Psalm 23 series, part 3. Preached by Chris Broom, 9/23/2007

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He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures – Outline

Today is part 3 of a series entitled “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and we get our title from Psalm 23:2, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” It’s an incredible imagine that King David gives us here. (Imagine it.) Nothing makes the shepherd happier than to see his sheep contented and resting in green pastures. However, sheep are timid creatures and because of that, it’s very difficult to get them to lie down and rest. You have to actually make them lie down. Not like a child that refuses to obey, but like someone who is restless and just can’t fall asleep.

A recent study by America’s National Sleep Foundation revealed that 70% of American women frequently have trouble sleeping, (52% of men). One-third of the women surveyed complained that they often had to cancel friends, family, exercise, etc. due to sleep problems.

According to Keller, the author of the book “A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23″ there are 4 problems that must be taken care of before the sheep can lie down and rest; fear, tension, aggravation and hunger. A flock that is restless and discontent never does well, and people are the same way.

Ezekiel 34:1-16

The fact is that whether or not the sheep are able to lie down and rest depends on the diligent care of their shepherd.

God is angry with the shepherds of Israel because they were not caring for the sheep, but only feeding themselves.

A. They had not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured.

B. They had not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.

C. They had ruled the ones they did have harshly and brutally, and therefore even those sheep were scattered and became food for the wild animals.

God’s plan…

A. Hold false shepherds accountable and take them out of leadership.

B. Do the job himself. He will make them lie down in good pastures.

God says I will care for my sheep. I will rescue my sheep.

A. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.

B. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.

How?

C. God says I will destroy the sleek and the strong.

Jeremiah 23:1-4

God says He will place over them shepherds that will care for them.

I’m so proud of the way this entire church shows how much it cares for people, and I am particularly encouraged by the young disciples that care so much. One of the incredible young men in our movement is Vic Gonzalez Jr. Vic traveled all the way to Florida to help Ken Zindler move to LA. Ken has served the Lord in the full time ministry in Boston and Orlando. This past year, he has taught English and coached football for a local high school in Florida. Ken recently wrotek, Having prayerfully considered our current situation and what would be most spiritually beneficial for my family, my wife and I have decided to relocate from Florida to LA. Many will likely consider this decision to be foolish, as we have chosen to step out on faith in light of the tremendous financial challenges which await us in LA, because we are convinced that the City of Angels Church has not abandoned the dream to evangelize the world and the Biblical principles referenced in this article. Yet, we eagerly anticipate the discipling and challenges that await us in the City of Angels Church because we are convinced that it will be for our spiritual strengthening. While Vic was there, he met a young man that ended up studying the Bible, moving to LA and getting baptized. Joel was in his studies at the Jubilee.

That’s the type of diligent care it takes to shepherd the flock. Now let’s get back to those 4 problems Keller wrote about.

Problem 1. THE FEAR OF PREDATORS.

A. Keller tells a story in his book of a friend who came to visit him and brought a little dog with him. When the dog got out of the car, 200 sheep ran for their lives. (Sheep have a mob mentality.)

This fear isn’t without reason. A couple of stray dogs have been known to kill 292 Sheep in one night of unbridled slaughter. The sheep can’t lie down and rest when they are afraid of predators. They have to constantly stand up on their feet in case they have to run for it.

Have you ever been in bed and you hear a noise and you think someone is in your house? You can’t rest to well, can you?

* Let’s talk about our FEAR of predators?

This is an excerpt is from the US Government Peace Corps Manual for volunteers working in the Amazon Jungle. It details “What To Do If An Anaconda Attacks You.” The anaconda is the largest snake species in the world. It grows to thirty-five feet in length and weighs 300 to 400 pounds.

1. If you are attacked by an anaconda, do not run. The snake is faster than you are.
2. Lie flat on the ground. Put your arms tight against your sides, your legs tight against one another.
3. Tuck your chin in.
4. The snake will begin to nudge and climb over your body.
5. Do not panic.
6. After the snake has examined you, it will begin to swallow you feet first. Permit the snake to swallow your feet and ankles. Do not panic!
7. The snake will now begin to suck your legs into its body. You must lie perfectly still. This will take a long time.
8. When the snake has reached your knees slowly and with as little movement as possible, reach down, take your knife and very gently slide it into the side of the snake’s mouth between the edge of its mouth and your leg, then suddenly rip upwards, severing the snake’s head.
9. Be sure you have your knife.
10. Be sure your knife is sharp.

