We Are Sheep In His Fold - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ side quiet is not behind. We don't need a cowboy hurting. We need a Shepard meeting. He's not behind or going go go go in front of using are heavily on the satellite monitoring pastor. That's how you have to relate to me joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of fellowship, monitor located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word meets our world. Shepard want I don't need to have anything else because the shepherd is the one responsible for the sheep and the Lord is my shepherd, so don't have to worry about anything like that. I will have to crave anything but do you mean you know this. Your stuff is in yours. Ask any funeral director is your stuff. Yours flyers and matures. Max Okada writes this, he said you have a God who hears you the power a lot behind me the Holy Spirit within you, and I'll have it ahead of you. If you have the shepherd you have grace for every sin direction for every turn. A candle for every corner and anchor for every storm you have everything you could possibly need, because the Lord is your shepherd can have more implication that's pretty clear we should bleed contentment you want to know what a contented person.

This Dr. Christian somehow that makes us uneasy dozen see what why we not content you see that we should just believe this should make it work were Christians. The Lord is our shepherd.

Then he says this he makes me lie down in green pastures is no easy task. By the way she packed Beverly's four conditions met, or they won't lie down their friend alive unable the first condition for sheep has to be this, they have to be free of all fear and remember almost everything scares him. But they can't hide out of their afraid. Secondly, they have to be free of any friction with other sheep are not getting along with the other sheep that will I just imagine what that would be like. Thirdly, they have to be free of flies and parasites will talk about this a little bit later but they're everywhere and it drives you crazy, and lastly they have to be free of hunger. Notice what he says he makes me lie down in green pastures. My shepherd does lie down. I provided everything you need for WoW full-color says this is it. Also shepherd by the way, he says green pastures did not just happen by chance. Green pastures were the product of tremendous labor time skill in land-use green pastures, delays, auto clearing, rough, rocky land mentoring brush and roots and stomps up deep plowing and careful soil preparation of seating and planning special grains and legumes appear again with water and husbandry with care the crops of forage which would feed the Fox vector shepherd us do all that work. So they have green pastures and what you saying here's the Lord is my shepherd does the work is prepared.

All this for me. Isaiah 26 is the spiritually about us. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, you will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Philippians 4. He says be anxious for nothing, that's great. Worse to give sheep, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, he says, and then the peace of God which is above all comprehension, will guard your hearts.

She's tell the sheep the same thing. He's telling us dumpy. Why, I feel anxiety why the Lord is your shepherd. You see, he's meeting your needs. That's hard for us and difficult for us.

He says then he leads me beside quiet waters. I've said this before but sheep are afraid of running water. If it runs a little too fast. Sheep are afraid of it at the Fred afraid of everything they send a lot like a Sunday. I mean, they're afraid of everything and he he says that he noticed he leads me beside quiet waters. Notice he believes me.

He's not behind us.

You see, we don't need a cowboy hurting us. We need a Shepard leading us he's not behind or going go go go. He's in front of you saying, come, follow me. What he said come unto me all you that are heavily I'll give you rest. Think why I'm the good Shepherd. Okay so I got a green pastor.

That's how you have to relate to me Cory Denver 10 boom said this she said when the train goes through a tunnel in the world get start to jump out.

Of course not.

She said you sit still and trust the engineer to get you through. And that's what we should because of orders are shepherd. He then says he restores my soul. David had terrible days.

David is no easy David understands depression. He understands fear they would have a lot of difficult times. He knew it was like to be dejected and he said something I just need to be restored.

Psalm 42 says this wire you Castano my soul. Why have you become disturbed within me is your sword to get Micah cast on disturbed yeah that's an old English term cast downcast. Use the old English word, there's often a way of describing sheep there called cast sheep now. Yet that is the was a cast sheep cashing for this sheep can lay down on her belly and they can lay down on the side. But if they ever get on their back, they can get up they cannot get up. They would just flail the legs don't go out as loud as they can but they can't move. In effect, but begins to happen to them. Gases build up and the woman in the sheep.

It begins the expanded circulation to their legs and a hot summer day the sheep was dead, and hours, and in cool days it takes days for the sheep to die and the shepherd restores the sheep. The shepherd sees the sheep always season. He goes over he takes the she beast rattles it, he turns it over.

Then he picks it up and he holds it once legs are done while standing there.

