Sermon #1303123 Miscellaneous
Sermons
Title: The
Lord My Shepherd
Text: Psalm
23:1-6
Subject:
Comfort from the Fact that Christ is Our Shepherd
Introduction:
You will find the
title of my message this morning in the opening statement of our text - “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD”.
Throughout the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior,
is revealed to us as a Shepherd. Blessed is that man or woman who can, with a
heart of true faith, say, “The Lord is my Shepherd!”
In Genesis 49:24, it was promised “the Shepherd, the stone of Israel,”
would come from “the mighty God of
Jacob.” Indeed, our Shepherd is the mighty God of Jacob.
The prophet Isaiah (Isa. 40:11), tells us
what Christ would do for his sheep, when he revealed himself as our Shepherd. “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he
shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall
gently lead those that are with young.”
In Ezekiel 34:23, God promised that
in this gospel age he would gather his elect from the four corners of the
earth, both Jews and Gentiles, under one great Shepherd. “I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my
servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.” In
chapter 37, verse 24, the prophet tells us plainly that God’s elect “all shall have one Shepherd.”
Then, in Zechariah 13:7, we have a plain
prophecy of Christ’s death, the good Shepherd laying down his life for his
sheep. God himself cries out, “Awake, O
sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow!...Smite the
Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn mine hand upon the
little ones.”
You are all familiar
with the passage in John 10,
where our Lord Jesus Christ describes himself as our Shepherd. “I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd
giveth his life for the sheep” (v. 11). “I
am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (v. 14).
The apostle Paul describes Christ as “Our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the
sheep,” and calls His blood “the
blood of the everlasting covenant” (Heb. 13:20). And the apostle Peter says, “Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd
and Bishop of your souls” (I Pet. 2:25). And he assures us that “when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (I Pet. 5:4).
The Lord Jesus Christ
was called and appointed by his Father to be our Shepherd in the covenant of
grace, before the world began. And by an act of great, condescending grace and
infinite love, he freely, voluntarily agreed to be our Shepherd. Thus, from old
eternity, Christ assumed all responsibility for the redemption, salvation, and
eternal welfare of God’s elect, his sheep (John 10:14-18).
John 10:14-18 "I am the good
shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
known of mine. (15) As the Father
knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (16) And other sheep I have, which are
not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and
there shall be one fold, and one
shepherd. (17) Therefore doth my
Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I
lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it
again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
Our great and glorious Lord Jesus Christ is abundantly
qualified to be our Shepherd. He is the omniscient God. He knows all his
sheep, all our maladies, and all our needs. He knows where his sheep are, what
their case is, and what must be done for them. Christ, our Shepherd, is omnipotent. He is the almighty
God. He has all power in heaven and earth. He can do all things for us. None of
his sheep are in danger. This Shepherd can and will provide for his sheep,
protect his sheep, defend his sheep and save his sheep. In him are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He will guide and direct his sheep in
the best path and bring them all at last to the heavenly fold. Oh, may God the
Holy Spirit teach us to trust our Savior as the Lord our Shepherd!
Proposition: Because the Lord my Shepherd, I have nothing to fear, and
everything to give me comfort, hope, peace, and joy.
As we have already
seen, there are numerous passages from which I might preach to you about Christ
as our Shepherd. Today, I want to direct your attention once more to Psalm 23.
I can think of no better, more instructive, more God honoring, or more soul
satisfying way to describe Christ as our Shepherd than by using the words of
this blessed psalm.
In Psalm 23, David
declares a blessed fact which he perceived and rejoiced in by faith. He says, “The Lord is my Shepherd!” As his heart
meditated upon this blessed fact, he began to realize the blessings that would
surely flow to him because the Lord, Jehovah, the one true and living God, was
and is his Shepherd. We will look at these six verses line by line. I pray that
God the Holy Spirit will be our Teacher. And I trust that each of us can repeat
the words of David in this Psalm, as words expressive of our own hearts’ faith.
We will begin with verse one.
I. “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!”
What a word of faith!
