David said, the Lord is my shepherd. And I'm asking this question,
and this is the title of this message. Is the Lord my shepherd? Now, this passage of scripture
is probably the most well-known passage of scripture in all the
word of God. I dare say many in this room
could probably quote it without having to read it. How many times
has this passage been read to someone who is dying? How many
millions or perhaps even billions of funerals as this passage of
scripture being read at. I ask again, is the Lord my shepherd? Now the reason I ask that is
he is not everybody's shepherd. Not all men could truthfully
say The Lord is my shepherd. He doesn't have this disposition
toward everybody. David didn't say the Lord is
everybody's shepherd. He said the Lord is my shepherd. He's never going to say to a
sheep, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity. Now, he is called in Scripture,
and I hope the familiarity of this psalm doesn't cause us to
lose sight of its greatness. You know, there's a saying that
says familiarity breeds contempt. I sure hope it doesn't here.
in this glorious song, and I hope every one of us are asking ourselves
that question. Can I truthfully say the Lord
is my shepherd? Now, he is called in the scripture
the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep He is
called THAT GREAT SHEPHERD of the sheep. And when Peter exhorts
the elders to feed or shepherd the flock, he speaks of the CHIEF
shepherd appearing. You see, there is a connection
between the shepherd and the sheep. So a way to answer the
question whether or not the Lord is my shepherd is answering this
question. Am I a sheep? Am I a sheep? Not all men are sheep. Listen
to these words of our Lord on judgment day. Matthew chapter
25, beginning in verse 31, when the son of man shall come in
his glory and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon
the throne of his glory and before him should be gathered all nations
and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divided
his sheep from the goats. There are sheep and there are
goats. And he sure saith the sheep on
his right hand, but the goats on his left. Now we see very
clearly that on judgment day, there will be two types of people. There will be sheep and there
will be goats. The Lord actually said to a group
of people who did not believe in John chapter 10, you believe
not. because you're not of my sheep,
as I said unto you. He's the shepherd of the sheep. He's not the shepherd of the
goats. He's the shepherd of the sheep. Am I a sheep? I think it's interesting when
the Lord selects an animal to describe the believer, What's he select? Well, it's
not a lion. It's not a bear. It's not an eagle. It's a sheep. Now, what about sheep? Well, first of all, they're dirty
animals. They're filthy animals. You look
at their coats. After they're sheared, look at
how white, they look brown or gray. They're dirty animals. Are you a sheep dirtied by sin? Are you a sheep? A sheep easily goes astray. David, the man after God's own
heart, said, I've gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek thy servant, for I do not
forget thy word. A sheep has no sense of direction. When they wander off, they can't
find their way back. They are completely 100% upon
the shepherd to come and get them and bring them back. How
easily are you led astray? How easy is it for you to sin? Are you a sheep? The sheep is defenseless. They
don't have fangs. They don't have claws. They're
completely defenseless. The only one who can protect
them is the shepherd. They're fair game for anybody. They can't protect themselves. Are you a sheep? I think of that
song we sing, Jesus, lover of my soul, and the phrase in that
song that I love so much is, cover my defenseless head with
the shadow of thy wings. Did you know that when a sheep
falls and falls over, it can't get back up? It's like a turtle
on its back or a beetle on its back, legs flailing, but it can't
turn itself over. When it falls, it can't turn
itself over. He's totally dependent upon the
shepherd to pick him back up. You know, a sheep cannot care
for itself when it's wounded, like other animals. You know,
other animals, they'll lick their wound, and they'll lick their
sores, and there's a medicinal purpose somehow involved in that.
I don't understand what's all behind them. You know, a sheep
doesn't do that. A sheep cannot care for itself when it's wounded,
and a sheep can't carry burdens. The only thing they can do is
cast them on the Lord. Are you a sheep? But one thing about
all of his sheep, the Lord said, they know his voice. They know his gospel. And a stranger, they will not
follow. THEY KNOW NOT THE VOICE OF STRANGERS. YOU SEE, THEY KNOW THE GOSPEL,
AND THEY KNOW WHAT'S NOT THE GOSPEL, AND THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. THE LORD SAID IN JOHN CHAPTER
10, VERSES 27 THROUGH 29, MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE. I KNOW THEM. FOLLOW ME. He's never going to
say to one of His sheep, I never knew you. Not going to happen.
