VII. HE MAKETH ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES
A. Green Pastures
1. ---or “pastures of tender,” are mentioned not in respect to food, but as places of cool and refreshing rest JFB
2. Great for sheep in grazing. Blessed to lie down on.
B. What are our two greatest physical needs? (Elmer Towns)
1. Food, i.e., green pastures.
2. Drink, i.e., still waters.
C. How can the Shepherd meet our needs? Relationship. Elmer Towns
D. God makes his saints to lie down; he gives them quiet and contentment in their own minds, what ever their lot is; their souls dwell at ease in him, and that makes every pasture green. Are we blessed with the green pastures of the ordinances? Let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us lie down in them, abide in them; this is my rest for ever. Matthew Henry
E. The Lord does not choose what grass for us to eat. He does not pick it for us. He leads us to the green pastures (Scriptures), but we must:
1. Listen 2. Read 3. Study 4. Memorize 5. Meditate. Elmer Towns
F. The Shepherd chooses the pasture for us. We choose when, how much, and
what to eat.
G. The word “maketh” means, “to cause me to lie down.” The emphasis is on “me.” What does this picture? (Elmer Towns)
1. God creates circumstances. The green grass looks so good the sheep want to lie down. Mother feeds and rocks the baby to get the baby to lie down and sleep. She introduces the stimulus of rocking.
2. God creates appetite. After a long walk, the hungry sheep want to lie down.
3. God creates desire. When Israel would not obey, God created situations to make them willing to obey.
H. This beautifully presents to us the precious truth that God's dear people are made to rest and enjoy His rich provision, His supply, and His goodness. God's sheep receive of God's best. A Dictionary of Bible Types
VIII. HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS.
A. Why Must The Shepherd Lead Me? (Elmer Towns)
1. Sheep have no sense of direction.
“All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isa. 53:6).
2. Sheep don’t know where to go.
“We have turned everyone to his own way” (Isa. 53:6).
3. There are necessary places sheep don’t want to go.
“When he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them” (John 10:4).
4. Sheep are not sure-footed.
5. The shepherd wants to encounter our dangers first.
6. The shepherd knows where to go, (direction). How to get there (method),
why we are going, (purpose) and when to move (timing).
B. In those lands sheep require to be supplied regularly with water, and the shepherd for this purpose has to guide them either to some running stream or to wells dug in the wilderness and furnished with troughs. Easton’s Bible Dictionary
C. Sheep are frightened of swiftly moving water. They’re poor swimmers, & get bogged down with their heavy wool just as we would if we tried to swim wearing wool overcoats. So when the shepherd comes to a moving stream, he doesn’t try to force the sheep to drink. Instead, a good shepherd builds a dam & makes a quiet little pool where his sheep can drink from still waters.
(Melvin Newland @sermoncentral)
D. He leadeth me beside the still waters Margin, “waters of quietness.” Not stagnant waters, but waters not tempestuous and stormy; waters so calm, gentle, and still, as to suggest the idea of repose, and such as prompt to repose. As applied to the people of God, this denotes the calmness — the peace — the repose of the soul, when salvation flows as in a gently running stream; when there is no apprehension of want; when the heart is at; peace with God. Barnes’ Notes
E. The still waters
F. “Still” suggests a place to rest and relax. Elmer Towns
G. The still water speaks of refreshment. Robert McKenzie
1. Not a raging river.
2. And not a stagnant pool.
3. "Still waters run deep"
H. What does “water” do for us?
1. Keeps us alive. “A well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
2. Refreshes. “As the deer thirsteth after a stream of water, so panteth my soul
for you, O God” (Ps. 42:1, ELT).
3. Enjoyment. “Oh that one would give me a drink of water of the well
of Bethlehem” (II Sam. 23:15).
4. Cleansing. “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps.51:7).
IX. HE RESTORETH MY SOUL
A. He restoreth my soul literally, “He causes my life to return.” DeWette, “He quickens me,” or causes me to live. The word soul” here means life, or spirit, and not the soul in the strict sense in which the term is now used. It refers to the spirit when exhausted, weary, or sad; and the meaning is, that God quickens or vivifies the spirit when thus exhausted. The reference is not to the soul as wandering or backsliding from God, but to the life or spirit as exhausted, wearied, troubled, anxious, worn down with care and toil. the heart, thus exhausted, He re-animates.
He brings back its vigor. He encourages it; excites it to new effort; fills it with new joy. Barnes’ Notes
B. Restoreth. (Robert McKenzie)
1. Hebrew means to renew or bring back to a place once enjoyed.
2. There is the doctrine of restoration taught throughout the Bible.
3. All of us need restoration from time to time. (Often refer to it as a “revival”.)
C. What is it He restores? (Robert McKenzie)
1. He restores my soul.
2. Not a soul, not the soul, not some soul, but my soul?
3. My soul is the real me!
D. God restores by: (Robert McKenzie)
1. Warning
2. Exhortation
I Thessalonians 2:11 “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,”
3. Trouble
Desperation has brought a many stray sheep back to the path.
4. Chastening
Psalm 94:12 “Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;”
Note: Peter was restored by a look. David was restored by judgment. Abraham was restored by trouble.
X. HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE
A. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness In right paths, or right ways. He conducts me in the straight path that leads to Himself; He does not permit me to wander in ways that would lead to ruin. In reference to His people it is true: Barnes’ Notes
B. Since “he leads in right paths,” then there are wrong paths.
How to find wrong paths: Elmer Towns
1. Ignore God’s Word.
Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for
the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”
2. Violate your conscience.
3. Go against good advice.
4. Disobey God’s commandments.
5. Feed on the wrong food.
6. Search for the wrong goals.
7. Follow ungodly friends.
C. ’Paths’ indicates progression. (Robert McKenzie)
1. The Christian life is compared to a walk, a run, and a battle.
Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
I Corinthians 9:26 “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that
beateth the air:”
Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
I Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto
thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
2. For each of these pictures we must see that there is to be progression made.
3. God’s desire is to lead us into the paths that we are to take.
4. Short cuts often prove the longest way around!!!!!!!
D. "For his name’s sake" (Robert McKenzie)
1. God has connected His name and glory with the walk and conduct of
His people.
2. The Shepherd’s reputation is at stake.
3. God has given us His Word...His promises!
4. He will continue to lead us in path’s of righteousness because we bear
His name.
E. Do You Know Which Path You Are On? Do You Know Where You Are Going?
There was a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket. The conductor said, "We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it. Everything is okay." The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said, "Dr. Einstein, please don’t worry about it. I know who you are." Einstein looked up and said, "I too know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going!"
