my heart my essential self is focused upon God and he is my portion forever.

Not only does he give us the presence of his shepherd, but also protection from the shepherd, we see that in verse four, the latter part of it.

In verse five. Your rod and your staff they comfort me. Prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup runs over the shepherd's rod was to guard the sheep against danger.

The shepherd's staff was to guide the sheep in the right direction so he would protect them as well as guide them and then we see a public victory. You notice there. He says that you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. God provides abundant supply of our needs in the presence of enemies that are an affront to our comfort, you might say will brother. I don't have a lot of enemies will you may not have physical flesh and blood enemies but perhaps you got burdens that act like it. I mean, it is just bearing down upon you, weighing you down in the Lord of Psalm 23 is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort.

We mentioned earlier, who comforts us in all of our tribulation will love it. There's no doubt about that. We can have victory.

That is a testimony in a way that would glorify the work you know when we go through the trials and they see how we handle that is an encouragement to challenge it can be a means of edification for the Christian and evangelization for the loss when they see us go through what we do. Quite honestly, I do not know how the unsaved and I don't have a handle.

Quite frankly, I dreaded speaking, I dreaded because I didn't know if I could handle my motion and I am just amazed at God's grace and his mercy and his showing us how dependent we are upon him and with him doing that and giving grace and giving mercy and giving strength and giving calmness and giving clarity.

He brings glory to himself. We can have a public testimony, public victory during the trials that God brings in our lives.

Then we see not only does he have the presence of the shepherd, and protection from his shepherd, but also prospects from his shepherd because of his shepherd.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The goodness of God takes care of our steps will the mercy of God takes care of our sins.

The goodness of God takes care of our steps. He directs us the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way of God's mercy takes care of our sins. He's willing to forgive us of all unrighteousness. As we confess it to Christ, emphasize the wonderful truth that those who place their faith in him are eternally secure. He said in John 10 my sheep here my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My father who was given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand.

I and my father are one. Beloved, we cannot possibly imagine the wonder of living in the house of the Lord forever. We read that verse, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. But if you ever stop to just try to contemplate what that will be like. Nor can we imagine the wall of those who were denied entrance because it rejected Christ and I said earlier, we do not know what today will bring forth. We believe in that at this church that salvation is of little work from agency. He sovereign in salvation yet he's chosen to use weak instruments like you are like me to be a testimony to the lost. Therefore burden for those in our family for burden for neighbors and friends who don't give evidence of truly having saving faith in Christ, we should be witnessing to our lips and our lives because truly we do not know what a day over and forth. I praise God, I know that I will see my brother-in-law again.

How do you know that for sure because of his life.

He loved Christ he served Christ. He guided his life by Christ.

That should be our testimony as well.

In Matthew 25 Jesus said when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep and the goats.

They will set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left, then the King will say to those on his right hand client calm you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world than he will also say to those on the left hand depart from me, you cursed and everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, and these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life not I have no idea and I don't think any person does what it's going to be like when Christ returns and takes us to be with him. I would imagine that the experience of seeing him will blot out the thought that not all of our loved ones are going with this. I don't know the answer to that but when you read these last the last part of that verse.

These will go away and everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. There is a head and a tail of joy inexpressible and a sadness inexpressible you think about loved ones will not be with you in heaven. What a contrast between the destination of sheep who possess Christ as Savior and shepherd and goats who merely profess Christ is the shepherd. Those who have assurance that they are one of God sheep can rejoice in the things that we mention his provision is peace. His purity and protection and you can look forward to the prospects of faith, becoming site and hope becoming reality forever. If you have any question about your relationship with Jesus pleading him by faith pleading him my faith. Ask God to forgive you of your sins and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. Ask God to apply the righteousness of Christ.

Your eternal account as you trust entirely and exclusively in him is your safe, ask God to lead you in paths of righteousness for his namesake.

For those of you who are listening as I close and you are Christian you have a a deep sense in your heart. Christ is your shepherd. He is your Savior. I want to challenge you to contemplate more as I've been challenged upon God. If I had spoken on preparing for persecution. One of the analogies that I was going to use and will use as the Lord leads me to speak on that in the future you don't wait till game day to prepare. You don't wait until game day to prepare and beloved. I say that to say this in this message tonight you don't wait again for game day to prepare.

Know God grow in your knowledge of God, so that when trials come tough, hard trials, you and I can say God. God God because what were doing and saying that I believe just saying I turn it all over to you. It may crush me emotionally. But when I don't understand what you're doing. I trust who you are, quiet waters and green pastures from the gracious hand of God, who will guard and guide my footsteps with the shepherd staff and rod to the shadows of death Valley mitts life toils and trials in tears, God the Spirit ever present comforts maintenance doubts and fears as my savings sanctified good and merciful each day. My provider and protector leech each step along my way. Living hope is mine and Jesus in his house forever more. I will glory in the presence of the Lord whom I adore please bow for the benediction now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep to the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you.

What is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. To him be glory forever and ever