David does not say, “The Lord is our Shepherd.” He says, “The Lord is my Shepherd!” He does not say, “The Lord was,”
or “The Lord shall be,” but “The Lord is
my Shepherd.” He does not say, “I hope,” or “I think.” David speaks with
confidence and assurance, saying, “The
Lord is my Shepherd.” He knew that the Lord was his Shepherd for one
reason: He trusted the Lord as his Shepherd. He acknowledged his entire
dependence upon Christ as Sheep upon their Shepherd. Trusting Christ as his Shepherd, David could not doubt his interest in
his Shepherd.
It is one thing for
the Shepherd to say “This is my sheep.” But it is another thing for the sheep
to say, “This is my shepherd.” When David says, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” he is expressing his:
·
Faith in Christ,
·
Affection for Christ,
·
Joy because of Christ.
A. If you trust
Christ, He is your Shepherd too.
If the good Shepherd
has called you and caused you to hear his voice, if you follow him, that is to
say, if you trust him, you are one of his sheep, and he is your Shepherd (John
10:1-5, 26-28).
John 10:1-5 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way,
the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But
he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (3) To him the porter openeth; and the
sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them
out. (4) And when he putteth forth
his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know
his voice. (5) And a stranger will
they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of
strangers."
John 10:26-28 "But ye believe not, because ye are not
of my sheep, as I said unto you. (27) My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand."
Settle this one
question, and it will settle all others: Do you trust the Lord Jesus Christ? If
you do, you are one of his saved sheep (Mark 16:16).
Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
We must not fail to observe the position of this psalm. It
follows Psalm 22, the Psalm of the Cross. Spurgeon wrote, “We must by
experience know the value of the blood-shedding, and see the sword awakened
against the Shepherd, before we shall be able truly to know the sweetness of
the good Shepherd’s care.”
B. If the Lord is
my Shepherd, and I cannot doubt that He is, I belong to Him!
I am his property. He
owns me. And the fact that I belong to the Son of God gives me utmost
confidence and security and inspires my heart to daily consecrate myself to
him.
1.
I have been chosen of God and given to
Christ as one of his elect sheep from the foundation of the world (John
6:37-40). The Shepherd is responsible
for the sheep!
John 6:37-40 "All that the Father giveth me shall
come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (38) For I came down from heaven, not
to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all
which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at
the last day. (40) And this is the
will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on
him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
2.
Christ
has redeemed me and purchased me with his own blood
(John 10:11-14).
John 10:11-14 "I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
(12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep
are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf
catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
(13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the
sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd,
and know my sheep, and am known of
mine."
3.
Christ,
my Shepherd, has sought me, found me, and saved me by his grace
(Luke 15:3-5).
Luke 15:3-5 "And he spake this parable unto them,
saying, (4) What man of you, having
an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in
the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing."
4.
Christ
Jesus protects me, keeps me, preserves me and promises that I shall never
perish (John 10:27-30).
John 10:27-30 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me: (28) And I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (30) I and my Father are one."
5.
The
Lord, who is my Shepherd, will bring me safe to heaven at last
(Luke 15:6-7).
Luke 15:6-7 "And when he cometh home, he calleth
together his friends and neighbours,
saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (7) I say unto you, that likewise joy
shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and
nine just persons, which need no repentance."
·
When I die, my Shepherd will carry me
home with joy.
·
At the appointed hour, my Shepherd will
appear and raise my body to glory (I Pet. 5:4).
1 Peter 5:4 "And when the chief Shepherd shall
appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
·
And what he does for me he will do for
all his sheep (John 10:16).
John 10:16 "And other sheep I have, which are not
of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there
shall be one fold, and one
shepherd."
C. One of the most
delightful words in this opening sentence is that little personal, possessive
pronoun “my”.
I rejoice in knowing
that Christ is the good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep, that he
is the great Shepherd who arose and reigns in heaven for his sheep, and that he
is the chief Shepherd who is coming again for his sheep; but, frankly, that
would all be as meaningless to me as it is to some of you if I could not lift
my heart to heaven and say “he Lord is MY
Shepherd.
1.
He is my Shepherd personally.
2.
He is my Shepherd distinctively.
3.
He is my Shepherd perpetually.
