Psalms 23:1 Monte T. Brown
Introduction
The very fiber of Christianity has its bases upon shepherds and sheep.
Christ is our shepherd and we are his sheep.
We must know about shepherds and sheep, so that we can better understand our relationship with Christ.
Jesus spoke; he used metaphors and parables to convey his message.
Scripture says; Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 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 whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
Scripture
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalms 23:1
Prayer
1. Sheep
Nature and habits of sheep are most particular of all other animals.
Let me make one statement that is very important to understand the role of the church, pastors, and church members.
One thing that is very much miss-understood in the church is the fact that Christ calls all believers sheep and in the midst of that, he calls men to be pastors that Christ calls shepherds.
The first miss-understood fact is that Sheep are born and shepherds never give birth to sheep, sheep give birth to sheep.
The second miss-understood fact is that sheep are an object of property, not a wild animal.
They seem to be the only domestic animal that cannot exist without mankind.
Horses, dogs, cats left to themselves will become wild.
Not sheep, they will be killed by wolves or winter.
Sheep are:
1. The property of God
2. They are a purchased possession
3. They were purchased with a great price
Christ related sheep to mankind, he never uses any other animal as an example.
We are the sheep of His pasture
1. Sheep are not very smart and almost impossible to train them to do anything.
a. Minds are blind.
b. However, they know their shepherd.
2. They are defenseless.
a. Don't hear well or see well (14 feet)
b. Not swift in flight
c. No weapon for defense (Rod of shepherd)
3. They have no sense of direction. If ever lost cannot find way back.
Must be brought back by Shepherd; must be found by Shepherd.
4. They are easily disturbed.
a. Least little thing will frighten them (Least thing will tear up a church now days.)
b. Prone to stray.
c. Weak, very little strength. (Philadelphia Church Revelation 3:8)
5. They are willing to die. (Dumb before the shearers.
Isaiah 53)
a. Follow the shepherd for protection and food.
b. Give up wool for comfort.
c. Give their life for meat.
d. Flock together. Do better in flocks and not separate.
e. Clean natured animal. Not goats, they eat anything.
f. Affectionate animals, loving eyes, lick hand, not hog.
g. Follow one another, one can lead another astray.
D. Relationship of sheep to shepherd
1. Favor him. (Hear my voice. John 10: 4, 16)
2. Follow him. Only a sick sheep will follow a stranger.
3. Furnish him.
a. Flesh; eat; food.
b. Fat; make a salve and ointment.
c. Fluid; milk; cheese.
d. Fleece; profit.
e. Fellowship; file line, turn face toward sheep, talk in its ear, sheep will rub against leg. (John said, "Our fellowship is with the father, and with the son Jesus Christ." I John 1:3)
2. Shepherd
A. Shepherd's Redemption
1. Three things mentioned. Verse 1
a. Sheep
b. Shepherd
c. Supply
2. Lambs, sheep and shepherds mentioned 1,140 times in the Bible. The Bible is full of the shepherd, ministry of God. Mr. Spurgeon said Psalms 23 is a "He, Me" Psalm.
3. Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Joseph's brethren, Moses, David all were shepherds.
4. In the Old Testament, sheep died for the shepherd. In the New Testament, Shepherd dies for the sheep.
5. Moses had to learn to lead the sheep before he could lead a nation. Christ had to redeem the sheep before he could reign over them.
7. Jesus as Shepherd
a. Why did Jesus become a Shepherd?
All we like sheep had gone astray. We need a shepherd to lead us.
