“STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD”
TEXT: Psalm 23
THESIS: To offer comfort to the believer through a closer look at the Shepherd Psalm.
INTRO:
A. The 23rd Psalm surpasses all literature on the planet for sheer beauty and imagery. In the King James Bible the majesty and magnificence and cadence of the language is unrivaled. The imprint of Deity is upon the inspired poetry. No mere mortal shepherd could of himself pen such beautiful images. David, though a shepherd in his youth, could not have compressed the entire life cycle of a sheep into a mere 6 verses with such clarity and completeness. Even the unsaved world seems to realize that this Psalm is something more than mere human poetry. This Psalm is used at varied events in human lives; a happy occasion, a difficult time, a time of sorrow. It is put to music to be sung in churches and printed on prayer cards and read at funerals. It may be used at a birth or an execution. If Solomon wrote the Song of Songs, David wrote the Psalm of Psalms.
B. Personally I am drawn again and again to this Psalm in my personal devotional life and in my preaching. I have approached it one verse at a time, as separate subjects, as well as viewing it in its entirety, as I will attempt to do today. I cannot hope to do more than “touch the hem of the garment” in exposition, nor to come close to conveying its multi-layered meaning in one finite message. But it is my hope that the Lord will use another attempt at plumbing its depths to encourage you and lift you today from the difficult world we must live in, to heights of joy and praise to the real Author of the Psalm, the Great Shepherd Himself.
C. Today I want to focus on a simple theme found within this complex Psalm, that of “STAYING CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD…”
I. STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD IN THE GLEN: v.1-3 (THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE)
A. A Spiritual Relationship: V.1
1. “The Lord” = Jehovah, the great “I AM.”
ILLUS: According to one Biblical scholar the name Jehovah combines the 3 tenses of the Hebrew verb “to be”: Yehi, “He will be” (the future); Hove, “being” (the present); and Hahyah, “he was” (the past).
YE-OV-AH (JEHOVAH). Thus the eternal One is the Shepherd David is relying upon for his entire life and eternity! “I SHALL NOT WANT.” It was only when David got away from the Shepherd in his life that he began to “want.”
2. But David is not just speaking about a shepherd who may be available, nor of the shepherd who some may know, but “my Shepherd” – One to whom he is personally related.
3. More personally, Who is He to YOU? Is He YOUR Shepherd?
4. Knowing Him personally as “my Shepherd” is THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE!
B. A Special Relationship: v.2-3
1. When we stay close to Him, He shares His bounty with us.
2. When we stay close to Him, He shares His beauty with us.
a. Sheep are not smart like lions, nor swift like deer, they are stupid and miss out on the bounty and beauty of the Shepherd unless they stay close to Him.
b. Sheep must be led, they cannot lead; so they must stay close to the shepherd to experience all the provision and protection he has for them.
ILLUS: When we are close to Him, our Shepherd reveals to us His majesty and might; His provision and protection. He is the infinite God who has created the vast universe! Science with powerful telescopes are able to reveal 250 billion plus stars, each larger than our sun, scattered across the expanse of space. Earth is such a tiny speck in the galaxy that if we could take our most powerful telescope to our nearest star, Alpha Centauri, it could not be seen.
Ps. 8:3-8
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
c. This Creator God wants to be our Shepherd and share with us His provision and pro-tection, and will do so if we stay close to Him!
d. He’ll take care of our frailty!
II. STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD IN THE GORGE: v.4-5 (THE SECRET OF A HAPPY DEATH)
A. His Presence Is Critical: “…Thou art with me”
1. Up to now David has been speaking in the third person singular – “He…”
2. Now death looms on the horizon and he goes to the second person singular: “Thou…Thou…Thou…!” He is no longer talking about the Shepherd, he is talking to the Shepherd!
