Trusting the Good Shepherd: God's Care and Provision
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into Psalm 23, a passage that beautifully illustrates the relationship between the Lord and His people, likening it to that of a shepherd and his sheep. We began with a humorous story about a shepherd and a politician to highlight the importance of truly understanding what it means to be a shepherd. David, the author of Psalm 23, had firsthand experience as a shepherd, which gave him a unique perspective on God's care and provision.
David starts by declaring, "The Lord is my shepherd," emphasizing the personal and intimate relationship he has with God. This declaration is profound because it identifies God as Jehovah Rohi, the Lord who shepherds. David knew that the quality of life for a sheep depends entirely on the shepherd, and he trusted God to provide, protect, and guide him.
We explored the significance of God being our provider, Jehovah Jireh, who meets all our needs. David's confidence in God's provision allowed him to say, "I shall not want," which can be understood both as a promise of God's provision and a state of contentment. This contentment is rooted in trusting God to supply all our needs, both physical and spiritual.
David also speaks of God restoring his soul, a task only the shepherd can accomplish. This restoration is twofold: it involves rescuing a lost sheep and bringing it back to safety, and it also signifies the spiritual healing and renewal that only God can provide. This is where we see God as Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.
As we walk through the valleys of life, including the valley of the shadow of death, we are reminded that we need not fear because God is with us. His presence, symbolized by His rod and staff, brings comfort and guidance. This is encapsulated in the name Jehovah Shema, the Lord is there.
Finally, we looked at the Lord as our host, Jehovah Sabaoth, who prepares a table for us even in the presence of our enemies. This imagery speaks to God's ability to provide peace and abundance in the midst of adversity. David concludes with the assurance that goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life, and he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Lord is My Shepherd: Understanding God as Jehovah Rohi, the Lord who shepherds, is foundational. This relationship is personal and intimate, emphasizing that the quality of our lives depends on our Shepherd. David's declaration, "The Lord is my shepherd," invites us to trust in God's guidance and care, knowing that He is deeply involved in our lives. [04:51]
2. The Lord Will Provide: Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, assures us that we shall not want. This promise is twofold: God meets our physical and spiritual needs, and we choose contentment by trusting in His provision. This dual understanding helps us navigate life's challenges with a heart of gratitude and trust. [10:51]
3. The Lord Who Heals: Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals, restores our souls. This restoration is both a rescue from being lost and a spiritual renewal. Just as a shepherd seeks out and restores a cast sheep, God seeks us out and brings us back to Himself, offering healing and forgiveness. [18:21]
4. The Lord is There: Jehovah Shema, the Lord is there, assures us of God's presence in the darkest valleys of life. Whether facing death, loss, or any form of adversity, we find comfort in knowing that God is with us. His presence dispels fear and brings peace, guiding us through every trial. [24:30]
5. The Lord of Hosts: Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. This speaks to God's power and authority to provide peace and abundance even amidst adversity. His anointing with the Holy Spirit protects us and ensures that goodness and mercy follow us all our days. [27:22]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:12] - The Shepherd and the Politician
[02:14] - Understanding Shepherding
[03:04] - David's Perspective as a Shepherd
[04:05] - The Lord is My Shepherd
[04:51] - Who is the Lord?
[06:32] - Jehovah Rohi: The Lord is My Shepherd
[07:54] - Jesus as the Good Shepherd
[09:34] - The Lord Will Provide
[10:51] - Contentment in the Lord
[12:22] - Green Pastures and Still Waters
[13:53] - The Nature of Sheep
[15:22] - The Wandering Sheep
[16:59] - The Lord Who Heals
[18:21] - Restoring the Cast Sheep
[19:52] - Jesus Restores Peter
[21:24] - The Lord Who Heals Spiritually
[22:55] - The Lord is There
[24:30] - Walking Through the Valley
[25:55] - The Light in the Valley
[27:22] - The Lord of Hosts
[29:02] - Anointing with Oil
[30:35] - Dwelling in the House of the Lord
[32:01] - The Personal Shepherd
[33:38] - The Good Shepherd's Sacrifice
[35:10] - Invitation to Know the Shepherd
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Psalm 23
### Observation Questions
1. What does David mean when he says, "The Lord is my shepherd"? How does this reflect his personal relationship with God? [04:51]
2. According to the sermon, what are the twofold meanings of "I shall not want"? [10:51]
3. How does the imagery of God restoring our soul relate to the role of a shepherd with a cast sheep? [18:21]
4. What is the significance of God preparing a table in the presence of our enemies? [27:22]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does understanding God as Jehovah Rohi, the Lord who shepherds, change our perspective on our daily lives and challenges? [04:51]
2. In what ways does the promise of Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, influence our sense of contentment and trust in God's provision? [10:51]
3. How can the concept of Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals, be applied to both physical and spiritual aspects of our lives? [21:24]
4. What does it mean for us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death with the assurance that Jehovah Shema, the Lord is there, is with us? [24:30]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God's guidance as your shepherd. How did this experience shape your trust in Him? [04:51]
