Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
In Psalm 22 we find Jesus is the good Shepherd Who gave His life for His sheep, which is comparable to John 10.
Hebrew 13:20-21
Now may the Lord of peace Who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever more, Amen.
1 Peter 5 we hear of the chief Shepherd, or John 21 after the resurrection, the chief Shepherd gives instructions to one of His under shepherds.
In Psalm 22 He is the good Shepherd Who died for us. In Psalm 23 He is the great Shepherd Who cares for us. In Psalm 24 He is the exalted Shepherd, the chief Shepherd.
The Lord, Jehovah, is my Shepherd.
John 10 My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life.
Many Christians are in stress and have a tremendous need of peace.
In the Psalm 23 we find the wonderful truth, the personal truth, that Jehovah is MY Shepherd, a shepherd that always takes cares of His sheep. He is sufficient for our every need. Can you honestly say the eternal living God is your shepherd? There must be personal trust in Him. When one comes as a sinner and accepts Jesus Christ as your savior, you don't only become a child of God but become a member lf His flock. And He becomes our Shepherd. I belong to Him and He belongs to me. It is very personal, and because of that I shall not want. No room for worry or fretfulness, or down in the dumps.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Green! Not dried up or brown. He gives rest, peace, and contentment. He leadeth me beside still water, not the troubled waters or the rushing waters. He restoreth my soul.
How He loves His people even when we fail Him. My failure doesn't affect His love. He restoreth my soul and leadeth me into the path of righteousness for His name sake. He not only forgives and cleanses us, but guides us. John 16 tells us the Spirit of God will direct us into all truth. Thy Word is a light unto my feet. The only thing is that we don't take the time to get into the Word of God and enjoy the pastures and all He has for us.
To think God takes hell-deserving sinners like you and me and transform us, and restores us when we fail Him, and leads us and guides us, and give us peace, contentment, and hope! We have a Shepherd Who is all sufficient.
And we have a Shepherd Who is always with us. Yet if I walk through the valley of shadow and death, I will fear no evil. Why? because You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me. We are in the valley of death today, not when we die. Death reigns today, whether rich or poor, young or old. We are in the shadow of death. You don't know if you are going to live through today. But we fear no evil as we walk this earth. He comforts me! He said He would be with us until the end of our days. He prepares a table for us.
He anoints my head with oil. Instead of getting bitter, he anoints our head with oil and in abundant supply. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. Let me change that: surely goodness and mercy have chased after me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What a wonderful hope!
I feel like telling to people: "What are your plans?" and they say "Well I am going to do these and that." And I asked "And then what?" and they say "I am going to do this and that other." "And then what?" Theres got to be an end to it, doesn't it? No! Goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in His house forever.
Psalm 27:4
One thing have I desired from the Lord that I will 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 abide in His temple.
John 10 says I am the good Shepherd Who gives His life for His sheep. If He is not your Shepherd, and my friend you need one, then what?
When we leave this world how wonderful it is that we will go into the presence of the One Who loves us most! Loved us, and died for us, and cared for us. How can one live in this corrupted world, vicious society and live in peace without an all-sufficient God. Revel in this: the Lord, Jehovah, is MY Shepherd.
John 10 is the Shepherd chapter and we will paraphrase it. We have been going to the Old Testament to find the revelation of Who God is through His names. We go to the New Testament and find those names fullfilled in Jesus Christ. In John chapter 8 we find our Lord being cast out because He said He had come before Abraham, and they picked up stones to kill Him. In chapter 9 we find Jesus healing a blind man. In chapter 10, He is going to have His sheep. Having been spurned by the nation of Israel is not going to hinder Him from finding and having His sheep. In chapter 9, the blind man was His sheep and He came looking for him. We see what God is doing. He is gathering His Sheep and caring for them. It also tells us what the Shepherd has done for them: gave His life. We also find opposition to this work: the false prophets and the wolves.
5 aspect of the Shepherd work of Christ:
1. He is the true Shepherd, in contrast to the false shepherds.
He that entereth not by the door is a thief and a robber. He Who entereth through the door is the Shepherd. To Him the porter openeth and the sheep hear His voice. He calleth them by name and leadeth them out and goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. A stranger they sill not follow but will flee from him because they do not know his voice.
The Shepherd is our Lord Jesus Christ in contrast to the false shepherds, and He separates His real people from those who are not.
2. He is the good Shepherd.
Verily, verily I tell you: I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are thiefs and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if any man should enter will be saved and shall go in and find pasture. The thief comes to steal and destroy. I come so that you might have life. I am the good Shepherd and the good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep. Jesus is the only door.
John 14:6
I am the way, the truth, and the light. No man comes to the Father but by me.
Acts 4:12
There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be save except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him we find safety, liberty, and sustenance.
3. He is the only Shepherd.
I know my sheep, and I am known by mine as the Father knoweth, even so I the Father. I lay down my life for my sheep. Other sheep I have that are not of this fold I also must bring. They shall hear my voice and shall be one fold and have one Shepherd. This other sheep are gentiles. They will have ONE Shepherd. The false shepherd don't care about the sheep but care of what they can take out of them. They don't care about them, doesn't love them, doesn't stand with them in their sorrows, trials, tests, and various aspects of life.
4. He is the obedient Shepherd.
Therefore my Father loves me because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man can take it from me. I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down and power to take it back. This is commandment have I received from my Father.
You can't separate sin and death. The wages of sin are death. He died for your sin and mine. His death was also supernatural. He has power to lay down His life and power to take it again. And thus He ressurected.
5. He is the faithful Shepherd.
You believe not because you are not of My Sheep. They shall never perish and no one shall ever take them from My hand. My Father Who gave them to me is greater than all and no one is able to take them from My Father's hand. I and My Father are One. He calls us all BY NAME. He gives us eternal life. His sheep shall in any consideration EVER perish. My Father, Who is greater than all, keeps them.
John 13 when the Lord is washing the disciples feet Peter said: "Though shall never wash my feet ever" but they were washed. When men uses this terminology, He fails. But not the Lord.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He Who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
John 17:11 says He has kept us til this day and God will keep us from there on.
We know Whom we have believed and He is capable.
Ecclesiaste 3:14
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it sahk be forever; nothig can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. God does that men should fear Him.
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