3. He knows death is real (he has seen plenty of death as a soldier!); that which has substance can only cast a shadow.
4. But he also knows that for there to be a shadow, there must be light!
ILLUS: Pope Paul VI granted an interview with Kenneth Opperman. Mr. Opperman asked the Pope if he was saved, he asked “Sir, when you die, will you go to Heaven?” The Pope replied: “Ah, Mr. Opperman, you have asked me a very hard question.” It was hard because in Catholicism those who die either go to the fires of hell or the fires of purgatory. Finally the Pope said: “Mr. Opperman, when I die I shall have seven hundred million Roman Catholics praying for my soul.” What darkness. No light! The Pope had only the substance and shadow of death to look forward to, no light! The unbeliever goes into eternal darkness, the believer into eternal light!
B. His Protection Is Comforting: “Thy rod…Thy staff…”
1. David is thinking of his departure, his exodus.
ILLUS: Perhaps David is thinking about another Shepherd and another exodus. Moses used his rod to part the Red Sea, for Israel and against Egypt. He staff was a pilgrim’s staff. He was looking for a destination!
2. The shepherd’s rod was a club to protect the flock from predators. (The Word)
3. The shepherd’s staff was a crook to comfort the flock from fear. (The Spirit)
4. David is also thinking of a tomb and a table.
a. Believers still die, but they don’t stay dead!
b. Believers not only sleep, they sup!
ILLUS: Our earthly existence speaks of our frailty. Death speaks of our foe. Our Shepherd will take care of our frailty and our foe!
III. STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD IN THE GLORY: v.6 (THE SECRET TO A HAPPY ETERNITY)
A. A Glimpse Of The King’s Highway: “…all the days of my life”
1. Goodness takes care of my steps.
2. Mercy takes care of my stumbles.
B. A Glimpse Of The King’s Home: “…the house of the Lord, forever”
1. His house will be our home.
2. His throne will be our throne; we are “joint heirs with Christ.”
ILLUS: Our Shepherd not only takes care of our frailty and our foes, but also our future!
CONCL: The secret to a happy life, a happy death and a happy eternity is found in STAYING CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD! Do you know Him? Are you walking with Him? Are your trusting Him? Are you staying close to Him?
THESIS: To offer comfort to the believer through a closer look at the Shepherd Psalm.
INTRO:
A. The 23rd Psalm surpasses all literature on the planet for sheer beauty and imagery. In the King James Bible the majesty and magnificence and cadence of the language is unrivaled. The imprint of Deity is upon the inspired poetry. No mere mortal shepherd could of himself pen such beautiful images. David, though a shepherd in his youth, could not have compressed the entire life cycle of a sheep into a mere 6 verses with such clarity and completeness. Even the unsaved world seems to realize that this Psalm is something more than mere human poetry. This Psalm is used at varied events in human lives; a happy occasion, a difficult time, a time of sorrow. It is put to music to be sung in churches and printed on prayer cards and read at funerals. It may be used at a birth or an execution. If Solomon wrote the Song of Songs, David wrote the Psalm of Psalms.
B. Personally I am drawn again and again to this Psalm in my personal devotional life and in my preaching. I have approached it one verse at a time, as separate subjects, as well as viewing it in its entirety, as I will attempt to do today. I cannot hope to do more than “touch the hem of the garment” in exposition, nor to come close to conveying its multi-layered meaning in one finite message. But it is my hope that the Lord will use another attempt at plumbing its depths to encourage you and lift you today from the difficult world we must live in, to heights of joy and praise to the real Author of the Psalm, the Great Shepherd Himself.
C. Today I want to focus on a simple theme found within this complex Psalm, that of “STAYING CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD…”
I. STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD IN THE GLEN: v.1-3 (THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE)
A. A Spiritual Relationship: V.1
1. “The Lord” = Jehovah, the great “I AM.”
ILLUS: According to one Biblical scholar the name Jehovah combines the 3 tenses of the Hebrew verb “to be”: Yehi, “He will be” (the future); Hove, “being” (the present); and Hahyah, “he was” (the past).
YE-OV-AH (JEHOVAH). Thus the eternal One is the Shepherd David is relying upon for his entire life and eternity! “I SHALL NOT WANT.” It was only when David got away from the Shepherd in his life that he began to “want.”
2. But David is not just speaking about a shepherd who may be available, nor of the shepherd who some may know, but “my Shepherd” – One to whom he is personally related.
