Psalm 23 part 1 WBC 11 August 2003 am
Prior week- cycling in along nun’s walk. Dog running beside me. Swans and signets near the water (on island)
- take this in! Appreciate this! Count your blessings!
- Something v special about being alongside water, eh?
It occurred to me what an incredible man King David was
- = truly a man after God’s own heart
- Ps 23 a thunderous bolt/flash of divine inspiration
- Particularly when you consider how it stands out in its original context
- We’re used to thinking beaches, water, leisure (summer!)
- But in their context: hard labour for food. War. Not even too much security with God. 10 commandments + 613 others (developed)
- = all about DOING the right thing
And into this context David speaks with words that reveal God’s desire for us… YOU. Today
Shepherd
God is revealed as a shepherd.
- = about as intimate as any of the psalms have got, yet
- prior to this: rock, fortress, shield, king
- but none of those metaphors are as intimate as this
And he’s not just ANY old shepherd. He’s MY shepherd. David’s and yours!
= not surprising David chooses imagery/metaphor of Shepherd
- he’s a King, now. 1000BC. But he hasn’t forgotten his roots… isn’t ashamed of them
- where God trained Him for dependence on Him, leadership
- In his nature (“you made me trust in you from my mother’s breast Ps 22:9)… but in his nurture, too
Now- you’ve got to get rid of YOUR image of a shepherd (cussing, beating)… and understand the middle-Eastern one
- doesn’t walk behind.
- Walks in front. Sheep trust him, and follow. Sheep don’t need to concern their little (and they ARE little) brains over
- Direction, provision
- That’s why they ‘are not in want’
Take note of this, folks. When has all your striving, planning, goals etc made a huge amount of difference to: provision, direction
- somehow we look back and can see/say “GOD has guided me to here… and I’d never believe it possible”
- though there might be dark and dry bits (in Ps 23, too!)
- though of us who have been around for any time know God as the ultimate guider, provider
I’m not talking against plans, WISDOM
- but, even (particularly!?) in the church- we find we draw up all these plans, visions, goals
- many of them come to nothing. “PR 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” “Unless the Lord builds the house”
- it’s true, isn’t it? In the workplace? Many of you are tired of it
God is sovereign. He’s our Lord. Our shepherd. When we put our lives in His hand WE became HIS responsibility
- and where does all our fretting, bleating, running around get us?
- Nowhere. More distant from the shepherd. Stuck in a hedge somewhere
- “I do not concern myself with things too great for me!
- =X an abdication of responsibility.
- = a recognition of who the shepherd is, who’s in control, and who knows the terrain and where to find green pastures.
Green pastures
That’s great imagery, isn’t it? Don’t you love the greenery of this countryside. Sitting by the river having a picnic.
- oh yes!!
He knows where they are. And that’s where He wants you. At peace. Munching grass. Beside the water.
- note: the very fact they are mentioned as ‘green’ implies there will be times when it’s not so green… dark, even
- but HE will ensure you have times of rest, peace, recreation. Oasis in the journey of life
- (not forever by green pastures would we idly rest & stay)
THIS is God’s will. His very best.
- "Peace is what God wants for you no matter what is happening" Francois Fenelon (17th century)
- If you’re in one- ENJOY IT! If you’re not- look forward to it, and remember ‘it CAME to PASS’. Hold on to your faith. Don’t be frightened of your doubts- and trust God will answer them (or answer YOU) in His good time
- “oh you gotta keep the faith”
And remember- the green pastures David’s talking about are not just food and scenery
- they are for the sheep, of course. Their tummies are ALL they are concerned about
- but it’s imagery, remember!!!
- This is something to mature towards, go for… whatever your environment, because real peace and real food come from
- Him.
- ’By one hour’s intimate access to the throne of grace, where the Lord causes His glory to pass before the soul that seeks Him you may acquire more true spiritual knowledge and comfort than by a day’s or a week’s converse with the best of men, or the most studious perusal of many folios’ John Newton
- Are found within.
- Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God
- “Phil 4:12 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
- “In heavenly love abiding…. My saviour is beside me and nothing can I lack”
Oh Lord, loving shepherd of the sheep! Help us to know this
It does speak about provision, though. There’s lots about munching, tables and cups, here
- well, Lord- what about 14 million starving in Africa? David didn’t know about them, did he?!
- No. But he knew about hunger. Death. Real fear
- And God knows about those in Africa, too. And we need to know our responsibility to help. Go to Tearfund Website
- Do I… dare I… believe that God hears their prayers
- I do. I don’t believe His will is always done. WE block it. But I do believe aid comes in response to their prayers, and that they are beside green pastures
- And while doing ALL I can to help- I try and trust God for THIS context that I live in, not that one that I can only imagine about
- (= sometimes harder (? No…- different) for onlookers)
It has to do with guidance, too
He leads me
He leads me beside quiet waters. Guides me in paths of righteousness. Your rod and staff the comfort me
All these things have to do with guidance. And what comfort that is- to know that God IS able to lead and guide us. And wants too, too!
