"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:3)
INTRODUCTION: This is our third message in our series of six sermons from Psalm 23. It is my prayer and intent to help guide us in such a way that we will be changed people after hearing these sermons. I hope we have already begun to see the possibility of that and that the GOOD SHEPHERD, the GREAT SHEPHERD and the CHIEF SHEPHERD (Who is the Lord Jesus Christ) stands ready to restore us and lead us.
What do all these people have in common? JACOB, JONAH, MOSES, SAMPSON, SIMON PETER and JOHN MARK! They were all wonderful children of God, who left the fold and strayed away. God has given some of us a SECOND CHANCE and beyond that, He is ready to give us many, many chances as long as we are humble and sincere.
Matthew 18:21-22 - "Then came Peter unto him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until SEVEN TIMES: but UNTIL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN."
All God's children need to be restored from time to time. We mean good, we want to do good and have the good will, but the flesh is weak. The Lord had a good way of saying it. "WATCH AND PRAY, that ye enter not into temptation: THE SPIRIT INDEED IS WILLING BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK." (Matthew 26:41) You see, the Lord knows that good children of God are just like good healthy and mature sheep, we have a tendency to stray away from the fold.
But thank God, FAILURE IS NOT FINAL! God is the God of not only a chance, but also many chances. He is the God of the PRODIGALS as much as He is the God of Peter on the day of Pentecost and Paul on the morning in King Agrippa's Court. He is the God of the weak as much as He is the God of the strong.
There are THREE GREAT TRUTHS THAT I WANT US TO SEE IN Psalm 23:3.
I. THE MINISTRY OF THE SHEPHERD!
1. We are saved by Grace through Faith, LOVED by Grace and RESTORED by Grace!
2. SHEPHERD LOVES HIS SHEEP!
3. SHEPHERD LOOKS FOR HIS SHEEP!
4. SHEPHERD LEADS HIS SHEEP!
5. SHEPHERD WILL LODGE HIS SHEEP!
6. SHEPHERD IS LONG SUFFERING TOWARD SHEEP!
7. SHEPHERD LIVES WITH THE SHEEP!
THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF SHEEP THAT NEED TO BE RESTORED TO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE SHEPHERD!
1. THE STUBBORN SHEEP WHO ARE RESTORED WITH THE ROD!
To make a rod the Shepherd would dig a sapling out of the ground. He would trim the roots and leave a knob on the end. Then he would drive metal or something like nails in it. He used it as a protection against wild animals, but also used it as a means to discipline his sheep. INDIAN CHIEF.
Read Ezekiel 20:37 and Hebrews 12:11-15
2. THE STRAYING SHEEP, who are restored by the staff.
The staff is sometimes called the Shepherd's crook. He would cut down a small sapling and while it was green, he would bend over the end and tie it down. He would skin it and let it dry or cure. Then he would untie the end and the crook on the end would not unbend. The crook would just fit around the neck of the sheep or around the body of a small lamb. The Shepherd used his staff with the CROOK at the end to draw the sheep to Him.
A. Staff and Crook used to DRAW SHEEP!
B. Staff and Crook used to GUIDE the sheep. They walked on dangerous ledges. He would touch them on the shoulder.
C. Staff and Crook used to lift the fallen sheep and free the entangled sheep.
DAVID SAID, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and SET MY FEET UPON A ROCK, and established my goings." (Psalm 40:1-2)
3. THE SICK SHEEP who are restored with the oil. The shepherd would bring his sheep in and examine them for bruises, scabs and raw places. He would use the oil to help heal the wounded places. If the oil speaks of the Holy Spirit, surely the head must speak of the MIND!
II. THE MASTERY OF THE SHEPHERD!
When the GOOD SHEPHERD, THE GREAT SHEPHERD, THE CHIEF SHEPHERD has restored us, He is not finished. He restores us that He might lead us and guide us in the right way once again.
BEST ON THE SECOND GO AROUND!
1. PETER ON PENTECOST! Acts 2
2. DAVID and his comeback! Psalm 51:12-13
3. JESUS after the Cross and the Tomb
1. The problem with so many of us is that after we have been restored, after we have come back to God, we don't want to be guided and led by the Holy Spirit.
