That is good to see you. Let's take our Bibles and turn
to Psalm 23. Let's have a word of prayer. Our Father, we thank You that
we've got tonight. We don't know what tomorrow holds. We don't know what the next moment
holds. But we know that you hold it,
and we thank you. That's such a comfort to us.
Pray that tonight that you'd bless this Word to our hearts.
Lord, if this is the last time we ever hear, let us rejoice
in this. Let us be glad that we were at
a place where we could worship you and thankful that you didn't
leave us to ourselves to be out doing something that just doesn't
matter. We pray this for Christ's sake.
Amen. I want to speak for a few moments
before we observe the Lord's Supper on this subject. All I truly need. What I truly need. You know,
the Scripture says in John 10 and 11, This is the Lord speaking. He said, I am the good shepherd,
and the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10, 14, 15 says, I am the
good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."
Now listen, this is what he just said. He said the mutual knowledge
of Christ and His sheep is likened to that which exists
between the Father and the Son. Now, that's just hard for me
to perceive. It is so affectionate, it's so
spiritual, it's so heavenly, it's so intimate that no words
can describe it. I know, I know, I know Him and
love Him, hunger for Him, but He says, As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father." And he said, I know my sheep and I'm
known of my sheep. Same words. That's the shepherd. That's the good shepherd. Well, some heard those words
that he said. And when he told them that, when
he told them, he said, The love and affection that I have for
my people and my people have for me. Now, you think about
it. That which is born of God sinneth
not. So the love that sheep have for
the shepherd is without sin. He said that. Some of them said,
well now, won't you be just a little bit plainer? We are not perceiving
what you are talking about. Why don't you tell us exactly
what you mean?" And he said, I did. I told you exactly the
way things are. And he told them in John 10,
26-28, but you believe not because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. Now you listen, the sheep hear
the voice of the shepherd right now. These words are life. These are
not my words. The Lord Jesus Christ that spoke
those words and says, I know my sheep, they know me. I know
the Father, He knows me. And that mutual love, respect from the same heart. That's the
way it is. He said, but you don't hear what
I'm saying because you're not of My sheep. My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them. I know them in mercy and compassion. And they follow Me. And I give
unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall
any The word man is in italics. Neither shall any pluck them
out of my hand. I'm the shepherd. They're the
sheep. Well, knowing what the Lord has
said concerning His sheep, I'm talking about this is the true
shepherd. He's not trying to be a shepherd. He's not desiring
to be a shepherd. He said, I am the good shepherd.
This is what the psalmist says, Psalm 23, verse 1. The psalmist says, The Lord is
my shepherd. The pastor. The ruler. That's what it means. The friend. The Lord is my shepherd. Now, I know He's the shepherd
of the sheep. I know that because He said He is. I know that he
is known of his sheep, and his sheep know him." He said he was. He said they were. But the psalmist
says, the Lord is my shepherd. He's mine. And that's a blessing
to be able to say that with some assurance. This is personal.
This is not just dead religion. This is real. He's my shepherd. I talk to him. He talks to me
through His Word. And I hear His voice in His Scriptures. The shepherd of the sheep, my
shepherd. And the psalmist says, I shall
not want. I shall not lack. I shall not
be without. Now, I understand that I've got
to eat. I've got to drink. I've got to eat. I've got to
have some shelter. I've got to have some clothes. But you know
the Lord said in Matthew 6, He said even the Gentiles seek after
that. They've got to eat, drink, and have clothes. But what I truly need, I shall
not want. I shall not lack. I need a Savior. I need a righteousness. I'm talking
about a true righteousness. Not something I conjured up. I need something real, real before
Almighty God. The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration
of the Spirit of God, said in Philippians 4.19, But my God
shall supply all your need, all your requirement, according to
his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Seven things that the
psalmist reveals. under the inspiration of the
Spirit of God in this 23rd Psalm that we truly need. This is what
we really, really need. Seven things. Number one, I need
a fit righteousness before God. Now, I'm going to tell you something. Without holiness, righteousness,
no man is going to see God. in mercy. I need a fit righteousness. Look at that second verse. He
maketh me to lie down in green pastures. You know, robed in only a righteousness
that is described as filthy racks. Filthy racks. and continually
striving to maintain my standing before God that I will never
satisfy by myself. Running here, running there,
trying this. I want to cover all my bases. I want to make sure. I don't
know everything that's required, but I'm going to tell you this.
