Strength, Purpose, and Joy in the Good Shepherd

Now notice too that this is present tense this is not something that God did for David a long time ago it's not even something that God does for David once in a while it is what God always does for all of his people you prepare a table before me now do you see that God uses this picture to tell you that he will sustain you by giving you strength as your body is strengthened by a good meal so you will be sustained as the Lord himself feeds you. [00:05:19]

David's life was an unrelenting battle remember in his early years he was a shepherd and he was looked down on and even despised by his older brothers then he lived as a fugitive hunted for years by King Saul when he became king what he inherited was a deeply divided Kingdom where rival tribes were tribes were filled with seething resentments alienated by deep deep divisions and then as You Follow the story of the life of David into his later years this man suffered as his family was literally torn apart by cycles of abuse and violence and death. [00:06:11]

David kept going because God renewed his strength even in the presence of his enemies and what God did for David God himself will do for you God gives strength to his people he will sustain you in a world of trouble you prepare before me a table in the presence of my enemies now that's the table let's think secondly about about the oil here we are learning that God sustains his people by giving us purpose. [00:07:43]

Now if the table speaks to us of renewed strength then the oil certainly speaks to us of renewed purpose there's a very beautiful description in the Psalms of what it looked like when Aon was anointed as the high priest it's in Psalm 133 where we read how good and pleasant it is where Brothers dwell together in unity it is like the precious oil on the head running down on the beard on the beard of Aaron running down on the collar of his robes. [00:08:49]

A sense of purpose sustained David you anoint me with oil I've got work to do there's a calling of God upon my life I've been commissioned I've been anointed and I'm saying from this that if you lose sight of why you are here and what it is that God has called you to do his purpose for your life if you lose sight of that well you'll soon be tired and you'll soon be jaded and you'll soon be drained and you'll soon be very flat. [00:11:36]

Now there is is a downbeat version of Christianity and some of you may have been familiar with this from your own past experience it goes something like this in this world you're going to be surrounded by enemies and somehow you're going to have to get through it it's not going to be easy you have to endure you have to stick it out you have to put up with it but if you do you will be blessed in the end when your life in this miserable world is over well then you will go to heaven and then you will have joy. [00:13:19]

But I want you to notice that that is not what David is saying here in fact what he says is nothing close to that now here's a man who knew plenty of trouble in his life and yet he is able to say my cup overflows right here in this Fallen World with all that I suffer with all that I face with all of the burdens that are upon my shoulders even now while my enemies are present even here in the dark Valley David is able to say my cup overflows. [00:14:24]

God's blessings to his people are never rationed from the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing on top of another his grace just keeps coming as David puts it it overflows see that's why when the prophet Isaiah describes God's forgiveness it's not enough for him simply to say that he will pardon Isaiah says God will abundantly pardon come to him because he will abundantly pardon when the psalmist speaks about how God brings good out of the worst situations. [00:16:50]

Jesus drank the cup of God's Wrath so that you should drink the cup of God's blessing try and take in this picture I've adapted it from an old Scottish Pastor god holds a cup in his hand the cup is full and your name is written on it he hands it down to you and you shrink back because you know what is in that cup the white of God's Wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger but before the cup reaches your hand the Good Shepherd who is beside you reaches up his hand and he takes it. [00:29:47]

The Good Shepherd drinks that cup the wine of God's Wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger the Good Shepherd drinks it and he drinks all of it until that awful cup is empty and then he takes that cup with your name on it and fills it he fills it until it is running over what's in the cup now love Mercy Grace peace with God everlasting life filled to the brim in this cup with your name on it and now he offers this cup to you. [00:31:11]

Jesus says my sheep here my my voice they know that I'm speaking to them I'm calling them and when you know that the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to you and that he is calling you there is only one way to respond and that is to follow him my sheep hear my voice and they follow me give up being self-owned and self directed submit yourself and the whole of your life to the Good Shepherd he will lead you he will restore you he will guard you and he will sustain you. [00:37:25]

I'm inviting you today to pursue a new life in which you follow the Good Shepherd it's the greatest life you can know in this world give yourself to the Good Shepherd believe in him trust him obey him and follow him and when you can say the Lord is my shepherd then you will be able to say with all of the flock of God you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil and my cup overflows. [00:38:29]