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Dave Cadell (right) returns from Germany, pictured here with Roger Parlour, the man who led him to God. Now that’s a relationship that will last From Here to Eternity.

From Here To Eternity – Outline

This concludes our series on Psalm 23, “The Lord is My Shepherd.”

For several months now, we have been studying one of David’s most famous writings, Psalm 23. Today is our final class in this series and it’s taken from verse 6; “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

This statement sums up what David has been communicating throughout the Psalm and what we have learned over and over again in our study; that the welfare of the sheep is totally dependent upon the shepherd that owns, cares for and manages them. David is saying, “The LORD is my shepherd,” He is with me, and there is nothing to fear. Brothers and sisters, in the hands of the Good Shepherd, no matter what comes our way, we can be sure that goodness and love will accompany it, and when you have that kind of confidence in your God, you will want to dwell in his house forever.

There are two ideas in this one verse; First, the idea of our life HERE on earth (“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life”) and secondly, (“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”) where we will spend our forever / our ETERNITY. Therefore I have entitled today’s message “From Here to Eternity!”

1. You are Here!

Imagine a “Mall map” of the Heavens and the Earth. You see Heaven and you want to get there, but the “You are Here” arrow points to earth.

Let’s talk about life here, on earth.

A. How we view it.

C.S. Lewis: “
I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

When the LORD is your shepherd, it changes how you view everything. Ask yourself, Is David’s confidence your confidence? That no matter what happens here on earth; goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life? As we talked about last week, If our health and finances good, and our friends and family like us, it’s easy to say “surely goodness and love will follow me;” but what about when our bodies begin to break down, or we have to watch a loved one in severe pain, or we lose our job and can’t pay the bills, or the kids grades tank or they run with the wrong crowd? What about when, for no good reason, friends prove false and turn against us? When things go well it’s awesome, but how many of us can give praise and thanks when things go wrong? If you haven’t yet gone through your “dark night of the soul,” you will, and when you do, it will tempt you to fear, worry, run, quit and doubt that God is sovereign, or that he loves you or that He still loves you. You may be tempted to think … Perhaps, like King Saul, he has taken his spirit from you and sent an evil spirit to torment you. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “How do I view the bad times?” It will absolutely affect how we handle them.

Hebrews 12: 1-13
The LORD disciplines those He loves.

C.S. Lewis “
God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain”

B. How we live it.

Charles Templeton: “Christianity does not remove you from the world and its problems; it makes you fit to live in it, triumphantly and usefully” (Story of Lucy parking her car in the snow storm while Ace and Pam canceled and Monica prayed for warmth.)

Philippians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

It was also said of Jesus that he was a friend of sinners. Ask yourself, Do I look at sinners with a critical eye or as Christ did with compassion and friendship?

Do I look down on people or empathize with their dilemma and try to help.

How do I view the shortcomings of others? Do I look down on them or show the same grace that I ask for?

If I am unable to extend forgiveness to others, I don’t much about what Christ has done for me.

It is this lack of love and mercy that makes the modern day church an institution of men instead of a movement of God. People long for the affection of Christ, but instead they get programs, entertainment and a routine of church attendance to live by.

It was said of Jesus: He went about doing good.
(Joel Klemmer gave his shoes, cash and Bible to a homeless man on the spot during one of his first principles studies. That spoke volumes to me about Joel’s heart.)

C. How we leave it.

In our study of Psalm 23 we have learned that sheep, if mismanaged or not managed at all, can destroy the land they occupy. On the other hand, if managed properly, sheep can clean up and restore ravaged land as no other livestock can. In ancient literature sheep were referred to as “those of the golden hooves.“ They eat a wide range of plants and weeds that if left alone would take over a field, and their manure is the best balanced of any domestic stock. It was said of a well managed flock that where they had walked, there followed weed free and fertile land, where they had lived, remained beauty and abundance.

Romans 10:14-15
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Sir Alfred Tennyson: “The good men do lives after them.”

Today we need to ask ourselves this question: What follows me? What do I leave behind me when I say goodbye? Do I leave a trail of sadness or gladness, shame or blessing behind me when I‘m gone?
(Share about a recent memorial and imagine my own.)

