MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK
(PowerPoints used with this message are available for free. Just email me at mnewland@sstelco.com & request #376.)
TEXT: Psalm 23; Philippians 4:11-12
For nearly 30 centuries the 23rd Psalm has been one of the best known & most beloved passages in the Bible.
ILL. In his book, “I Shall Not Want”, Robert Ketchum tells about a Sunday school teacher who asked her group of children if any of them could quote the entire 23rd Psalm. A little 4½-year-old girl raised her hand. A bit skeptical, the teacher asked if she could really quote the entire psalm.
The little girl nodded her head, came to the front of the room, curtsied, & said: "The Lord is my shepherd, & that’s all I want." She then curtsied again & sat down.
Like the little girl, we may not be able to quote it completely, but we do treasure it, & often read it in times of stress or sorrow because it speaks to the heart. Its word pictures connect with us where we live, whether we know anything about sheep & shepherds or not.
ILL. Henry Ward Beecher, a famous American preacher of the 1800's, in a flowery tribute to the 23rd Psalm said, "This Psalm has flown like a bird up & down the earth, singing the sweetest song ever heard. It has charmed more griefs to rest than all the philosophers of the world.
"It will go on singing to your children, & to my children, & to their children till the end of time. And when its work is done, it will fly back to the bosom of God, fold its wings & sing on forever in the happy chorus of those it had helped to bring there." Wow! (Copied from Dr. Roger W. Thomas on SermonCentral.com)
There are only 115 words in this great Psalm (NIV). Yet these 115 words reach to the very depths of our being & sustain us in hours of difficulty & trial.
But I would like us to consider it in a slightly different way this morning. I’d like you to see in this psalm 3 great reasons to be thankful to God.
The Psalm begins with these familiar words, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want." When someone says, "I shall not be in want," we need to sit up & take notice because this is an age of discontentment.
Many people never seem satisfied, & almost everybody wants more. A little child wants more toys & more television time. A teenager wants more freedom & more popularity. Most adults want more possessions & more leisure time.
And as we age, we want a healthier body, more friends, & more respect from our children. But sadly, none of these things will ever bring us real contentment.
Listen to the Apostle Paul, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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." (Philippians 4:11-12)
How can we experience contentment in spite of our surroundings? A good place to begin is not by complaining about what we don't have, but by always being thankful for what we do have.
There should be a spirit of thankfulness in us that brands us as belonging to Him. So with the 23rd Psalm in mind, notice 3 great reasons to be thankful.
I. IN THIS LIFE THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVES US ALL WE NEED
The first one is this: "We can be thankful because in this life the Good Shepherd gives us all we need."
A. Frequently in the Bible human beings are compared to sheep. Now that is not a compliment, because sheep are among the dumbest & dirtiest animals in the world.
So when the prophet Isaiah says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray." (Isaiah 53:6), he is saying that we too are lost & in need of a shepherd. And when Jesus looked out on the people with compassion, the Gospel writers say that He saw them "like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36)
ILL. Philip Keller was a sheep rancher & in his book, "A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm," he says that they require more attention than any other livestock. They just can't take care of themselves.
Unless their shepherd makes them move on, sheep will actually ruin a pasture, eating every blade of grass, until finally a fertile pasture is nothing but barren soil.
Sheep are near sighted & very stubborn, but easily frightened. An entire flock can be stampeded by a jack rabbit.
They have little means of defense. They're timid, feeble creatures. Their only recourse is to run if no shepherd is there to protect them.
Sheep have no homing instincts. A dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home, but when a sheep gets lost, it's a goner unless someone rescues it.
SUM. So one over riding principle of the 23rd Psalm is that sheep can't make it without a shepherd. And the only reason that David could say, "I shall not be in want," is because David could first say, "The Lord is my Shepherd."
B. Now let's look at what David says the Good Shepherd does for his sheep.
Vs. 2 tells us that "He makes me lie down in green pastures." The good shepherd leads his sheep to a lush pasture where they have plenty to eat & their stomachs are soon full.
Here, then, is a picture of a sheep so completely satisfied that there isn't the least desire for anything more. He's so content he lies down in green pastures.
The Lord has provided us with plenty, too. There are few of us who ever go hungry. In fact, we have so much to eat that dieting is a constant discipline or, maybe more accurately, a constant discussion.
But did you notice the wording? David said, "He makes me lie down." Sheep sometimes have to be forced to lie down.
Keller says that in order for sheep to lie down 4 things are required:
1. First of all, they have to be full. Hungry sheep stay on their feet searching for another mouthful of food.
2. Secondly, they must be unafraid. They will not lie down if they're fearful. The least suspicion of wolves or bears & they stand ready to flee.
3. Thirdly, they must be content. If flies or fleas are bothering them they'll not lie down. They must be comfortable before they'll lie down.
4. Finally, sheep will not lie down unless there is harmony in the flock. If there is friction over the butting order among them, then they simply cannot relax & lie down.
APPL. But God makes us lie down once in a while. We rush about, trying to meet this engagement & fulfill that obligation. And in our hurry & scurry we tend to miss the things that are most important.
