"Green Pastures"

19 July 2009

Pentecost Sunday

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

Fortress Chapel

Contingency Operation Site (C.O.S.) Sykes

Tall-afar, Iraq

BIG IDEA: The Lord provides spiritual nourishment, the comfort of life and fellowship for those who follow Him.

REFERENCES: Green Pastures – a metaphor for spiritual nourishment, the comfort of life and fellowship; 2 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV) Paul’s thorn in the flesh; Ezekiel 1:16 (KJV) The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel; Jeremiah 51:20 (KJV) Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations; Luke 19:10 (ESV) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost; Luke 15:1-7 (ESV) The Lost Sheep; Isaiah 1:18 (ESV) “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool;” Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 (ESV); Psalm 22 (KJV); Psalm 23 (KJV); Psalm 24 (KJV); Ephesians 2:11-22 (ESV); Acts 20:28-31 (ESV) Pay careful attention to yourselves and all the flock, in which the holy spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them; 1 Peter 5:1-4 (ESV) shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory; Ezekiel 34:1-10 (ESV) Prophecy against the Shepherds of Israel; John 21:15-17 (ESV) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep; Hebrews 5:12-14 (ESV) For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Psalm 23:1-3a (KJV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Psalm 23:1-3a (KJV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Psalm 23:1-3a (KJV) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that the Lord provides spiritual nourishment, the comfort of life and fellowship for those who follow Him.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “Green Pastures”

VI. INTRODUCTION: It has been said that in the ancient Middle East sheep were precious symbols of wealth. Their wool provided yarn for clothing; their bodies were preferred for sacrifice. Yet sheep are dependent creatures who must be guided to food and water and protected from wild animals.

Yet it was also understood that Sheep could not survive alone in the wild, but must always be in the company of a shepherd. The Middle Eastern shepherd loved his sheep, gave each one a name, and cared for each one tenderly.

In fact, many shepherds would interpose himself (or step-in) between wild beasts and his sheep, and at night the shepherd would lay down and sleep in the doorway to his sheepfold. Any enemy would have to pass him to attack his flock. It was natural for Shepherds to love their sheep. The phrase Green Pastures is a metaphor for” spiritual nourishment, the comfort of life and fellowship for those who follow Him.”

What a wonderful notion it is for us whom Scripture sees as sheep that God presents Himself as our shepherd and provider.