Sheepish
Pt. 4 - The Sheep
I. Introduction
500 times. More than any other animal mentioned in Scripture. So engrained in the mindset and culture of the Bible that they instantly understood and comprehended the meaning associated with the comparison throughout the Old and then into the New Testament. Jesus, the Son of God, the King, the Messiah, is understandable to us as the Lion but to the people of His day the description made sense when He is described as the Lamb of God. The problem is we aren't as familiar with the idea of sheep and shepherds so we struggle to be as sheepish as we should be. And yet, for most of us the text today resonates at such a deep level that it is used at almost every funeral. However, I am convinced that although it resonates deep within us we don't really understand it and therefore we don't apply it to our daily walk and then we find ourselves in some wooly situations. We simply aren't sheepish enough.
Text: Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I want to conclude our examination of this powerful and favorite Psalm by talking about the sheep. We have talked about having the perspective of a sheep. We have talked about The Shepherd. We examined the path. But in order for this Psalm to be a reality in our life in large part will be determined by how well we sheep. The truth is we all follow someone. We are designed and formed to look for a leader or a shepherd if you will. The nature of sheep is to follow! But the Psalmist also teaches us that . . .
1. Sheep that follow are followed.
Everything that The Shepherd does in the life of the of the sheep is determined by whether or not the sheep follow. Guide, provide, protect, correct, and connect are all determined by our willing to follow. We established this. However, now the Psalmist goes one step further. Those things are the benefit of following but check this out a sheep that follows is followed. Sheep that are being sheepish should be able to glance over their shoulder and say like the sheep that wrote the Psalm . . . Goodness and mercy follow me. We talked about how we know we are on right path because it produces righteousness. We can also tell we are on right path because of what follows us or comes as a result of our walk - goodness and mercy. We can and others can evaluate just how sheepish we really are by what we leave behind us. What is revealed in your wake? David says goodness and mercy wash up on the shore of his steps. Is that what your coworkers would say about you? Is that what your classmates would testify about you? Is that what your spouse or kids would attest to about you? When we are sheepish we are followed! Look behind you today. I bet if you look closely you will be able to see the times in your life when you were the most sheepish because that part of your path will have residue of goodness and mercy all over it. Look closer at your last few steps do you see goodness and mercy? If not, then adjust your path. Follow closely.
2. Sheepish sheep are confident and conscious.
I also want you to notice how the Psalmist says it . . . Surely goodness and mercy will follow me. It is a statement of fact and confidence. I can be confident and convinced, even when I don't see the scenery I want or like right now, that in the end I will be blessed. Surely because I am favored. Surely because I know the Shepherd. Surely because I have never seen the righteous forsaken. Surely because I trust Him. Doubt if you want but I don't. Question as you look at my current situation but I don't. Like Job's friends step to me and try to get me to curse The Shepherd and die but not me because . . . Surely! See my sickness but I see my surely. See my brokenness but I see my surely.
However, when the Psalmist says surely I also get the sense as I read of I don't want to take this for granted. Sheepish sheep are confident but also conscious of where those benefits originate. I don't take the benefits for granted but rather I sheepishly maintain a since of gratitude for the continued faithfulness and consistency of The Shepherd. Surely if I remain steadfast in my following I can remained followed. If we are are going to be sheepish, then we must remain grateful and conscious of His goodness. We must constantly stop and take account . . . My cup overflows. I have an abundance. I have favor and I recognize that my confidence in these facts is based entirely on His faithfulness. I don't want to get to the place where I conclude that this is a result of anything I have done. Not by works lest any man should boast. No . . . I will stop and sheepishly give credit to whom credit is due. My cup overflows, I am pursued by goodness, I am marked by mercy simply because The Shepherd has led me! There is nothing worse than sheep who act like they got what they got by their own wisdom, strength and abilities. Sheep must remain grateful.
Some sheep are confident but not conscious. Some sheep are conscious but not confident. Sheepish sheep have a surely. Confident and conscious.
Every sheep has a dwell decision.
David ends this examination of The Shepherd and The Path with a powerful decision. He says as a sheep I WILL dwell in the house of The Lord forever. He makes the choice. Remember in the beginning of this message I told you we all follow. You will follow someone. You where made to follow. So you may follow fads, famous, football, friends, finances, or fun. David recognized that sheep have to make a dwell decision. He is basically saying when I examine my options, benefits, path, and I take all that into account I have made up my mind that I will make a decision to dwell in relationship with The Shepherd. See some follow because they are just going with the flow. Some follow because others follow. Some follow because their parents followed. Some follow because it is routine. Some flock for favor. Some flock for fellowship. Some flock out of fear. David knew sheep have a dwell decision. Each and everyone one of us have to make dwell decision. I will choose this day - green pastures or valley, still waters or enemies - I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever. I am in this for life. I am in in the good season. I am in in the bad season. I will follow . . . Period. The Shepherd can make us do some things but He can't make you decide to dwell. That is a sheep choice not a Shepherd choice. So I have to ask this question are you in this as long as it is convenient and comfortable? Are you in this when everything is a cake walk? Or have you come to the place where you can say "I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back. Though none go with me still I will follow!" That is an easy choice if you are in green pastures but some of you are in the valley right now and I am asking you to stop long enough to make the dwell decision! You can lock the surely in for the rest of your life if you will determine to dwell!
Have you made that decision? Today is the day to decide to dwell.