Brothers and sisters: right now,
you are here on earth, but you will not be here forever. Earth is not all there is!

2. Eternity is for EVER!

Blaise Pascal: “Either Christianity is true or it’s false. If you bet that it’s true, and you believe in God and submit to Him, then if it IS true, you’ve gained God, heaven, and everything else. If it’s false, you’ve lost nothing, but you’ve had a good life marked by peace and the illusion that ultimately, everything makes sense. If you bet that Christianity is not true, and it’s false, you’ve lost nothing. But if you bet that it’s false, and it turns out to be true, you’ve lost everything and you get to spend eternity in hell.”

James 4:13-17
Life here is a mist. Eternity is for EVER.

C.S. Lewis “
You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.”

Jimmy Stewart: “Let’s live as people who are prepared to die and die as people who are prepared to live!”

I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever is the statement of someone who is absolutely content where they are. For the sheep, it means coming home for winter. The presence of the shepherd has meant and will mean their benefit. For David, he is at home in God’s care and he is boasting about how God has provided for his welfare. We should be quick to tell of all God has done for us and what a great advantage it is to be a member of his household. His house means his family. I don’t know about you, but I want to go to Heaven and be with God, and be a part of his family. Since I was baptized in 1990, nothing has ever made me even think of leaving his kingdom! If he will have me, I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

John 10:7

“A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23”
is an incredible book that has inspired me to preach this series. In it, the author Phillip Keller speaks of one of the sheep ranches that he used to manage. Apparently, he had neighbors that didn’t take good care of their sheep, and some of those sheep would sneak onto his ranch. These malnourished animals would come onto his property and eat themselves to near death in his lush fields. Their bodies weren’t ready for such a time of grazing and with such weak legs, they couldn’t even remain standing. He returned them and their owner who simply and carelessly cut their throats. These sickly sheep had not entered through the proper gate. If they had, the shepherd would have seen to it that they had the proper care and were nursed back to health. Keller saw this as a vivid example of how Satan leads the world astray and cares nothing for what happens to it’s people. So many are suffering and God wants desperately to help his lost children, yet they must enter through the proper gate, which is Christ himself. When we are around men and women from the other side of the fence, do they see in us the benefits of being in Christ’s care? If so, perhaps they will desire to dwell in the house of the Lord, enter through the proper gate, and join us in eternity.

2 Corinthians 4: 13-18
Our temporary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

C.S. Lewis:
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

Philippians 1:21-26
We must treat our time here as precious. We cannot waste it. How will we use the time God gives us in 2008?

Henry David Thoreau: “
As if you could kill time without injuring eternity”

Henry Van Dyke: “Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”

Colossians 1:18 To present everyone perfect in Christ.

Last night, the New England Patriots achieved one of the greatest records in sports history! Perfection. Recently, a player on the Pittsburg Steelers’ guaranteed a victory against the undefeated New England Patriots, but the Patriots had something to say about that, and at the end of the game, as Pittsburgh was being defeated, the New England fans chanted “guarantee, guarantee.” One fan held up a sign with a rather intelligent quote by Benjamin Franklin that stated, “Well done is better than well said.” It is one thing to state our goals. It is another to pray consistently for them and still another to work hard to achieve them.

We started in January with 42 disciples. Unfortunately, we saw some make the horrible decision to walk away from God this year, and for them, we pray for their return to God. I joyfully report that in 2007 we saw many who had drifted away restored to God and to his household. All in all, with 42 disciples, God added 42 souls to our number in 2007, and we end the year with 70 disciples strong (just over 66% growth). Our prayer and goal at this hour is to see our Bible Talks multiply from 10 to 20 by the end of July when we will attend the 2008 World Missions Jubilee in Los Angeles. It is there that we will help the Central New York Church of Christ send a team of sold out disciples led by Andrew and Patrique Smellie to Washington DC.

Andrew and Patrique Smellie will lead the mission team to Washington DC.

The NYC mission team will be sent out at that time as well.

DJ and Kacie Comisford will lead the mission team to New York City.

Well done is better than well said, and in the end, God will not say, “well said my good and faithful servant.” Our hope and prayer is that we will live “here on earth” in such a way that God will say, “Well done my good and faithful servant” as He welcomes us From Here to Eternity!

