Psalm 23 series, part 9. Preached by Chris Broom, 11/25/2007

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Richard Enyi (center) gets baptized

You Prepare a Table Before Me in the Presence of My Enemies - Outline

As much as I hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving, the table that King David is talking about here had no turkey, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, candied yams or apple pie ala mode. There were no plates, napkins or silverware. In fact, there were no chairs and there was no table as we know it.

In the western United States and southern Europe you will find some of the finest sheep country in the world. The high plateaus of these ranges are always referred to as “mesas” - the Spanish word for “tables.” Interestingly, the Kiswahili word for a table is also “mesas.” This probably came from the first Portuguese explorers to touch the East African coast. In fact, this word is not uncommon in referring to the high, flat-topped plateaus of the African continent. The classic example is Table Mountain, near Cape Town South Africa, which is world renowned. To anyone that knows how to care for sheep, It is clear that what David referred to as a table was actually the high mountain country of the summer ranges which are known as Tablelands.

These mesas (tables) are remote and hard to reach (as is the table God is preparing for us). Even so, they are very much sought after by shepherds. In fact, as soon as the snow begins to melt, the energetic and aggressive shepherd will go and survey the land in preparation for the summer’s journey, and then once or twice more just before the sheep arrive. This is an incredibly arduous and lonely job; one that requires much labor every spring. (One of the things I never missed after moving to New York City from Texas was the overwhelming amount of leaves that would fall every autumn and the subsequent hard work of raking and burning them or hauling them away.) But that was nothing compared to the work that faced the shepherd who would “prepare a table” for the sheep. Picture David walking over the summer range with his eagle eye preparing a table for his sheep.

*He would decide well in advance where his camps would be located so that the sheep would have the best bed grounds.

*He would decide where the sheep would graze more heavily or lightly depending on the richness of the grass and vegetation.

*He would check for poisonous weeds as only a few nibbles of certain plants or weeds would spell certain death for the sheep.

*He would clear out the water holes so the sheep could have clean water to drink.

*He would distribute salt and minerals at strategic points to enrich the land for grazing.

All of this, for the benefit of the sheep that would be coming to the tablelands that summer. When David said, “You Prepare a Table for Me,” he was boasting of all that God had done to prepare a table for him. Are you prepared to boast of all that God has done to prepare a table for us?
(Gratitude or Grumbling?)

Luke 14:16-24

*(Imagine preparing a Thanksgiving Dinner and no one shows.)

*God is angry and says not one of them will get a taste of my banquet.

*God says to go and make others come in so His house will be full.
(Christmas Service on December 16th. Pray for 200.)

*God has prepared a table for us, and all we have to do is accept his invitation without excuses.
(What are your excuses today?)

Now, we need to talk about the last half of this phrase, “You Prepare a Table Before Me in the Presence of My Enemies.

*Predators often hide on the rim rock, watching. It is up to the shepherd to prepare for the enemy in advance to keep an attack and subsequent hysteria and slaughter from happening.

In order to do that, the shepherd must know and prepare for his enemy.

*In his book “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” Phillip Keller talks about cougars: “On several occasions these cunning creatures came in among my sheep at night and killed ewes, their blood drained and livers eaten. Others were torn open and badly clawed as if the great cats were chasing and playing with them as a house cat would chase a mouse. Some had stumbled and broken bones in their frightened stampede.”

*Despite all the damage, dead sheep, injuries and fear caused by these attacks, Keller, in his book says he never actually saw a cougar on his range. They are so cunning and skillful.
(We may have never seen Satan personally, but we see lives ripped apart by his cunning everyday.)

*Believe it or not, it is rather fashionable in some contemporary Christian circles to discredit Satan. There is a tendency to try to deny him or laugh him off, but
1 Peter 5:8 tells us something different. (A lion sneak into a camp, follow the scent of one man, find him and drag him out of the camp and eat him. At full speed, a lion can run the length of a football field in the three seconds and jump a thirty foot gorge. Feel safe?)

*It is always the distant sheep that are killed by the predator. The blood is spilled before a bleat is heard.
(National Geographic) We are the same when we get ourselves into trouble, then we are frozen and unable to cry for help and then we are dead. We would all be smart to walk a little closer to Christ and his church where it is safer. Our shepherd wants to protect us, but we have to have the common sense to stay near him. (Bible, prayer, meditation and fellowship.)

*He is a liar and the father of lies.

A. Taking things out of context and twisting them to persecute us.

B. Telling us that after we become Christians, it’s all a bed of roses. In the Christian life there are valleys and mountaintops, and even on the mountaintops there may be some tough experiences. Don’t assume it’s one glorious garden of delight after conversion. Predators can still attack, poisonous weeds can still grow, Storms can still come swiftly over the peaks and a dozen other hazards can haunt the high country. Remember, Christ himself has gone ahead of us in every temptation. He therefore understands us and has a care and compassion for us that is hard to grasp. He has prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies who would demoralize and destroy us if they could. We must prepare for the enemy.

Luke 22:7-34 The Last Supper

*Woe to that man who betrays him.

*But I am among you as one who serves.

*That you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.

*Jesus goes ahead of us as he did with Peter (and as a good shepherd does) when he said,
31″Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Christ, as the shepherd, has spent much and been lonely to prepare a table for us. When we come to the Lord’s Table and partake of the communion service which is a feast of thanksgiving for His Love and care, ask yourself, “do I full appreciate what it has cost Him to prepare this table for me?” Page 111 and 112. His chose us and suffered for us to save us and help us live on a higher plane above the mundane level of common humanity. He is pleased as a shepherd watching his flock on the lush table lands when we walk in the ways of holiness, selflessness and contentment in his care, aware of his presence and enjoying the intimacy of his company.

Categories: Lord is my Shepherd, Sermons