I'm going to be a church member, and if I've got to speak in tongues,
if I've got to be baptized, if I've got to walk down the aisle,
if I've got to give, I want to tithe, I want to do whatever
I've got to do, I'm going to do whatever I can because I don't
want to come up on a short end of the stick. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. I can relax. Why? Because Christ is my righteousness. He has made me to lie down in
green pastures to rest. In Him who alone is my righteousness,
He is my rest. Just settle down. I want to settle down. You see,
that sounds It's good to me. I'm not trying to do anything
anymore. I find Him revealed in the green
pastures of His Word, the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures that are always
fresh, always rich, always alive, never exhausted. Do you ever
tire of being told or hearing of how He has put away your guilt? and that there is therefore now
no condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus. He has caused
me. He maketh me. He has given me
a heart to lie down in the promise of His mercy and grace to me.
Secondly, I need some help in this day of trial. I am in a real world. things that cross my path every
day and I struggle with them and I've got problems. But all of these problems are
sent providentially. I need some help though. He leadeth
me beside the still waters. There's a beautiful word there. He leadeth me. There's another
word in verse 3, leadeth. It's not the same word. This
word in verse 2, He leadeth me beside the still waters. It means
to run with a sparkle. He leadeth me. To run with a
sparkle. You know, the trials of this
life are grievous for the moment. They're tough. But the Shepherd
guides and directs and draws by His Spirit And He causes me
to perceive that the deep waters of His grace are peaceful. He leadeth me beside those still
waters, quiet. It's not like the rapids run
down shallow. It's deep. It's real. He leadeth
me. The third thing I need, I need
to continually be reminded of Him. I'm so forgetful. I'm just telling you just the
way it is. This is what I need. I need a righteousness. I need
some help in this day of adversity. And thirdly, I need to be reminded,
He restoreth my soul. Verse 3, that's what it says,
He restoreth my soul to return. He restoreth. I need to be brought
back. You see, we've been talking about
the last couple of Sundays about this war within, this battle
that's going on. And I find myself striving within
myself because of an old nature that Paul says in Romans 7, brings
me into captivity. I just can't get away from it.
I don't like to be this way. But things come up and I need
some help. I need to be restored, returned back to Him, returned
back to return back. He turns me back to Himself continually,
continually, continually. I wish I could say I'd never
forget. Have you ever had to tell a child something and you
think, I told you that? Why did you not hear what I said? I need to be brought back. He
brings me home again. Brings me back. Fetches me. Pulls me. Recovers me. Refreshes me. And relieves me. I need this. I am a frail creature. Fourthly, I need a guide to order
my steps. Third verse, latter part, He
leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. That word there means to govern. He governs me. I desire to be obedient. I desire that. There is a nature
in me that absolutely has one desire, one heart. And that is
to please Him. I want to do that. I do. I do. I want to please Him. And there
is a nature about me that has no desire whatsoever to please
Him. For His honor is my good. He
constrains me in the way of Christ, the path of righteousness in
Him. He governs. He leadeth me. He
governs by His Word. by His Spirit blessing that word
to my heart. I need to know, when my kids
were growing up, there was one of the things I'd tell them,
say, look, I want to tell you where the lines are. And you
know what? They want to know where they
are. Kids want to know where the lines are. Don't leave a
kid to just go where he wants to go, set the boundaries. They are so much more secure.
They love it. They love it when you tell them,
now you can't do this. You're not going to do this.
