Today's scripture is Psalm 23, a psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not one. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still water. He restored my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his namesake. Yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of my enemy. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runeth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. May the Lord add a blessing to the hearing and the reading of his voice. The 1800s and the late 1800s and the early 1900s. There was a thing in our country called the sheep wars. How many of you familiar with the sheep wars? I figure that not many would be. Not many of us paid that close attention in history class. And the only reason, honestly the only reason that I am again familiar with it is because I saw a movie recently. And it was a western and it was around the sheep wars. Anyway, the sheep wars were the series of conflicts. The series of conflicts and they were violent and armed conflicts between cattle ranchers and sheep herders in the OS. The conflicts were mostly in Texas of course. And some in Arizona, some in parts of Wyoming and Colorado. Now the source of the conflict, beloved, was over the land that the animals were grazing upon. You see the cattlemen didn't like sheep because sheep tend to destroy the land that they graze upon. And one sheep get through grazing upon a land. It is barren, it is fruitless, it is useless for much of anything else. And since much of the land at that time was public land and had to be shared, the cattlemen didn't take kindly to shepherd bring in sheep into the area. And it got violent and the wars killed many men, tens of thousands of sheep were destroyed. Now why was this the case? Why? And what was so bad that led men to fight and kill one another over it? Simple. The nature of sheep. That's why. The nature of sheep. Left to them sale. Sheep will not change fields. Left to them sale. Sheep will not discover new and more fruitful paths. They graze and graze upon the same plot of land and they walk in the same path until that land and those paths are worn. They get down to nothing and the land becomes a polluted wasteland. And if they are not carefully managed and made to go down new paths and to find new paths, sheep will ruin the land and ultimately ruin themselves in the process.
And the good shepherd is one who knows that if his flock is going to flourish, he must consistently and constantly lead them on right and better path.
As you know, if you've been with us, we were in a series on Psalm 23. And we've been looking at what this psalm teaches us about our good shepherd and what it says about us, his sheep. And last week we saw that if the Lord is my shepherd, I have my peace. This morning in Psalm 23 and 3, we learned that if the Lord is my shepherd, I have my path. I have my path. Notice what it says. He leaves me in path of righteousness for his name sake.
You know, the Bible uses many pictures in comparing us and describing us as sheep. And the vast majority of them are not flattering as we have said before. And yet the most commonly used one is that of being lost and going astray. When the Bible wants to describe to us as human beings as creatures of God, what it means for us to wander away from God, what it means to us to stray from the path of God, it compares us to sheep. We all like sheep, the Bible says, right, in Isaiah 53 and 6. We all like sheep have gone astray each of us has turned to his own way. And the tendency is to wander. The tendency is to get lost. It reminds us that the primary function of the shepherd then is leading. The primary function of the shepherd is leading. He has to lead them because they cannot effectively lead themselves. He has to lead them to lie down in green patches. He has to lead them to refreshing peaceful streams and he has to lead them in the right path. Path of righteousness, path of righteousness because they will not naturally go there themselves. Path of righteousness is a nice poetic expression but it can be a little misleading. And so while we say path of righteousness and it sounds good the point is made clearer if we just understand this to mean he leads us in the right path. That is what we are going to do because we are going to sheep our creatures of habit, aren't we? That is what we do with creatures of habit. We tend to go to the same places. We tend to hang out with the same people. When we go to restaurants we order the same food. When we drive to school and work we take the same routes. When we come to church we sit in the same pew.
