What Do You Want?
Psalm 23:2
Intro:
What do you want?
How’s that for a question?
Do I mean for lunch, or maybe Christmas?
No, not really…what I mean is what do you want out of life?
Is this a question you’ve asked yourself before?
Maybe this is the first time you’ve thought of this, I don’t know.
What I do know is in a group this size we are going to have some who have yet to ask this question, and I may very well have started you on that path to self discovery this morning.
There are also going to be some in here who have already begun to ask that question, and may very well be in the midst of trying to figure out what it is you want in life.
For others…you may have discovered the answer, and you might even be living it out.
And here is the great thing about this…the person who knows what they want in life may be 16 while the person who is just now investigating this maybe 60.
This morning I want you to know, that you are not alone in this pursuit.
In fact, I even found a survey on this very subject.
In 2000 George Barna surveyed Americans on 21 possible goals for their future to determine “what they want” in life.
This was actually a follow up to a 1991 survey and it was done to see how much things had changed in 10 years.
The first survey was broken up into 2 groups…the average American and those who confess to being a born again believer.
In the 2000 survey he no only looked at those 2 groups, but also surveyed teenagers to see where they ranked.
Let me share some of the results with you this morning.
Across the board, the number one “want” was good physical health.
In 1991 93% of the average American adults said they wanted this, and it only saw a 2% drop in 2000.
For born again believers it was similar, 94% in 1991 and a 2% decrease in 2000.
For teens, a little lower with 87% saying this was their highest priority.
I found this one interesting, only asked in 2000 though…81% of Americans say living life with a high degree of integrity was what they wanted, compared to only 86% of Born again believers.
It seems to me this would be important for all believers…integrity
For teens, even worst, only 71%...less than ¾ of teenagers in America feel that integrity is what they want.
How about marriage and family, this had to be important, right?
In 2000 79% of Americans and 85% of born again believers felt having one marriage partner for life was what they wanted…teens ranked it at 82%.
Having a clear purpose in life, something we hear about often in churches lately.
Knowing who you are and what you were created for…75% of Americans said this is what they wanted, 85% of born again believers and just barely over ¾ of teens (77%) sought this.
Here is topic that was seen in both 1991 and 2000…having a comfortable lifestyle.
In 1991 59% of Americans felt this is what they wanted compared to 61% in 2000…while born again believers rated it at 57% in 1991 and 58% in 2000.
Teenagers on the other hand, 83% of them said this is what they wanted.
More teens are looking for a comfortable lifestyle than a purpose in their lives.
One more before we move on…having a close relationship with God.
Let me add this disclaimer, I believe that we are created to first and foremost to know God.
Adam and Eve were created in God’s image to have a special relationship with the creator…that was destroyed by sin.
God sent His Son to die on our behalf for our sins so that this relationship might be restored; this is the ultimate message of Scripture.
Now back to the survey…in 1991 72% of Americans said this is what they wanted, it went down to 70% in 2000.
For born again believers it remained steady at 93%...which means, roughly 1 out of every 10 people who claim to be born again do not feel having a close relationship with God is not important; scary huh?
For teens…66%, only 2 out of every 3 teens felt this was important.
What this tells me is a great truth that I do believe is Biblical, there is a differenence between wants and needs.
You may want something, but it may not be what you need.
I want a 52 inch plasma high def TV…but my wife is quick to remind me that I don’t need a 52 inch plasma high def TV.
God does promise to meet our needs, but if our wants don’t line up with His will…well, we don’t need it.
So, let me ask you again: what do you want in life?
This morning I want us to look at the 2nd verse of Psalm 23 and we’ll see if we can find something that might help us answer the question of “What do you want?”
Read Psalm 23:2 and pray.
What do you want?
Do you want the world served to you on a silver platter, or do you want to be part of something much bigger?
If you are looking for what you want in life, you need to consider 3 questions and answers that are found in our verse.
First of all…
1. What is the Promise? Satisfaction guaranteed.
As I mentioned last week, this is overall theme for our series as we consider these great truths in Psalm 23…that our satisfaction is guaranteed.
