The Shepherd and His Sheep

The Shepherd and His SheepPsalm 23:1-6

23 The LORD is my shepherd;I shall not want.2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul;He leads me in the paths of righteousnessFor His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil;For You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You anoint my head with oil;My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow meAll the days of my life;And I will dwell in the house of the LORDForever.

I. How the Shepherd Encourages His Sheep

V. 1-4

1 The LORD is my shepherd;I shall not want.2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;He leads me in the paths of righteousnessFor His name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil;For You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

A.By His Relationship To The Sheep.

V. 1

B. By His Responsibility To The SheepV. 1-4

1. He promises Them His Provision

Matthew 6:25-33

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

2. He promises Them His Paths

Psalm 37:23

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,And He delights in his way.

3. He Promises Them His Presence

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Matthew 28:20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

4. He Promises Them His Protection

Colossians 3:3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

I Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

C.By His Restoration Of The Sheepv. 3

I John 1:9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

II. How the Shepherd Entertains His Sheep v. 5

A. Through His Arrangements

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

B. Through His Anointing

C. Through His Abundance

III. How the Shepherd Excites His Sheep V. 6

A. He Provides Them With His Grace

Psalm 37:23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,And He delights in his way.

Job 23:10But He knows the way that I take;When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

B. He Promises Them His Glory -

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

John 14:1-3“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Revelation 21:4And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 22:3-43 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.