All of us can both rejoice and grieve, due to the goodness of this wife, mother, and friend. He is there, right beside you, guiding and leading step by step. Jesus offers salvation to the all but many won't believe Him. We have many wants, but the psalmist points us to the reality that all that we may want in life is found and satisfied in the Shepherd. I dont think I knew that. How can we walk in the paths of righteousness? The putter is the essential club for golfers. Your observation of no shadow without light is a vision I treasure. My question to you this evening is, do you know the shepherd? John 10:26-28: You do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. O Eternal God, our Father, from whom we come and to whom we go, grant us the favor of Your divine presence at this time in our earthly pilgrimage; assure us by Your Holy Spirit that the one we serve, even Jesus, has conquered death and is alive forevermore; enable us to view our temporal lives in the light of the eternal; and so may our spirits grow calm and our vision clear. He leads me beside quiet waters. Now as we mourn the loss of our departed sister in Christ; we know that our loss is heavens gain. This made her eligible for marriage, and it seemed to put the promise of God at risk, because the promised "seed" was to come through the union of Abraham and Sarah. As one scholar said, "The psalm itself is green pasture; the psalm itself is still water; the psalm itself restores my soul." Hear it again in the joyous voice of a . By following the Jesus, the Good Shepherd. If you know anything about that period of history, you may remember that these armies hated one another. It could be said that you were not official until you got a pie in the face from Brandy. God is our shepherd He guides us through this earthly life. In the still, comforting waters of Holy Baptism, our Good Shepherd, the prince of Peace, who laid down His life for ours, provides rest, safety, and health. The words of David in Psalm 23 no longer are his expression of faith, but yours as well. And with Brandy, family didnt stop with blood. Whether or not you want to hear Psalm 23, we all need the truth of Psalm 23 because Psalm 23 is about Jesus, and he's the one we want to see. For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.. Ask God to show you where you can walk to know abundant life. endobj a closer walk psalm 23 philippians 4:13 july 15, 2018 . John the Baptist was a prophet, the prophet whose privilege it was to introduce Jesus of Nazareth as God's Messiah. Where do you need to study Gods word, so you are better prepared for Gods will? He does not just say that the Lord is a shepherd. For many months he sought to bring peace to them and their neighboring tribe. Not sure what you know about sheep but lets just say that without the shepherd there, the sheep would find themselves in desperate need of protection and provision. But dont forget all the great times you had together. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: Jesus Christ conquered sin, hell and the grave. Christians, he tells us, will grieve, but they will grieve in hope. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Do we know our children and spouses well enough to know what delights their hearts? a.) 0 2. Its ok to miss her. Psalm 23 is the most popular and probably the most read Psalm of all. The psalm begins with a strong personal affirmation of faith, 'The Lord's my shepherd' and everything else follows from that! In fact, it is a favorite funeral service text. Scripture: What are sheep like? There are many images in this psalm which hold particular meaning. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. He restores my soul. She had a feeling of wanting. Psalm 23 reminds us that God stands ready to be our shepherd if we will only let him. For centuries the Twenty-third Psalm has been one of the most treasured passages in all of Holy Scripture. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOUR rod and YOUR staff comfort me. Its trustworthy. Let me make a few comments about the hope which God offers to all those who face death, a hope which exchanges fear for faith. Psalm 23:2-3 ESV. He makes me lie down in green pastures; Its given me new insight into John 1.v.5. The Lord Jesus Christ then died for our sins, and suffered the penalty, our penalty, of death. A famous entertainer was once asked to recite the 23 rd Psalm in a performance. >> 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. Psalm 23 Funeral Meditation. Will you do that today? Now, if he must put this son to death, God would raise him. Even though I walk through the valley . >> Since the psalms are songs, whenever possible, they should be sung. The proof of that is not in what I say but in the life Ashley lived. Every person is special and unique and by visiting with the family you can learn something about the birth, work, background, character, age, or family of It was a difficult sermon and a hard loss. Scripture is clear if you want to know this Savior, to know this shepherd who must turn from living life for yourself and trust in Jesus as the Good Shepherd to lead you through life. I also trust and hope, though, that youve had some glimpses of the light. FIRST-PERSON: Funeral service's 23rd Psalm recitation underscores today's biblical illiteracy. You feel like right now you are walking through a valley of darkness. 4 A thousand years in your sight. Psalm 23 is not the only passage in the Bible that compares the Lord to a shepherd. Even when we dont see it the light accompanies us through the valley. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Knowing that his wife was beautiful, and fearing that the Egyptians would kill him, in order to marry his wife, Abraham instructed Sarah to lie, and to represent herself as his sister, not his wife. He goes on to say: "He makes me lie down in green pastures.". For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. If this is death, it is sweet! Thank you for adding so much to the meaning of it all. David could rejoice because the Lord, his Shepherd, was with Him. a.) Allow us to see this life with the assurance and power of Christ Jesus, who has conquered death and is alive with an everlasting life. It becomes a solid declaration that we are those people who have been richly blessed and so can lead lives of confidence, courage, and generosity, knowing that we have, indeed, been blessed to be a blessing.2. INTRODUCTION: We are in the middle of a three week series on this Psalm, and we are looking at what it means to have the Lord as your shepherd. He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Psalm 23 has become a daily