In His Service,

Chris Broom

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Jennifer Szafian (center) is baptized

My Cup Overflows

This continues our series on Psalm 23, “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”

In Psalm 23, David teaches us so many “lessons from the sheep pen” that help us understand how God cares for us as our Shepherd. During our last lesson, we talked about the summer months that the shepherd spends with his sheep in the high tablelands of the mountains. As we continue our study today, we move into the fall of the year. In Autumn, storms of sleet, hail and early snow begin to hit the high country, and the sheep will soon be forced down from the tablelands to the home ranch for a long quiet winter. Blizzards can also make this a miserable time for the shepherd and his sheep. There are, however, some amazing days yet to be enjoyed during the Indian Summer weather that comes before the winter sets in. The flies and insects and scab that tormented the sheep during the summer months are gone, and the sheep are strongest during this season. That is why David writes in Psalm 23:5, “my cup overflows.”

As we think of all that our Shepherd does for us, is that our mindset? My cup overflows! Contentment is the mark of a sheep in a good shepherd‘s care, and it should also be the hallmark of a disciple in the care of our great God. The problem is that most of us don’t see it that way. When trouble comes our way, we often feel forgotten by our Shepherd. We are tempted to think that God has fallen down on the job, but God is never asleep. He is never indifferent to how we are doing. God always has our best interest in mind. He is with us during the wonderful times and He is with us during the storms of life striving to lead us safely home. It is that confidence in his Shepherd that causes David to proudly proclaim, “My Cup Overflows!”

It was so exciting to have Jennifer Szafian’s family with us on Wednesday night to see her as she was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Whenever I see a baptism, it reminds me of my own. It keeps me from becoming spiritually nearsighted and blind and forgetting that I have been cleansed from my past sins (2 Peter 1:3-9). When I forget all that God has done for me, I forget that “My Cup Overflows!“ We are so happy for Jennifer, that she is no longer blind to what God has done in her life. God used Brittany Parlour, one of our freshman disciples at UIC to reach out to Jennifer. Brittany also shared her faith with Peggy and Christian. All three of these incredible women were baptized this fall because Brittany had the love and courage to share God‘s good news with them, and because they responded to Jesus‘ sacrifice and call. It has built Brittany’s faith as well as ours, to see all three baptized into Christ this fall semester.

A preacher once said, “Every heart with Christ is a missionary; every heart without Christ is a mission field.”

Steve Johnson, the Evangelist of the Portland International Church of Christ once said, “The world might be a very different place if every one who claimed to be a Christian took to heart our Lord’s command to “go into all the world and make disciples.” If all of us who claimed to have Jesus in our hearts acted like the missionaries we’re supposed to be we would be able to see that everyday, around us everywhere, is a mission field. For us to go into all the world we must first begin with the heart nearest us that does not know Christ.”

Joel Parlour, the Bible Talk leader of the great UIC campus ministry once said, “The mission team isn’t done until the city‘s been won.” The Chicago Mission Team is still in it‘s infancy. We have only been in Chicago for a year and a half and already God has multiplied our efforts. He has added to our number so that we have grown from 29 disciples to over 70 disciples and just last week, He blessed us with 179 at church. Still, Chicago is a metropolitan area with over 9 million souls that belong to God. The problem is that many in this city still don’t know Him. Will our mission team reach them? Our aim is to win as many as possible (1 Corinthians 9:19).

Lucy Vazquez (left) places membership and Juan Carlos and Betty (right) arrive in January to lead our Spanish ministry

Some one once said that if you aim at nothing, you hit it every time. Unfortunately, so many churches and individuals fail because they fail to dream. Here, in the Chicago International Christian Church, we have many dreams for the coming year. Dreams for our Marriages, Parenting, Single Disciples, Campus, Teens, Middle School, and Kingdom Kids ministries, as well as our ministries that meet specific needs like our Chemical Recovery Ministry. We have renewed dreams for the Latino Ministry with Juan Carlos and Betty coming to lead that group. We will have sermons in Spanish every Sunday as soon as they arrive the first week of January. And that’s not all, there’s more besides. We have more group goals and individual dreams for our families and our communities that we all want to see happen in 2008.