The text is in the
present tense. Whatever the believers position or condition is he is under the
watchful care of Christ his Shepherd. Everywhere and always, he watches over
us, cares for us, protects us, provides for us, and preserves us. The Lord is MY
Shepherd; and I am his sheep.
Do you see the meaning
of these words? “The Lord is my
Shepherd!” THAT IS OUR GREAT
POSSESSION! Meditate upon this blessed fact. What may faith deduce from
it? David tells us. He describes OUR
GREAT PRIVILEGES in the next lines.
II. Because the Lord is my Shepherd, “I SHALL NOT WANT.”
Faith must draw this
conclusion. If the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want anything, for having
Him, I have everything (I Cor. 3:21-23).
Romans 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things?"
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 "Therefore let no man glory in men. For
all things are yours; (22) Whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things
present, or things to come; all are yours;
(23) And ye are Christ's; and Christ is
God's."
A. I shall not want
any temporal good thing.
None of Christ’s sheep
lack anything in this world that is good, needful, and useful for them (Ps.
37:25; Mk. 10:29-30; Lk. 22:35). Sheep do not feed, clothe, and protect
themselves. They are fed, clothed, and protected by their Shepherd.
Psalms 37:25 "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
Mark 10:29-30
"And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no
man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or
wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, (30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses,
and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."
Luke 22:35
"And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip,
and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing."
B. More
importantly, I shall not want any spiritual good thing (Eph. 1:3; Col.
2:9-10).
Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ:"
Colossians 2:9-10 "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are
complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"
Christ is the One in
whom all fullness dwells. And we have all our needs supplied from him.
1.
Our souls shall never want for spiritual
food, for by Him we go in and out and find pasture (John 10:9).
He is the Bread of
Life. In Him we have bread enough and to spare. He is the Fountain of Living
Water. Those who drink at this Fountain never thirst for another.
2. We shall never want for clothing, for he is “The Lord our Righteousness,” and we are
clothed with the robe of his righteousness (Jer. 23:6).
3. Our hearts shall never want rest, for he is our resting
place, our sabbath, in whom we find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28-30).
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your
souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
C. These words could be
translated, “I shall not fail,” or “I shall not come short.”
Then the meaning would
be, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not fail to attain eternal glory
and happiness” (John 10:27-30).
Others who are
wealthier and wiser than I am are always in want. I have all things and abound,
not because my bank account is full, but because “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD”. The
wicked always want. The righteous are satisfied. The unbeliever, no matter how much
he has, is the leech, crying, “More, more.” The believer, whose Shepherd the
Lord is, dwells in the beautiful palace called Contentment.
III. “HE MAKETH ME
TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES” (V.2).
These green pastures
are all found in the Word of God. Christ graciously, tenderly makes his sheep
lie down in the green pastures of his Word, where we find rest, safety,
satisfaction, and peace (Song 1:7). What are these green pastures? I can only
mention a few. But I will hold these before you, so that you may both feed and
refresh your soul.
A. The covenant of
grace (II Sam. 23:5).
B. The person and work
of Christ.
C. The blessed
doctrines of the Gospel.
D. The ordinances of
the Gospel
1. Preaching
2. Reading
3. Prayer
4. Singing
5. Singing
6. Public worship
7. The Lord’s Supper.
IV. “HE
LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS” (V. 2).
What a gentle word, “leadeth!” Gently, thoughtfully,
tenderly, Christ leads his sheep, like Jacob of old, to the soft, deep, quiet
waters, as they are able to bear it (Gen. 33:14).
The Lord Jesus does
not drive us with the whip of the law. He leads us by his Word, his example,
and his Spirit beside the waters of quietness. To these waters of quietness we
would never come if our good Shepherd did not lead us, graciously, gently, but
always effectually.
A. The everlasting
love of God is like a river, the streams whereof make glad the hearts of his
people (Ps. 46:4).
Psalms 46:4 "There
is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most
High."
B. Christ himself is
the pure river of the Water of Life from which all his sheep drink freely and
constantly.
C. Our Shepherd leads
his sheep into the pleasant waters of spiritual communion with the eternal God.
