Sermon Notes - Psalms 23 - The Good Shepherd - Littleby Baptist Church - November 13, 2022
1. The 1st Psalms was reminding us to delight in the Lord’s instructions.
a. Spend
time studying the Word of God.
2. The
3rd Psalms helps us to see that God is with us always.
a. As
He was a shield around David when he was running for his life.
b. He
is a shield around us, protecting us as we draw near to Him.
c. As
He gave David rest, He gives us rest in the face of persecution.
d. Our
salvation belongs to the Lord.
e. We
are victorious through Him.
f. The
question is, are we confident that God is with us?
g. We
should use David’s example and trust in our God.
h. Trust
that He is working in us.
i. Trust
that He is always with us.
3. This
will be the final Psalms in our short interlude from the Gospel of John.
a. Today’s
Psalms is the top searched for Psalms according to Google.
b. Many
people have memorized a portion or all of if.
c. 6
simple verses in which David reflected on the blessings the Lord has provided
him even in the face of danger.
4. Open
your Bibles to Psalms 23.
5. Psalms
23:1
a. David
is using an example that people of his day would have understood.
b. David
was very familiar with went it means to be a shepherd, as can be seen in 1 Samuel.
c. David
was tending sheep when Samuel came to anoint the son of Jesse as the next king
of God’s people.
d. Jesus
was prophesied with the characteristics of a shepherd.
e. Isaiah
40:11
f. The
coming Messiah will be a shepherd who protects and gathers His flock.
g. He
carries them in their time and need and gently leads them as they grow.
h. John
10:11; 14
i. Jesus
is the Good Shepheard who lays down His life for His sheep.
j. Jesus
knows those that follow Him.
k. As
our Shepherd, our Lord loves us, protects us, and guides us.
l. Because
of His love for us, our future, our hope is secure.
m. If
He is our Lord, we will spend forever with Him.
n. But
what about this side of eternity?
o. I
think it is safe to say that David had times of plenty and times of nothing in
his life.
p. He
knew what it was to go hungry and wonder if he would see the next day.
q. When
David states, ‘I shall not want.’ He is saying that God will provide what is
needed. Not what is desired, but what is needed to carry out the Lord’s will.
r. The
words of David, the prophet Isaiah, and Jesus tell us that the Good Shepherd
will take care of His sheep.
6. Psalms
23:2a
a. “He
maketh me to line down in green pastures:”
b. Shepherds
tend to take their sheep to the best areas they can find for grazing.
c. Our
God does this for us.
d. Does
not mean we eat filet mignon for dinner each night.
e. The
green pastures are a reference to spiritual grazing.
f. Our
Lord feeds our soul.
g. He
gives us His word.
h. He
provides wisdom and understanding for what it means.
i. 1
Peter 2:2-3
j. We
grow as followers of Jesus by being nourished by the Word of God.
k. That
is why we are to delight in it.
7. Psalms
23:2b-3a
a. “He
leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:”
b. Matthew
11:28
c. As
we follow Jesus, our Shepherd, He provides us rest.
d. He
restores our soul.
e. He
wipes away the dirt, the sin, and gives us forgiveness and peace.
f. Revelation
7:17
g. Ultimately
when we join our Lord in eternity, when the new Jerusalem is revealed, their
will be no more tears, their will be no more pain.
h. One
day we will be filled with pure Peace.
8. Psalms
23:3b
a. “He
leadeth me in the paths of rightness for his name’s sake.”
b. David
is saying that God guides him in the right way to live.
c. 1
John 1:9
d. If
we repent our Lord will cleanse us form all unrighteousness.
e. We
tend to focus on the wiping away of our sins, which is correct.
f. When
Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior, He does just that.
g. But
as our Good Shepherd, He is also our guide.
h. He
knows the best path for us to walk.
i. He
instructs us with His Word, another reason to delight in it.
j. As
we draw near to Him, as we grown in our faith and knowledge of Him, He leads
us.
k. Jesus
is the way, the truth, and the life… As our shepherd
i. He
is showing us the way to live our lives.
ii. He
has given us His Truth.
iii. He
is offering eternal life in glory to all who follow Him.
l. As
followers of Jesus, we are God’s children.
m. He
will not leave us as He found us.
n. He
will work in us, mold us, shape us, and change us.
o. As
Jesus works in us, as we follow Him, He is glorified by the changes in our
lives.
9. Psalms
23:4
a. A
shepherd protects his flock.
b. When
the shepherd boy David was talking to king Saul, he talked about how he as a shepherd
protected his flock.
c. 1
Samuel 17:32-37
d. David,
while trusting in God, protected his flock form the lions and the bears.
e. He
did not back down.
f. If
a young boy did this for his sheep, how much more will our Shepherd do it for
us?
g. When
we are faced with those shadows of death, those deep dark valleys in life, our
God is with us.
h. Hebrews
13:5 “I will never leave you or abandon you.”
i. We
may feel alone at times, but as a follower of Jesus, as a child of God, we are
never alone.
j. We
are never facing situations that our Lord Jesus, our Shepherd, is not aware of.
k. He
knows what is before us and He will never leave us.
l. He
is THE Good Shepherd who cares for His flock.
10. Psalms
23:5
a. Our
Lord is a gracious host.
b. As
the host, He places those at His table under His protection.
c. John
10:27-30
d. As
followers of Jesus, we are His.
e. We
are under His protection.
f. No
one can take our Hope away from us.
g. The
devil can try every trick in the book to no avail.
h. Our
salvation is secure in Jesus.
i. Our
eternity is guaranteed by our Good Shepperd.
j. The
anointing with oil David mentions, represents being refreshed and rejuvenated
by our God.
k. Romans
15:13
l. Being
in the presence of our Jesus, having the Holy Spirit at work in us… brings Joy,
Peace, and Hope.
m. As
we rest in the presence of our God, we are refreshed and rejuvenated regardless
of what we are facing.
n. David
mentions that his cup runneth over.
o. David
is declaring that even in the face of his enemies God continues to bless him.
p. Set
aside the things in our lives.
q. Even
look past the people for a moment.
r. If
Jesus is your Lord and Savior, your cup is running over.
s. You
have more than you need.
t. Your
salvation is secure.
u. Regardless
of the valley you may be in, your Lord is with you.
v. You
are saved.
w. You
are loved.
x. You
are victorious.
y. Even
though it may not seem like it, your cup runneth over.
11. Psalms
23:6
a. The
Lord’s goodness and mercy, His love, is not limited to today.
b. As
followers of Jesus, His love and everything that comes with it is for all
eternity.
c. It
is not limited by our circumstances.
d. It
is not limited by our inability to live perfectly and earn our salvation.
e. The
Lord’s love and eternal blessings are with all who follow Him.
f. Days
on this side of eternity are going to be rough.
g. We
will fall to our knees at times crying out.
h. But
our Lord Jesus will be with us!
i. We
will dwell in His house forever.
12. This
Psalms teaches us that regardless of what the devil throws our way…
a. Regardless
of how hard this life may be…
b. Our
Good Shepherd… gives us what we need.
c. He
gives us His Word.
d. He
gives us rest.
e. He
fills us with His Peace, Joy, and Hope.
f. If
Jesus is our Lord and Savior, that cannot be taken away from us.
g. There
is nothing that can separate us from the Love of our God.
h. If
you know Jesus this morning, continue to draw near to Him and trust in His
faithful love.
i. If
you don’t know Jesus, I encourage you to put your trust in Him and watch Him
change your life.
j. If
you don’t know Him, I would love to talk to you about Jesus.
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