My list of “What To Do If An Anaconda Attacks You” is much shorter.
1. Don’t visit the Amazon Jungle.

We live in uncertain times. For us, the fear of predators is often the fear of the unknown, (911/ Sexual Predators /Deadly Diseases) and perhaps the greatest predator that people fear is death itself.

One morning Keller awoke to find 9 ewes with lamb dying from a cougar attack during the night. He was shocked, and began to sleep with a rifle at his side, ready to run outside at the slightest sound of trouble. A shepherd is said to sleep with one eye and both ears open. Nothing relieves the sheep more than to know their shepherd is there and ready to protect them.

In a Christian’s life, there is no substitute for God’s presence to take away fear.

Do you live in fear and anxiety, or is your soul at rest? Your Shepherd doesn’t want you to live in fear and anxiety.

Problem 2. THE TENSION OF CONFLICT WITHIN THE FLOCK.

Ezekiel 34:20-22

With chickens, there is something known as the pecking order. Cows … the horning order. And in sheep … the butting order. As with people there is a desire to establish who’s in charge. With sheep, it’s usually an arrogant, cunning and domineering old ewe (female) that’s bent on establishing herself as the boss. She will strut around and butt the younger ones away from the best grazing and bed grounds (struttin’ & buttin’). This creates tension, rivalry and cruel competition with-in the flock. Therefore, the younger ones can’t lie down and rest because of their fear of being knocked senseless if they are not ready at any moment to stand up for themselves. Unfortunately, even if they do stand up, they will still be knocked senseless by the bigger animal in the fight for top sheep.

Let’s talk about TENSION within our flock
People are constantly in a fight to be “top dog.” People get hurt and relationships are ruined.

Even in the church, we have tension, and the church is awesome. It is the closest thing to Heaven on earth.

Do you lie awake at night because of the tension in your relationships or is your soul at rest? Your Shepherd doesn’t want you to live in fear and anxiety.

* Again, nothing relieves the sheep more than to know their shepherd is there and ready to protect them from one another. Amazingly, when the shepherd is present, the sheep usually stop mistreating one another. And if they don’t, God will judge justly. Keller severely disciplined sheep for abusing weaker ones, and they lost his esteem. When our eyes are on Jesus, our foolishness and rivalry will end. If it doesn’t, we risk losing Jesus’ esteem.

(Great class on the Web: campus women’s discipleship group lead by Christina Walsh.)

3. THE AGGRAVATION OF PESTS.

Nasal flies, Bot flies, Warble flies & Ticks are a constant aggravation to the sheep. Sheep can’t lie down and rest when they are constantly having to stand up and shake the bugs off, kick the bugs off or run into the bush to scratch the bugs off.

You know how you feel when you are at a BBQ and the bees or mosquitoes are out. It’s intolerable. You can’t enjoy yourself.

Now, let’s talk about aggravation.
I asked several …What’s bugging you?

What bugs Me!
1. The worries of this LIFE. Decisions. Work. School. Traffic. Car trouble.
2. The idols we allow in our life.
3. Maybe it’s a simple cash flow problem.
4. The efforts we put into helping other people with their life. (Some don’t respond, some respond with pride and defensiveness. (False Doctrine that makes them that way?)

Are you constantly AGGRAVATED, or is your soul at rest? Your Shepherd doesn’t want you to live in AGGRAVATION.

* Once again, the relief for the sheep will only come through the hands of a diligent shepherd. One who is willing to take the time (daily) and money necessary to acquire the repellents and pestasides needed to help the sheep. (Explain the process of dipping.)

4. HUNGER

A sheep can’t lie down and rest if it is hungry. It will stand up in constant search for food. Most of the places in the bible where we find sheep are not green and lush areas. They tend to be brown arid places where food is scarce. * The shepherd must work tirelessly to dig up the rocks and poisonous weeds and to plant seeds so that the flock can have green pastures to lie in.

