Sermon Central
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The Lord Is My Shepherd Series
Contributed by Steve Lotze on Oct 28, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: What it means to have the Lord as your Shepherd. Message 1 in Series of 4 on the 23rd Psalm
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The Lord is My Shepherd
March 26th, 2006 Psalm 23:1
These are my actual notes and sermon handouts and they probably mean more to me than they do to you. If you don’t understand something in my notes – feel free to e-mail me for clarification (stevenmary7@hotmail.com). Here’s some deciphering hints: I use hyphens (-) to separate key elements in a thought progression. I use quotation marks when I’m illustrating what some one in the congregation might be thinking or asking at that particular point in the message or to illustrate different character voices in an illustration. Bullets are springboards for thought progressions associated with main points in a thought.
INTRO: When started this year – Mary Ellen gets insight from the Lord… - focus on Ps 23 – universally known by believers and unbelievers – next 4 weeks – 6 verses – a lot there
ILLUS: Man walking in cold – wind – door opens – out floods light, warmth, laughter of children, music, smells of food being prepared – then closed just as suddenly – continues on but greatly affected – that’s Psalm 23
David – possibly toward end of his life – floods out of him – compacted down into six verses – some powerful truths about God’s care for him throughout his life – some powerful truths for us as well.
1st verse is an assertion – remaining 5 are proofs of the assertion.
1. I Shall Not Want . - Shall not want what?
A. It speaks of Supply.
PS 84:11 …No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
PS 34:9Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
MATT 6:33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
PHIL 4:19And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. - Needs supplied!
False teachings to kick out the door…
• Means you’ll be wealthy – David, Solomon, Abraham
o Doesn’t explain - Elijah – Jesus – apostles
o Has no correlation to money
• Means you’ll be healthy – part of the atonement
IS 53:5But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
o Healing used figurative many times in scripture…
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
o What was laid on Him? – sickness? – No – Iniquity!
o Apostle Paul had a thorn
o Don’t go the other way – “No healing” – that’s also wrong
EX 15:26 …for I am the LORD, your healer."
o Not on demand or every person or every time – sovereignly heals
• Means You’ll be happy – never hard time
o Elijah, David, Joseph, Abraham, Paul – everyone had hard times
HEB 12:5 "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
o Hardship is confirmation of sonship – if not chastened – not son!
• It does promise NEEDS will be met
o What are some needs? - food, clothing, shelter – promised by God
o Shall not want for needs
• Deeper – shall not want for another Shepherd!
o Content with His management of my life
o He’s always provided in spite of hard times
B. It speaks of Self-Control.
o Pain of wanting things - frustration
o Contentment – great gain – “be content”
o But wouldn’t you like?… - NO! – feel better if you had?… - NO!
o He’s all I want – I have the Lord – if want more get it from Him!
C. It speaks of Security.
o Confidence – not “I might not want / I hope I won’t want”
o SHALL NOT WANT!
o Nor does it say – “I did not want or do not want” – past, present
o “I shall not want” = future – confident assertion
o More I walk with him – more he reduces my desire for other things
o When close to him – don’t want much else
o Far from Him – caught up in nonsense.
o Coming a day when “I shall not want – because the Lord is my Shepherd!” – “I’m secure in that!”
Oh that God would give us a life of supply, self control, security – it’s all rooted in the – “…My Shepherd”
2. He is My _Shepherd_.
It’s the foundation of the whole Psalm – Shepherd is one of the terms most often used to express how God relates to His people – over 100 times
