“I Shall Not Want”
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen. “The Lord is my shepherd . . .” We continue our sermon series, “A
Lenten Look at Psalm 23”: “I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.” It is very revealing and instructive that that Lord chooses to describe
our relationship to him as like that of sheep to their shepherd. You see,
sheep are not very intelligent or clever animals. They are unable to look
after themselves. Their welfare is entirely dependent upon their shepherd.
If they have a good shepherd, they will not be lacking in anything. But,
if they have a bad shepherd, they will have a hard and bitter life. In his book “A Shepherd looks as Psalm 23,” Phillip Keller writes about
his own firsthand experiences from working many years as a shepherd: “The shepherd on the farm next to my first ranch was the most
indifferent man I had ever met. He was not concerned about the condition of his
sheep. His land was neglected. He gave little or no time to his flock, letting
them pretty well forage for themselves as best they could, both summer and
winter. They fell prey to dogs, cougars, and rustlers. “Every year these poor creatures were forced to gnaw away at their
brown fields and impoverished pastures. Every winter there was a shortage of
nourishing hay and wholesome grain to feed the hungry sheep. Shelter to
safeguard and protect the suffering sheep from storms and blizzards was scanty
and inadequate. “They had only polluted, muddy water to drink. There was a lack of salt
and other trace minerals needed to offset their sickly pastures. In their thin,
weak, and diseased condition, these poor sheep were a pathetic site. “I can still see them standing at the fence, huddled sadly in little
knots, staring wistfully through the wires at the rich pastures on my ranch on
the other side. “To all their distress, the heartless, selfish shepherd seemed utterly callous and indifferent. He simply did not care. What if his sheep did want green grass, fresh water, shade, safety, or shelter from the storms? What if they did want relief from wounds, bruises, disease, and parasites? He ignored their needs, he couldn’t care less. Why should he? They were just sheep.” That is the attitude of a cruel, uncaring, bad shepherd. But we
have a good shepherd; THE Good Shepherd. In the ancient world the loyalty
and devotion of a good shepherd toward his flock was well-known and highly
praised. It was a great virtue to be a good shepherd. Isaiah
describes blessedness of the Good Shepherd’s flock: “They will neither hunger
nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has
compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Phillip
Keller also writes about this verse: “The strange thing about sheep is that because of their very makeup, it
is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down, unless four requirements
are met: “They refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear. “Sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction within the
flock. “If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when
free of these pests can they relax. “Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of
finding food. They must be free from hunger. “It is significant that to be at rest there must be a definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravation, and hunger. The unique aspect of the picture is that it is only the shepherd himself who can provide release from these anxieties.” The most important thing a good shepherd provides for his flock is
peace and security, so that the sheep have rest and refreshment. Trust in
your Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for you. He soothes your
anxieties and blesses you with refreshing peace of mind and soul. “My
sheep listen to my voice”, Jesus said. “I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them
out of my hand. . . Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has been
pleased to give you the kingdom.” The blessedness and peace that Psalm 23 describes will culminate in
heaven, as John writes in Revelation: “There before me was a great multitude
that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing
before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and
were holding palm branches in their hands. . . And they cried out in a
loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the
Lamb. . .’ Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes—who are
they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said,
‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are
before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who
sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching
heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will
lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes.’” “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Amen. Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office
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