The Lord Is My Shepherd, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. He says the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. You wonder what is he talking about. When he stopped wanting things. No, I don't think that's it. All I think what David means is this what I have in the shepherd is greater than what I don't have in life because the Lord is my shepherd and content.

I don't need anything else in life. The Lord is my shepherd. That's what he is saying is not talking about stuff. Even Jesus said in Luke 12 he said, not even one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions is not the way it works at all for joining us today on this additional fellowship in the world Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana.

Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhart now is again he shows us how God's word meets our work. One of the most famous verses Everly with Rick by Isaiah the prophet Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah said all of us like she have gone astray, each of us is turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. The real question when you read that verse for the first time is the identification of him are iniquity fell on him earlier in the chapter. Isaiah said that he not only had our iniquity fallen him, but he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was smitten of God, he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.

He was chasing for our well-being and he was scourged for our healing who would do that for wayward sheep. Only one would shepherd, this movement had 700 years in medium go with me now to John chapter 10 John chapter 10 beginning in verse seven, the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking and Jesus says in verse seven Jesus said to them again, truly, truly, I say to you that I am the door of the sheep all came before me are thieves and robbers that she 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. Jesus starts this discourse by saying I am the door. They have to understand that whenever sheep were putting a penny each night. There was one little opening where you could go through to get in or out of the pen that opening belong to the shepherd. In fact, each night the shepherd would take his staff and he would laid across the opening.

One sheep at a time would come by and he would examine the sheep he was see if there's anything wrong with the sheep. Anything that needs attention and one by one he would lift her his staff letter sheep and lift another let it into their when there then he would sleep across the door.

Then in the morning he would call them by his neck by their names with his voice they would respond and come out of the pan and go to be with him. That's where Jesus picks it up again and he says something that's quite interesting. He says as he goes on. He says the thief comes only to steal and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life. He says for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. One of the great I am statements of John. I am the good shepherd, but it doesn't say that in the Greek it says I am shepherd the good one. What a great statement. I'm a shepherd, but on the good one. That's what Jesus is saying here and that word good is interesting is to read words for good. This is the word I got thoughts this is the word we get the name Agatha from an Agatha loss means morally good. He said I am the good shepherd is one. He said he was a hired hand is not a shepherd who is not the owner. The sheep sees the wolf coming leaves the sheep in and flees in the will snatches them and catches them. He flees because he is a hired hand and not concerned about the sheep but I am the good shepherd and I know my own or my own know me, even as the father knows me. I know the father he says and I lay down my life for the sheep. And then he speaks of us.

He said 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. Here I am, is one of the sheep. So you and all of us of gone astray.

I've turned my own way, the Lord, because the iniquity that I have brought the fall onto that shepherd is Jesus said he laid down his life for me. The Jews of Jesus day really understood this analogy. Abraham, the great father was a shepherd. Jacob was a shepherd. Moses spent 40 years in the land of Midian as a shepherd and from the Jewish point of view, the greater shepherd of them all is David, the great King of Israel, but that reverence for David is misplaced. David is not the greater shepherd of and David knew that and that's why he wrote a particular song want to go now to the 23rd Psalm and look at this together. The 23rd Psalm Damascus, are there more beloved words in the entire Bible than this song.

I want to think about that. The words of the summer hung in hospital walls.

Note the word of Islam are scratched when prison cells the word of the summer whispered by the dying is been set to music hundreds of times is been translated into a thousand languages. It's touched millions of parts way hope it touches yours when you look at this song. He starts out and he says the Lord is my shepherd the Lord is my shepherd was so wonderful.

But what's the inference of that phrase. I'm a sheep. You see, that's what David is saying this king.

He said the Lord is my shepherd, and if you notice in English what he is saying here is he says Yahweh coffee my shepherd great name Yahweh. The name never uttered by the Jews never spoken by the Jews is the covenant keeping name is the holy name of God, Yahweh is my shepherd.

Just imagine that Psalm 90.

The psalmist says before the mountains were born or brought forth he says and the earth of the of the earth or the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. This great God.

