“Psalm 23”
Sermon Series
Part 9
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
Let God and the Power of the Holy Spirit be the remedy to any problem or threat in your life.
Your life is not a D.I.Y. project.
Let God help you.
David in Psalm 23 has taken us through a year in the life of a sheep.
The shepherd has taken them from the home ranch where every need is provided by the owner, out into the green pastures, along the still waters, through the mountain valleys up to the tablelands of the summer ranges.
It is in the beauty of the summer, with winter gone that the sheep face a deadly enemy the fly. There is the warble fly, botfly, heel fly, nasal fly, deer fly, and black flies…not to mention mosquitos, gnats, and other small parasites that can infect sheep.
Shepherd and author Timothy Keller wrote;
“Sheep are especially troubled by the nose fly, or the nasal fly, as it is sometimes called. These little flies buzz about the sheep’s head, attempting to deposit their eggs on the damp, mucous membranes of the sheep’s nose. If they are successful the eggs will hatch in a few days to form small, slender, worm-like larvae. They work their way up the nasal passages into the sheep’s head: they burrow into the flesh and there set up an intense irritation accompanied by severe inflammation.” -Timothy Keller
We can take a lesson from the life of a sheep regarding dangers to us.
It is not always the big things that are the worst threats to us.
It can be something as small, or something so seemingly insignificant in our life as a fly that can really do us harm.
Just when things looks like they may all be going well in our life, we must beware.
It may be the small irritations, if not dealt with properly that may do us the greatest harm.
THE SHEEP’S REMEDY FOR THEMSELVES
Here are some ineffective things that sheep try to deal with flies and parasites.
These are all false remedies that do not work.
Sheep will beat their heads against trees, rocks, posts or bushes.
Because they are afraid, sheep will stamp their feet erratically.
They will Run around from place to place to escape, even to the point of exhaustion.
They may toss their heads up and down for hours.
Sheep may run away and hide from other sheep.
They may refuse to eat out in the open.
Young sheep will stop eating all together.
Their actions will have an extremely negative affect upon the rest of the flock.
And all because of a little “fly.”
One bad apple spoils the whole bunch. And that bad apple can be as small as a fly or gnat.
One tiny piece of eggshell can ruin the whole pie.
A sheep that does not have the proper remedy will eventually become blind.
Do you see the lesson for us of the importance of our properly seeking the true remedy to our problems in life.
To the degree that we do not, we too will become progressively blind to the correct remedy which is of course, our Good Shepherd, the Lord.
THE SHEPHERD’S REMEDY FOR THEIR SHEEP
Shepherds would make a homemade remedy composed of linseed oil, sulfur and tar that was smeared over the nose and head of the sheep as a protection against the flies.
This had an immediate effect.
It is often the flies of life, the little things, the small stone in our shoe, the small sliver or splinter in our flesh that can end up causing us the biggest problems.
If not properly dealt with, the stone will become a boulder weighing us down … and the splinter will become a thorn in our flesh which will drive us or others … crazy.
We have allowed to many petty annoyances to ruin too many good things in our lives.
GOD’S REMEDY FOR US IS THE HOLY SPIRIT
We are not D.I.Y. projects.
[Do It Yourself]
Jesus said to his Disciples;
“All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
-John 14:25-27
We are not D.I.Y. projects as it relates to learning/being reminded/not letting your heart be troubled… WE NEED JESUS/OIL
“When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out [anointed] on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope [certain hope] of eternal life.”
-Titus 3:4-7
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
-1 Corinthians 3:16
God’s remedy [His Holy Spirit] needs to be continually applied.
There is a reason why we call them “Daily” devotions.
It is because we need to apply God’s remedies to our problems on a daily basis.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. [This is a double-negative which emphasizes the truth that they “Always Work”. We tend to notice things that don’t work more than the things that do work. Most people focus on the negative. So this verse points out that despite how we think or feel, God “never fails”.] 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait [daily] for him.” 25 The Lord is good to those whose hope [daily] is in him, to the one who seeks him [daily]…40 Let us examine our ways and test them [daily], and let us return to the Lord.
-Lamentations 3:22-25,40
David said that God anointed his head with oil and that his cup overflowed – he received great blessings of many kinds.
SOME BASIC INFO ABOUT ANOINTING
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon the three positions
Prophet
Priest
King
Prophets spoke for God.
Priests were the go-between for us between us and God.
Anointing of the King
Symbolic custom of his day in which Kings where anointed to represent the chosen one of God.
This anointing was also representative of the responsibilities and if you will accountability that the King would assume over the people.
Anointing of People for Healing
Anointing was also done for both physical and spiritually healing.
One great example is found in the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34+
He bandaged the wounds of the beaten man and poured on oil for healing.
James 5:14 says that church leaders can be called to pray for sick people to be anoint with oil healing and prayed for.
(Remember that oil had a variety of medicinal properties for physical healing)
Anointing to Set Someone or Something Apart for a Special Purpose
We as believers and followers of Christ must indeed be separated for the service of God.
Ie. Living in this world but not of this world.
Areas Where Satan Tries to Anoint Us.
In areas where things bug us.
In areas where we are being tempted.
In areas where we have lost our joy.
In areas where we have lost our peace.
In areas where we have lost some faith.
Ie. Oil changes must be done or else…
Have lost your joy, peace, some faith?
Satan is trying to steal your hope.
Don’t give him access.
John 10:10
“The thief [Satan] does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. But Jesus has come that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly.”
God has an answer.
His answer is described in terms of his being The Good Shepherd that anoints our head with oil and allows our cup to run over.
The oil that David is talking about is actually a symbolic representation of God’s Holy Spirit!
In the Old Testament Covenant the people would apply blood to the high priests as part of his anointing?
First to the right ear.
[Symbolic of the mind.]
Second to his right thumb.
[Symbolic of the work]
Finally to his right toe.
[Symbolic of the walk]
It was all a symbolic gesture representing cleansing and anointing!
It was on the day of Pentecost, that God poured His Holy Spirit on His people.
This happened for a purpose.
The good shepherd was anointing their heads with oil [with the Holy Spirit] and they couldn’t contain themselves.
GOD WANTS US TO OVERFLOW
God has created us to overflow.
Our life should have a positive effect on others.
What is inside will eventually come outside.
On Pentecost, they were filled with a new power and their cups began to overflow!
The blessings of God on their lives began to overflow to others and bless others.
In fact three thousand where added to the faith that day because of their testimony of God’s anointing!
Just as engines need oil changes and maintenance continually, so do we as people.
We need to protect our oil from leaking or being contaminated.
1 John 2:15-28
“Do not love the world or anything in the world…16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world…
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth... 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.”
BE READY
(Read Matthew 25 and the
Parable of ten virgins)
Five of them were wise,
but five of them were foolish.
Five were ready, but five were not.
Five were true Christians,
five were not.
God has set you apart.
He loves blessing you.
He wants to work in us and through us.
Let him.
God’s 9-Point Inspection
[The Fruit of the Spirit]
Galatians 5:22-24
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control… 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Picture these nine pieces of fruit as oil that protects you from the great danger of parasites that can make your life miserable.
In addition to being a great DEFENSE
[using a sports analogy]
they are also a great OFFENSE for scoring and being successful as a Christian.
Let God and the Power of the Holy Spirit be the remedy to any problem or threat in your life.
Your life is not a D.I.Y. project.
Let God help you.
He really wants to.