A%20Shepherds%20Explanation

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A Shepherds Explanation
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• In this Psalm, we are being taken on a journey
  with the sheep through the cycle of its year.
• Now, as the sheep are following their shepherd
  through the mountain valleys to the tables of
  pastureland, we have continued to see the
  intimate conversation they have on their way.

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• Psalm 23 A Psalm of David
• 1 The LORD is my shepherd         I shall not
  want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green
  pastures         He leads me beside the still
  waters. 3 He restores my soul         He leads
  me in the paths of righteousness          For
  His names sake.    4 Yea, 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 runs over. 6 Surely
  goodness and mercy shall follow me         All
  the days of my life          And I will
  dwella in the house of the LORD forever.

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I. Surely goodness and lovingkindness
will follow me all the days
of my life.

• We are astounded that David, a man whose life was
  marked with adversity from his own king, from the
  Philistines, from his own family and from his own
  sins, said this.
• There are sheep who have been led by their
  shepherd through the valley of the shadow of
  death. He has been led on to a tableland right
  into the face of his enemies. He has experienced
  the rod of his shepherd in discipline, yet he has
  the wisdom to know that all of this was for his
  best interests.

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• Can we be sheep like this?
• Surely, it is easy to feel goodness and
  lovingkindness will follow us right after we have
  killed Goliath.
• But what about right after Absalom has stolen
  the kingdom?
• Can we give thanks to our Shepherd for goodness
  and lovingkindness in the difficult times?
• To the shepherd, this statement has a double
  meaning.
• It refers to the goodness and lovingkindness
  these sheep expects from his shepherd.
• It also refers to the goodness and lovingkindness
  that the sheep will leave in his wake because of
  the work of the shepherd.
• Consider Mr. Kellers description

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• Sheep can, under mismanagement, be the most
  destructive livestock. In short order they can
  ruin and ravage land almost beyond remedy. But in
  bold contrast they can be the most beneficial
  of all livestock if properly managed.  
• Their manure is the best balanced of any produced
  by domestic stock. When scattered efficiently
  over the pastures it proves of enormous benefit
  to the soil. The sheeps habit of seeking the
  highest rise of ground on which to rest insures
  that the fertility from the rich low land is
  re-deposited on the less productive higher
  ground. No other livestock will consume as wide a
  variety of herbage. Sheep eat all sorts of weeds
  and other undesirable plants which might
  otherwise invade a field In a few years a flock
  of well-managed sheep will clean up and restore a
  piece of ravaged land as no other creature can
  do.

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• When we, as sheep, allow ourselves to be blessed
  by following the Good Shepherd, we in turn leave
  a wake of goodness and lovingkindness.
• It is much like Jesus statement to Simon the
  Pharisee in Luke 747.
• Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are
  many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to
  whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
• The one who truly realizes the blessing of
  goodness and lovingkindness he has received will
  be the one who imparts the most love to the one
  who bestowed that mercy and to others who need
  mercy.

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• We must examine and question our own lives as
  Mr. Keller advises
• Do I leave a trail of sadness or of gladness
  behind?
• Is my memory, in other peoples minds, entwined
  with mercy and goodness, or would they rather
  forget me altogether?
• Do I deposit a blessing behind me or am I a
  bane to others?
• Is my life a pleasure to people or a pain?

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II. And I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever. .

• David began this psalm with the proud
  proclamation, The Lord is my Shepherd. He ends
  with the equally thrilling statement, I will
  dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
• And why wouldnt he remain?
• He would be foolish to seek the shepherding of
  another master.

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• Despite the walks through the valley of the
  shadow of death, despite pasturing under the
  menacing eyes of the enemy, despite having
  endured the sting of the Shepherds rod
• David has no desire to leave the house, the
  flock, the fold of the Lord.
• He wants to be a part of this family.
• In view of this psalm, I am puzzled at the
  thought of why anyone would ever want to leave
  the fold of God.

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• It has to do with our outlook
• Questions
• How do the sheep perceive what goes on around
  them?
• Do they trust the Shepherds judgment or are
  they wrapped up in their own desires?
• Do the sheep find comfort in the rod and staff
  or do they become angered by it?
• We, as the sheep, are the only ones who can
  determine our outlook on these things.
• Let us boldly make this psalm our own anthem of
  life in following Jesus.

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Conclusion

• Have we found ourselves in the barren, burned up,
  disease and parasite infested grounds, without
  the Good Shepherd? 
• The Good Shepherd has laid down his life for us
  and is holding open the door into His fold so He
  can make us
• lie down in green pasture,
• lead us beside quiet waters,
• restore our soul,
• guide us in paths of righteousness,
• comfort us in the valleys,
• prepare a table for us before our enemies,
• anoint our head with oil
• and follow us with goodness and mercy.

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• Psalm 23 A Psalm of David
• 1 The LORD is my shepherd         I shall not
  want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green
  pastures         He leads me beside the still
  waters. 3 He restores my soul         He leads
  me in the paths of righteousness          For
  His names sake.    4 Yea, 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 runs over. 6 Surely
  goodness and mercy shall follow me         All
  the days of my life          And I will
  dwella in the house of the LORD forever.