This creator God. He goes is my shepherd, and on the sheep.

It's hard to imagine, if you think about because of what he did is my shepherd this lump of clay is now forever linked to the divine. Because of the work of the shepherd. The quality of my life.

The quality of the sheep's life is totally dependent on shepherd. He says the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want know you wonder what is he talking about. The wanting stuff wanting things. No, I don't think that's it at all. I think what David means is this what I have in the shepherd is greater than what I don't have in life because the Lord is my shepherd. I'm content. I don't need anything else in life. The Lord is my shepherd.

That's what he is saying is not talking about stuff. Even Jesus said in Luke 12 he said, not even he said when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions is not the way it works at all, just to thoughts about that your stuff isn't yours. Ask any corner. It's not yours.

More importantly your stuff is not you, it's never been you. When God thinks of you. We never thinks of your stuff not ever.

That's what he says I shall not want. I am content. He then goes on. He says he makes me lie down in green pastures. He makes me lie down in green pastures of sheep don't sleep well you might not sleep well either sheep don't sleep well at all. Everything has to be just right for sheep to sleep. There has to be no predators about there has to be no biting insects with which sheep there has to be no hunger in her stomach and asked be no tension in the flock and see that's hard for sheep.

The other thing about sheep is they can't find say pastor.

They can't defend themselves, they can't spray insecticide they need help. That's why we call cheap without the shepherd they really can't rest, and neither can we notice he said he makes me lie down in green pastures and then he again that he is doing all the work. He makes me lie down in green pastures. What's our job, then just follow shepherd. That's what sheep do they hear the voice of the shepherd and they follow it.

Jesus said to differently use a different metaphor. But Jesus said on the vine and you are the branches. He said you just abide in me, and you will bear much fruit, your life will be good apart from me there is nothing you can do what a great analogy when you think of sheep Isaiah 26 says you will keep him in person, perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. There's something here. You might've missed. He makes me lie down in green pastures, green pastures, now you know what you're thinking of you not thinking of Judea you're thinking of Ireland. See that's what you start thinking I'm thinking of Ireland or New Zealand really green pastures dog green pastures in Judea.

I miss you make it you seek once in a while, but the shepherd would do as he created green pasture going to clear the land had cut down all the bushes and trees could pull the stumps if they got all the underbrush and its seated for sheep and that's the only time he could find a green pastor in Judea. It is if the shepherd prepared everything for the sheep are shepherd has us lie down in his finished work does it all and then relied on.

Have you ever thought about this is God's pastor is his gift to you because he is the good Shepherd. He says he leads me beside quiet waters. You probably heard me say this before. Sheep are afraid of moving water.

They don't like it they don't like to see water moving. It scares them there so easily frightened.

Notice what he says to. He leads me God is never behind you same go go go is always in front. He said I'll leave you is that I will lead you my job is to follow in it and I don't need. I don't really need to see too far ahead. This a great lesson for us as people. I don't need to see too far ahead. You see, all I need to do is stay close to the shepherd. His word is a lamp unto my feet right, not a crystal ball into the future. Jesus said to differently said don't worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow will take care of itself. Just follow me today as I need you beside quiet waters.

He then goes on. He says he restores my soul. And even though we have a good Shepherd with this. As you know we need restoration. David did on one occasion, and so do we hold your place or go to Psalm 42 with me for just a moment and hear the choir director for the sons of Cora wrote this, but it's so much like our lives. Psalm 42. Psalmist says this as the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, oh God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When joy come and appear before God, my tears of been my food day and night, and while they say to me all day long. Where is your God. These things I remember and I pour out of my soul within me, for I used to go along, he says. With this long in the lead them in the present procession into the house of God the temple with a voice of joy and thanksgiving in a multitude keeping Festival why are you in despair all my soul and why have you become disturbed within me that's the life of the sheep. There are times when you and I just get really really down. We have different words we use now you know you're either moody or sullen or you have depression or whatever it is, and what we keeping and within our culture. The only way you can come out of that is through chemistry. You see if you can find the right chemical then you can come up. I think if you find and stay close to the right shepherd. You can come up.