There are two church dreams that I want to put before you today.

1. Bible Talks that Multiply.

Every member of our church is in a small group that we call Bible Talks. These groups meet, as the early church often did, in our homes. Our desire for these groups is to meet the needs of every Christian by providing an atmosphere of family where we can fellowship one another and build deep and lasting friendships. This is also where we long to bring those that do not yet know God, so that they can see his love at work, study the Bible and become true followers of Jesus.

These groups cannot exist without men and women who are willing and able to take on the responsibility of leading. Our goal is to raise up new leaders so that just as one disciple multiplies and becomes two disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), one Bible Talk will multiply and become two Bible Talks. We will begin the new year with 70 disciples and 10 Bible Talks. It is my prayer that God will multiply our efforts and double our number of Bible Talks by the time we attend the 2008 World Missions Jubilee in Los Angeles on July 31st. (Start planning your vacations around those dates now.)

2. An April Missions Contribution of $35,000 (roughly 15 times our weekly contribution).

The history of our churches is rich with stories of the generosity of members in giving money to missions and sending members to help plant churches all over the world, including the Chicago International Christian Church. This doesn’t happen without sacrifice.

This contribution will specifically help us to…

1. Hire Anthony Franklin on January 1st to work with our Campus and Teen Ministries.

2. Purchase a sound system.

3. Help the Central New York Church of Christ plant the Washington DC International Christian Church in the summer of 2008.

4. Supplement our weekly budget until we become self-supporting.

Les Brown once said, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Brothers and sisters, if we work together and lay our lives down as Jesus did, we will be very proud of our church in 2008. If we can imitate our Great Shepherd who is there for us in the good times as well as in the storms by rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn (Romans 12:15), God will be very proud of our church n 2008. We will see new churches planted, new men and women going into the full-time ministry, and many more men and women raising up to lead Bible Talks in their homes in order to help spread the gospel all over the world. Remember, we can’t win the world for Christ if we don’t share our faith with the person next to us, and we will meet more and more needs in our communities as we help more and more people to have the mind of Christ. As our cup overflows this Christmas, let’s make sure that the love of God overflows and pours out into the lives of those around us.

In His Name and In His Service,

Chris Broom

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You Anoint My Head with Oil – Outline

Katrina Tyler (2nd from left) is restored to our Good Shepherd

This continues our series on Psalm 23, “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”

Psalm 23:5 You Anoint My Head with Oil

As we have studied this psalm, we have learned that King David is guiding us through the events of a full year in a sheep’s life. He takes us from the home ranch where every need is carefully supplied by the owner, out into the green pastures, along the still waters, up through the mountain valleys to the high tablelands. It is in this beautiful setting that the sheep and their shepherd get to enjoy the summer together.
(BBQs with Mosquitoes that ruin everything.)

Today, we are going to talk about three problems that can ruin the summer for the shepherd and his sheep.

1. A Fly in the Ointment.

Someone or something that spoils a situation which could have been successful or pleasant. For example: The only fly in the ointment was my brother, who insisted on whispering through the first half of the show.

In the terminology of the shepherd, summer time is fly time. Warble flies, bot flies, heel flies, nose (nasal) flies, deer flies, black flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and other minute, winged parasites proliferate this time of year and make life a misery for the flock. The nasal flies attempt to land on the damp mucous membranes of the sheep’s nose and deposit their eggs there. If they are successful, their eggs will hatch a few days later and form slender, worm-like larvae which will work their way up the nasal passages into the sheep’s head. There they burrow into the flesh and cause intense irritation and inflammation. For relief, the sheep will deliberately beat their heads against trees, rocks, posts or brush. They will rub their faces into the dirt. In some cases, the sheep will kill itself in attempts to get relief from this torture. Often, advanced stages of this infection will lead to blindness. They will run back and forth frantically or toss their heads up and down for hours in search of relief until they drop from sheer exhaustion. Some refuse to graze in the open at all as wooded areas offer some protection. All of this has a devastating effect on the sheep, as the ewes and lambs rapidly lose conditioning and begin to drop in weight.

