• • Culture says to be a sheep is weak, sheeple, follower
  • “To be a sheep is to rely on a shepherd”
  • We are dependent on our God, our shepherd for everything
  • Everthing we do, we are dependent on God’s strength to do it.
  • So yes, we are sheep, but we have the Good shepherd
  • mpt-The Lord is our shepherd

Psalm 23

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 

“The Lord is my shepherd”

 

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

• • Yahweh
    • Adonia/elohim
    • This is whom we are talking about today!
    • Two characters
      • God and Man
      • Shepherd and sheep
      • But mostly about God
        • Read it to them

• The Lord is my shepherd

• • • Read through it again and use text to describe God as our shepherd

 

*Let’s examine, and wonder, and worship at 5 ways that the Lord our God is our Shepherd*

Ezekiel 34:11-24

• • Set it up
    • Exiles in Babylon
    • Indictment on the shepherds/leaders of Israel
    • God reveals His character as shepherd
    • His character hasn’t changed in the new covenant, in 2019

• Read 11-12-    1) The Lord is my Shepherd and He searches for His sheep

• Luke 19:10 For the son of Man came to seek and to save the lost

• “You may be saying, amen, its true, but I thought we were talking about God himself searching for His sheep and seeking them out?”

• • • • When God saved you, He was seeking out His sheep that were lost!
        • Romans 8:29-30 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
          • When you were in your sins, God sought you out and saved you
          • When you were destined to hell, God sought you out and saved you
          • When you were living a life separate from Him, not even thinking about Him, God sought you out and saved you!
          • Why?  Because the Lord is our shepherd! And He searches for His sheep!
  • Read 13 & 14    2)The Lord is my shepherd and He provides for His sheep

• Feed 3x

• Philippians 4:19 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

• • • • Genesis 22 we get the name of God, Jehova Jireh, The Lord will provide
      • Talk about how God provides physically 
        • Testimony

• Luke 12:22-31

• • • Talk about how God provides spiritually
      • Lady at half price books
      • Romans 8:26 26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 
      • Give us day by day our daily bread
      • Isaiah 40:29  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
    • Talk about how God provided by sending the Good shepherd
      • John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
      • Gospel
      • Why does the Lord provide the way He does for us?  Because the Lord is our shepherd and provides for His sheep!
• Read vs 15,    3) The Lord is my shepherd, In Him we find rest
  • When life has us weary
  • Ready to give up
  • Tired is tired
  • Wakeup only to wish you didn’t have to continue on 
  • Our God says He will make you lie down, He will give you rest
    • Matthew 11:28 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
    • Psalm 127:2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
    • Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety
      • Why does God, give us peace and rest, because the Lord is our shepherd and He gives rest to His sheep

 

• • Read vs 16-17, 4) The Lord is my shepherd and He will judge His sheep
    • Talk about God as judge
    • God is a God justice
      • Thats why He didn’t just forgive us, but His wrath had to be satisfied

• Matthew 25:31-34 & 41

• • The Lord is our shepherd, and He will Judge His sheep

• Read vs 23  23And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.

5) Jesus is the good shepherd that lays down His life for His sheep

 

John 10:11-18

 

• • Bring it back full circle

• The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want

• • • Because the Lord is your shepherd, a shepherd who searches for his sheep, provides for his sheep, provides rest for his sheep, judges his sheep and lays down his life for his sheep, you shall not want.
    • If you have found yourself wanting, I invite you now, talk to the shepherd of your soul, seek Him, find Him, I promise you will find what you need from Him!
    • Lets pray.

Sermon Notes on Psalm 23