He restores your soul.

Now back to the Psalm 23. See that's what the Lord does. He restores the soul.

I was thinking of a New Testament example that how do you think Peter felt after his denials. If you would've been the Lord. Let me ask you this. Would you been disappointed.

I would've been wasn't Peter, one of the three that Jesus spent extra time with.

Wasn't he the spokesman for the whole group. Wasn't he the one guy you want to count on any denies the Lord three times not to the Sanhedrin, not the Roman centurion, but the servant girls.

How disappointing is that and how the Lord handle.

He told Peter what a disappointment. I restored him. Remember, he met with the many restored him three times.

He kept asking Peter do you love me so I want to know do you love me feed my sheep.

He just gently restored him exactly what a good Shepherd does, the Lord does in our lives. He restores our soul.

He then goes on and said he guides me in pads of righteousness. He guides me in past of righteousness. We need to be guided sheep. It's the perfect analogy of a human being filled coloring is great book on the 23rd Psalm says this sheep are notorious creatures of habit. He said if left to themselves, they will follow the same trials until they become rights. They will graze on the same hills until they turn into a desert wasteland. They pollute their own grind into its corrupt with disease and parasites. Many of the world's finest sheep ranges of been worn beyond repair by the overgrazing of sheep is is not. I don't do Shepherd says here, I need you impassive righteousness. I won't let that happen to my sheep. We stubbornly repeat the same behaviors over and over and over again. Remember, the writer of Hebrews. In Hebrews 12 said that as we run the race we have the sin that so easily entangles us over and over again redundancy. One of the most difficult things for me in my own consciences. How many times I go to the Lord to confess and acknowledge my sin to him and I basically say it this way every time. Lord, it's Bill again and it's the same sin again see the redundancy in this restores our soul because he is the good Shepherd. He's patient and boy am grateful. I sure hope you are to he leads and I follow you see, we don't need a cowboy to hurt us. We need a Shepherd to lead us.

He then says for his name's sake for his name's sake medicine earlier. It's all about his glory for his name's sake. The name of God or the names of God, Yahweh, this great covenant name dummy times it occurs in the Bible 7000 Yahweh.

He has all kinds of names all them trying to tell us something else when you're anxious about provision.

He is Jehovah gyrating the Lord who provides when you we find challenges to begin your life.

He is and and you're overwhelmed with stress and worry.

He is Jehovah shalom the Lord of peace when you're weak. Find yourself sick. He is Jehovah roughy the God who heals when you feel like you're soldiering a strainer behind enemy lines in the world is getting the best of you is Jehovah Nissi.

The Lord is my banner. I fight under him. He said, is my name.

That's why I got so many of them at such an important thing, it's all about his name his reputation and his glory, and then he says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

We all want their belly. Every one of you will for as long as I've been her you don't know how many empty seats are because of so many people are already gone before. Even though I want to the valley of the shadow of death. This is got a Shepherd's idea to David is addressing something here that they would understand as the summer season started. They always pastored on the low lands as the summer began to heat up. They always went into the mountains, always changing pastors and always going higher and higher and he had to move the sheep up to the mountain to the end of the summer into the fall. That was an extremely dangerous time for sheep. The mountains are loaded with predators there everywhere, but the shepherd is there to protect the sheep.

You see, that's the idea that he's given here. The shadow of this is it is this apprehension time for the sheep. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

You see, we all do that and I said even in the past. One of the things the Lord's very specific ear as he calls it for you and I the shadow of death, because nowhere in the Bible to say believers in Jesus Christ, we sleep never been the reason is because of us. Because of what is done for us pastor broke apart the radio ministry of fellowship Lord you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like listening to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online event website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio program at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help with radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly report of the 100 support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds of pastoral sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking you can search by title. Once you find the method you're looking for is an online work you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own.

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Once again our website FVC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt hundreds and hard you for listening to fellowship in order