Podcasts about great shepherd

Series: Psalm 23Sermon Title: I Shall Not Want (Contentment)Main Scripture: Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."Synopsis: As humans, we have an infinite desire for more. Yet, this Psalm declares "I shall not want." Taken in isolation, this is an impossibility. But in relation to following the Great Shepherd, we can find contentment in where He has us and where He is leading us.May 4, 2025 • Kyle Smith• • • • • • • •.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Join us for service in person and online every Sunday at 10am (MST) at the City Life Community Center in Missoula, MT. We believe that you matter. We would love to connect with you and hear your story! https://www.anchorchurchmissoula.com/contactIf you would like to engage financially with Anchor Church you can give by texting any amount to 84321 or by visiting https://www.anchorchurchmissoula.comNeed prayer or have a praise report? https://www.anchorchurchmissoula.com/prayerpraiseFor more information about Anchor Church or ways to get connected visit us at https://www.www.anchorchurchmissoula.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - @anchorchurchmissoula - https://www.instagram.com/anchorchurchmissoulaFacebook - @anchorchurchmissoula - https://www.facebook.com/anchorchurchmissoula

At times in your walk with Christ, the weight of the world can feel overwhelming, leading you to question whether you are strong enough to endure. This feeling can be even more intense if you are in a leadership position. That's why Pastor Johnny reminds you that placing your faith in Jesus allows Him to guide you through any storm.

Have you ever felt like you were moving from one storm to another, wondering when your time of peace will arrive? In today's message, Pastor Johnny encourages you to place your faith in Jesus Christ and trust in His promises for your life, assuring you that He will keep you safe and help you prosper.

If you've been in the church for a long time, you know that not everyone is perfect. Sometimes, when someone goes through a series of unfortunate experiences, it can lead them to question whether all people in Christ behave that way. But today, Pastor Johnny encourages you to have faith in Jesus and allow Him to place godly people in your life.

In this sermon on Hebrews 13:1–21, Pastor Benjamin Kandt explores how unshakeable faith takes root in everyday life. As the letter to the Hebrews draws to a close, the author turns from theological depth to practical exhortation — calling the church to live with love, hospitality, sexual integrity, contentment, and respect for spiritual leaders. Pastor Benjamin unpacks how these ordinary, often overlooked practices are actually extraordinary when grounded in Christ, who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”The sermon culminates in the majestic benediction of verses 20–21, where God is revealed as the One who equips His people through the risen Christ, our Great Shepherd. Pastor Benjamin reminds us that the Christian life is not lived in our own strength, but in the power of God's grace, enabling us to do His will. This message invites us to embody our theology in community — living out gospel truth in love, sacrifice, and faithful obedience.

The hope set before us as an anchor of our soul is that Jesus Christ has already gone before us into the holy of holies where God dwells in glory. God's Word promises that we will be with Him there one day. That future reality is already secured by the finished work of Jesus, our High Priest. He is also our Great Shepherd who “through the blood of the eternal covenant” equips us “with everything good for doing His will” while we are on earth. (Heb 13:20–21; see also Eph 2:8–10) This hope as an anchor holds us steady in this life and secure in the future because it is firmly attached to the eternal throne of God. Thanks for listening. God bless you! To find out more about our church please go to www.whccnb.org.

In this inspiring and thought-provoking message delivered in Malaysia in 2007, Kevin Conner unpacks what it means to hear, know, and follow the voice of Jesus — the Great Shepherd. A timely reminder of the relational nature of faith and the importance of spiritual discernment. For more information about Kevin Conner and his ministry, visit www.kevinconner.org 