So once in a while God has to say, "You need to lie down," by allowing an illness, or heartbreak, to make us stop & reevaluate our priorities.
C. David then says, "He leads me beside quiet waters." (vs. 2) 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 flowing stream, a good shepherd builds a dam & makes a quiet little pool where his sheep can drink from still waters.
David said the same thing in the 32nd Psalm, "Surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach me. You are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble & sur¬round me with songs of deliverance" (Psalms 32:6-7).
We must remember this promise of “quiet waters” is for those who are following where He is leading.
D. Back in the 23rd Psalm David goes on to say, "He restores my soul." (vs. 3) A lost sheep cannot find its way home, so the shepherd has to restore the stray or it is lost forever.
ILL. A Christian drama depicts a little boy working in his parent's carpentry shop in Jerusalem. He protests his chore, which is to assist in building crosses. The parents insist that he help because Rome has given them a contract for construction of crosses.
In Scene 2 the boy is weeping. "What is wrong?" his parents ask. He responds, "I went to the market place & I saw Jesus of Nazareth, the Man we love to hear speak, & He was carrying OUR cross! They took Him to Golgotha & nailed Him to MY cross."
The parents insist, "Oh no, son, that wasn't our cross. Other people in Jerusalem build crosses. That wasn't our cross."
"Oh yes, it was! When you weren't looking, I carved my name on the cross that we were making. When Jesus was carrying His cross, He stumbled right beside me, & I looked, & my name was on His cross!"
APPL. My name was on His cross, too. So was yours. He died in our place. He went to the cross to restore our souls.
That is why the Apostle Peter wrote, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins & live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.
“For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd & Overseer of your souls" (1 Peter 2:24-25).
E. David continues on in Psalm 23:3, "He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
The Bible clearly teaches that there are 2 paths we can take. One leads to destruction, & Satan tries to lead us along that path. It is such a broad & smooth road. It often seems like the logical way to go.
The other is the path of righteousness that leads to the glory that God is preparing for us. Sometimes this way is narrow & difficult & filled with obstacles. But the good Shepherd knows which way His sheep are to go, & He leads them on that path of righteousness.
SUM. So here is something for us to be thankful for. Thank God that in this life He provides us with everything we really need!
II. IN THE FACE OF DEATH THE GOOD SHEPHERD PROTECTS US FROM EVIL
Secondly, David says, "Be thankful, because in the face of death the Good Shepherd protects us from evil."
A. Listen to David as he says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." (Psalm 23:4) The fear of death can really disturb us.
Hebrews 2:15 speaks of people who "all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
The Bible clearly states that death is Satan's weapon, the last enemy to be defeated. But David said, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Why? Because "You are with me."
ILL. A 1st grader stood in front of his classroom to tell about "What I want to be when I grow up." He said, "I'm going to be a lion tamer & have lots of fierce lions. I'll walk into the cage & they will roar."
He paused for a moment thinking through what he had just said, & then added, "But of course, I'll have my mommy with me."
I'm convinced that when death roars its worst at us, we need not fear, for our Savior is with us. Whether we brush the edge of the valley of death or actually walk through it, He promises, "I'll be there with you."
B. In fact, David goes on to say, "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." (Psalm 23:5)
Not only is that a promise of peace & protection while we are alive, it is also a promise that at the moment Satan is doing his worst to you in death, God is preparing a welcoming feast for you in Heaven! What a picture of victory & joy!
SUM. So when you pause to think about what to be thankful for, thank God that in the face of death the Good Shepherd promises protection from evil.
III. AT THE JUDGMENT, THE GOOD SHEPHERD PROMISES ETERNAL LIFE
A. Finally, listen to this, "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness & love will follow me all the days of my life, & I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:5-6)
What a picture! When we stand before God on Judgment Day, His mercy will be there. If God gave us justice, we'd be punished for our disobedience. But because of Jesus we have confidence in His mercy.
ILL. There is a touching story about a famous actor who was the guest of honor at a prestigious social gathering. During the evening he received many requests to recite favorite excerpts from a variety of literary masterpieces. Which he gladly did.
Then an old preacher who happened to be among the guests asked the actor to recite the 23rd Psalm. The actor agreed to do so on the condition that the old preacher would recite it also.
The actor began his recitation of the famous Psalm, & it was everything you could expect from such a polished thespian. The phrases were elegant, his voice rose & fell to give each thought it's proper dramatic emphasis. And when he finished, the crowd broke into a lengthy applause.
Then, as had been requested, the old preacher rose. His voice was rough & broken from many years of preaching, & his diction was anything but polished. But when he finished there was not a dry eye in the room.
Later, when someone asked the actor what made the difference, he replied, "I know the psalm, but he knows the Shepherd."
CONCL. This morning, if the Lord is not your Shepherd, then I want you to know that He has come looking for lost sheep today.
And if you can't find your way home, He'll lead you back & He'll redeem you from all your sins. He'll put you on the path of righteousness. He'll cause your cup to overflow, & goodness & mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
And one day, maybe not too far away I think, we will "dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Are you ready for that? If you're not ready, then I urge you to respond to the invitation of the Lord as we stand & as we sing.
INVITATION HYMN
