The Good Shepherd

Do you believe God is your Shepherd? 

Do you believe God is your GOOD Shepherd? 

There were lots of flocks in these times but God specifically referred to Him as the Shepherd and us as the sheep. 

Why? 

To show us how deep & intimate His love is for us. 

Let's open up Psalm 23 + dive right in!  

Vs. 1 - The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. 

• A Shepherd: symbolizes leadership, guidance, and protection, particularly in relation to God and Christ

• Some things to know…

• Shepherds: 

  • Defend their flock 

  • Know and tend to each sheep 

  • Has their future well-being in mind 

  • Makes sure they are fed 

  • Responsible for their flock 

  • Carry weak sheep in their arms 

• So if He is our Shepherd and we are referred to as sheep, what are sheep? 

  • Go through hills and valleys 

  • Can’t defend themselves 

  • Sit and wail 

  • Searched for when lost 

  • Terrible sense of direction

    • Easily distracted 

  • Need to be led to fresh pastures and safe places to rest at night

We are worse than sheep.

The problem is:

This Psalm is popular but that doesn’t mean it is truly lived out or embraced. 

Luke 15

• Normally, we refer to this passage only as someone who is completely lost. We see the lost sheep as someone who has never asked Jesus in their heart and decide to follow Him but today I want to swap it around because while I do believe the narrative is true for that, I also believe today that there are some believers (probably even “aged” believers) that are the one that has went off. 

It’s considered reckless to go after the one when you have the 99 left. 

• But He does. 

• Luke 19:10 says: 

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

• He goes after you and lifts you on His shoulders then rejoices. He isn’t mad or angry. He carries you back home and reminds you of the security of His voice. 

John 10:14-18 

• This is one of the I AM statements. 

  • Why did He do that?

    • Because when the Israelites were in bondage and Moses was sent to save them, Moses asked how to identify the message truly was from God. 

    • Exodus 3:14

      • See note

    • I am and I will be THE GOOD SHEPHERD

      • He also says He is the door for the sheep!! That's how deeply this matters. The only way we can be in His flock is to truly embrace Him as our Shepherd. 

God refers to His flock as anyone who believes in Jesus Christ and is adopted into the family of God. You are adopted into His family if you believe in Him and allow Him to transform you. You are His sheep. He is your Shepherd. He is protecting you. He knows you and tends to you. He has your future well-being in mind. He makes sure you are fed when you come to eat. He is responsible for you. He carries you when you are weak. 

Have you ever noticed that the Shepherd leaves the 99 to save the 1 but He doesn’t leave unless the 99 are together? The Shepherd goes and saves but then He brings the sheep back to huddle together in community under the security and authority of His voice. 

• Sometimes we are too busy looking at how the people around us aren’t rescuing us that we miss what Jesus is doing right in front of us. We can also lead others to their destruction at times. 

But this also means that we are sheep and though we are in His flock, we aren’t perfect. As Keith says, we don’t like sinning but sin can still happen. We get distracted easily. We can’t truly defend ourselves. We go through hills and valleys. We need to be led to fresh pastures and safe places to rest. 

Why? 

Because if we lead ourselves, it’s not fresh pastures. It's a momentary pleasure. 

When we think of the future, we can’t see the big picture. 

We are easily distracted and have a terrible sense of direction. 

We are called to sit and wail but usually we try to fix it all ourselves which makes us worse off than before. 

Letting God be your Shepherd is more than just showing you the what of life but it is the why of life. When He is your Shepherd, the things that the world sees as restraints is actually the security of being a sheep and not wandering because you know Who is guiding. 

How to Let God truly be our Shepherd: 

• Let Him lead you as your Shepherd. 

  • Psalm 23:1-3

  • Psalm 100:3

  • We will not lack with Him because He truly satisfies my soul. 

  • Green Pastures: a state of abundance, provision, and peace where one is well-cared for and lacks nothing

  • The sheep didn’t need to know where the green pastures were, they just needed to know where their Shepherd was. 

  • Peaceful streams: a state of tranquility, rest, and spiritual refreshment

  • Renew my strength: a transformative process of becoming new or being made new, especially in a spiritual or moral sense

  • He guides me: as a friend, He gives us certain instruction and direction for us to follow

• Let Him come after you. 

  • Psalm 23:4

  • Darkest valley: difficult, challenging, or painful experiences in life, sometimes including the concept of death

    • We need to walk through the valley. We can’t run through the valley. We need to walk through it and learn through it as He protects us. 

  • Your Rod and your staff: protection and guidance.

• Let Him pick you up and carry you on His shoulders.

  • Psalm 23:5

  • Prepare a feast: ready for a specific purpose 

  • Anointing: God’s favor 

  • My cup overflows with blessings: an abundance of God's favor and provision

• Let His voice be the only one you listen to. 

  • Psalm 23:6 

  • And I will live in the house of the Lord forever: abide in the presence of the Lord

    • John 10:27-30

      • My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

  • His voice only gives us eternal life and His voice only gives us security to never snatch us up. 

Do you believe God is your Shepherd? 

Do you believe God is your GOOD Shepherd?