2. How can you cultivate a heart of contentment by trusting in God's provision, even when facing unmet desires or needs? [10:51]
3. Have you experienced a moment of spiritual restoration or healing? How did this impact your relationship with God and others? [18:21]
4. When facing difficult or fearful situations, how can you remind yourself of God's presence and find comfort in His rod and staff? [24:30]
5. In what ways can you recognize and celebrate God's provision and protection in your life, even in the midst of adversity? [27:22]
6. How can you actively seek to follow the paths of righteousness for His name's sake in your daily decisions and actions? [21:24]
7. Think of a specific challenge or "valley" you are currently facing. How can you lean on the assurance that God is with you and will guide you through it? [24:30]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting in the Shepherd's Guidance
The Lord is My Shepherd: Understanding God as Jehovah Rohi, the Lord who shepherds, is foundational. This relationship is personal and intimate, emphasizing that the quality of our lives depends on our Shepherd. David's declaration, "The Lord is my shepherd," invites us to trust in God's guidance and care, knowing that He is deeply involved in our lives. [04:51]
David's declaration, "The Lord is my shepherd," is a profound statement of trust and intimacy. As Jehovah Rohi, God is not a distant overseer but a personal guide who knows each of His sheep by name. This relationship is foundational to our faith, as it assures us that God is deeply involved in our lives, guiding us through every circumstance. Just as a shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and still waters, God leads us to places of rest and nourishment.
Understanding God as our Shepherd means recognizing His voice and following His lead. It involves a daily commitment to trust in His wisdom and care, even when the path seems uncertain. This trust is built on the assurance that God knows what is best for us and is always working for our good. By embracing this relationship, we can find peace and confidence in knowing that we are never alone.
Ezekiel 34:11-12 (ESV): "For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust God's guidance more fully? How can you actively listen for His voice and follow His lead today?
Day 2: Embracing God's Provision
The Lord Will Provide: Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, assures us that we shall not want. This promise is twofold: God meets our physical and spiritual needs, and we choose contentment by trusting in His provision. This dual understanding helps us navigate life's challenges with a heart of gratitude and trust. [10:51]
Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides, is a powerful reminder that God is attentive to our needs. David's confidence in God's provision allowed him to say, "I shall not want," which speaks to both the promise of God's provision and a state of contentment. This contentment is not based on the abundance of material possessions but on the assurance that God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory.
Choosing contentment means trusting that God knows what we need better than we do. It involves a shift in focus from what we lack to what we have been given. By recognizing God's provision in our lives, we can cultivate a heart of gratitude and trust, knowing that He is faithful to provide for us in every situation. This trust enables us to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that our Shepherd is always with us.
Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Reflection: What are some specific needs you have today? How can you trust God to provide for these needs and choose contentment in His provision?
Day 3: Experiencing Spiritual Restoration
The Lord Who Heals: Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals, restores our souls. This restoration is both a rescue from being lost and a spiritual renewal. Just as a shepherd seeks out and restores a cast sheep, God seeks us out and brings us back to Himself, offering healing and forgiveness. [18:21]
Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals, is a beautiful depiction of God's restorative power. David speaks of God restoring his soul, which involves both rescuing a lost sheep and bringing it back to safety, as well as providing spiritual healing and renewal. This restoration is a testament to God's relentless pursuit of His people, seeking them out when they are lost and bringing them back to Himself.
Spiritual restoration is a process that involves healing from past wounds, forgiveness of sins, and renewal of the heart and mind. Just as a shepherd carefully tends to a cast sheep, God tenderly cares for us, mending our brokenness and restoring us to wholeness. This healing is not just physical but deeply spiritual, addressing the core of our being and bringing us into a closer relationship with our Shepherd.
Isaiah 61:1-3 (ESV): "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need God's healing and restoration? How can you invite Him to mend your brokenness and renew your spirit today?
Day 4: Finding Comfort in God's Presence
The Lord is There: Jehovah Shema, the Lord is there, assures us of God's presence in the darkest valleys of life. Whether facing death, loss, or any form of adversity, we find comfort in knowing that God is with us. His presence dispels fear and brings peace, guiding us through every trial. [24:30]
Jehovah Shema, the Lord is there, is a powerful assurance of God's presence in our lives, especially during the darkest and most challenging times. David speaks of walking through the valley of the shadow of death without fear because he knows that God is with him. This presence is symbolized by God's rod and staff, which bring comfort and guidance.
God's presence is a source of immense comfort and peace. It dispels fear and provides the strength needed to navigate through life's trials. Knowing that God is with us in every situation allows us to face adversity with confidence, trusting that He will guide us through. This assurance of His presence is a reminder that we are never alone, no matter how difficult the journey may be.