newlifesouthcoast.com​​

Hebrews 13:7, 17-21 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider their way of life, and imitate their faith. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. 18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom by the glory forever and ever. Amen. NOTES ON THE LESSON ON FOLLOWERSHIP Three Questions of Followership: 1 Whose faith are you imitating? 2 Are you willing to submit to someone else? 3 Are you a joy to lead? A Call to Imitate: 1 Corinthians 11:1 - "Be imitators of me, just as I imitate Christ." It is beneficial to have people in our lives whose faith we can imitate. Jesus Learned Obedience: Hebrews 5:8 - “Although Jesus was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” Obedience and submission are learned behaviors. The Whole of Christianity: The whole of Christianity is about learning to surrender and yield every aspect of your life – every part of it – all of it – to the lordship of Jesus Christ. That's what the Christian faith is all about. The Followership Continuum: The Hebrew writer makes a continuum for following leaders. On one side of the continuum is joy and on the other side of the continuum is burden. NOTES FROM THE LESSON ON SOUL CARE Book on Church Leadership: The Care of Souls:Cultivating a Pastor's Heart by Harold L. Senkbeil The task of the leader in the church is to maintain a constant watch over the souls who have been committed to his care. The Role of the Watchman in the Old Testament: Watchmen were individuals who were appointed to their role and given the responsibility to watch over a city. Typically, they would be posted on a high wall or a tower so that they could see either a messenger or the enemy coming from long distances. The Primary Task of the Church Leader is to "Tend to the Soul" Humans do not have souls, humans are uniquely souls. We are both physical and spiritual, mortal and immortal, ordinary and unique in all of creation. There is nothing else like us in all of God's creation. We are souls.  The Shepherd and His Sheepdog: The relationship of the shepherd and his sheepdog beautifully illustrates the work of the shepherd in the local church with his ears tuned attentively to the voice of the Great Shepherd and his eyes focused carefully on the Great Shepherd's sheep. The Because of Submission: We submit to the shepherds of the local church because they are in a position of responsibility and accountability to the one who is in a position of authority – our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep.  Discussion Questions 1. Who are some people who you have imitated in your life (in any aspect of life)? Who are two or three people whose faith you imitate? What is it about their faith that you imitate?  2. Are you willing to submit to someone else? Can you think of a time when it was hard to submit to someone else? What made it so difficult? Can you think of a time when it was a good thing to submit to someone else? What made it good? Does knowing the "because" of submission in verse 17 help you to be someone who is more willing to submit to them?  3. Where might you place yourself on the followership continuum? Can you think of an example when you or another person was a joy to lead? Can you think of an example when you or another person was a burden to lead?  4. What aspect of the lesson on soul care helped you to better understand the role of the leader in the church?  5. Spend some time praying for the shepherd nomination process at Southside. The shepherd selection team has provided us with a great prayer guide. There is a link to the prayer guide on church center. 

Monday, 5 May 2025   But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36   “And having seen the crowds, He gut-wrenched about them, for they were having been enervated and having been strewn, as sheep not having a shepherd” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was said to have gone about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues about the gospel of the kingdom. He was also said to cure those with every sickness and disease. Now, Matthew records, “And having seen the crowds, He gut-wrenched about them.”   Here is a new word, splagchnizomai, translated as gut-wrenched. It is derived from splagchnon, meaning the bowels or inward parts. Thus, it signifies to have the bowels yearn. A single, hyphenated word to get a literal sense of what is conveyed would be gut-wrenched. Figuratively, it signifies having compassion.   Jesus looked at the masses, and His internal parts surely moved with pity, sadness, and a deep yearning to take away their lost state. Understanding this, the reason for it is next stated, saying, “for they were having been enervated and having been strewn.”   Two more new words, both perfect participles, are seen here. The first is ekluó. HELPS Word Studies says, it is from “ek, ‘out from and to' and lýō, ‘loose, let go') – properly, let completely out as to (entirely) succumb, i.e. with the outcome of losing inner strength; hence, to become weary (exhausted), to the point of fainting.” Thus, a great word to match the thought is enervate.   The next new word is rhiptó. The root of this word signifies to fling. Thus, it gives the sense of being scattered about. A suitable word to catch the intent is strewn. The reason for this tired and disheveled state of the people is because they were “as sheep not having a shepherd.”   Sheep without a shepherd would be in just this state. They would be worn out from a lack of care. They would also be enervated and strewn about as they were harassed by lions, wolves, or other predators. This is what the people of Israel were like. The Old Testament repeatedly explains why this was so. Jeremiah 50 gives the sense –   “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place. 7 All who found them have devoured them; And their adversaries said, ‘We have not offended, Because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, The Lord, the hope of their fathers.'” Jeremiah 50:6, 7   The shepherds of Israel, the leaders of the people, failed to responsibly tend to the people. They led them astray, they abused them for their own gain, and they wore them out in the process. This sentiment is reflected throughout the writings of the prophets.   Life application: In the New Testament, Jesus states He is the good Shepherd, thus fulfilling the typology seen in the Old Testament, such as –   “Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” Isaiah 40:10, 11   By claiming to be the good Shepherd, Jesus was claiming to be the Lord incarnate. He was stating to the people that it is He who would tend to His flock and bring them safely through the times of trouble. This is not limited to the people of Israel, but all of God's people. Jesus is the one to unite the flocks into one –   “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:11-16   Thank God for Jesus, who is there to lead and tend to His people.   Glorious God, thank You for the hope we possess of resting forever in Your presence because of Jesus. We long for the day when we, Your sheep, are gathered together forever under our Great Shepherd, Jesus. Amen.

