The Good Shepherd - Part 2

Dr. Charles Stanley: The good shepherd restores our soul. Why? Because he cares. Because he loves. Listen, because he's interested in your sleepless nights. He's interested in your worries about your finances. He's interested in listening to your cries about your children. He's interested. He is personally interested in every circumstance. I cannot say that enough, that you are not unimportant in the eyes of God. There's not a single one of us who is unimportant.
Guest (Male): If you were going through a stressful situation, which chapter of the Bible would you turn to? You might think at first of Psalm 23. Well, today on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, we'll open that beloved chapter that reminds us of the Good Shepherd's promises to care for everyone who belongs to Him. Let's listen in to Dr. Stanley's message.
Dr. Charles Stanley: Listen to what he says. "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet or still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me or leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness, or mercy, will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Now, how many times have you read that passage of scripture? Where did you usually stop? When it says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil." Well, what about this table? And what about the anointing of my head? And what about what about goodness and mercy following me all the days of my life? This passage of scripture is God's psalm to us, showing us and demonstrating to us how much He cares for us. It's very difficult for us to feel, to sense, to be aware, and to experience, and to walk in the very spirit of realizing that God has said, "I'm your shepherd. And I'm going to treat you like a shepherd treats sheep." Now I want you to turn if you will, to John the 10th chapter. Because in John the 10th chapter, you and I will see very clearly who the good shepherd is. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Who is the good shepherd? Look at this if you will. In the 10th chapter of John is Jesus is is talking and sharing this particular discourse about his love for his children, those of us who are his followers. Here's what he said. He said in verse 11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." And then if you'll notice again in verse 14, "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and my own know me." Who is the good shepherd? The good shepherd is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now there are lots of folks in there thinking they say, "Well, you know, I don't believe in Jesus, but I believe in God. And yes, indeed, I believe that 23rd Psalm. That's one of my favorite passages." And they'll quote, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." You know what? He's not their shepherd and they are in want. What they don't realize often times is that they are in want of the most important thing in their life. They don't realize that's what it is. They try to keep filling up their lives with other things and relationships and so forth. And what they really want, what they really desire, is the hunger and thirst that God has placed in the heart of every person for himself. And so, when they say, "I quote, I believe, I believe that 23rd Psalm, my favorite passage, the Lord is my shepherd." They would probably take great, great offense if you said to them, "Until you receive the good shepherd who is the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, you cannot claim the good shepherd in the Old Testament." But my friend, that is the gospel truth. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Why? Because he's my shepherd. And what's he doing? He's carrying out his responsibility. His responsibility is to see to it that we have our needs met. And so he says, "He leads the sheep," as David would certainly lead his sheep to the green pastures. Those that are ripe for food. Leads them to green pastures. Notice what he says. And he says, "He leads them beside quiet waters, still waters." And so, when the sheep are being led by their shepherd, and they are being led into green pastures where they can feed, and beside quiet waters, not rushing waters, quiet waters, that's the best they can have it. There's the shepherd in sight for their protection. Here are green pastures, and here are still waters. What was David saying to us? Simply this: that the good shepherd has committed himself to supplying our material and physical needs, and he has also committed himself to supplying our emotional and spiritual needs. Quiet waters, still waters, peace. Not only those physical and material things that we need, but peace for our life. Now, the good shepherd knows exactly where the sheep ought to be feeding. But once in a while, those sheep get their eyes off the shepherd. And what happens? They look at something that looks like greener fields. You know how we get out of God's will? We get out of God's will by taking our eyes off the good shepherd and looking at something that looks like it's greener and fresher and more inviting and better than God has provided at the present moment. And sometimes all of us flounder and wonder and think we know better than God does. What does he do? He's always there to forgive us. God's never there with his rod to beat us. He does not condemn us. You know why? Listen. He knows that we in our frailties, in our weaknesses, and in our naturalness, that we are naturally going