He says, I give unto them, I give unto them eternal life, and they
shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand, my Father which gave them me. He ascribes election
to the Father, giving Him this sheep. Remember when he prayed,
I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which
you have given me. No man is able to pluck them
out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. He said to that group of people,
you believe not because you're not of my sheep, as I said to
you. He didn't say, you're not my
sheep because you don't believe. He said, you believe not because
you are not of my sheep. Now, let me tell you this about
every sheep. I brought out the negative things
and there's plenty of them, but every sheep believes. They believe the gospel. Paul said, I know, I know whom
I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able. TO KEEP THAT
WHICH I'VE COMMITTED TO HIM. NOW THIS IS WHAT EVERY SHEEP
HAS DONE. THEY'VE COMMITTED THE ENTIRE SALVATION OF THEIR SOUL
TO THEIR SHEPHERD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. MY HANDS ARE OFF. I DON'T
HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS. IF HE DOESN'T DO IT ALL, I'M
DOOMED. I'M DAMNED. THAT'S HOW EVERY SHEEP BELIEVES. THEY'VE COMMITTED THE SALVATION
OF THEIR SOUL TO HIM. A SHEEP KNOWS THAT THE ONLY HOPE
they have is the shepherd died for them and paid for their sins. Is that your only hope? You're
the only hope I have of being saved is that Jesus Christ died
for me. And that's why I get so upset
when I hear preachers present the death of Christ as for everybody,
but some of those people he died for aren't saved because there's
something they need to do to make what he did work for them.
If that's the case, I won't be saved. I know that. My only hope
is that when he said it is finished, dying on Calvary's tree, my salvation
was accomplished. Sheep believe the gospel. Now, I think it's interesting,
Psalm 22 and Psalm 23, because of Psalm 22. You know what Psalm
22 is? The psalm of the cross. The psalm
of the cross THE LORD TELLS US WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAVE FROM
THE CROSS. HE TELLS US HOW HE'S GOING TO DIE ON THE CROSS. HE TELLS US WHAT HE'S GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH IN THAT DEATH IN THIS 22ND PSALM, THE PSALM OF THE
CROSS. AND BECAUSE OF PSALM 22, WE HAVE
PSALM 23. NOW, EVERY NAME OF THE LORD IS IN THIS PSALM. Now, you know, the Lord has eight
Jehovah's. I know you've all heard those,
and they're all in Psalm 23. Jehovah Raha, the Lord is my
shepherd. Jehovah Shalom, the Lord is my
peace. He maketh me to lie down. still waters, waters of quietness,
waters of peace. Jehovah Ratha, I am the Lord
that healeth thee. David said, He restores my soul. Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord, our
righteousness. He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake. Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will
provide. Thou preparest for me a table
in the presence of my enemies. Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is
present. Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil for thou art
with me. And Jehovah McDiscombe, I am
the Lord that sanctifyeth thee. He says, I will dwell in the
house of the Lord forever. Jehovanisi, the Lord, our banner,
thy rod and thy staff. Now the rod is the scepter. The staff is the support. That's the person and work of
Christ. He's the scepter, He's the King of kings and Lord of
lords, and all of our support is found in His work. Thy rod
and thy staff, they comfort me. Now, wouldn't it be a blessing
if everybody in this room could walk out of this room saying,
the Lord is my shepherd. And I pray that that's what takes
place as we consider this precious psalm. Now, because my shepherd is the Lord,
I'll not want, I'll not lack. I will not be in need. I'm not
going to lack rest. HE MAKES ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN
PASTURES, I'LL NOT LACK PEACE. HE LEADS ME BESIDE THE STILL
WATERS, THE WATERS OF QUIETNESS, THE WATERS OF PEACE. HE RESTORES
MY SOUL OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HE LEADS ME IN THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
FOR HIS NAMESAKE. I WON'T LACK RIGHTEOUSNESS. Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear
no evil, for thou art with me. I won't lack his presence. Thy rod and thy staff comfort
me. I won't lack comfort. Thou preparest
a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. I won't lack
his provision. Thou knowingest my head with
oil, my cup runneth over. I won't lack the oil of his grace,
the oil of his spirit, the oil of his joy. Surely, goodness
and mercy shall follow me. And that's not following in the
shadows. The word actually is pursue. Goodness and mercy shall
pursue, shall relentlessly pursue me all the days of my life. And I won't lack a home, an eternal
home. I will dwell in the house of
the Lord forever. Now let's consider each one of
these things real briefly. The first thing I would notice
when he says, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. I
love this phrase, he makes me. You like that? He makes me. If he doesn't make me, I won't
do it. He makes me. This is his sovereign
grace. He makes me to lie down in green
pastures. I need him to make me. You know,
I won't really rest unless I know it's completely his work. I won't
really rest unless I know that the reason I'm resting is because
he made me to lie down. and rest in the green pastures
of his word. He that entereth into his rest,
what's he do? He ceases from his own works.