He begins massage the legs of the sheep to blood circulates back in the legs sheep stumble a little bit and then off they go content again and the way they go. That's the image of David has in mind Lord is my shepherd, he turns me over.

He holds me when I can stand on my own.

He rubs my legs and gets me going again my beautiful picture this is.

Many of us find ourselves on our backs and only flailing away got failing health, terrible diagnosis, broken hearts, empty wallets we find ourselves surrounded by hospital walls divorce court and will flailing and he says look cast your cares upon me, because I care for you see, I am the good shepherd. That's what he is telling us. Then he says this he said he guides me in paths of righteousness or leads me he guides me in paths of righteousness.

Sheaves are notoriously animals of habit to their own fault.

She will walk the same path to become so deep that they can't they can't pass anymore that we in the same pasture to lead all the roots off and then they start they just do it over and over and over again to get that they do the exact same thing in a do it over and over and over they won the pastors, but the shepherd he takes care of the sheep.

I read this week in Keller's book that shepherds change pastors for sheep every week, every week he changes pasture. You have to use the delete everything down to the roots and so you have to just keep constantly moving the sheep because it is no better on their own. It reminds me of the book of Proverbs there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is destruction were creatures of the same kind of bad habits. We do the same kinds of things he does all this is says for his namesake. That's what it's all about so many names in Scripture all them give glory. He said the reason I'm doing all this. The reason the good shepherd lays on his life is for my namesake for my glory reveals who I am.

That's what he does and then verse four even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death that's very famous verse even though I walk to the value the shadow of death. This happened, the sheep usually once a year. What I meant was it enough in the winter, the fall, winter and spring the sheep stayed down low.

When the temperature got hot shepherds took him up the mountain and up to the plateau and when it went up the mountain and went through the valleys and they wear all kinds of dangers in those valleys you had. Obviously a problem with flooding in the valleys you had poisonous plants but if they did they would die. You had creditors everywhere that would eat the sheep yet flies and parasites that would destroy the flock and he says yeah but we gotta go through the Valley got up to the top is that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, noticing and say I don't go around the Valley. He also said I don't stay in the Valley. He said I go through the valley. Why my shepherd takes me through the valley. He said that's what he does, he'll lead me to the higher ground. Even though I walk to the valley of the shadow there's probably no universal fear that we, you and I have greater than dying. Death so much. So often women want to talk about. I don't talk about what that's okay. I understand that but memory say something, whether you talk about it or not. Statistics on death are really impressive. Okay, it's going to happen. There's no way to avoid this on your part of all. It's kind of initially thought he said even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he said. How's that going to affect me what's going to do for me. Well, he said that you need to trust me, the shepherd.

Jesus understood this in John 14. Remember, he said let not your heart be troubled with what it would say that to us because he knows we get upset, he said, believe in God believe also in me.

He said in my father's house are many dwelling places, therefore not. So I tell you, but I going I prepare a place for you, so that where I am, there you may be also. What you tell me I got this I got this morning about the valley of the shadow I got this. I'm worried I'll be on the other side bringing myself. You see, I have this.

This is important to us. That's why when you look at the Scriptures and never says the believer dies, it always is a believer, sleeps in a reason it does is I don't really die the physical body will die, but my soul and spirit will not be absent from this body and present with the Lord is. That's right, it's all done taking care of it and noticed because as to notice the next part of the verse. He says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil for you.

He said our with me, why am I not afraid. I talk to the other sheep not afraid either afraid of everything. I fear no evil because you are with me because you are my shepherd, I want to think about that. If your child of God. You're not alone and you never will be. Understand never once in your existence appear on for all eternity.

Will you ever be alone. Not once not ever. That's what he is saying people may turn against you but God won't friends may betray you, but God won't. You may feel alone, but you're never going to be alone. He said that's it. Shepherd give me the comfort I need. He said your rod and your staff they comfort me. That's only two things of the step.

Once a weapon arrived. I mean it's it's a weapon handpicked by shepherd rods could do a lot damage to be a lot like a billy club that carried a rod that's only defended the flock when David said he killed the lion and the bear he told the rod may not be afternoon or slowing, but the wad is about that long, very heavy and they use the fight off everybody.

That's the way this worked the use of the fight off every single person or anything that threatened them every so often the sheep would see the rod match and they were afraid of it.