2. Notice what David declared in his prayer of RESTORATION: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. THEN WILL I TEACH TRANSGRESSORS THY WAYS: AND SINNERS SHALL BE CONVERTED UNTO THEE." (Psalm 51:12-13)
3. If we are only restored and don't follow on with the Lord, we'll soon be back in the same condition.
4. The wayward sheep, which is put back in the flock, will soon stray away again unless he stays among the other sheep.
5. It is very important, therefore, that the sheep stay very close to the shepherd. Sheep have poor eyesight and they must stay close to the shepherd whereby they can observe him and follow him.
6. Remember that the shepherd knows the needs of the sheep. Also, it is not the duty or responsibility to question, but only to HEAR AND FOLLOW THE SHEPHERD. HOW DO YOU KNOW?
"My sheep heard my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
(John 10:27)
A. HIS SHEEP.
B. HEAR HIS VOICE.
C. JESUS HANDCRAFTED HIS OWN - HE IS THE CREATOR.
D. HEED, HEARKEN TO HIS WORDS!
III. THE MAJESTY OF THE SHEPHERD!
1. THE GOOD SHEPHERD'S name is tied and connected with the sheep. Behavior, condition and welfare of sheep related to the shepherd. BEHAVIOR - CONDITION - WELFARE! God has connected His glory with the WALK AND CONDUCT of His people.
Parents of Elder Willis Hackett. Small town in Kansas. His Dad paid the account of another Church member, who moved off, left without paying it.
2. His name declares His glory and His greatness. What a wonderful NAME. Remember that the JEHOVAH of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament. That name spoke of self-existing, covenant-keeping God.
Someone has well said that the NAME OF JESUS is all of the hallelujahs of eternity summed up in FIVE LETTERS.
READ PHILIPPIANS 2:9-10
3. Let HIS GRACE give you a new start!
4. Let HIS GUIDANCE give you a new direction!
5. Let HIS GLORY make you determined that you will never disgrace HIS NAME!
STEPS TO CHRIST - REJOICING IN THE LORD!
"The children of God are called to be representatives of Christ, showing forth the goodness and mercy of the Lord. As Jesus has revealed to us the true character of the Father, so we are to reveal Christ to a world that does not know His tender, pitying love, 'As Thou hast sent Me into the world,' said Jesus, 'even so have I also sent them into the world.' 'I in them, and Thou in me;...that the world may know that Thou hast sent me." John 17:18, 23. The apostle Paul says to the disciples of Jesus, 'Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ,' ' known and read of all men.' II Corinthians 3:3,2. In every one of His children, Jesus sends a letter to the world. If you are Christ's follower, He sends in you a letter to the family, the village, the street, where you live. Jesus, dwelling in you, desires to speak to the hearts of those who are not acquainted with Him. Perhaps they do not read the Bible, or do not hear the voice that speaks to them in its pages; they do not see the love of God through His works. But if you are a true representative of Jesus, it may be that through you they will be led to understand something of His goodness and be won to love and serve Him. Christians are set as light bearers on the way to heaven. They are to reflect to the world the light shining upon them from Christ. Their life and character should be such that through the others will get a right conception of Christ and of His service."
Steps to Christ, E.G. White, p.115
PATH - WAY
Psalm 16:11 - "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
Psalm 15:10 - "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies."
Psalm 119:35- "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight."
Proverbs 2:8-9 "He keepeth the paths of thy judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, equity; yea, every good path."
Proverbs 4:11 - "I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths."
Proverbs 4:18 - "But the path of the just is as the shinning light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
Jeremiah 42:3 - "That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do."
THE ROAD HAS TO END
A missionary told an old Indian Chief about Jesus Christ, God's only way to Heaven.
"The Jesus road is a good road," the aged chief said. "But I have followed the Indian road all my life, and I cannot change now."
A year later he lay in his hut, deathly sick. The missionary hurried to his side and once more told him of Christ.
"Can I turn to Jesus now?" the dying chief asked. "My own road stops here. It has no way through the valley!"
Every road that a man walks in life ends at the grave. The roads of religion, fame, wealth, and success can never take you through the valley of the shadow of death. Only Christ can do that! And He will - if you will but trust Him.