Have you ever ceased from your own works? Have you ever been
with Abraham to him that worketh not? Have you ever seen works
are fruitless for you? You can't be saved by works.
You work not, but you believe on him. that justifieth the ungodly. He leads me beside still waters,
the waters of quietness, peace. I'm not going to lack
rest. I'm not going to want peace.
Now listen to this scripture. Therefore, the King James says,
being justified. But do you know in the original,
that's in the passive voice, and every other translation,
here's one of the very few times where the other translations
are better than the King James, having been justified. having been justified. You see, he was, in the previous
verse, it says he was delivered for our offenses and raised again
for our justification, therefore, having been justified. That's a completed act. That
means I stand before God without sin, sinless, perfectly righteous. When God looks me over, he sees
nothing but that which he is pleased with. A PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS,
HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED! By faith we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, two-fold. God's at peace
with me. You know, when I think of myself,
and we shouldn't do that, I don't reckon, but we do, when I think
of myself, I don't have much peace. But when I think of God
being at perfect peace with me through the Lord Jesus Christ,
having been justified, when I say God's peace with me, you know
what it does? It gives me peace. I feel peace because God's at
peace with me. He leads me beside the still
waters, having made peace through the blood of his cross. He made
my peace with God. and I have peace. And then he
says in verse 3, He restores my soul. Now, this is the shepherd
seeking the lost sheep. Now, usually this word restored
in the Old Testament is translated turned. Turn us again, O Lord
God of hosts, and we'll be saved. Turn us! AND WE WILL BE TURNED."
NOW THIS IS WHAT THE SHEPHERD DOES FOR THE SHEEP. HE SEES THE
SHEEP WANDERING OFF AND HE TURNS IT. HE RESTORES HIS SOUL. I AM THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE
BY TURNING YOU TO THE GREAT SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP, THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST. AND THEN IT SAYS IN VERSE 3, HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATH
OF Don't miss this for his name's
sake. Now, I'm not going to lack righteousness
because he leads me in the paths of righteousness and he's got
a reason for doing it. Not because of anything in me.
And this is why this is so secure. This is why this is so glorious.
This is why this is so safe. He does it for his name's sake. Listen to these scriptures from
the Psalms. Pardon my iniquity for thy namesake. That's a good argument. Not pardon
my iniquity because I promise to never do it again or because
I'll show the sufficient sorrow. Pardon my iniquity for thy namesake. Lead me and guide me for thy
namesake. Purge away our sins for thy namesake. Nevertheless, he saved them for
his name's sake. I love this. But do thou for
me, O God the Lord, for thy name's sake. Whatever you're asking,
this is the reason you ask. Do this for your name's sake.
Quicken me. Give me life from the dead for
your name's sake. Now, I'll not lack righteousness
because righteousness is for his name's sake. Look in verse
four. Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death. You know, I began this walk September
9th, 1959. I began this walk and you and
I have been walking THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, SINCE
THE DAY OF OUR BIRTH. BUT LOOK WHAT HE SAYS. HE SAYS,
YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
I'LL FEAR NO EVIL. HERE'S WHY, FOR THOU ART WITH
ME. SAY YE TO THE RIGHTEOUS, BECAUSE
HE'S WITH YOU. HE'S WITH YOU BY WAY OF GRACE.
HIS GRACE WILL NEVER DEPART FROM YOU. HE SAID, I'LL NEVER LEAVE
YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. And He's with you because He's omnipresent.
You can't go anywhere where He's not. He's with you. And because of that, you think
of the Lord being with you at all times when you're not, when
you're aware of it, when you're not aware of it. I think of what
the prophet said, say to the righteous, it will be well with
them. You may be going through a serious
trial and serious trouble, but it's going to be well with you.