3. More personally, Who is He to YOU? Is He YOUR Shepherd?
4. Knowing Him personally as “my Shepherd” is THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE!
B. A Special Relationship: v.2-3
1. When we stay close to Him, He shares His bounty with us.
2. When we stay close to Him, He shares His beauty with us.
a. Sheep are not smart like lions, nor swift like deer, they are stupid and miss out on the bounty and beauty of the Shepherd unless they stay close to Him.
b. Sheep must be led, they cannot lead; so they must stay close to the shepherd to experience all the provision and protection he has for them.
ILLUS: When we are close to Him, our Shepherd reveals to us His majesty and might; His provision and protection. He is the infinite God who has created the vast universe! Science with powerful telescopes are able to reveal 250 billion plus stars, each larger than our sun, scattered across the expanse of space. Earth is such a tiny speck in the galaxy that if we could take our most powerful telescope to our nearest star, Alpha Centauri, it could not be seen.
Ps. 8:3-8
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
c. This Creator God wants to be our Shepherd and share with us His provision and pro-tection, and will do so if we stay close to Him!
d. He’ll take care of our frailty!
II. STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD IN THE GORGE: v.4-5 (THE SECRET OF A HAPPY DEATH)
A. His Presence Is Critical: “…Thou art with me”
1. Up to now David has been speaking in the third person singular – “He…”
2. Now death looms on the horizon and he goes to the second person singular: “Thou…Thou…Thou…!” He is no longer talking about the Shepherd, he is talking to the Shepherd!
3. He knows death is real (he has seen plenty of death as a soldier!); that which has substance can only cast a shadow.
4. But he also knows that for there to be a shadow, there must be light!
ILLUS: Pope Paul VI granted an interview with Kenneth Opperman. Mr. Opperman asked the Pope if he was saved, he asked “Sir, when you die, will you go to Heaven?” The Pope replied: “Ah, Mr. Opperman, you have asked me a very hard question.” It was hard because in Catholicism those who die either go to the fires of hell or the fires of purgatory. Finally the Pope said: “Mr. Opperman, when I die I shall have seven hundred million Roman Catholics praying for my soul.” What darkness. No light! The Pope had only the substance and shadow of death to look forward to, no light! The unbeliever goes into eternal darkness, the believer into eternal light!
B. His Protection Is Comforting: “Thy rod…Thy staff…”
1. David is thinking of his departure, his exodus.
ILLUS: Perhaps David is thinking about another Shepherd and another exodus. Moses used his rod to part the Red Sea, for Israel and against Egypt. He staff was a pilgrim’s staff. He was looking for a destination!
2. The shepherd’s rod was a club to protect the flock from predators. (The Word)
3. The shepherd’s staff was a crook to comfort the flock from fear. (The Spirit)
4. David is also thinking of a tomb and a table.
a. Believers still die, but they don’t stay dead!
b. Believers not only sleep, they sup!
ILLUS: Our earthly existence speaks of our frailty. Death speaks of our foe. Our Shepherd will take care of our frailty and our foe!
III. STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD IN THE GLORY: v.6 (THE SECRET TO A HAPPY ETERNITY)
A. A Glimpse Of The King’s Highway: “…all the days of my life”
1. Goodness takes care of my steps.
2. Mercy takes care of my stumbles.
B. A Glimpse Of The King’s Home: “…the house of the Lord, forever”
1. His house will be our home.
2. His throne will be our throne; we are “joint heirs with Christ.”
ILLUS: Our Shepherd not only takes care of our frailty and our foes, but also our future!
CONCL: The secret to a happy life, a happy death and a happy eternity is found in STAYING CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD! Do you know Him? Are you walking with Him? Are your trusting Him? Are you staying close to Him?
“THAT’S ALL I WANT!”
TEXT: Psalm 23:1
THESIS: To show that with the Savior as our Shepherd we need have no want!
INTRO:
A. David was a shepherd and knew something about shepherding and about sheep. He divides this most familiar of Psalms into 3 parts. David takes us into the glen with the Shepherd, where the sheep are fed, then into the gorge where the sheep are in grave danger, then finally into the glory where the sheep are safe forever more.