Many people in our world can’t sleep at night because of hungry. That’s not us. (I was talking to Luis Martinez in the City of Angels Church about the current economic situation we are facing. He told me that many of the disciples in California are having a tough time because so many of them are in real estate or related industries. He told me it’s a tough time, but nobody’s missing any meals. If someone is, see me. Most of us don’t lose sleep because of hunger, we may however lose sleep because we worry that we will get there one day. Are you worried about how to put food on the table or is your soul at rest? God does’t want you to live worried about your next meal. He wants you to trust him. He has a plan for you.

Luke 12:22-34

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Is your treasure in Heaven?

When Israel was in slavery in Egypt… God gave them a vision of the Promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. That’s more than beautiful language, it’s scientific fact. In agricultural terms, a land flowing with milk and honey meant the height of spring and summer, the best seasons for grazing. Because the sheep had lush, green pastures to graze on, there was a corresponding “milk flow.” Because the bee’s had plenty of flowers to feed upon, there was a corresponding “honey flow.” The vision God is giving us is a land of rich green pastures. Again, nothing makes the shepherd happier than to see his sheep full and resting in green pastures.

Because of our own perverseness, we often chose to feed on the barren ground of the world around us (We act like stupid sheep. Consider the things we do for money.). Satan lies to us and we believe him. We believe the world will make us happy. We believe we can dig up this brown arid place called the world and turn it into a lush, green pasture. But our goal as Christians is not to turn earth into Heaven. It is to give up our life on earth to gain Heaven. Earth is not the promised land. Heaven = green pastures.

In each case, the answer to the sheep’s problem is their shepherd, and what I want to convince you of today is, IT’S THE SAME FOR US.

Hebrews 11:32-12:3

1. The early disciples overcame fear, tension, aggravation and hunger by keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus. They did it, and you can do it.

HOW?

2. Get rid…don’t get mad. get rid of the sin that so easily entangles.

And…

3. Run with perseverance the race God has marked out for you. (The Bible says God will not tempt you beyond what you can bear … so hit a home run.)

HOW?

4. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He endured the cross for the joy set before him. What can we not endure before our disposition changes?

Fear, tension, frustration, discontentment, worry and restlessness are all signs that our eyes are not fixed on Jesus. (On Self. Circumstances. Problems.)

All that will matter in the end is do we get in and how about our loved ones and those we have tried to bring with us?

Jeremiah 23

God says He will place over them shepherds that will care for them.

Ezekiel 34

A. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.

B. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.

That’s why we have Bible Talk Leader’s Meeting. See this note I received.

“Chris,
Thank you for letting who ever wants to come to a leaders meeting come. Those meeting help me to focus even more on others … those that I know and those yet to be know by me. Today after the meeting I was able to call a couple that is very dear to my heart to ask them to come to our last BBQ Bible talk … I drive past their place driving to Bible talk and if I truly love them I would invite them and I finally did. It is the leaders meeting that help me focus even more because I get encouraged so much at them. Just wanted you to know.
Love your sister in Christ,
Barbara Haslem”

That’s why we have First Principles.

That’s why we get Persecution.

Nobody’s controversial unless you are doing something.

If we allow fear to rule us, we will fade to the point where there is no difference between our deeds and the world’s deeds.

The modern church has so little impact. There is no commitment to Christ or His Kingdom. Blinded by our society’s values, we too often preach a Christianity that merely “meets our needs” rather than one that calls us to sacrifice our highest desires for the kingdom. Too many Western Christians live a religion that costs nothing, treats the kingdom cheaply and therefore does not demand the kind of faith it takes to save your soul. May we have the courage to trust God as Jesus did, to stake everything on the kingdom and to relinquish our own popularity, when necessary, by summoning others to stake everything on the kingdom as well. We must preach what it’s gonna take to win all of Joliet, Glen Ellen, Berwyn, Des Plaines, North Riverside, Brookfield, Chicago, all the High Schools, all the Colleges, All of the World.

Again, Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him. What are we willing to endure so that one day we can all lay around on the clouds of heaven, contented and in His presence.

“Worry looks around, sorry looks back, faith looks up.” Let’s keep our eyes focussed on Jesus.

Categories: Lord is my Shepherd, Sermons
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