- it’s easy to doubt that!
Here are the principles of God’s guidance in this Psalm:
- it’s not the whole picture, of course! Could do 15 sermons on this. Basically the fuller picture is a whole load of light lining up: gut feeling, Biblical leading, sometimes (not often) prophetic words, human wisdom, witness of friends
But, to me, the most COMFORTING guidance principle in here is the ‘rod and your staff bit’
- it’s very much like a bit from Ps 32:9
- that God CAN guide you, even if you get it wrong. One way or another.
- And it’s true, isn’t it. Many of us can look back and say “Gosh, you were guiding me EVEN THEN!”
- The rod and the staff ARE for fending off the beasties that lie along life’s path
- But they’re also for prodding the stupid sheep and getting them out of the bracken
- Saved by hook or crook
- One is a stick to give enemies a good welly, or the sheep a good prod. The other is the shepherd’s crook.
So- even when you’re about to go off the path… or have got your fleece entangled in the brambles
God can prod you or rod you and get you back on the right path (the path of righteousness)
- Implication 1: sometimes God’s loving shepherding… and sometimes Pastoring (same word) is firm, challenging and blunt
- If I say I need to be ’pastored’, does it just mean I need someone to listen to my bleating and then poke me in the right direction with a blunt stick
- Email from someone. Liked this!
- Implication 2: God can bridle you!
PS 32:9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
That’s a real comfort! God’s bigger than THIS… your son’s rebellion… your own inability to hear his voice.
Another bit about guidance in here is “he leads me”
- its this sense of the sheep following the shepherd.
Our aim is to follow where the master is leading. To sense His lead
- in circumstances (big thing for me)
- in our hearts
- through the word
So- without getting hung up about it- we SHOULD be consulting the shepherd before the crossroads on the journey of life
- at school. Regarding college. Re who we should court. Who we should marry. Where we should work. Business partnerships. Moving house
- and then trust that God IS able to lead us. (goad us if necessary)
- Illustr: this week. A friend went to Slovenia to investigate relationship with this man. He had a list. My first question is “how are you doing”? Man! Spontaneity or what!
- Us Xians can be more hung up about life… more timid… less confident… than others. And we’ve got the shepherd!
- We shouldn’t fear. “I will fear NO evil. For you ARE with me”
- Shouldn’t even fear death (next sermon)!
The thing is: the kind of ‘guidance anxiety’ I described is NOT glorifying to God. And so- that’s important
- it says here : He guides me in paths of righteousness, for His names sake
- in other words:
- He guides us because He is the loving shepherd… and cares for us
- But also for His name’s sake
- In a way consistent with His nature (name)
- In a way to bring honour to Him
- How many times do I discredit the Lord because of my lack of trust in Him
He guides us along ‘paths of righteousness’ (NIV)
- actually. For the sheep this means just ‘the right path’. For us it means that, too
- but it means more for us than it does for the sheep. It means He guides us so that we may reap a harvest of righteousness
- He leads us along paths. Smooth and rocky- so
- We may become more holy
- For our sanctification
- We may grow to cat right… do right… by God and others
- Illustr: this week. Someone horrendous job situation for 5 years. New job context- all falling apart. Able to keep their head while others falling apart
- “I can see I’ve been trained by this, and if that leads to them saying ‘it’s because they’re a Christian’, then good”
- "Peace is the evidence of God" Fred Smith
More next time about:
-valley of shadows… death … evil…. full tables, oily heads, overflowing cups
…. and long services (dwelling in the house of the Lord forever!)
The Lord is my Shepherd ---
THAT’S RELATIONSHIP!
I shall not want ---
THAT’S SUPPLY!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ---
THAT’S REST!
He leadeth me beside still waters ---
THAT’S REFRESHMENT!
He restoreth my soul ---
THAT’S HEALING!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness ---
THAT’S GUIDANCE!
For His name sake ---
THAT’S PURPOSE!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death ---
THAT’S TESTING!
I will fear no evil ---
THAT’S PROTECTION!
For thou art with me ---
THAT’S FAITHFULNESS!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me ---
THAT’S DISCIPLINE!
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies ---
THAT’S HOPE!
Thou anointest my head with oil ---
THAT’S CONSECRATION!
My cup runneth over ---
THAT’S ABUNDANCE!
Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life ---
THAT’S BLESSING!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord ---
THAT’S SECURITY!
Forever ---
THAT’S ETERNITY!