In today's devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef explains what it means that Jesus is “the gate for the sheep.” This devotional is adapted from MY Journal, Leading The Way's monthly devotional magazine. Sign up now for a free six-month subscription to MY Journal—Dr. Youssef's gift to you.If you would like more insight into today's devotional topic, you can learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef's sermon series The Exclusivity of Jesus: WATCH NOW

Deuteronomy 20 speaks of laws covering the behaviour of the Israelites in warfare. The priests were to stimulate the courage of the Israelites as they were about to enter into battle. If any man had married recently he would be allowed a year off before joining the army. Similarly anyone would be allowed to partake of their first fruits before enlisting for active army service. Yahweh would fight for His host; however if anyone in the nation was fearful, or doubted their Omnipotent Sovereign's ability to deliver His people then that person was to be sent home so as to not damage the morale of his comrades. For nations other than the seven Canaanitish nations terms of peace were to be offered and if accepted that nation would become a tributary nation. Should terms of peace be rejected then siege would be made, the males of that city would be destroyed and the spoil taken by the Israelites. As for the Canaanitish nations no quarter was to be shown to them, but they were to be totally destroyed. Israel was commanded that during the siege timber could be taken from any tree except fruit trees. Ecclesiastes 12 verses 1-8 instruct us to remember our Creator is the days of our youth. For, says the wise man, the time will come when every desire fails – this he terms the evil day. Those of us who are aging rapidly feel that day encroaching too rapidly. Verses 2 describe the aging process and the declining of the body in a series of graphic and frightening metaphors. Verse 2 speaks of the inability to distinguish light from night and as the bodily heat becomes lost to know what season the aging person is in. Verse 3 tells of the enfeebling of the arms and legs. The same verse tells of the decaying of the teeth and their falling out; and of failing eyesight. Verse 4 is describing the loss of interest in anything external to themselves and the failure to experience stimulation through music and other past delights. Verse 5 describes the anxiety that accompanies aging – everything is an insurmountable trouble. The aged person is resembling a crippled grasshopper dragging itself by its front legs. There is no longer pleasure in anything and the decrepit individual cannot wait for death to come. Verse 6 speaks of the instability of the spine; of the failure of the brain to function; and of the breakdown of the heart. Verse 7 speaks of the end – the body returns to the dust from which it came (Genesis 2:7; 3:17-19). And so, says Solomon, life as an end in itself is entirely meaningless. Verses 9-12 describe the Preacher's exertions to reach wise ways in which there will profit and as assurance of a future. Wise counsel will result in responding to the Almighty and walking in His ways. He will goad us and guide us in the paths of righteousness. God is the Great Shepherd whose Word is firm and His counsel unfailing. And so concludes the Assembler of wise sayings – Koheleth, or the Preacher – in verses 13-14 that the whole, complete, man is the one who reverences God and walks in the way of His commandments. Acts 11 commences with Peter being caused to justify why he baptised Gentiles. We next have a description of the progress of the truth in Antioch in the province of Syria, where believers were first derisively called ‘Christians'. One of these faithful believers is a prophet named Agabus. He prophesies of a great famine that would affect the entire Roman world. The disciples of Antioch start a fund to help Judean believers, who were greatly affected and in dire need. In Acts 12 Herod Antipas kills the Apostle James – the year was AD 44. Seeing how much this delighted the Jews Herod has Peter arrested for execution after Passover. Despite being securely chained between guards the angel of the Lord causes a deep sleep to overcome the guards and releases Peter. Peter proceeds to the house where the ecclesia is gathered to pray for his deliverance. A maid named Rhoda answers the door and runs to tell the disciples that Peter was outside. Rhoda is told that she must be mistaken. The disciples say that it must be Peter's “messenger” (Greek angelos- angel). Peter is admitted to the house and he recounts how he had been delivered. James, the half brother of Jesus. was informed and told Peter to secretly depart to a different location where he cannot be found. Herod kills the guards (verses 20-23). The chapter concludes with an account of Herod's narcissistic claims and his being smitten with dysentery by the angel of God and Herod dying verses 20-23. Nonetheless the Word of God exceedingly prevails.