We are creatures of habit and some of those habits are good but the vast majority of them are bad. And unless the shepherd intervenes and leads us upon better paths, right paths and those bad habits we all know tend to destroy. So the good shepherd leads the sheep down the right path, down the true path. He leads them down paths of success. He leads them down paths of flourishing. He leads them down paths, if I might borrow a popular phrase today, down paths of your best life now, right paths. He leads the flourishing. Right path leads the fruitfulness, path that leads the faithfulness. So in this sense it is good to understand that Jesus is a shepherd leader. The good shepherd is a shepherd leader. The good shepherd does not leave his sheep aimless. The good shepherd does not leave his sheep directionless. Even when the sheep don't know where they are going and most of the time they don't. The good shepherd knows and they trust him. And Jesus is a shepherd leader. Jesus led Peter, James and John. Jesus led Paul, Silas and Timothy. Jesus leads you and me. Psalm 23 and verse 3 says, right? Jesus leads us in the right path. He leads us in the right path. Notice the Bible doesn't say he leads us in the easy path. It doesn't say that he leads us in the pain-free path. It doesn't say that he leads us in the quickest path or the most popular path. But he leads us in the right path, which are his path. Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 12, the Bible says, that there is a way that seems right to a man but is in the way of death. There is a path that seems right to the sheep. But that way is the end of death. And this way is usually the easy way, beloved. This way is usually the pain-free road. This way is usually the quick and popular way. These are the paths that sheep lead other sheep on. These are the paths that the blind lead to blind on. The path to flourishing is usually not the path that is easy. Did you hear what I said? The path to flourishing is usually not the path that is easy but it is the path that Jesus is on. The path to your best life now is not the one most people are on. But it's the one that Jesus is leading. It's the one that Jesus is guiding. It's the one that is marked out by the cross. Is that path? Recently, I was asked to offer some remarks at a high school graduation celebration. And after I got up and gave my lesson and inspiring remarks, I sat down. And when I sat down, something occurred to me. It occurred to me that you said little to nothing. And what you should have said is proverb three, five, and six. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. And all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. He will make straight your path. And I, I committed on that day right there. Anytime, anyone, anytime, I get in front of young people, I am going to tell them that. There is a path that leads to death and destruction and many go that way. Trust in the Lord. Ignore Him in all your ways. He will direct and He will show you the straight path that will lead to life. It's what it means for the Lord to be our ship. It's what it means. It means we have paths. It means He leads us. You may be asking this morning. Well, where is the Lord leading me? Where is the Lord taking me? You may be sitting in a bit of confusion wondering what is the Lord doing. And at times, beloved, I get it. At times, I've been there myself. It may seem like the Lord is not leading. Or you are perplexed as to how He is leading. May I suggest to you this morning that there are a few ways that the Lord leads us. And for us to be cognizant of these. The first thing to understand is that He leads us by His Word. Psalm 119 verse 105. The Bible says, Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. He leads us by His Word. In other words, I want you to remember this morning that the shepherd is not silent. The Lamb might be silent. But the shepherd is not silent. He speaks. And He speaks every day, beloved. It's important to understand. That's a matter of voices in this world get loud. They get loud and sometimes it sounds like Stephen A. Smith is just screaming in here. Shouting all the time. And sometimes, beloved, what you need to do is turn down the volume on the world. Or better yet, just turn it off. You'll be amazed. You'll be amazed at how easy and clear it is to hear Jesus and follow Him when you turn down the volume of the world. Unpog it. Jesus is not unclear. He who has ears. Let them hear. You know what they hear? Jesus said in John chapter 10 and verse 27, my sheep hear my voice. And what do they do? Then they follow me. The shepherd is not silent. Turn down the volume. On this world. Unpog it if you have to. He speaks. His sheep hears voice. And they follow. He leads by his words. But he also leads by his example. You know what? The shepherd doesn't drive sheep. Those cattlemen with a drive, they drove cattle. But the shepherd doesn't drive sheep. The shepherd leads sheep. You have to lead them. He goes where they go. He abides where they abide. He doesn't lead them anywhere. He himself hasn't already gone. When Jesus calls men and women to be his disciples, you know what he calls them to do. He calls them to do what he told his first disciples to do in Mark chapter 1 and verse 17. Come and follow me. Come follow me. Why? Because Jesus leads by example. Jesus doesn't say, he doesn't just say, don't just do as I say. He says, also do as I do. And he's been there and done that, beloved. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 15. We have a high priest who understands our weaknesses. For he has faced the same testings as we have and do taste. And yet without sin, he's been there. He's done that. He has the marks in his hand. He has the marks in his side. He has the bruising, the bruising. Whatever it is that the Lord called you to go through this morning. He's been there. He's done that. He's leading you through it. He leads by his words. He leads by example. He leads by his spirit. And Romans chapter 8, verse 14. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The sheep of Christ have the spirit of the good shepherd. His spirit comes. And what his spirit does is his spirit causes you to see the shepherd more clearly. His spirit comes and his spirit causes you to love the shepherd more dearly. His spirit comes and his spirit leads you to follow the shepherd more nearly day by day. Day by day. The spirit of God, the spirit of Christ. That's what Holy Spirit is doing, leading you to follow the shepherd. That's why we sing along with the songwriter, right? Savior like a shepherd, lead us much. We need thy tender care and thy pleasant glad pastors. Feed us for our use, thy foes prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus. Now has brought us and died we are. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus. Now has brought us and died we are. Savior like a shepherd, lead us. By your words, by example. Oh Lord, lead us by your spirit. He is a shepherd leader. He leads his people. He is your shepherd. He is the good shepherd. But if there's anything in this world that people are clamoring for today is leadership. That's what people want. That's people are clamoring for. People are asking where is the leadership from the White House. People are asking where is the leadership on the street. It just seems like we are a country of lost sheep. I heard someone say the other day what we need is another Martin Luther King June. Another person said not what we need is just another Martin Luther. I want to remind you something this morning. After Moses died the people of Israel clamored for another Moses. After David died the people of Israel clamored for another day. God didn't send them another Moses. God didn't send them another David. God sent Jesus. The shepherd of their souls. Believe it or not, beloved. The church of God doesn't need another Martin Luther. The church of God doesn't need another Martin Luther King, Jr. We have Jesus. He is the good shepherd. He leads his people. Do you hear him this morning? He said, listen where you are. It's his leadership not enough. He is not the great shepherd of our soul. Is his leadership not sufficient? O lord, Jesus wants to lead you in path of righteousness. Path of your flourishing. Path that leads you unto the path of his peace and prosperity this morning. morning. Won't you follow him? Won't you go with him? Hear the voice of the shepherd this morning. Softly, gently, calm, sheep come. Follow me. I want to encourage you to follow Jesus this morning. I want to encourage you to follow Jesus morning. Beloved because he is a good shepherd and his leading is gracious. His leading is good and his leading leads the glory. I want you to I want you to follow Jesus this morning because his leading is gracious. His leading is good and his leading leads the glory. The leading is good. The leading is gracious. There is something important that we should always remember in particular this morning as we meditate upon this text. Beloved, if you are a sheep in the flock of God this morning, it is because the Lord, the good shepherd, chose you for his flock. Don't miss that. If you are sheep in the flock of God this morning, it is because the Lord chose you for his flock. It is an act of undeserved mercy. It is an act of inexplicable grace. Jesus told his disciples in John 15 and 16. You did not choose me. I chose you. You didn't choose to be a sheep in the flock of God. God, the good shepherd, chose to be your shepherd and beloved. It is a grace that is undeserved. It is gracious that he leads you because it is so gentle. He chose you and then he gently leads you softly and intently. Jesus is calling, leading the sheep. Isaiah chapter 42 in verse 3, a bruise read, he will not break. And it is molding with. He will not snuff out. When Jesus calls his sheep, he doesn't call them to hurt them. He calls to help them. Why, beloved, because the hurting don't need more hurt. They need help. Because the broken don't need more brokenness. They need healing. Jesus doesn't pile on. Jesus doesn't pile on. I used to play football in college. I was pretty good. I was good enough to get a scholarship. They ain't just handing those out at McDonald's. I was good enough to get a scholarship. I was playing football in college and I was decent. One day we played a game and one day I got in the game and I was a receiver and I ran a pretty good route. I beat the guy and I was wide open. And the quarterback threw me a perfect pass. And I dropped it. I mean right through my hands, I can still see that to this day. I can see the crowd. I can see I can still see that. There's one of the few passes I've dropped in my life. I dropped it right through my hand. And I came back to the sideline and the coach or AC, that's what they call me. AC, you got to catch that. I said, yes sir, I know. And I went down at the end and I sit down there. Then another guy, another receiver comes along and said, man, you got to catch that. You got to catch that. And I said, I know what you want me to do. You think I don't know that? Well, love it. Jesus doesn't follow. You dropped the ball. You know, he says, we'll get him next time. You missed, you missed the assignment. You know what he says? It's all right. Get back in there. Let's get back out and do it again. Bruce Reed, he will not break. He doesn't put out because he is a shepherd who doesn't pound on. People follow him, love. He doesn't. You know what he says? He says Matthew, chapter 11, verse 29, tells us to come under him. Are you a weak and heavy lady? And the good shepherd will give you a take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle and I will not pile on. No burden you bear. Love it. That he doesn't bear with you. There is no sorrow or care that he doesn't care