At the very first sign of flies among the flock, the shepherd will apply an antidote composed of linseed oil, sulfur and other chemicals to their nose and heads as a protection against nose flies. (He anoints my head with oil.) Immediately, the aggravation, frenzy, irritability and restlessness is gone. The sheep will begin to feed quietly again and soon they would lie down in quiet contentment. One application is not enough by the way, the process has to be repeated and the fresh application provides the antidote.

Isn’t it incredible how easy it is for problems to arise and ruin almost any day? So often it is the small, petty annoyances that ruin our attitude. Even the loftiest spiritual experience can be spoiled by a “fly in the ointment.” Little distractions that become burning issues drive us up a wall and cause us to bash our heads against that same wall. It is then that our behavior before God degenerates into a disgraceful and frustrated tirade. (Me this past week.)

So what’s the antidote for us?

(John 7:37-39); streams of living water / spirit gives life

John 14:1-3: The apostles had just received some disturbing news and Jesus says, “Trust in God” and “Trust also in Me” is the antidote for a troubled heart.

What Is Trust?

‘Trust’ indicates a sense of assurance that is based on strong but not logically-conclusive evidence, or based on the character, ability, or truth shown by someone or something over time or across situations. Trust makes for a sense of being safe or of being free of fear, enough so your focus can be on other matters because that matter is taken care of. It becomes easier to simply enjoy life. Trust breeds confidence and conviction.
No human is totally trustworthy.

No human is totally untrustworthy.
No human can always trust themselves.
No human is totally trusting of any one other person.

Trust is a risk. We leave ourselves open for loss. Betrayal of trust hurts so much because the lost sense of security multiplies the damage.

Some keys to building trust:

1. Communicate. Say accurately what you are doing, and don’t assume others ‘just know.’ Also helpful: suggest some way they can help out.

2. Do what you’ve communicated. Nothing is more important to building trust than actions which match the words, non-verbal cues, and stated reasons. (Actions that don’t have to have ‘spin’ to make them seem like they match.)

3. No scorekeeping. The game of tit-for-tat does not create a sense of trust. Quit reminding others of what they did wrong in the past. Focus on what’s happening now.

4. Look in the mirror. Are you giving other people reason to distrust you? Were you acting this same way in a past instance where you were shown unworthy of trust?

5. Repetition. Each time you act in a trustworthy manner, you earn more trust. After a while, the trust starts adding up. Be thorough about it: build trust in every matter, big or small.

6. Show trust. People who are trusted are more likely to trust. Most people actually are trustworthy in most matters most of the time. Trust them, and the trust may spread. (That doesn’t mean blind trust, which is a way to become an untrustworthy person’s enabler.)

If you are stressed out all the time, you don’t trust God. We trust wealth and materialism. We put all our trust in things. God will test your trust in him. He wants to see if we will get up and have our quiet time. What makes you faith and trust collapse. Things go crazy and we go crazy. God’s timing and not our own.

John 14:15-18:
Many misunderstand the Holy Spirit. See First Principles for classes on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit

John 14:25 to end. Holy Spirit will remind you of all I’ve said to you.
He counsels ( John 14:26 )

John 15:26 HS. Will testify about me / We will testify.

Galatians 5:16-25 / Life by the Spirit /
Wherever the Holy Spirit is at work, so is self-surrender.

Just as the sheep need to be anointed with oil (so that the flies wouldn’t want any part of them), we need continuous applications of God’s gracious spirit to counter the attacks of our tormentors (so that the Devil won”˜t want any part of us). God alone can form in us the mind of Christ and when outside forces “bug” us, his Spirit alone can help us to react to aggravations and annoyances with quietness and calmness.

2. A Meeting of the Minds: Romans 8 / Acts 7:51 (Stephen) / James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:8-9

Summer time is also scab-time. Scab is an irritating and highly contagious disease common among sheep the world over. It is caused by a minute, microscopic parasite that is highly contagious and spreads by contact. Sheep love to rub their heads together in an affectionate and friendly manner, but when they do this, the infection is easily spread throughout the flock. It is therefore common to occur on the head of the sheep. Keller, the author of “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” once purchased a few extra ewes from another rancher to increase his flock. They, unknown to him, had a small infection of scab that began to spread rapidly throughout the entire healthy flock. It took great amounts of time, heavy labor and great expense to purchase a huge dipping tank and put the entire flock, one by one through the solution to clear them of the disease. That’s exactly what David meant when he wrote “You anoint my head with oil.” The only antidote for scab.