B. Many of God’s choicest servants have pillowed their tired, battered, weary and lonely heads on this most precious Psalm. Many read this Psalm or even commit it to memory with out ever experiencing the blessed truths of knowing and walking with the Shepherd of the Psalm. Many quote v.1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” when their lives are a wilderness of want. What they mean is “The Lord is my Savior, and I’m glad He is.” But wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to know that because the Lord is your Shepherd (not just your Savior) and you really have not want?
ILLUS: An orator mounted the platform and with flawless diction read the 23rd Psalm. The audience broke into spontaneous applause. A second humble saint of God then got up and he too read the 23rd Psalm, but he stumbled through it. The audience knew that he had served the Lord with great hardship over many long years and no one applauded; they simply wept. The orator then got up again and said, “The difference between us is - I know the Shepherd’s Psalm but this man knows the Psalm’s Shepherd!”
I. THE LORD:
A. The Creator:
ILLUS: A dear black brother-preacher preached on “THE ISNESS OF GOD!” Perhaps not gram-atically correct, but theologically correct! In that message he asked “Where did God come from?” He said: “He came from nowhere! The reason He came from nowhere is there was nowhere to come from. He came from nowhere and stood on nothing. The reason He stood on nothing is because there was nowhere for Him to stand. Then standing on nothing He reached out to nowhere and caught something where there was nothing to catch and hung something on nothing and told it to stay there! And nobody said a word - cause there was nobody there to say anything. So God Himself said: ‘It is good!’”
But God is not just a powerful Being and Creator, He is a personal Being Who desires our fellowship as the “sheep of His pasture.”
Ps. 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
B. The Provider:
1. This entire Psalm is about the Lord as the Shepherd-Provider for His sheep.
2. It is the Shepherd - not His supply which is in view.
ILLUS: We don’t have to get into deep sin to get out of touch with the Shepherd-Savior. Perfectly legitimate things can do that. The Lord Jesus rebuked Martha who was preparing a meal for Him, herself, her sister and brother. She got so busy with these legitimate things that she lost sight of Him. It is not just worldliness or sinfulness but simple independence which can get us out of touch with the Shepherd. In Jn.12 Martha is again seen preparing a meal, not just for 4 people but for at least 25. But she is neither irritable nor does the Lord rebuke her because now she had learned dependence on Him.
II. THY SHEPHERD:
ILLUS: The shepherd’s job was a lowly and lonely job. David was the youngest of several brothers, so he got the lowly job of tending the sheep. Joseph also, but Jacob showed favoritism to him and made his brothers do his work. This was one of several factors that caused his brothers to hate him. If a household had no sons, the daughters were made into shepherdesses. It was an extremely lonely job, where the only fellowship most of the time was with the smelly sheep. It is amazing that our Savior likens Himself to a Shepherd. Most shunned this, He chose it.
A. The Good Shepherd Dies For His Sheep:
Jn. 10:11
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
1. Psalm 22 - His Past Ministry - The Cross - (Prophet)
2. David speaks not as a shepherd (though he was) but as a sheep.
3. If the Lord is my Shepherd, I must be a sheep.
QUOTE: Keller, A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, “Sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care. - It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways...our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance.- Yet despite these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own and delights in caring for us.”
Phillips, Exploring the Psalms, “A sheep is not smart like a lion; it is not swift like an antelope, it is not smart like a dog. The outstanding characteristic of a sheep is that it is stupid. When a sheep goes astray it does so for no reason, and once it has gone astray it cannot find its own way back home.”
Complete dependence upon the Shepherd is the safest thing for the sheep!
4. David is saying: “Look Who my Shepherd is!”
B. The Great Shepherd Lives For His Sheep:
Heb. 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
1. Ps.23 - His Present Ministry - The Crook - (Priest)
2. Many know Christ as Savior who don’t know Him as Shepherd - “Good Shepherd” vs
“Great Shepherd”.