This is a governor. He leadeth me. It's a joy to
be his. It's a delight. I don't want
to dishonor him. I don't. I see a nature that
does and strives against me. It has always been his pleasure
that I should be holy and without blame before him in love. And
I truly have in a new mind, by a new mind, I serve him, Paul
says, with a new mind, a new heart, a new spirit. I desire to walk worthy of that
calling. A governor. I need a governor. I need in the hour of my departure, unless
the Lord Jesus Christ returns, I'm going to die. I'm going to
cross that river. I know I am. I need in the hour of my departure,
I'm going to have to have a friend that will stick closer than any
brother or sister here. I'm going to need one that will
truly present me to the Father blameless. I need that. Verse 4, "...Yea, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me." The believer truly walks with God in this
life because he agrees with God. I know he walks with Him. How
can two walk together unless they agree? How can they have
fellowship together unless they have a heart that's in tune with
one another? But this life is described here
as the valley of the shadow of death that we walk through. We're walking. A believer is
walking in this life, and the Scriptures reveal here that he's
not going to stop. We're going. We're going through.
We find ourselves walking through this valley of the shadow of
death. But the psalmist says, I'm not
going to fear any evil. I'm not going to fear the evil.
Of that death, I have found often the last days or weeks, whatever,
usually the days, maybe even the hours of the death or the
passing of a believer to be the most peaceful. Most peaceful. They come to a
point to where the Spirit of God, I'm convinced, has taught
them something that in that hour, in those last hours, in those
moments, they're convinced. They're settled. And they can
relax. I have heard the words of a saint
that are dying, that are something to this effect, I wouldn't trade
places with you for anything. I'm sorry. You're going to have
to stay here. You know, we hear those words
and we think, boy, that's sobering. But it's so. And this is the time of a believer's
greatest assurance when God Almighty settles them and they know that
this is the valley of the shadow of death, because death for them has been
removed at Calvary. They realize that whatever it
is that is going to be the means by which they are out of this
whatever it is, that that means was their friend. They left. They left with some assurance.
They left. They left just like Stephen left.
I see the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. The Son of Righteousness causes
the shadow of this dying world to cross my path, but it's just
a shadow. You know, a shadow can't hurt
you. The shadow of a dog can't bite you. The shadow of a sword
can't cut you. And the shadow of death can't
hurt you either. It can't kill you. It can't stop
you. It can't stop your walk. It's not that there's no evil,
but the believer says, I don't fear it. Why? Because you're
with me. You're with me. Jack, my little
grandson, Jimmy, son-in-law, Sarah, my daughter, is here tonight.
Jack and I yesterday, we were going through this little fun
house, which wasn't exactly a fun house, but it was dark. You go into this little thing
and it's a maze. places that you'd go in, and
I'm telling you, it was dark. I couldn't see my hand. Jack
was with me, hanging on to my hand, tighter as we went. And I'd feel the walls, and I
was looking, and I mean there was no adjusting. There was no
light. And I'd feel it, and I could
feel it, and I'd go here, and I'd come to a dead end. Then
I've got to get him back out so I can try another place. And
I was in there 5, 8, 10 minutes, something like that, and I was
thinking, this is not fun. This is not what I thought it
was going to be. But all I could hear him say
was, Papa, are we going to be okay? Papa, are we going to...
you know? And I was thinking, you know, To him, everything
was okay. Why? Because I was with him.
And he's thinking, he ain't going to let my papa let anything happen
to me. Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because you're with
me. Whatever you've ordained, it's
for my good and your glory. I don't perceive all of it. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort
me. The rod had two purposes. Leviticus
27.32 spoke of passing under the rod. The rod in the Old Testament
was for two things. The rod of the shepherd counted
the sheep. Marked them. It counted them.
God knows His own. He knows who they are. Why? He
chose them. gave them to his son, knew them
before the foundation of the world, named them. They are here. You are mine. I am yours. I am with you. I will never leave
you. The rod was for the counting of the sheep, but also it was
the correction of the sheep. Proverbs 22.15 says, Foolishness
is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall
drive it far from him. Oh, how gracious he is to spank
me! I need it. These kids right here, my granddaughters
right here. Do you know, I don't think I've
ever seen their mother spank them that they didn't deserve
it. Wouldn't you say, girls? Probably
when you got one, you probably needed it, didn't you? Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I did. The Lord loves
you so much and corrects them. because he loves them, thy rod
and thy staff." That staff was that which would be used by the
shepherd, that hook. He used it to guide the wandering
sheep, pull them out of a ditch that they had fallen in, but
also it was the defense of those sheep. David as a shepherd, young
David, if a lion came up came up to get one of those sheep,
he was going to have to get through David first. I told you before, somebody was
going to hurt my wife. Well, you're going to have to
get through me first. It's not going to happen. I'm
not going to stand back and let you do that. If I rod and they
staff, they comfort me, they ease my soul. Number six, I need
to eat. that which shall sustain me.