Isaiah 43:1-2 (ESV): "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.'"
Reflection: What are some of the "valleys" you are currently walking through? How can you remind yourself of God's presence and find comfort in knowing that He is with you?
Day 5: Experiencing God's Abundance
The Lord of Hosts: Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. This speaks to God's power and authority to provide peace and abundance even amidst adversity. His anointing with the Holy Spirit protects us and ensures that goodness and mercy follow us all our days. [27:22]
Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, is a powerful image of God's authority and provision. David describes God preparing a table for him in the presence of his enemies, which signifies peace and abundance even in the midst of adversity. This imagery speaks to God's ability to provide for His people, ensuring that they have what they need even when surrounded by challenges.
God's anointing with the Holy Spirit is a mark of His protection and favor. It signifies that we are set apart for His purposes and that His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. This assurance allows us to live with confidence, knowing that God's provision and protection are always with us. By trusting in Jehovah Sabaoth, we can experience the fullness of His peace and abundance, regardless of our circumstances.
Psalm 34:7-9 (ESV): "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!"
Reflection: How can you recognize and embrace God's provision and abundance in your life today? What steps can you take to live with confidence in His protection and favor?
Quotes
1. "David said, the Lord is my shepherd, and because of that, I shall not want. Now, I can imagine David recalling his days as a shepherd boy and thinking, my sheep never wanted. I took good care of them because he knew what it meant to do that. And he knew what it meant to be taken care of by the Lord. So now he could say to himself, I shall not want. If the Lord is your shepherd, you shall not want." [09:34] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You see, in other words, I will trust the Lord to provide everything that I need, so I shall not want. I will trust the Lord to provide everything that I need, so I shall not want. I need nothing else. And interestingly enough, we just covered both of these, both meanings from the book of Philippians. The first one, I shall not want because God will provide, we find in Philippians 4.19. My God shall supply all of your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus." [10:51] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You see, it's all from him, and it's all for him. In the book of Colossians, chapter 1, verse 16, speaking of Jesus, we read this, for by him, all things were created that are in heaven, that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through him and for him. So think about it. The sheep were created by the shepherd. For the shepherd. We can't do any of it. It has to be the Lord." [13:53] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If we cannot find green pastures or still waters, how much more helpless are we with trying to restore our own soul? You know, part of my prayer and preparation for this was simply, I'm not going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. All of us, myself included, that we would recognize our need for a shepherd, that we would relate to a sheep. So maybe you think that you can find the green pastures. Maybe you think you'll pull yourself up by your bootstraps. You'll press on. You'll keep going. You'll be all right. Maybe you think you can find the still waters. But let me ask you this. How will you restore your soul?" [16:59] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You see, God is in the soul restoration business. In fact, Jesus himself, in what could be described as his mission statement in Luke 19.10, said that he came to seek and to save that which is lost. Only God can restore a soul. And speaking of he restores my soul, Warren Wiersbe references another name for God, there in your notes, which is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals. You see, the Lord can heal both physically and spiritually, but he's the only one that can heal you spiritually." [21:24] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "So it's the presence of the good shepherd that gets us through the valley of the shadow of death. And maybe on a lesser extent of how serious the shadow of death is, maybe it's losing a job or not making a sports team or something along those lines. But maybe it's something serious like losing a loved one or just a financial collapse or your kids going wayward. But whatever the valley is, know that it is God who will bring you peace. He will bring you through it." [25:55] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Think about this. All throughout scripture, oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit. And the Lord anoints the head of a believer with his Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. You come to Christ and you're baptized by his Holy Spirit. Instantaneously, you have God living inside of you. But after receiving his Holy Spirit, we're told to walk in the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, to be filled with or controlled by the Holy Spirit." [29:02] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "The Lord is my shepherd. There in your notes, Spurgeon wrote, the sweetest word of the whole is that monosyllable. David did not say that the Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, but that the Lord was my shepherd, his personal shepherd. Can you say that this morning? You see that God is almighty and all-powerful, but he's also a very personal God. He doesn't take care of his flock from millions of miles away. He's present, personal, and he wants an intimate relationship with his sheep." [32:01] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "And it is him alone that can give you eternal life. But it's him alone that can give you this abundant life. That is life to the fullest, life with a purpose. And it begins at the moment of salvation. It's not often the great by and by. It's right here, right now. But again, my prayer this week was that all of us would recognize that we are sheep and that we need a shepherd. That we would recognize that we are a sinner who needs a savior. And his name is Jesus." [33:38] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, understand that it is him alone that can restore your soul. If you don't know the good shepherd, come to him this morning. If you know him, but you've been roaming around, or perhaps you're a cash sheep, come to him this morning. Come talk with one of us. We would love to pray with you." [35:10] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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