3. It is in this capacity that the Lord can and wants to supply our “wants.”
C. The Chief Shepherd Comes For His Sheep:
1 Pet. 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1. Ps.24 - His Future Ministry - The Crown - (King)
2. Only a true Shepherd/Owner cares this much for His sheep - an hireling doesn’t!
NOTE: A Virgin womb was opened and the Good Shepherd came forth to die for His sheep; a virgintomb was opened and the Great Shepherd came forth to live for His sheep; the virgin skies will open and the Chief Shepherd will come back for His sheep.
III. NO WANT:
NOTE: The message of most of mankind is “I WANT.” Satisfaction is not found in some pleasurable sensation or sensual or sensory activity, but in a Person, the Savior-Shepherd! He alone can care for our “wants.”
ILLUS: John Phillips said he liked the way his mother divided the 23rd Psalm. He found her open Bible beside her bed the day after she died. Alongside this Psalm she had written: “The secret of a happy life, a happy death, a happy eternity.”
A. The Secret Of A Happy Life:
1. Trust the Shepherd for all your wants.
2. He will take care of them as in v.2-3
B. The Secret Of A Happy Death:
1. He will take care of you wants at death as in v.4,5
C. The Secret Of A Happy Eternity:
1. He will even take care of you after death as in v.6!
CONCL: No want in life, no want in death, no want in eternity - what more could you want? When the S.S. teacher asked the boys and girls in Opening Exercises if someone could quote the 23rd Psalm, a little golden-haired girl raised her hand, along with several others. Since she was only 4 1/2 yrs. old, the teacher was a bit skeptical, but after she assured him she could do it, he told her to come up front. She faced the audience, made a perky bow, and said: “The Lord is my Shepherd, that’s all I want!” She bowed again and went and sat down. She had said it all. If you can truly say “The Lord is my Shepherd, THAT’S ALL I WANT!” you have compassed the Psalm, for with the Shepherd comes all the rest of the Psalm and with out Him there is very little left.
THESIS: To show that with the Savior as our Shepherd we need have no want!
INTRO:
A. David was a shepherd and knew something about shepherding and about sheep. He divides this most familiar of Psalms into 3 parts. David takes us into the glen with the Shepherd, where the sheep are fed, then into the gorge where the sheep are in grave danger, then finally into the glory where the sheep are safe forever more.
B. Many of God’s choicest servants have pillowed their tired, battered, weary and lonely heads on this most precious Psalm. Many read this Psalm or even commit it to memory with out ever experiencing the blessed truths of knowing and walking with the Shepherd of the Psalm. Many quote v.1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” when their lives are a wilderness of want. What they mean is “The Lord is my Savior, and I’m glad He is.” But wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to know that because the Lord is your Shepherd (not just your Savior) and you really have not want?
ILLUS: An orator mounted the platform and with flawless diction read the 23rd Psalm. The audience broke into spontaneous applause. A second humble saint of God then got up and he too read the 23rd Psalm, but he stumbled through it. The audience knew that he had served the Lord with great hardship over many long years and no one applauded; they simply wept. The orator then got up again and said, “The difference between us is - I know the Shepherd’s Psalm but this man knows the Psalm’s Shepherd!”
I. THE LORD:
A. The Creator:
ILLUS: A dear black brother-preacher preached on “THE ISNESS OF GOD!” Perhaps not gram-atically correct, but theologically correct! In that message he asked “Where did God come from?” He said: “He came from nowhere! The reason He came from nowhere is there was nowhere to come from. He came from nowhere and stood on nothing. The reason He stood on nothing is because there was nowhere for Him to stand. Then standing on nothing He reached out to nowhere and caught something where there was nothing to catch and hung something on nothing and told it to stay there! And nobody said a word - cause there was nobody there to say anything. So God Himself said: ‘It is good!’”
But God is not just a powerful Being and Creator, He is a personal Being Who desires our fellowship as the “sheep of His pasture.”