YOU MAY FALL INTO GRIEVOUS SIN AND BRING MUCH SORROW TO YOUR
OWN SOUL, BUT IT WILL BE WELL WITH YOU. SAY YE TO THE RIGHTEOUS,
IT SHALL BE WELL WITH THEM. BECAUSE IF HE'S FOR YOU, WHO
CAN BE AGAINST YOU? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE
AGAINST US? And then he says in verse four,
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Now, this word rod represents
scepter, his sovereignty, that's who he is. We trust the sovereign
shepherd. You know what that means? The
shepherd we trust has absolute complete control over everything. You can't take it too far. What
a shepherd we have. He's God. Only God is sovereign. Jesus Christ is God. The great
shepherd of the sheep is absolutely sovereign. And that staff represents
support. What holds up? What holds you
up? The work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Nothing else but the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is
your hope, the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the person and
work of Christ. That's Jehovah Nisi, Lord, our
banner. That's our message, the person
and work of Christ. And what comfort that brings. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem
and say unto her that her warfare is accomplished. Her iniquity
is pardon. She hath received of the Lord's
hand double for all her sins. What a comforting message. Now look in verse five. Thou
preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You know those people that don't
like you? That's not who this is talking
about. Who are your enemies? Your sins. Are they your enemies? Your sins. And yet the Lord says he prepares
a table for us in the very presence of our enemies. These things
write I unto you that you sin not. when you do. We have an advocate with the
Father. Now, he was the advocate before
the sin, he was the advocate during the sin, he's the advocate
after the sin. We have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation, he
is the putting away of our sins. Now, he prepares a table for
me in the very presence of my enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil,
the oil of your spirit, the oil of your grace, the oil of joy. Thou anointest my head with oil,
and I love this picture, my cup runneth over. You know what that
means? That means it's always full. It's always being filled.
it's always running over. I'm always complete in the Lord
Jesus Christ, so complete that I'm running over. That's true
of every single believer. Now, he says in verse 6, Surely,
I like that word surely, don't you? He doesn't say maybe, he
says surely. Now, why does he say surely?
Because the Lord hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered
in all things, and sure, Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life." Goodness. The goodness of God's
glorious salvation. God's good, isn't He? He's just. He's good. And His salvation
is a good, just salvation. MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME, HIS LOVING-KINDNESS
SHALL FOLLOW ME. AND THAT WORD FOLLOW MEANS PURSUE. IT MEANS IT'S RELENTLESS. IT
WON'T LET YOU GO. SOMEBODY ONCE SAID THESE ARE
GOD'S TWO WATCHDOGS FOR HIS SHEEP, GOODNESS AND MERCY, PURSUING,
PURSUING RELENTLESSLY THE BELIEVER ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE. YOU
KNOW WHY YOU'LL PERSEVERE IN THE FAITH? You know why you'll
continue? Because goodness and mercy are
pursuing you and won't let you do anything else. And finally he says, and I will
dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This is I am the Lord
that sanctify thee. David said this, one thing have
I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after. that I may
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Now,
I remember when I was a little boy, when I'd read scriptures
like that, or hear them read in church, I'd think that would
be a boring existence to just stay in the temple, never leave
it, just be in there all the time, never get to get out, you
know, look around. I remember thinking, is that
a good thing? Well, when you understand what
it means, it is a good thing. dwelling in the house of the
Lord is being in Christ. Of Him are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption. That's why Paul said in Philippians
chapter three, oh, that I may win Christ and be found in Him. That's the only place I want
to be found. is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now would you turn with
me to 1 John chapter 3. Verse 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth
also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. And you know that he was manifested
to take away our sins, those transgressions of the law, to
put them away, to make them not to be. And in him, And this is
why I want to abide in the house of the Lord forever. In Him is
no sin. None whatsoever. Verse six, whosoever abideth
in Him. That means you remain in Him. You know, you consciously do
not want to be found anywhere but Him. You don't want to be
outside of him at any time. Just like when you were, if you
were in the ark, you wouldn't want to get out, would you? When
the rain was coming down. If you were in the house with
the blood over the door, you wouldn't want to stick your head
out the window. You want to be in him. Now look what it says. Whosoever abideth in him. What's that next word? Sineth. Well, that means they don't practice
sin. That's the way a lot of translations
say that, they don't practice sin. Oh, and would that describe
you? It doesn't say he doesn't practice
sin. It says he sinneth not, because
in Christ, There is no sin. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him. Now the reason we want to dwell
in this home eternally is because in him is no sin. If I'm in him,
I have no sin. If I abide in him, I sin not. I shall not want an eternal home,
because my Shepherd is the Lord." And you know, when I read this,
I think it was last week, and it was just getting to me, I
couldn't get away from it. It seems that my thought was,
Lord, be my Shepherd. Lord, be my shepherd. I need you to be my shepherd. And you know, there isn't anybody
who ever desired him to be their shepherd that he wasn't already
their shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Let's pray. Our merciful Heavenly Father,
how we thank you for that great shepherd, the good shepherd,
the chief shepherd. We thank you that he laid down
his life for the sheep. How we thank you that he shepherds
his sheep and that they shall not want anything. Lord, give us the grace by your
spirit, by your grace, to be able to say with David, in truth,
the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Bless this
message for the Lord's sake. In his name we pray. Amen.