Jesus, The Good Shepherd 2-1-26 AM

With Jesus as our Good Shepherd, we do not want for:

I.            Provision (Ps. 23:1-2).

a.     David writes that God provides him with food and water.

b.     The role of a shepherd was the role of complete provider.

          i.      He was to take the flock to the right fields.

          ii.      He was to take the flock to still waters, because moving water is frightening to sheep.

c.      To properly do this, the shepherd has to know the type of grass, because some types are harmful to sheep.

d.      To properly do this, the shepherd has to know where the good watering places are.

e.      Jesus makes sure you and I provided for with the very best spiritual food.

           i.      He provides Himself (John 6:53-54).

           ii.     There is no higher source of spiritual provision that Jesus Himself.

f.        Jesus provides us His word (1 Pe. 2:2) to make sure we are sustained and able to grow.

g.      At the beginning of John 6, we read of Jesus feeding the 5,000.

           i.      He had a hungry crowd but did not send them away.

           ii.      Instead, Jesus fed them and did so abundantly.

           iii.      We also read that He wanted to provide much more for them but they would not allow Him to because they rejected Him as Savior.

h.      Sheep don’t provide for themselves – the shepherd brings them to the right field and the right watering hole.

i.        Jesus, the Good Shepherd, provides for us all that we need spiritually and does so abundantly.

II.            Path (Ps. 23:3).

a.      David writes that God leads him on the path of righteousness.

b.      It is interesting that the words translated “leads” or “leadeth” in verse 2 and 3 are different Hebrew words.

         i.      The word in 2 means to lead gently and peacefully.

         ii.      The word in 3 means “lead carefully toward a definite goal according to a definite plan.”

c.     There is a pathway laid out for God’s people by the Good Shepherd (John 14:6).

         i.      Jesus is the way.

         ii.      His way is a way of righteousness.

d.    Righteousness is right living according to God’s standard and Jesus provides the map for this type of life.

         i.      Some fail to follow this path.

         ii.      2 Pe. 2:21.

e.     Jesus reveals the way of righteousness for us (Matt. 7:13-14).

f.      Jesus modeled the way of righteousness for us as well (John 8:29).

g.    God has always been a God who leads in the right way.

         i.      Ex. 13:21-22.

         ii.      God was leading Israel with a cloud or fire, depending on the time of day.

         iii.      The Israelites didn’t know the route, but they knew the Guide.

         iv.      They didn’t have to know the way, they just had to follow.

h.    Sheep are well-known for getting lost.

         i.      The shepherd’s job is to lead the sheep on safe paths.

         ii.      Sometimes the path would be unfamiliar to the sheep.

         iii.      The shepherd still has to patiently guide.

i.      Jesus patiently guides us on the way of righteousness.

        i.      He corrects our paths if we allow Him.

        ii.      He does this through various means but we have to pay attention so we stay on the right path.

 III.            Presence (Ps. 23:4).

a.    David wrote that God was with him through every difficult part of his life.

b.    When you look back on the life of David, you realize quickly that there were some very difficult parts of it.

         i.      His being chased by Saul, wanting to kill him.

         ii.      His being pursued by the Philistines at the beginning of his reign.

         iii.      His being pursued by his son Absalom, even though David had caused the problem.

c.     David knew that in each of those situations, and in ones we probably don’t know about, God was right there with him.

d.     Jesus has promised that He will be with us until the end (Matt. 28:20).

          i.      Until death, Jesus is right there with us.

          ii.      In every dark, lonely situation in which we may find ourselves, Jesus is right there with us.

e.      He is the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

          i.      Notice that it says in “all our tribulation.”

          ii.      Not some of, or, in parts of, but in all our difficulties, comfort is provided.

f.       Think of what Jesus is doing for us:

          i.      Jesus intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34).

          ii.      Jesus advocates for us (1 Jn. 2:1).

          iii.      Jesus is in the midst of His church (Re. 1:13, 20).

g.     For Jesus to be able to properly do these things, He has to be present in our lives at all times.

h.     In Mark 4:35-41, we read of Jesus saving His disciples from the stormy sea.

          i.      Jesus was with them, but this didn’t stop the storm from coming.

          ii.      But, because Jesus was with them, it made deliverance from the storm a certainty.

i.       David didn’t say “I will fear no evil because I am strong.”

j.       David said he would fear no evil “because you are with me.”

IV.            Protection (Ps. 23:5a).

a.     David wrote that a table had been prepared by God for him in the very presence of his enemies.

b.     When a shepherd took his flock anywhere, he remained vigilant for predators.

          i.      While taking them to the green pastures, he was watching for wolves, bears, or lions.

          ii.      While placing them at the still waters, his eyes were open and watching for anything harmful.

c.      David knew this well (1 Sam. 17:34-36).

d.      David tells God that he knew he could rest and cared for even though his enemies were near.

e.      He had faith in the protection of God.

f.        Jesus provides protection from Satan.

           i.      He reveals to us how to defeat temptation (Matt. 4:1-11 – “it is written”).

           ii.     He provides the knowledge of how to resist Satan so he will flee from us (Jam. 4:7).

g.      Remember the words of John 10:11.

h.      At the cross, Jesus didn’t just scare off Satan, He defeated him, allowing us to be protected from Satan if we will stay with Jesus.

V.            Prosperity (Ps. 23:5b-6).

a.      David felt his cup was running over and he had all that he needed.

b.      David realized what he needed was God’s goodness and mercy all his days and he would be prosperous.

c.      Jesus provides us with this prosperity.

          i.      All the grace we need is found in Jesus (Tit. 2:11).

          ii.      All the goodness of God we need is found in Jesus.

          iii.      All the mercy we need is found in Jesus (Jude 1:21).

d.      These are the things that cause us to be truly prosperous, not anything financial or physical.

e.      We are rich in these things when Jesus is with us.

f.        When you look at the life of Joseph, you see a picture of Psalm 23.

           i.      Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, imprisoned, and forgotten.

           ii.      However, at each of those stages we read, “The Lord was with Joseph.”

           iii.      Eventually, Joseph would say… (Gen. 50:20).

           iv.      Joseph’s prosperity was not constant comfort, but the constant goodness and mercy of God.

g.      Paul echoes Psalm 23 to the Philippians (Php. 4:19).

h.      Also, to the Romans (Rom. 8:32).

i.        Biblical prosperity is not getting everything we want – it is never lacking the goodness and mercy of God, no matter where His path leads us.

j.        When Jesus is our Good Shepherd, our cup does not merely get by, it overflows with grace and mercy.