April 30, 2025

In the message, "EQUIPPED," Pastor Rich Whitter unpacks Hebrews 13:20–21, highlighting the God who not only calls us but thoroughly equips us for every good work. As our church's new benediction, these verses remind us that the resurrected Jesus—the Great Shepherd of the sheep—continually works in us what is pleasing in His sight. Pastor Rich emphasizes that we are not left to figure out life or faith on our own; instead, through Christ's power, we are made ready, strengthened, and sent with purpose.This powerful reminder assures us that God Himself is our source of strength and success. Pastor Rich urges us to live confidently, knowing that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead is actively shaping us for His glory. The message concludes with a call to rely on His ongoing work within us, embracing each day as an opportunity to walk fully equipped by the grace and power of Christ.We hope this message inspires you to trust that God is faithfully preparing you—today and every day—for the good works He has set before you. As we declare this new benediction together, may it anchor your heart in the unshakable truth: He will finish what He has started in you.

Jesus is the Great Shepherd who leads the sheep. To follow him, we must know how he leads. The Shepherd leads us as our provider, protector, and Lord.

Title: Love and Honor Text: Acts 20:36-38 FCF: We often struggle having a good relationship between leaders and followers. Prop: Because the relationship of the Elders to the church must be one of love and honor, we must devote ourselves to love and honor one another. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 20. In a moment we'll read from the Legacy Standard Bible starting in verse 36. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Over the last couple of weeks, we have had longer sermons covering Paul's final exhortation to these Ephesian Elders. So, this week I am giving you a break and a chance to digest everything before we celebrate easter next week. This will certainly be a shorter sermon, but there are still many things we can glean from this text. Last week Paul concluded his thoughts toward the Elders of Ephesus. He serves as their template and commands them to shepherd the flock of God well. His last words express a great truth spoken by Jesus Himself, it is more blessed to give than to receive. They must be givers, spending themselves for the sake of the flock which God purchased with the blood of Christ. What follows is the response. What does Paul do after saying all these things, and what do the Elders do after hearing all these things? In this we see a pattern emerge. Just as Paul is a Pastor to these Pastors, so his example and their example serves as a pattern for our Elders and our church to follow. Let us stand to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Most gracious Father, we thank You for sending Your Son, our Great Shepherd. He laid down His life for His sheep. He knows His sheep. His sheep hear His voice. He prayed… not for the world, but for all those lambs whom You gave to Him. He protected them. He Loved them. He made them vessels of honor. Now Father, Your Spirit has appointed undershepherds to continue shepherding while Christ is physically absent from us. We know that Jesus is always with us, but we also know that the Spirit is now our comforter and counselor and that He has equipped men called Elders to shepherd your precious lambs. May we be grown in this text to be a church who holds the right relationship between these Spiritually appointed men and those whom they have been given to shepherd. May we have a ministry where mutual love and honor is given to each other. Show us this in Your Word today we ask in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] Throughout all of God's creation, there are several examples of relationships He has made that are symbiotic. For instance, clownfish dwell inside sea anemones which protects them from predators while living there, the clown fish cleans the anemone of parasites. Remora fish attach themselves to sharks and whales eating scraps of food from when their host eats. In exchange they clean the shark or whale of parasites. Bees collect nectar from flowers pollenating and reproducing the plant in the process. These animals need each other to survive. The very first humans were created to be two halves of the image of God. It could be said that Husbands and Wives need one another in a symbiotic relationship of sorts. Today we will see that this entity God created called the church is also in a symbiotic relationship. The Elders and the church exist in a symbiotic relationship of mutual love and honor – because neither can exist without the other. At least not for long. Let's look at this relationship as it is displayed in the epilogue of this meeting between Paul and the Ephesian Elders. I.) The relationship of the Elders to the church must be one of love and honor, so Elders must pray for the church. (36) a. [Slide 3] 36 - And when he had said these things, i. Because we had to divide Paul's final exhortation message into two, it would behoove us to review even for a few minutes what Paul said. ii. The text this morning provides to us this opportunity, as it references that everything that follows is after he said what he said. iii. First Paul walked them through his own personal example among them. iv. How he was humble and gave of himself through many tears and trials to teach them all that God had revealed through Christ and calling all men to repentance and faith. v. In the same way they needed to be blameless and do the work of an Elder to share the gospel and teach thoroughly