along with you because his leading is gracious. But not only his leading, gracious, I want to encourage you to follow the shepherd's morning because his leading is good. His leading is right. After all, he is called the good shepherd, right? And he's called the good shepherd because everything he does is good. In Acts, chapter 10, verse 38, it says everything that Jesus ever did was good. All he did was go around doing good. He hasn't stopped beloved. He hasn't stopped. Never doubt. He is leading you in the right way. Beloved, believe me, just because the road is hard, just because the Lord gets heavy. The shepherd is leading you good. But he's leading you well. Don't stop trusting the shepherd. Can I tell you something that you should already know? Jesus is good. Jesus is good. Just because you might have to go through the slaw of the spawn. Don't turn back and don't give up. Remember, Jesus is good. And just because you might have to endure the cross on the Friday. Don't worry. Sunday is coming. Remember, Jesus is good. Leading you into good pastures, beloved. That's why we sing the song, Amazing Grace. The Lord has promised good to me. Has he not? His word, my hope secures. He will, my shield and portion be as long as life in duels. I hope I don't have to remind you of that this morning, but in case I did. If you don't leave with anything else, beloved. Leave with this. Jesus is good. He's leading you right. Now, I want to encourage you to follow the shepherd because his leading is good. His leading is gracious. And ultimately because his leading leads to glory. So the Bible tells us to do, right? And first Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 31, whatever we do, whatever we do, do all to the glory of God. And since whatever means whatever, then that has to include us following the good shepherd. Your following the good shepherd glorifies the shepherd. That's how you bring God glory. How did you bring the good shepherd glory? You follow him as an obedient, as a faithful sheep. Notice the Bible says he leaves us for his own name sake. He leaves us for his own glory. You can trust his leading. And the reason you can trust the leading of the good shepherd is because his name is on the line. His name is on the line. When you got saved, God put his name on your salvation. He put his name on it. This is what Moses reminded Yahweh. When Yahweh brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt and he brought them through the red sea and Moses and numbers chapter 14 and verses 15 and 60 reminded God. God, I know they are tough and I know they're hard headed and I know they want to wander and go back. But let me remind you that if you don't forgive them, if you don't save Israel, the other nations will say he was a God unable to do what he said he was going to do. Remember you put your name on that. That is so important, beloved. That is so important. In fact, that should humble us, beloved, as we are reminded that God didn't save us because we were worthy of salvation. God saved us so that he would be glorious so that he would get the glory. And when it comes to his sheep, the good shepherd knows that his name is on the line or his own name, say he does that. His name is on the line. John chapter 10 and verse 28, Jesus says, I give my sheep eternal life. They shall never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. I give my sheep eternal life. They shall never perish. Beloved, this is the confidence with which we live the Christian life. I belong to the good shepherd. Nothing or no one can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. No one can snatch me out of his hand. This is the confidence with which I live in Christ the Lord. My confidence is not come in the fact that the weather is finally good today. My confidence does not come in the fact that my preferred politician got elected. My confidence does not come on whether or not I was faithful to have devotion this morning. My confidence is not whether or not I shared the gospel with my co-worker or my neighbor. My confidence does not come in whether or not I resisted temptation this week. My confidence comes in the fact that the good shepherd lead me for his name's sake. That's where my confidence lies. He leads me. My confidence lies in the fact that the good shepherd has promised to forgive all my sins. He has promised that he is going to lead me into eternity. Come what man? Come what man? He is going to get me home. That's what he said. The good shepherd is going to get you home no matter how rough it is, no matter how hard it gets, no matter how long the road the good shepherd brings all the sheep home, all of them, all of them and if one sheep doesn't get home beloved it's not the sheep that failed. The shepherd failed and that's why he's not leaving one behind for all getting home. That's the confidence with which we leave, we live the Christian life. Little notes with Jesus that. John Jefferson, verse 39. And this is the will of God that I should not lose even one of those. One of those he has given me but I shall raise them up on that last day. When we all get home you're not going to have anything to brag about. He's not going to have anything to boast about because the only reason that you made it home is because the good shepherd determined that he wasn't going to lose one for his namesake, for his glory. Jesus leaves us in the right path for his glory and therefore for our good. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to follow him beloved. Keep your eyes on him. Follow the shepherd. The leading is never wrong. It's time and gracious. The good and right is leading the glory. That's why you're saying what it's all right. Where he leads me? I will follow. Where he leads me? I will follow. Where he leads me? I will follow. I'll go with him. With him. With him. All. All. Because he leads us in the right path for his name. That's that.