Of course, but he would bring you cheap. Uphold the rod over it said was going under the pass under the rod in the sheep would get real timid standstill and that he would examine the sheep or anything could be wrong. Call passing under the rod look at every single sheep to make sure he knew every sheep by name to. That's the sheep know him, but the shepherd knows the sheep knowing we know the Lord, but he knows us.

You want a great verses in the Bible when it comes down to how God knows me comes out of the book of Isaiah and God says this to me he said I have written your name on my hand whose name do you write a someone you love. You have written your name on my hand. What a beautiful imagery of how intimate God is with each and every one of us and how that works in our behalf.

He also says your staff. He said I get comfort from your staff. It's a symbol of God's concern. The staff is taller and has a curve on hand and uses it for a bunch of things when user born in a flock.

One of the most things had to be careful with using get separated from the moms and so what the shepherd would do is to take the staff and he would just push it and guide the you back to his mom right up against her mom. The reason is if he handled the you is sent would be on the you and the mother may reject you because of a set so use the staff to gently move when he moved sheep in the places where they go through. Now he didn't tap him on the side with the step just to keep them going exactly where they should have.

That's why he talks about this is so comforting for me she would get stuck in precarious places and he said he looked me out of there with the staff and then he says this you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Now we keep thinking what is sheep going out of table but I think it's because we misunderstand the table. He is talking about the same imagery is the flat plateau high in the summer months if you knew Spanish Spanish word Mesa we we use that word will say it's a Mesa.

The Spanish word for table same idea. He said you prepare a table up on the high mountains for me. He said that's what you do you prepare a table. He said before me in the presence of my enemies there. There, but I'm not afraid because the shepherd with me, remember when Jesus said to Peter, Satan desires to sift you like wheat is quite a statement ESA but don't worry about it. I pray for you on the good Shepherd sing like you resist the devil will flee from you because of me that because of you and then he says he has anointed my head with oil my cup overflows.

You think that such a nice thing. Oil was symbolic of the spirit of God's very practical when summertime came, the sheep had to experience a warble flies. Whiteflies Hill flies knows flies and deer flies by far the most notorious or knows flies knows flies go in the nose of sheep and they lay their eggs inside the nose and the larva come out and go toward the eye up the nose and they eat the inside of the nasal passages of the sheep make sheep go crazy. She killed themselves beating their heads against rocks because of the agony of the knows flies. The other thing you really bother him in the summertime is called scab is a parasite because of their faces.

It's very contagious among sheep so and when she passed. So what does the good Shepherd.

He anoints her head with oil.

It covers her head with oil, covers her nose with oil so that the knows flies in the scab have no effect on the sheep and he has to do this on a consistent basis. All summer long but he does because he is the good Shepherd.

You see, he does that to protect his sheep is an amazing thing when you think about it when he is able to accomplish. He then says verse six.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life. Why that were lovingkindness is my favorite word in the Hebrew Old Testament is the word has it it it means while goodness, mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, loyalty.

That's what the word means we don't have an English equivalent; lovingkindness was doesn't help instead great word he said. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my why because the Lord is my shepherd. You see, without the Lord the sheep are not very precarious spot in life they really can't live life to forestall but was a really good Shepherd. They can use and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. When amazing, wonderful things that should be the summation of your life and mine. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life and I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I am one content sheep and so should you be not because of me because of the shepherd spring father once again you give us a picture of who you say we are once again we are left with how special we are in your sight where the sheep of your pastor and even though all of us of gone astray and did what we wanted our Shepherd came and died for us. When wonderful revealing thought that is but he didn't leave us after he died for us.

He's decided to be our Shepherd. All through this life. He is our Shepherd. He is the one who protects us. He is the one who guides us. He is the one who feeds us. He is the one who sustains us father. What a wonderful image.

This is that as the sheep depend on their Shepherd. We should depend on the Lord Jesus Christ. Father I pray that each of us begin to bolster our own self-esteem and we see all these wonderful things that you say about us, not because we deserve. In fact, the opposite is true is because of race that you have bestowed on us wonderful father cry pastor broke apart. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like to listen to the message one more time. Remember the little great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio program, had Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make his broadcast possible with all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 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 of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and of LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds of possible sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking for or you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon on listening and anchoring and remembering all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website FVC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt injuries and heart. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order