at times, we're going to flounder and we're going to wander and we're going to think it's greener there than it is here. And what happens? We get out of God's will. Does God get upset? Does he get angry? No, he doesn't. What he what does he do? He chastens us in order to teach us what? That if you go over there, you're going to get in trouble. You're going to end up in want. That's not what you want. You think that's what you want, but I do know better where the green pastures and the cool waters are. He genuinely loves every single one of his sheep. He is there to do what? To restore that soul, to lift that soul, to cheer them up and to encourage them. Not some platitudes, but when he says, "He restores our soul." He has the capacity to enable me to step above the circumstance, no matter what it is, and keep going regardless of what's happening around me. He restores our soul. You know what? There's not anybody else in the world who can. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Makes me to lie down in green pastures. Leads me beside quiet, still waters." He says, "He does what? He restores our soul." The good shepherd restores our soul. Why? Because He cares. Because He loves. Listen, because He's interested in your sleepless nights. He's interested in your worries about your finances. He's interested in listening to your cries about your children. He's interested, He is personally interested in every circumstance. I cannot say that enough. That you are not unimportant in the eyes of God. There's not a single one of us who is unimportant. He cares. The problem is that when a person does not realize what it takes to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they're going to go through life. And here's what's going to happen. They're going to be suffering from worries and fretting and cares and insecurities and difficulties and hardships that they would not have to feel the weight of it if they understood that there's one who walks beside them who said, "Follow me. You will not be in want. I'll restore your soul. I'll lead you in green pastures. I'll put you beside those waters of peace. I will transform you even in the midst of the difficulty, the hardship and the pain." It's the kind of shepherd he is. Loving, tender, caring, meticulous, specific, definite. Nothing too big, nothing too small for the good shepherd. Well, listen to what he says. "He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness." That is, the good shepherd is only going to do what? In restoring us, He's only going to take us and do what? Set us back on the right path and lead us in paths of righteousness. That's right living. Right doing, right conduct, right behavior. Why? Here's the reason. Because he knows what is best for us. I can tell you one thing that's best for everybody. It doesn't make any difference who you are. I know one thing that's best for everybody. Obeying God. That's always the best way. He says, "He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Now what does he mean by that? Simply this: that you and I who are followers of Jesus Christ, we bear the name of Christian. We bear the name of saint. So when we live a godly life, what happens? God is glorified. We live disobedient, get out of God's will, make a mess of our life, what happens? It is to some degree a slam upon God and what He offers mankind and what He says in His Bible He can do. That is, He can transform our life and sanctify us unto Himself and teach us how and enable us to live a holy life. And we get out there living in sin, what? He says, "Leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." His name is to be honored. The life that we live either honors the name of Jesus or it dishonors Him. His purpose, his plan, his will, his goal is to lead us in paths of righteousness. Now, listen to what he says in this next part. He says, "He is a protecting shepherd." Look at this. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Now, the rod and the staff, for example, the shepherd would count his sheep by putting the rod out and the sheep would go under the rod. That's how they counted them. The rod and the staff, for example, the crook on it, when they got in trouble, he'd grab them by the neck and gently pull them back in. Likewise, used rod and the staff to defend the sheep against wild beasts or wild animals. Rod and staff. That rod and staff was a symbol to those sheep, it was a symbol of protection. He says, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Where? As we walk through the valley, look at this, of the shadow of death. "Even though I walk," not run, "through the valley," not in it, "on my way somewhere." What was the shepherd doing? Leading the sheep through the valley from one mountainside to the other, where the best grazing is. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Now, when we think in terms of the shadow of death, first of all, if you've got a shadow, it means you've got to have light. When he says the shadow of death, you can't have a shadow unless you've got light to shine on something to cast the shadow. He says that it's the shadow of death. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Okay, first of all, let's just make it as if we're talking about death. Even though we've walked through very, very difficult times in our life and a person faces death, He says, "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Here's what he's saying. He says, "This is the reason you and I don't have to fear evil, no matter what's going on." "Thou art with me." The fact that the good shepherd never leaves, what does he say? He says, "I'll never leave you nor forsake you." The good shepherd never leaves, never forsakes. He's right there with us every moment of every day. And I've been through some of those valleys just like you have, and they were dark and they were fearful, and I didn't see any light at the end of the tunnel. And you know what? But I knew that beside me walked the living Son of God. And as long as He's there, there is not anything that can touch us other than what He allows to touch us. And whether He allows it or not is according to His will, and whatever touches us, He will turn for our good, no matter what. Now, the shepherd so committed to keeping and protecting his sheep, you know where he slept? In the sheepfold, he slept at the door. So that no one, no animal could cross into the sheepfold to get the sheep unless they first crossed him. You know what? Thank Almighty God, nobody, the devil, no one can get to you and get to me unless the good shepherd allows it for some reason. Now, I want you to notice something else about him. Not only is he a personal shepherd, and a providing shepherd, and he's a protecting shepherd, I want you to notice something else about him here, that is he is a preparing shepherd. Listen to what he says now. Here's the part that often times we stumble with. He says, "Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou hast anointed my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Now, I want you to go back if you will just for a moment and look at that word when he says, "Thy rod and thy staff comfort me." The word comfort is two Latin words which means strength through companionship. What is it that comforts me? Relationship, intimacy with Him in those difficult times. Now, he is a preparing shepherd. What does he prepare? Now watch this. What in the world does he mean with this? He says, "Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Well, when he talks about preparing a table, he's talking about preparing our needs. He never comes up short. God is never late. There are no surprises with Him, so what? No matter what we're doing and where we are in life, He has already prepared every single thing we need. Now he says, "In the presence of our enemies." Well, we think, "Well, listen, who are my enemies?" No. You see, in those days when he was talking about this, he was talking about natural enemies. I mean, he had lots of them, not just wild beasts around his sheep, but you recall that David also had many enemies in his lifetime, King Saul being probably one of the most vicious ones of all. He said, "You set a table for me right in the presence of my enemies." Now, how would we apply that today? Well, more than likely, we don't have a lot of enemies. Maybe most of you don't anyway. So, what are my enemies? What are your enemies? Poor self-esteem, feelings of rejection, feelings of loneliness, feelings of despair, feelings of discouragement, and we can just go on down the list. Feelings of insecurity, feelings of being unloved, feelings of being shut out, feelings of being isolated, fear of the future. There are many, many enemies that you and I have to deal with. And so he says, "He's prepared a table for us." That is, he says, "I am prepared to meet every single need you have right in the midst of all of these things that you see trouble you and try you. And they're like enemies to your peace and enemies to your rest and enemies to your soul." He says, "I'm there." "Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Now look at this next phrase. He says, "Thou anointest my head with oil." What in the world does that have to do with the good shepherd? Here's what he's saying. For example, in those days when people came to see you, you would have their feet washed by a slave and refreshing their feet because they walked through dry, dusty roads, and then they'd put a little oil on your head. And all that was a refreshing kind of thing. And so he says, "Thou anointest my head with oil." What does he mean? Here's what he's saying. He says, "I'm preparing a table before you. I have everything you need right in the midst of all of these things that are enemies to your peace and the quietness of your soul." He says, "I want to invite you to them." And I want to invite you to the table. "Thou anointest my head with oil." You're inviting me to come to the table, cleansing me and refreshing me. "Thou anointest my head with oil." That's his way of saying that the good shepherd always invites us. We are always welcome in his presence. He's always providing for us. "I shall not want." Always there to prepare for us, always prepared beforehand. Listen, willing to refresh us. "Thou anointest my head with oil." Then he says, "My cup runs over." What is he saying? What what's he prepared for us? Whatever his preparation is, it's in abundance. He's a God who talks about the abundant life. He is a God who talks about plenty, about taking great pleasure in prospering his children. So when he says, "My cup's running over," what is he saying? He says, "God is providing so abundantly for us." In the midst of all of my needs, no matter what they are, He's providing and He's providing abundantly. My cup runs over. And then here's what he says, "Surely," that is for absolute certainty. He says, "God's goodness, which He has says He has stored up for those who love