Psalm 23 series, part 5. Preached by Chris Broom, 10/28/2007

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Victor Sulaimon (2nd from right) and Mike Sesay (center) get baptized

He Restores My Soul

Psalm 42:1 “As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.”

If that is not your heart, you are either a non-Christian or you are in need of restoration. Now is the time to be restored. This continues our series on another incredible psalm, Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul…” means he “revives” me.

David, the Shepherd King, writes Psalm 23 from the perspective of a sheep in God’s care. He boasts about who his owner is when he says, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Really, it’s the Christian’s claim of belonging to the family of God and the benefits of such a relationship with the Great Shepherd himself. “I shall not be in want “¦ He makes me lie down in green pastures “¦ He leads me beside quiet waters.” So why in verse 3 does David say “He restores my soul?” Could anyone in God’s care ever become so distressed as to need Restoration?

Psalm 42:1 The answer here is a resounding yes.
Even the people of God need restoration of the soul. “My soul is cast down!” To say that a sheep has been “cast” or “cast down” is to say that it has rolled over onto its back and can’t get up. Sheep are made in such a way that once they are in that position, they can’t get up by themselves. It may sound funny, but in fact It”˜s very dangerous because, once on their backs, their circulation is cut off so that blood can”˜t reach the extremities of their bodies. Then gasses begin to build up and If the shepherd is unable to find and help that sheep, it will die in a matter of hours or days depending on the weather. That’s why the shepherd in Matthew 18 will leave the ninety-nine sheep in search of the one that is missing. If one sheep is missing, fear grips the shepherd, because that sheep could be “cast down.” (Even the strongest and fastest of the flock can be “cast down!”) If a sheep is missing, he will run in hopes of finding it before it’s too late. As he approaches it, he is filled with joy and fear. Is he in time? If he is, he will pick up the sheep and help it on its feet. He will then massage its outer limbs to help the blood circulation. He may even talk to the sheep while he does this. Finally, that sheep will rejoin the others, free from fear and able to live a little while longer. The shepherd restores the sheep not only to its feet, but to its flock and its shepherd as well.

What can cause a sheep to be cast down?

(1.) Looking for the most comfortable spot to rest. (Act it out and explain how it relates to us.)
(2.) The sheep can become weighed down if it’s too fat or if it has too much wool. The wool becomes matted down with mud and manure and the sheep becomes weighed down by it’s own wool. The shepherd must deal with this by sheering the sheep so that it won’t lose its life. It”˜s hard work for the shepherd, and the sheep don’t like it, but it must be done. When sheered, the sheep is set free from its hot and heavy coat as well as the fear of being cast down.

So what does this mean for us?
When we seek a comfortable, worldly life, we become weighed down by all kinds of worldly things and worldly ideas. Then we start living for ourselves and building our own paneled houses instead of living for God and building His kingdom.
IT IS AT THAT POINT THAT WE NEED RESTORATION. HE RESTORES MY SOUL. HE REVIVES ME. HE REFRESHES MY SPIRIT.

Psalm 51:1-13 KING DAVID GOT COMFORTABLE AND DIDN’T GO TO WAR “¦ THEN HE SAW BATHSHEBA, FELL INTO GREAT SIN, AND NEEDED RESTORATION.

John 21:15-19 PETER DENIED JESUS 3 TIMES, AND NEEDED RESTORATION. PETER GOT DEFENSIVE. SO MANY GET DEFENSIVE: ARE YOU SAYING I’M LOST? No, not necessarily. I’M SAYING IF YOU DON’T GET RESTORED TO YOUR FIRST LOVE, YOU WILL BE LOST.

Jeremiah 2:19 (Let’s look at the word “Backsliding” in the Old Testament.) “Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,”

Jeremiah 3:22 “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.”

Jeremiah 15:6 You have rejected me,” declares the LORD. “You keep on backsliding. So I will lay hands on you and destroy you; I can no longer show compassion.

New Testament Scriptures
Revelation 3:14-22 and Revelation 2:1-5

Luke 9:62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.

2 Peter 2:20-22 (”¦again entangled in it and overcome”¦)

HOW ARE WE GOING TO HELP EACH OTHER AND KEEP EACH OTHER FROM BEING CAST DOWN. FROM BACKSLIDING. FROM BECOMING LUKEWARM. FROM LOSING OUR FIRST LOVE. FROM LOOKING BACK AND THEREFORE NOT BEING FIT FOR SERVICE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. FROM ONCE AGAIN BECOMING ENTANGLED AND OVERCOME BY THE CORRUPTION OF THE WORLD.

1 Timothy 4:16 (Keller: WATCH HER CLOSLY. SHE SURVIVED AND GAVE THEM TWIN LAMBS.) WATCH YOUR LIFE AND DOCTINE CLOSELY.

Matthew 18:12-18 WATCH YOUR RELATIONSHIPS CLOSELY. (LOW AND HIGH SELF ESTEEM v. CONFIDENCE FROM GOD.) FORGIVENESS / RECONCILIATION / (POLAR BEAR IN CAGE)

Today Mike and Victor are going to be baptized.
I don’t know what the future holds but I know who holds the future.
GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING WITH US. THAT SHOULD IN ITSELF BE ENOUGH TO CONTINUALLY REFRESH AND RESTORE OUR SOULS.
Many think that when they fall and are in a spiritual dilemma, God is disgusted, fed up, and even furious with them. NOT SO. He goes through the same pattern as the shepherd: concern and compassion. God weeps over those that spurn his correction and HE is eager to help. GOD MUST DO THE WORK of shearing the world off of us. WE KICK AND SCREAM, AND YES, WE GET HURT BY THE CUTS, BUT OH, THE PLEASURE OF BEING SET FREE FROM OURSELVES, WHAT A RESTORATION.

Categories: Lord is my Shepherd, Sermons