The Great Shepherd" Ps. Paul Cruz Sunday AM Service 02.15.26

Psalm 23 presents God as shepherd and the believer as sheep, and the psalm supplies simple, life-changing guidance for every struggle. The Lord’s shepherding shows up as daily provision—green pastures, still waters—and as deep restoration of a wounded soul. The shepherd leads the flock along right paths for his name’s sake, walks through dark valleys with the sheep, and brings a steady, present comfort through rod and staff. The shepherd’s care includes both gentle carrying and firm correction: wandering sheep get pursued, gathered, and sometimes disciplined so they will stop walking into danger.

The scripture’s sheep imagery exposes human weakness: people get dirty with sin, stumble in the dark, and make stubborn, foolish choices. Yet the text insists on more than guilt: it points to confession, cleansing, and a Savior who gladly takes the just penalty in place of the guilty. Mercy and mercy’s pursuit matter more than condemnation; God searches out the lost, rejoices over return, and prepares a table even in the presence of enemies. That pursuing love means God will interrupt busy, self-directed plans, compel needed rest, and lead recovery before a full restoration to purpose.

Practical warnings rise from the sheepfold: predators lurk outside attractive gates; modern snares include flattering voices and anonymous networks that promise freedom but bring ruin. Recognizing the shepherd’s voice requires proximity and practice—staying close to Jesus, hearing his voice amid clutter, and letting his direction displace self-trust. The shepherd sees not only present filth and failure but future potential; confession and surrender unlock that destiny. An open altar moment invites immediate, tangible response: those burdened by pain, addiction, or spiritual wandering can step forward, receive prayer, and test the shepherd’s power to heal and restore. The conclusion: the shepherd’s love is known, active, and intensely personal—leading, protecting, correcting, and transforming sheep into the persons God intended them to become.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The Lord: Shepherd of the soul The Lord functions as an intimate shepherd who sustains, guides, and restores the inner life. That shepherding reframes security: identity rests in being known and led rather than in self-sufficiency or public approval. Embracing this shifts daily decisions from anxiety to obedience, because care flows from character, not performance. This truth demands trust in divine direction over human cleverness. [32:21]
• 2. God pursues the lost sheep Divine love shows up as relentless pursuit, not passive hope. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to recover the one, demonstrating that every single life invites personal rescue and rejoicing. Pursuit implies risk, persistence, and costly grace—God goes farther than mere invitation, actively reclaiming the wanderer. That pursuit reorients hope for anyone estranged from God. [47:50]
• 3. He leads through darkest valleys Leadership here means accompaniment in death’s shadows, not avoidance of hardship. Walking through the valley teaches dependence: presence matters more than explanation, and guidance precedes full understanding. The promise of “you are with me” changes fear into focus and enables faithful movement forward even when sight fails. This presence invites courage amid suffering. [45:16]
• 4. He makes the sheep lie down Rest appears as divine initiative—God will interrupt busyness and enforce needed repose for restoration. Being made to lie down counters a culture that prizes productivity over soul health and exposes the lie that exhaustion is spiritual proof. The shepherd’s intervention protects growth by pacing recovery and preventing collapse. Submitting to that rest becomes a spiritual discipline that sustains service. [54:37]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:38] - Double-dose Sundays and gratitude
• [31:08] - David: a shepherd’s perspective
• [32:21] - Reading Psalm 23 aloud
• [33:43] - The sheep metaphor explained
• [35:02] - Human weakness and stubbornness
• [39:10] - Confession, cleansing, and the cross
• [44:41] - Walking through the valley
• [47:50] - The shepherd pursues the lost
• [54:37] - God enforces needed rest
• [60:24] - Potential, surrender, and destiny
• [69:04] - Healing prayer and altar call
• [75:39] - Closing blessing and dismissal

Bible reading: Psalm 23 (ESV)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even 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.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Observation questions

1. What are the specific actions the shepherd takes for the sheep as listed in the first four verses?
2. What two things does the psalmist say will "follow me" all the days of his life?
3. According to the sermon, what are some of the specific weaknesses and characteristics of sheep that make the shepherd's care so necessary? [35:02]
4. What does the shepherd do when a sheep repeatedly goes astray? [49:06]

Interpretation questions

1. The phrase "for his name's sake" is used to explain why the shepherd leads on right paths. What does this reveal about the primary motivation behind God's guidance?
2. Walking *through* the valley is different than being taken around it. What might be the purpose of experiencing the valley, even with the shepherd's presence?
3. The shepherd is described as both comforting with the rod and staff and sometimes using them to make it difficult for a sheep to wander. How can discipline and correction be a form of comfort and protection?
4. The world outside the sheepfold is described as full of predators that may not look dangerous. [52:02] What does this contrast reveal about the true nature of the safety found within the shepherd's care?

Application questions

1. In what area of your life right now are you most tempted to act like a stubborn sheep, insisting on your own way instead of trusting the shepherd's lead? [46:22]
2. The shepherd makes the sheep lie down to rest. [54:37] What busyness or self-directed plan in your life might God be trying to interrupt to enforce a needed time of soul restoration?
3. Recognizing the shepherd's voice requires proximity and practice. [57:59] What is one practical step you can take this week to "stay close to the shepherd" and become more familiar with his voice amidst the clutter of other voices?
4. The shepherd pursues the lost sheep relentlessly. [47:50] If you have experienced this pursuing love, how does that memory encourage you when you feel distant or guilty? If you haven't, what is holding you back from believing he would come for you?
5. God sees not only present failure but future potential. [01:00:24] What is one thing you see as a flaw or insecurity in yourself that you need to trust God can transform and use for his purpose?
6. Confession is the path to cleansing. [39:10] Is there a specific "dirty" attitude, thought, or action you have been carrying that you need to confess in order to experience the restoration of your soul?