And because we get this promise from our God, it isn’t just some neon light slogan that we found lit up in the window of the neighborhood cleaners.
Notice back in verse 1, David reminds us that if the Lord is our shepherd we shall not what?
Want.
How do we know this as a fact…because David is giving us a testimonial.
He said He has been there, He has tried it, and God is indeed satisfaction guranteed.
Illus: I want to share with you this morning one of the greatest pieces of theology that I have ever come across.
I’m not usually one to tap into my theological library and share with you word for word what some of these great minds have to say…but I think this morning is an exception.
Read portion of “Green Eggs and Ham”.
Ask: OK, who thinks I have lost my mind?
Not really, two things…one, you have a testimonial from “Sam I Am” that the green eggs and ham were good, right?
He was saying in essence, “Satisfaction guaranteed”.
Also notice this, rather Dr. Suess knew it or not, he had a great theological point here that is backed up by scripture.
Read Psalm 34:8
You see, when it comes to God…making Him your shepherd and your Lord when you call upon Him in faith as a sinner in need of grace and forgiveness; your satisfaction is guaranteed.
And that takes me to the next question I want us to consider this morning…
2. What is Required? For me to Respond.
Look in verse 2…2 words I want us to consider.
A. “Makes”…He makes me lie down.
The word “makes” could be translated as “to cause me to lie down”.
What this means is that we are not being forced down, ridden down or even pulled down.
God is not using a sheep dog, a stick, His mighty power or even punishment to do it.
Instead He causes us to lie down…and the emphasis is on me reacting to that.
The shepherd provides the right circumstances for his sheep…he shows them the green meadow, fresh grass looking so good to the sheep that they just want to lie down in it.
The appetite is there, after a long walk the hungry sheep can’t help but to lie down.
In our lives, God creates in us the desire…we have a specific needs in our lives that only He can meet.
The desire is there to be complete, to be forgiven and to have hope…and He shows us the green pasture that stands on the other side of the cross; all we have to do is respond.
He doesn’t force us, but He gives us every reason to lay down our wills for His.
Our verse also says He…
B. “Leads”…He leads me beside still waters.
This tells me that the shepherd knows the way, he is willing to face the dangers ahead for his sheep, and even if they disobey along the way he will still lead them to where they need to be.
Our great and mighty Shepherds leads us to water that…
• Keeps us alive (John 4:14, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”)
• Refreshes (Psalm 42:1, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”)
• Cleanses (Psalm 51:7, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.)
Our only responsibility is to simply respond in faith.
Surrender our will to His will and see that our satisfaction is guaranteed.
Have you done that in your life?
And finally, our third question is this…
3. What is the Reward? Our Provisions are Met
What is promised in our verse? Green pastures and still water.
A place to lie down, a place to eat and something to drink…may not seem like much to you and me, but to the common sheep; it’s about as close to heaven as they can get.
The sheep are rewarded for their faith in their shepherd by having the simplest of needs met.
That means no worry, no concerns…but contentment beyond description.
That is what we are promised, to have our needs met.
Read Eph. 4:19
This isn’t the only place this is promised though…Jesus taught us the same truths.
He taught us to seek after Him and His ways first and foremost.
He first of all tells us, don’t worry.
Read Matthew 6:25-32…and then He gives us the kicker in verse 33.
What are “these things?”
What He mentions previously…the basics of life.
He gives us His righteousness that replaces our unrighteousness as our sins are forgiven and we have the hope of eternal life.
And He also promises us with the basic necessities of life.
You need not worry if the Lord is your Shepherd, the satisfaction is guaranteed if you respond in faith and watch how your needs are met in Christ.
Closing:
You might remember I mentioned at the start of this message that there is a difference between what we want and what we need.
God isn’t telling us that our “wants” don’t matter to Him…because they do; it’s just that His desire is for our wants and our needs to be one in the same.
He wants us to know Him and He wants us to make Him known to others.
So I must ask, do you know Him? Is the Lord Jesus Christ your Shepherd?
If you have already made the Lord your Shepherd, are you making Him known?
Are you serving the Shepherd to help bring others into the fold?
Are you serving Him with contentment here in the local body of believers…and do you need to make this body your home?