(In the Old Testament, when they talked of offering an Unblemished Lamb, that lamb had to be free of scab. / Contamination, sin and evil.)

In our case, most of the contamination and sin that comes to us comes through our minds. Our world is about mind meeting mind to transmit ideas, concepts and attitudes, and all of these can damage us. When we put our heads together with those that do not have the mind of Christ, we come away with concepts that are not Christ-like. (People in or out of the church) In our day and age the danger of mass mind is grave. Television, magazines, internet, radio, newspapers, classmates and teachers influence our minds. Media is often controlled by those who are anti-Christian in thought.

Ellen Johnson, leader of the American Atheists went on the television show
OUT IN THE OPEN which aired November 13, 2007. because a United States governor had called for a meeting to pray for rain. The meeting was to be outside of any state building and he had invited Jews, Christians, Muslims and Hindus “¦ anybody who wanted to come and pray. Some of the things that Ellen Johnson said were:

“It’s 2007 and we’re conjuring the spirit world? This is a
Bronze Age mentality… I’m sick and tired of politicians acting like intelligence is the equivalent of a four-letter word. Even presidential politicians… I am just sick and tired of politicians acting like this idiot. There is no life after death. We weren’t poofed into existence in some mythological Garden of Eden. And there are no miracles.”

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away

The reason for Christmas. No one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing

About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people’s feelings, the teachers would say

December 25th is just a ” Holiday “.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate “Winter Break” under your “Dream Tree”

Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!

3. The Butting of Heads:

As the summer changes into fall, there are also changes in the countryside and in the sheep. As the nights become cooler and the first touches of frost come, the insects disappear and the foliage on the hills turns to crimson, gold, and bronze. This is the season of the rut; the mating season. During this time there are great battles between the rams for possession of the ewes. The necks of the monarchs swell and grow strong as they strut proudly across the pastures and fight furiously for the favors of the ewes. The crash of heads and thud of colliding bodies can be heard through the hours of day and night.

Some of the sheep can and will actually kill, injure and maim each other in these deadly combats. The shepherd has a simple remedy for this problem. Generous portions of (axle) grease is applied to the head and nose of the rams. Then, when they collide in their great crashing battles, the lubricant makes them glance off each other in such a ludicrous way that the rams stand there feeling rather stupid, frustrated and embarrassed. In this way, much of the heat and tension is dissipated and little damage done.

In God’s people, when we don’t see eye to eye with one another, many times we try to assert ourselves and become “top sheep.” In this way, many become hurt and bruised. Much of the grief, wounds, hurts, ill will, the unforgiving things in people’s lives could usually be traced back to old rivalries or jealousies or battles that had broken out between believers. Many skeptical souls will never enter a church because at some point someone battered them badly.

In John. There was rivalry and then Jesus said the comforter would come and love one another. When we are stiff-necked with pride and self-assertion, we hammer each other. We get intolerant, dogmatic and show NO GRACE with other Christians. The Holy Spirit helps us see how petty that is, and the fruits of the spirit overflow.

Think of the song we sing to the Spirit of God:

Let Your living water flow over my soul
Let Your Holy Spirit come and take control
Of every situation that has troubled my mind
All my cares and burdens on to You I roll

Come now, Holy Spirit, and take control
Hold me in Your loving arms and make me whole
Wipe away all doubt and fear and take my pride
Draw me to Your love and keep me by Your side

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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.

A good portion of this material is adapted from the book “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23″ by Phillip Keller.
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.

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Joel Klemmer (4th from left) is baptized

Your Rod and Your Staff, They Comfort Me – Outline

This is part 8 of our Psalm 23 series, The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:4 b
“”¦your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Shepherds in the field would carry a minimum of equipment. The rod (Knob-Kerrie) and the staff were essential. David knew this all to well. He had used his rod and his staff to care for, protect and discipline the sheep. Now he declares that God’s protection, compassion and discipline are a comfort to him. “”¦your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Let’s talk about the rod and the staff”¦

1. The Rod:

As young boys, these “shepherds to be” would select their own sapling which would be pulled up from the ground and shaped (the part near the roots into a smooth football shape and the handle to the young shepherds hand). They would have competitions to see who could throw his rod with the greatest speed and accuracy over the greatest distance. It becomes an extension of the owner’s right hand. This crude instrument, in the hands of a skilled shepherd was powerful. A symbol of his strength, his authority, and his power in any serious situation. Cowboys would later call their handguns rods, and it’s the same connotation as used in the Psalm.

