Introduction:
Phillip Keller: A Shepherds Look at the 23 Psalms.
He gives us four characteristics of a true Shepherd.
I want to share three with you.
[I] He is the sheep’s protector:
Notice His tools (v.4) “Staff and rod they comfort me”
1.A sheep always had to be on the lookout for predators.
2.The first thing we must ask is “do we belong to the Shepherd?”
(Psa 23:1) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
a)The Lord Jesus is the “Real deal.”
He is not a shepherd, He is “The Shepherd.”
He is the “Good Shepherd.”
(John 10:11-15 NKJV) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (12) "But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. (13) "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
(14) "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. (15) "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
b)Jesus Gives a parable that signifies many who claim to be committed to the Shepherd really is not.
The parable of the seed sower: (odds are ¾ are not committed)
(Mat 13:4-8 NKJV) "And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. (5) "Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
(6) "But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. (7) "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. (8) "But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
3.Notice who the Shepherd is: “The LORD is my Shepherd.”
a)The “LORD” = (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah.
ØIn the KJV, “LORD” occurs 6471 times in 5492 verses.
b)He is the LORD who will never leave you nor forsake you.
Illustration: Many uncounted, cast out votes in this election.
“In this years election there are many ballots that are being disputed as to their validity. Some have more than one candidate selected. Some have the hole almost but not quite punched (chad). Nevertheless, many folks vote will not count this year. Christian, you do not have to worry about our “Good Shepherd” over looking us because of a Flaw. He knows His sheep and they know him. Every sheep counts in the kingdom of God.”
(John 6:35-37 NKJV) And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (36) "But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. (37) "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
[II] He is the sheep’s provider: He provides both our physical and spiritual needs.
1.He provides our daily needs:
(Psa 23:2 NKJV) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
(Mat 6:26-30 NKJV) "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
(27) "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
(28) "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; (29) "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (30) "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
2.He provides for our spiritual needs:
(Psa 23:3 NKJV) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name
“Restores” = “to carry again.”
God is the God of second chances.
God allows His called to take “mulligans”
“When I play golf with my friends we have what we call a “mulligan.” For every nine holes of golf you get to take one bad shot over again. You get to choose any shot to re-shoot. That is the way grace is. If we mess up God does not give up on us He gives us another chance. He is the God of a second chance.”
[III] He is the sheep’s doctor.
(Psa 23:4-6 NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will 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 anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
1. He would put a salve on the sheep’s wounds.
a)This could be symbolic of the work of the Holy Spirit.
(2 Cor 1:3-4 NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
(4) who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
(1 Th 4:16-18 NKJV) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(Titus 3:4-6 NKJV) But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (6) whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
(John 14:15-18 KJV) If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Conclusion:
Can you boldly boast that the Lord is your Shepherd? Can you rest in the assurance that Jesus is your protector, provider, and your physician? Do you need a second chance this morning? Will you make a decision for Christ today?