D. The Lord who is our Shepherd, leads all
his sheep into the deep, still waters of Holy Scripture and causes them to wade
through, drink from, and swim in the refreshing truths of the gospel--All who
thirst are invited to come to these waters (Isa. 55:1).
Isaiah 55:1 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye
to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy
wine and milk without money and without price."
E. And in heaven’s eternal glory, Christ
will still lead his sheep by the fountains of living water, for their
everlasting consolation and joy (Rev. 7:15-17).
Revelation 7:15-17 "Therefore are they before the throne of
God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the
throne shall dwell among them. (16) They
shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on
them, nor any heat. (17) For the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto
living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes."
V. “HE RESTORETH MY
SOUL” (V. 3).
How often he has come
to me, when I could not go to him, when my soul was downcast, fainting and
disconsolate! Day by day, Jehovah, my Shepherd, restoreth my soul! When I
stray, he fetches me back to himself. When I seem to be dying within, he
relieves me, refreshes me, comforts me, and revives me with...
A. Fresh discoveries
of His love.
B. The blessed
promises of the Gospel.
C. The sweet memory of
his sacrifice.
D. The loving rod of
correction.
E. The renewing Grace
of his Spirit.
VI. “HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATH OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE” (V. 3).
Christ leads all his
sheep in the same paths. Sometimes the paths chosen for us seem rough and
rugged. But they are his paths. They are paths of righteousness. And they lead
us home.
A. These paths of
righteousness are the paths are plural.
1.
Faith
2.
Self-denial
3.
Obedience
4.
Love
B.
Our
Shepherd leads us in these paths.
Again, I stress, he
does not drive us in paths of righteousness. He leads his sheep by:
1.
His example
2.
His Spirit
3.
His Word.
Commenting on this
passage, John Gill said,
“Christ leads his (sheep) by faith to walk on in him and in his righteousness,
looking through it, and on account of it, for eternal life.”
And he so leads us “for his name’s sake,” for his own glory
and the praise of his grace. “That no
flesh should glory in his presence” (I Cor. 1:29).
Now, beginning in
verse four, the Psalmist speaks of OUR
GREAT PROTECTION.
VII. “YEA,
THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL” (V. 4).
This I know--If Christ
leads me in his path, I must, as long as I live in this world, walk through the
valley of the shadow of death. Believers in this world must go through much
tribulation to enter into the kingdom of God. And those trials and tribulations
are the valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 44:18-19; 107:10, 14; Jer.
13:15-17).
Psalms 44:18-19 "Our heart is not turned back, neither
have our steps declined from thy way;
(19) Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered
us with the shadow of death."
Psalms 107:10 "Such as sit in darkness and in the
shadow of death, being bound in
affliction and iron;"
Psalms 107:14 "He brought them out of darkness and the
shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder."
Jeremiah 13:15-17 "Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud:
for the LORD hath spoken. (16) Give
glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet
stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into
the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. (17) But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret
places for your pride; and mine eye
shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried
away captive."
Though I must walk
through this valley of the shadow of death, “I
will fear no evil.” Why? It is the Lord my Shepherd, who leads me into it
and through it. How can I fear, when my Shepherd walks before me?
A. “I will fear no evil.”
1.
Not Satan, the evil one, who walks about
as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
2.
No evil men (Ps. 27:1-4).
Psalms 27:1-4 "The
LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear? the LORD is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (2) When the wicked, even mine
enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. (3) Though an host should encamp
against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this
will I be confident. (4) One thing have I desired of the LORD, that
will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple."
3.
No evil thing (Ps. 46:1-4).
Psalms 46:1-4 "God is
our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore will not we fear, though
the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the
sea; (3) Though the waters thereof
roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the
swelling thereof. Selah. (4) There is a
river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most
High."
There is no reason for
one whose refuge, strength, and help the Lord is to fear anything. And child of
God, there is no reason for you to fear.
B. “For
thou art with me”
(Isa. 41:10; 43:1-2).
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea,
I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my
righteousness."