There are three things the rod is useful for”¦

1. To discipline the sheep.
If a sheep were to wander away or end up near poisonous weeds, the shepherd”˜s rod would go whistling through the air and that wayward sheep would go scurrying back to the flock.

Psalm 119:9-16

It has been said of the scriptures, “this book will keep you from sin.” The Bible is God’s expressed intent, the extended activity of God’s mind and will in dealing with men. It carries with it the convicting power and irrefutable impact of “thus sayeth the Lord.” The scriptures are, in fact, His Rod. They are the extension of his mind and will and intentions to mortal man. In our day, there are so many confusing voices and strange philosophies. Isn’t it great to have the word of God and know that it is our Great Shepherd’s hand of authority in our lives. How swiftly the word comes to our hearts to correct us when we go astray. In this way, we are kept under the control of Christ, who wants us to walk in paths of righteousness.

2. To examine and count the sheep.

Ezekiel 20:37
says, “I will take note of you as you pass under my rod”¦” This meant not only coming under the owner’s control and authority, but also to be subject to his most careful, intimate, and firsthand examination. A sheep that passed “under the rod” was one which had been counted and looked over with great care to make sure all was well with it. Because of the long wool it is not always easy to detect disease, sounds or defects. For example, at a “sheep show” an inferior animal can be clipped and shaped and shown so as to appear a perfect specimen. But the skilled judge will take his rod and part the sheep’s wool to determine the condition of the skin, fleece and body. ” One just does not pull the wool over his eyes.” From time to time, the shepherd will make a careful examination of each individual sheep. As each sheep comes into the corral and through the gate, it is met with the shepherd’s outstretched rod. He opens the fleece with the rod; he runs his skillful hands over the body; he feels for any sign of trouble; he examines the sheep with care to see that all is well. This is a comfort to the sheep, for only in this way can its hidden problems be laid bare before the shepherd.

Psalm 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

David wants God to get below the surface, underneath our masks and expose what needs to be made right. We can’t pull the wool over his eyes. God does it for our own good.
(Counting the cost and ongoing discipling provide this type of careful examination. Counting the cost is like a good haircut; about every six weeks or so, you need another one.)

3. To protect the sheep against predators.

To protect the sheep against predators like coyotes, stray dogs, wolves and cougars. Also to beat the brush discouraging snakes and other creatures from disturbing the flock. In extreme cases, as David writes in the Psalms, the shepherd would use his rod against even the lion and the bear. Keller, the author of “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” writes of a time when he and an African Shepherd were trying to roll a boulder down a hill, a snake appeared ready to strike. The shepherd immediately struck it with his rod which never left his hand. Jesus, in the same way, used God’s word against Satan in the desert. Satan desires to destroy us. Revelations teaches us that he leads the whole world astray, and we know that to be true because in our social order, we face a world of men and women whose code of conduct is contrary to all that Christ has advocated. We are therefore exposed to an enormous amount of temptation and sin. Still, God’s word can meet and master any difficulty if we rely on it.

Last night on America’s Most Wanted, I saw a piece about a man in India that noticed someone strange hanging out around a children’s school. This strange man asked for help getting a fake passport for himself and a child, and he told the man his first name. It turned out that the man from India was able to Google the strange man and find out he was a rabbi and a child psychologist. He also found him on a website he had never heard of “¦ America’s Most Wanted. It turned out this rabbi / child psychologist was also a pedophile and the subject of a world-wide manhunt. He was believed to be hiding in Israel. This man contacted America’s Most Wanted and now Horowitz is in prison till 2012.
(Scriptures on False Doctrines. 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Acts 20:28)

When Moses used his rod to demonstrate the power vested in him by God. The miracles he performed were done not only to convince Pharaoh of Moses’ divine commission, but also to reassure the people of Israel. In this way, his rod comforted them. (When we see the Bible work in people”˜s lives, it reassures us. When we see people reject the Bible, and see the fruit in their lives, it should also reassure us.)