Ps. 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
B. The Provider:
1. This entire Psalm is about the Lord as the Shepherd-Provider for His sheep.
2. It is the Shepherd - not His supply which is in view.
ILLUS: We don’t have to get into deep sin to get out of touch with the Shepherd-Savior. Perfectly legitimate things can do that. The Lord Jesus rebuked Martha who was preparing a meal for Him, herself, her sister and brother. She got so busy with these legitimate things that she lost sight of Him. It is not just worldliness or sinfulness but simple independence which can get us out of touch with the Shepherd. In Jn.12 Martha is again seen preparing a meal, not just for 4 people but for at least 25. But she is neither irritable nor does the Lord rebuke her because now she had learned dependence on Him.
II. THY SHEPHERD:
ILLUS: The shepherd’s job was a lowly and lonely job. David was the youngest of several brothers, so he got the lowly job of tending the sheep. Joseph also, but Jacob showed favoritism to him and made his brothers do his work. This was one of several factors that caused his brothers to hate him. If a household had no sons, the daughters were made into shepherdesses. It was an extremely lonely job, where the only fellowship most of the time was with the smelly sheep. It is amazing that our Savior likens Himself to a Shepherd. Most shunned this, He chose it.
A. The Good Shepherd Dies For His Sheep:
Jn. 10:11
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
1. Psalm 22 - His Past Ministry - The Cross - (Prophet)
2. David speaks not as a shepherd (though he was) but as a sheep.
3. If the Lord is my Shepherd, I must be a sheep.
QUOTE: Keller, A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, “Sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care. - It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways...our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance.- Yet despite these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own and delights in caring for us.”
Phillips, Exploring the Psalms, “A sheep is not smart like a lion; it is not swift like an antelope, it is not smart like a dog. The outstanding characteristic of a sheep is that it is stupid. When a sheep goes astray it does so for no reason, and once it has gone astray it cannot find its own way back home.”
Complete dependence upon the Shepherd is the safest thing for the sheep!
4. David is saying: “Look Who my Shepherd is!”
B. The Great Shepherd Lives For His Sheep:
Heb. 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
1. Ps.23 - His Present Ministry - The Crook - (Priest)
2. Many know Christ as Savior who don’t know Him as Shepherd - “Good Shepherd” vs
“Great Shepherd”.
3. It is in this capacity that the Lord can and wants to supply our “wants.”
C. The Chief Shepherd Comes For His Sheep:
1 Pet. 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1. Ps.24 - His Future Ministry - The Crown - (King)
2. Only a true Shepherd/Owner cares this much for His sheep - an hireling doesn’t!
NOTE: A Virgin womb was opened and the Good Shepherd came forth to die for His sheep; a virgintomb was opened and the Great Shepherd came forth to live for His sheep; the virgin skies will open and the Chief Shepherd will come back for His sheep.
III. NO WANT:
NOTE: The message of most of mankind is “I WANT.” Satisfaction is not found in some pleasurable sensation or sensual or sensory activity, but in a Person, the Savior-Shepherd! He alone can care for our “wants.”
ILLUS: John Phillips said he liked the way his mother divided the 23rd Psalm. He found her open Bible beside her bed the day after she died. Alongside this Psalm she had written: “The secret of a happy life, a happy death, a happy eternity.”
A. The Secret Of A Happy Life:
1. Trust the Shepherd for all your wants.
2. He will take care of them as in v.2-3
B. The Secret Of A Happy Death:
1. He will take care of you wants at death as in v.4,5
C. The Secret Of A Happy Eternity:
1. He will even take care of you after death as in v.6!
CONCL: No want in life, no want in death, no want in eternity - what more could you want? When the S.S. teacher asked the boys and girls in Opening Exercises if someone could quote the 23rd Psalm, a little golden-haired girl raised her hand, along with several others. Since she was only 4 1/2 yrs. old, the teacher was a bit skeptical, but after she assured him she could do it, he told her to come up front. She faced the audience, made a perky bow, and said: “The Lord is my Shepherd, that’s all I want!” She bowed again and went and sat down. She had said it all. If you can truly say “The Lord is my Shepherd, THAT’S ALL I WANT!” you have compassed the Psalm, for with the Shepherd comes all the rest of the Psalm and with out Him there is very little left.