Psalm 23- A Shepherds View #2 - Seeking God's Heart



Psalm 23- A Shepherds View #2

I Shall Not Want

Introduction:

Dr. Andrew Bonar shares how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can't jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass.

The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death. "Why don't they go down there when the sheep first gets there?" I asked. "Ah!" He said, "they are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if they did!"

And that is the way with men as well; they won't go back to God till they have no friends and have lost everything. If you are a wanderer I tell you that the Good Shepherd will bring you back the moment you have given up trying to save yourself and are willing to let Him save you His own way.

[The first verse of Psalm 23 ends with “I shall not want”. That is the topic of our lesson this morning]

What Kind of Want?

← The word used here for want has a broader meaning

o Certainly the main idea is of not lacking

o Secondly though, it is of being completely content in the Good Shepherd’s care

← David had known hardship

o Chased and threatened by Saul and his forces

o His own son, Absalom, had tried to hunt him down to kill

o David knew hunger, personal poverty, hardship and no doubt anguish of spirit.

← God’s sheep may face adversity at times

o Consider Elijah, John the Baptist or Jesus Himself

o Jesus warned of tribulation that His disciples would certainly face

← David was not referring to physical poverty

o Christians need to know that they may well have to face poverty and persecution as His disciples

o Yet, in such challenging circumstance, like David can say, “I shall not want”

[Some follow the Good Shepherd and some follow after a myriad of imposters]

Belonging to the Good Shepherd or an Imposter

← Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters

← Welfare of the flock depends on the management’s care

← Tenant Shepherds

o All too often indifferent to the conditions of the sheep

o Land is neglected

o Spent little or no time with the sheep

o Let them forage for themselves

o Constantly in need of nourishing food and protective shelter

o Ignored their needs- fit only for the slaughterhouse

← Sin and Satan

o Want the sheep dead

o Scoff at the plight of those in their power

o Run a derelict ranch indeed

← The boss, the manager, the Master makes a difference in people’s lives and destinies

o Many who appear to have it made, they live unhappy lives

o They are joyless people in the grip of a heartless master

▪ Even though they have overflowing material assets, they are spiritually bankrupt

▪ They all too often end up restless, covetous and greedy- never satisfied in spirit

o By contrast, there are those who have endured hardship, disaster and struggle to stay financially afloat who are joyful

▪ They belong to Christ- He is their Lord and Master

▪ Permeated by a joyful peace and contentment

▪ They are under God’s care and know it

[The good shepherd cares for his flock of sheep and protects them day and night]

The Lord Cares for His Flock

← The Good Shepherd loves His sheep and takes pleasure in them

o He is on the job twenty four hours a day to insure we are properly provided for

o He has no greater reward or deeper satisfaction than seeing His sheep

▪ Contented

▪ Well fed

▪ Safe

▪ And flourishing in His care

o He provides the finest grazing, the richest pasture, ample winter feed and clean water

← The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep

o Jesus said, “I come that you might have life and might have it abundantly”

o From dawn to late night, the selfless Shepherd is alert to the welfare of His flock

▪ First thing in the morning the diligent sheepman goes out to check on the flock

▪ All day His eye is on the flock’s well being

▪ At night he sleeps with one eye and both ears open

o Jesus neither sleeps nor slumbers

← Some not satisfied with His control

o Looking over the fence for greener grass

▪ Half Christians

▪ Want the best of both worlds

o These restless sheep produce more problems than the rest of the flock combined

▪ No matter what field or pasture the shepherd has them in, always looking to sneak through the fence

▪ They are just never contented- even in the best pasturage

▪ Real trouble arises when they teach other lambs the same tricks and lead others astray

▪ These need to either be restored, or cut from the flock completely

← Warning to Christian backsliders- half Christians

o These are not the ones who say “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want”

o Sometimes in short order they can be cut down

Conclusion:

← We can rejoice knowing that our Lord and Master is The Good Shepherd.

← He provides us the best pastures, protection from evils and predators.

← He watches over us day and night.

← We can find contentment in His care

← The life He gives is indeed the most joy-filled and meaningful we can imagine

← When we fully accept Him as our Shepherd, we shall never know spiritual want

Let’s Pray.

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