Isaiah 43:1-5 "But now thus saith the LORD that
created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have
redeemed thee, I have called thee by
thy name; thou art mine. (2) When thou passest through the
waters, I will be with thee; and
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (3) For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave
Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and
Seba for thee. (4) Since thou wast
precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee:
therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. (5) Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from
the east, and gather thee from the west;"
C. “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”
The allusion here is
to the shepherd’s staff, by which he both counted his sheep and directed his
sheep (Lev. 27:32; Jer. 33:13; Ezek 20:37; Mic. 7:14; Zech. 11:7).
His word is a rod of
strength. And his promises are a staff of consolation. By these we are
sustained and comforted in the midst of all our trial.
Illustration: The Shepherd’s rod
has many uses: 1. The crook is used to retrieve straying sheep, 2. The rod is
used to direct the sheep, 3. The rod is also used to protect the sheep, and 4.
The rod is used for numbering the sheep when he brings them into the fold--Conversion!
In Glory!
Note:: Soon we must pass through the last of
our trials. We all must go down to the grave. But remember, it is but “the valley of the shadow of death” for
us. And we will pass through is! There is no cause for fear! It is a valley
through which believers walk, calmly, confidently, purposefully.
VIII. “THOU
PREPAREST A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MINE ENEMIES” (V. 5).
Because the Lord is
our Shepherd and we are his sheep, this is OUR
GREAT PROVISION.
·
On Earth (Ps. 78:19).
·
In Heaven
Illustration:
The rich man and Lazarus.
IX. “THOU ANOINTEST
MY HEAD WITH OIL” (V. 5).
The allusion here is
to the custom in those ancient eastern countries, to anoint the heads of guests
with oil at any feast or celebration (Eccl. 9:7-8; Matt. 6:17).
Ecclesiastes 9:7-8 "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and
drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. (8) Let thy garments be always white;
and let thy head lack no ointment."
Matthew 6:17 "But
thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;"
David is saying,
“Christ pours out the oil of gladness upon all his people. He gives his Holy
Spirit to all his own.” He is talking about the anointing of the Spirit which
all believers have (I John 2:20-27).
1 John 2:20-27 "But ye have an unction from the Holy
One, and ye know all things. (21) I
have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know
it, and that no lie is of the truth. (22)
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. (23) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the
Father also. (24) Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from
the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in
you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. (25) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (26) These things have I
written unto you concerning them that seduce you. (27) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in
you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth
you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you,
ye shall abide in him."
A. This anointing
seals and preserves us.
B. This anointing
teaches us all things.
C. This anointing
fills us with comfort and joy.
X. “MY CUP RUNNETH
OVER” (V. 5).
Realizing that Christ
is my Shepherd, realizing something of what he has done, is doing and shall do
for me, realizing a little of the fullness of grace he bestows upon me, I must
confess, “my cup runneth over!”
·
All the blessings of the covenant are
mine!
·
All things in time are mine!
·
All the bounty of Heaven is mine!
·
Christ is mine!
·
If my cup runs over, it is so that the
overflow may fill the cups of others.
·
If I am so over abundantly blessed of
God, I ought always to be a man of contentment and peace. In verse six, David
describes OUR GREAT PROSPECT.
XI. Because the Lord my Shepherd, I must make
this conclusion too--”SURELY GOODNESS
AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE” (V. 6).
A. Goodness pursues
me!
B. Goodness follows
after me! Does it?
C. Mercy pursues me!
D. Mercy follows after
me! Does it?
XII. “AND I SHALL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE
LORD FOREVER” (V. 6).
A.
This
is my resolution--”I shall” constantly attend to public
worship of my Lord. You can find me in the house of the Lord (John 6:68).
B.
This
is my assurance--”I shall” forever abide in the church
and temple of God by his grace (Deu 3:12).
C.
This
is my hope--”I shall” dwell in that house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens!
“A servant abideth not in the house forever, but the son abideth ever!” While
I am here, I will be a child at home with Christ. The whole world is my
Father’s house. When I leave this world, I will not change company, or even
addresses, I will just move upstairs in the Father’s house! I hope you will all
come and join me.
Now, let’s see if we
can read this blessed Psalm.
Psalms 23 "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me
beside the still waters. (3) He
restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's
sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me. (5) Thou preparest a
table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oil; my cup runneth over. (6) Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in
the house of the LORD for ever."
AMEN!