adventure for me as I try to imagine what it means for me each day. He was not afraid of dying because God was with Him. Its what attracted you and me to him. John 6:37-40, Psalm 23, Psalms 23:1-6, Psalms 6:1-10, Sermon Topics: It never fades. Why do they need a shepherd? Isaiah 53:6 says: All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Life is really real here. What must it be like to step on shore, and find it - heaven; To take hold of a hand, and find it - Gods. Read Psalm 23. To get sheep to rest, they must be free from fear and sickness, there must be no worry among them, they must not be aggravated by the weather conditions, and they can't be hungry. It is among the most familiar, so much so that even people who are not religious or very knowledgable about Scripture recognize these words. His fear was replaced by faith. Brandy was someone who was caring to a fault. May the Good Shepherd provide for all your needs. Regardless of the faith background of people or no faith background at all, Psalm 23 is the most requested funeral scripture. 23:4 ). We have studied and loved as families, have had varying food needs and companionship needs. From the New Testament, we know why Abraham was willing to obey God, and to put his son to death. We learn it as children in Sunday School, and, at the other end of life, it is by far the most popular piece of Scripture that people ask for on their death beds. It was conversations I began having with Judy Gambill about 2 years ago that granted me new fresh insight on Psalm 23. His fear was replaced by faith. No one wants to. who is to shepherd my peopleIsrael. . He was fighting on a stretch of land for days on end. Kelvin, yes, it was a difficult sermon. I know that in my head but I have a hard time facing that in my life and in the lives of those I love. Death is the penalty for sin, and we are all sinners, worthy of death. Psalm 23 gives us a glimpse of the care God gives us in both our earthly and eternal lives. It would be dishonest of me if I didnt tell you this but it is in moments like that that I question everything I think and believe about our Creator. /Size 77 /T 108286 In my years of ministry, I had not preached on Psalm 23 before. - Romans 6:23". You see, Jesus was grieving. And I listened to Ashleys stories about how it happened time and again in his life. And in fact, I wanna ask you to do that . That sounds light-years away, but in fact it You may know the 23 rd Psalm, but do you know the Good Shepherd? Prophets have foretold the way of Jesus. I have always heard sheep described as stupid. /Length 316 From the Lectionary for Mass, no. It is in moments like this that I have no answers, explanations, or understanding for myself or for you. We ask Jesus to restore our souls. Even when she did not know what she wanted. "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" I will close by returning to Psalm 90, You return mankind to the dust, saying, "Return, descendants of Adam." - Psalm 90:3. Intro. . I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; This is the best funeral sermon Ive ever read/heard for a tragic death. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Since the themes of eternal rest, peace, and comfort are so dominant throughout the six short verses, the poem provides hope and encouragement to those left behind. While we are walking in this valley, God is still with you. I mentioned earlier that death was not apart of Gods plan. How often are you and I in that place? After he finished everyone gave him a generous round of applause. Even though I walk through the . Do you have this hope? 0000001654 00000 n This is what the Good Shepherd has done for us. First, David's faith rested in God. The restoration He gives is forgiveness of sin and peace with God. He restores my soul. We are the sheep in this passage. Herod did not know the prophecies of the Messiahs birth. When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. He can't restore us if we don't listen to His voice. Today, however, will not let us escape that reality. = Admit that you are a sinner and can't save yourself. But we do go through great and terrible difficulties all of the time, and God constantly warns us of these dangers and difficulties in His Holy Word. Marsh for adding a new dimension to my understanding of the shadow being backed by a source of light. Its a matrix in which God and everything and everyone are connected. Psalm 23 is one of those places. Psalm 23:4 Yea, 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. Our new Preaching Suite solution makes it easy to prepare, preach and archive your sermons. That greater reality is what illumined his life and made him so tender hearted. He said he had glimpsed a time in the future when all of them would be together in heaven, and all their earthly conflicts would disappear. Church Of God. Theres been a mistake. by the Rev. Required fields are marked *. In the face of a world that spends obscene amounts of money to convince us via advertising that we have great wants and only the right clothes, toys, cars, or even vacations can fill them how radical it sounds I shall not want. I pray Gods healing and consolation for you. 0000017411 00000 n 0000018903 00000 n BUT TODAY I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S MESSAGE IS NOT FOR DEAD PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LOVED We who work with God, also need to know one another. And neither do you. Biblically, prophets shine the light on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Spend time in the Bible today, so you know Gods will and way. Psalm 121. If so, you will no longer be enslaved by the fear of death. That does not mean we are without hope. He makes me lie down in green pastures. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," To honestly and earnestly say that there are those without homes in our community, and what they need is significant assistance of housing, food, guidance in budgeting and job skills, encouragement, and support, so they can live a full life in their own space and place. 0000032765 00000 n 0000017864 00000 n 0000003043 00000 n Ted A. Giese / Friday October 23rd 2020: Season of Pentecost / Psalm 23 'Lord Take My Hand' The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters.He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousnessfor His name's sake. Or for you valley of darkness death was not apart of Gods.. Food needs and companionship needs God would raise him meaning of it all and everyone are connected show you you. With Judy Gambill about 2 years ago that granted me new insight into 1.v.5! 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