Him, and His mercy, His lovingkindness will do what?" He says, "Follow me." That word really means pursue me. That is, God wants to be merciful to us. God wants to be good to us. He desires to be good to us. He wants the best for us. We're his sheep. He listen, I'll tell you how how badly he wants us. He died for us. He says, "I'm the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep." "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." And if you'll think about it, you cannot think of anything that mercy and goodness does not involve. Every good thing that God could possibly do in your life and mine falls into the category of goodness and mercy. Follow you all the days of your life. And he says, "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Well, what is he saying in John chapter 14? This is what the good shepherd said. "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions, many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also." You know what happens? Good shepherd, when he was resurrected from the grave and ascended to the Father, preparation for what? The place you and I are going to spend eternity. The good shepherd, following us all the days of our life, goodness and mercy, and then when he chooses to take us home. He says, "What? He who has always prepared everything in time down here, is already preparing a place where you and I are going to spend eternity." Now let me ask you a question. If you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your savior, what assurance do you have? You don't have the good shepherd. You can't say, "I shall not want." You can't say, "I'm always led in green pastures and still waters." Does that mean he never leads us into difficulties? No, because you see, going through the valleys, the dark valleys of the shadow of death, those things that appear to be dangerous to us, He's the one who's leading us through the valley. But sometimes you make your own valley, you get out of God's will. But what assurance do you have without Jesus? The truth is, if I want God's best in my life, I begin by accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as my personal savior, who becomes my personal shepherd, who will provide for me, who will protect me in every circumstance of life, who will prepare everything I need, and who will see to it to the last breath in my life that what he promised, he will provide.
Guest (Male): You're listening to In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. God is capable of fulfilling every promise He makes, but His promises of provision and protection are available only to those who've received Jesus Christ as their savior. Place your faith in Him today and find rest in the arms of the good shepherd. To learn more about who Jesus is, you can visit us at intouch.org and go back over what you just heard by following the link to today on radio. And to order a copy of Dr. Stanley's complete message today, it's called The Good Shepherd. Just visit our online store. Again, you'll find these resources at intouch.org. And you can call or text us at the number 1-800-IN TOUCH. Or write to us, simply address your letter to In Touch, Post Office Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia 30357. And our toll-free again is 1-800-IN TOUCH. The Bible says that God did not give His followers a spirit of fear. See how to combat anxiety in today's moment with Charles Stanley. That's coming up.
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Guest (Male): You're listening to In Touch. The fourth chapter of Philippians teaches Christians to be anxious for nothing. Learn how God offers to protect you from fear in a moment with Charles Stanley. That's coming up.
Dr. Charles Stanley: People say, "Well, do you pray about everything?" Yes. "Well, why do you pray about everything?" In everything, with prayer and supplication, crying out to God. Let your request be made known to God. I don't have to beg, plead, let them be known to Him. And when he says the peace of God, when he says, "Well, God, does that mean he just surrounds us with this wall of protection?" Therefore, that being true, I have absolute peace. Now, if he lets something in that I don't like, or lets something in that that's painful, I just know in my heart there's a purpose. He says what? That is, he causes all things to work together for good. So even when he allows something to come through and to touch my life that I don't particularly like, that may cause me a bit of anxiety for the moment, or stress or whatever it might be, I just know to do what? Bring it to Him. And he says he will guard our minds and hearts. That doesn't mean that he takes away all problems and all suffering. But in the midst of that, man, let's say that I'm in the midst of this circumstance, it's very difficult. He's still guarding my heart because I know that he's in control. He's going to turn it for my good, no matter what. So that's the way we can live without anxiety.
Guest (Male): Visit us at intouch.org to find resources to help you trust in God and not be afraid. And if today's program has motivated you to get to know Jesus better, we'd love to hear that story. On the next edition of In Touch, are you free? If you're a believer in Jesus, you can be. Take a look at verses 31 and 32 of John chapter 8, and then join us for more on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia, and remains on this station through the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.