2. The Staff:
No one in any other profession carries a shepherd’s staff. It is normally a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end, and It is an instrument uniquely formed for the care and management of sheep. It is a symbol of the concern and compassion that a shepherd has for those in his charge. Whereas the rod conveys the concept of authority, power, discipline and defense against danger; the word “staff” speaks of all that is long suffering and kind. It is also quite a comfort to the shepherd himself during long treks up the mountain and long hours in the fields. (We need both the Rod and the Staff / Compassion and Correction / Love and a Club.)

The Staff:
Let’s talk about what the staff is useful for”¦

1. To gently lift the sheep:

A. To gently lift a newborn lamb and bring it to its mother if they become separated.

B. Sheep stubbornly get themselves into the craziest of circumstances. Keller talks of a sheep who for another mouthful of grass, climbed down a steep cliff where she slipped and fell into the sea. Only his long shepherd’s staff could lift her out of the water and back onto the solid ground again. We do the same thing when we get ourselves into circumstances that we can’t get ourselves out of. Then in tenderness, compassion and care, our shepherd comes to us. He draws us near and lifts us out of the difficulty we are in. What patience God has with us. What forgiveness.

2. To guide the sheep:

To guide the sheep gently into new paths or through some gate or along dangerous, difficult routes. The tip of the stick is placed gently on the sheep’s side, and pressure is applied to guide the sheep in the way the shepherd wants it to go. (like walking hand in hand.) In the same way, God’s spirit guides us, and as we comply with his guidance, even on dangerous paths, a spirit of safety, comfort and well-being envelopes us.

Acts 13:1-3
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

(Sharing about the trip to Syracuse, the love of the church there and how the Holy Spirit works to multiply disciples.)

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Walk through the Valley – Outline

This continues our Psalm 23 series on “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”

Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

As a shepherd walking through tough terrain, David was fully prepared to guard the flock. He knew that God is fully prepared to lead us in every situation. God knows how to take us through the difficult valleys. There is no such thing as a rose colored life. We will only gain the higher ground by going through the valley, where it’s tough. God will lead us.

To get to higher ground, we must walk through three valleys:

1) The Valley of Past Hurts
Genesis 37 through Genesis 45
Joseph was the favorite and his brothers hated him, so they hurt him. But God was with him in the cistern, in slavery and in the Egyptian prison. Joseph forgave his brothers who sold him into slavery. Joseph could have been bitter, but he understood that God sent him to Egypt. God sent Joseph through the valley… to save lives.

Matthew 6:14-15 Forgiveness. The higher ground is loving relationships with God and his people.

2) The Valley of a Guilt-Ridden Life
Galatians 5:19-21 “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious…”
Reacts to this verse:
- This doesn’t apply to me. I’m a good person.
- Be cut to the heart and repent. That is healthy guilt.
- Just don’t care… No fear of God.

Jeremiah 8:10-12 Do not dress the wound of God’s people as if it were not serious. Take sin seriously.

Hebrews 10:11-14 The grace of God. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice. “…by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” The blood of Jesus is what God sees for baptized disciples when they sin.

Hebrews 10:22 Don’t live with a guilty conscience.

3) The Valley of Broken Dreams
Jeremiah 29:11 God has a plan for your life, no matter how messed up your life may be. Don’t believe the lie that you can’t change, or that your situation can’t change. The truth is that you can change. Repentance is change. To get out of the valley, face the challenges.

Romans 4:18 Abraham believed against all hope. Do you believe in God? Face the facts but have faith in God that the situation can change. Face the fact that your dreams have been broken, and get open and get help. When faith in God is not in the picture, it can lead to worldly practices: shopping into debt, addictions, watching TV too much, over eating, immorality or impurity. Don’t give up. Be fully persuaded (like Abraham) that God comes through with his promises.

Don’t let your heart get hard. This valley of despair is a place to face God with faith, and strive for repentance and victory through God.

With God, there is great victory. Without God, there is no victory.

The question is, “Do you want to be with God?”