I need to eat. Verse 5, Thou preparest a table
before me in the presence of mine enemies, the enemy of my
soul, Satan, self, sin, is constantly before me. These are my enemies. But Almighty God has settled
me down to eat at His table. In the midst of a battle, a soldier
in the midst of a battle, if he'd go out, and I'm talking
about a hot zone, I'm talking about where the bullets are flying.
For him to set a table, put him a tablecloth, get him a candelabra,
some china, set it out, get him a nice meal out there, You think,
you know, something is wrong here. Man, don't you know that
we are in the heat of a battle? You know, a believer reads this
and says, you said that you have prepared a table before me in
the very presence of mine enemies. Those that would do all that
they could to destroy me, I can just settle down and eat of Him. We're going to eat of the Lord's
table in just a few moments. And all around, found within,
there is the war and the fighting and the striving and the battle
and everything. And Almighty God has given me
a heart just settled down. And eat of Christ. Eat of His
flesh, His life and His blood, His death. And by faith, I can
eat of Him. Thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup runneth over." The oil was always considered when it
was poured on an honored guest. A distinguished guest would have
oil, perfumed oil, poured on their head. Matthew 26.7 says, There came
unto him a woman having an alabaster box, a very precious ointment,
and poured it on his head as she sat at me. That was a sign
of distinction, honor, respect. An honored guest. He said, You anointed my head
with oil. An honored guest? He has invited
me to Himself, called me unto Himself, looked upon me everlastingly
in mercy and grace. Me? A distinguished guest? That's right. A trophy of His
mercy and grace is His people. Well done. Thou good and faithful
servant. Thou anointest me with oil."
Anointed my head. Who am I? I'm His adopted son. I'm His bride. What would He not give for His
bride? His chosen. My cup runneth over. The cup
of my salvation runneth over. Satisfied. That's what it means.
Runneth over. Satisfaction. Wealthy. In the presence of mine enemies,
the Lord has caused me to dine on the bread of heaven. The Lord
Jesus Christ Himself. And lastly, I need a strong consolation. I need that. I need some strong
assurance. Surely, verse 6, goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." That word,
surely, there, it is so. This is for sure. This is for sure. That's right. There's no doubt about that. You can write this one down. But the word that we interpret,
surely, is not exactly the same word that we understand. This
word right here means only. Only. The believer that has been
brought by God's grace, spirit, regenerated out of darkness,
new life, he realizes this. This is one thing that is going
to follow me all the days of my life. Oh, adversity? Yeah. Oh, there's no doubt about
that. Chastisement? Yeah. If you're
without chastisement, you're illegitimate. You're not the
Lord's. Whom the Lord loves, He chastens. Whom the Lord loves,
He spanks. Whom the Lord loves, He directs.
Trials, trouble, and war within? No doubt about that. But the
psalmist says, only mercy, only goodness and mercy. shall follow
me all the days of my life." Why? He is never going to leave
me. Only the best, the goodness, surely only the best, and the
kindness, the mercy of God is going to run after me all the
days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I'm going to see it. And the word there, dwell, is
closely tied to the word married. He's not going to put me away.
That's good news. He's not going to put me away.
I may not look that desirable to you. I'm getting a little
older. I don't see as well as I used
to. Eyes don't do. But you know what? To Him, I'm beautiful. You know why? Because I'm robed
in Christ. That's the only reason. Robed in His righteousness. pure, just. The righteousness of His Son
covers me about. I will dwell in the house of
the Lord forever. I need that. Seven things I need. And I will tell you, every believer
possesses those seven things. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want, I'm not going to have any lack, because my God is going
to supply all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus. All right. Well, if the men will
come and we'll observe the Lord's table.