all that God had revealed. vi. Second, Paul charged them to dutifully and diligently shepherd the church. He told them to do this because the church has been given infinite value in the blood of Christ and because false teachers are coming who will destroy them. vii. And since they had received freely from God and from him, they must give of themselves freely, even to the point of supporting those who are destitute among them. Teaching them and encouraging them so they can be givers and not just takers. viii. Because as Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. ix. After Paul said all this… he continues to instruct them as to what kind of Elders they should be, but he does so by demonstration. b. [Slide 4] he knelt down and prayed with them all. i. The final component of what it means to be an Elder, is to be a man of prayer. ii. In a sign of humility, Paul kneels down and prays with them. iii. This probably means that Paul knelt first to pray and that they joined with him. iv. Luke does not give us the content of his prayer, but I don't think it is a stretch to assume that his prayer consisted of both praises to God and also deep and tearful pleas for God to preserve and protect the ministry in the church in Ephesus. v. That God would guide and lead the Elders and that He would prevent doctrinal error from destroying the unity and the effectiveness of the Ephesian church and the impact they would have on the rest of the province of Asia and beyond. vi. In this he demonstrates how leaders, who are truly caring for the body of Christ, are to be men who spend time in earnest prayer for God's people. vii. Truly, without God we are nothing. viii. Knowing that they are but undershepherds who do not have all the answers, who are not able to administer and guide of their own strength, being humble and meek, Elders must seek the Lord in all their duties. For it is only by His strength and will that anything accomplished will endure. c. [Slide 5] Summary of the Point: In this final epilogue, ending the 3rd missionary journey of Paul and closing out the mission to the city of Ephesus, we see Paul's relationship with the Elders through the lens of this final scene with them. After exhorting them and warning them of the challenges which they will face, Paul prays with and for them before he departs. This illustrates for us that the proper relationship between the Elders and the church is one of love and honor. One way that the Elders express love and honor to the church is to pray earnestly for the sake of the church. This shouldn't be surprising to us. In the book of Acts we saw already how the apostles created the office of Deacon in order to allow themselves the freedom to focus on prayer and the teaching of the Scriptures. Since the office of Overseer inherits several functions of the apostolic gift, we might expect the roles of an Elder to mimic that of an Apostle. And one of those roles on display is to pray for the church. So, we Elders must also pray earnestly for our people. In this we express love for them and honor to them as the flock which God purchased with the blood of His Son. Transition: [Slide 6(blank)] But since this relationship is one of mutual love and honor, what is the role of the church toward the Elders? II.) The relationship of an Elder to the church is one of love and honor, so the church must appreciate their Elders. (37-38) a. [Slide 7] 37 - And they began to weep aloud and falling on Paul's neck, they were kissing him, i. In the last two verses of chapter 20 we have the general response of the Elders to Paul's exhortation and closing prayer. ii. All of the Elders present began weeping aloud and falling on Paul's neck. iii. This is an idiomatic expression for hugging or embracing. iv. Why are they crying so much, hugging and kissing Paul? v. Some of why they were weeping no doubt had to do with the threat of false teaching that was coming to Ephesus. vi. Some of it was due to the great weight being placed on their shoulders to lead like Paul did. vii. Some of it was the revelation that some of them would become false teachers in the future. viii. But the primary reason for their tears is pointed out to us by Luke. b. [Slide 8] 38 - being in agony especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again and they were accompanying him to the ship. i. They are weeping because of what Paul suggested to them that they would not see his face any longer. ii. Perhaps they thought this meant that Paul would die soon. I don't think Paul thought he was going to die, only that he would not enter into ministry with them again before he did. iii. They were hugging him, kissing him, and weeping in agony over this. iv. Just as Paul served as an example to these Elders on how to be Elders. So now, these Elders serve as an example to the church on how to love and honor their Elders. v. Therefore, this is the appropriate response of the congregation to an Elder who has served well and is retiring or is approaching death. vi. The congregation should know what a great gift godly leaders are to their assembly. vii. They should know this to the point of giving honor to those who serve well. Honor, respect, submission and love. viii. We see their love and honor of Paul expressed in their desire to see him to the ship and spend every last second they could with him. ix. Some scholars suggest that “accompanying him to the ship” is an idiom suggesting that these Elders put into practice what Paul had taught them and gave him many provisions for his trip to Jerusalem. x. What an amazing expression of gratefulness for his service to them as an apostle. c. [Slide 9] Summary of the Point: Once again we see that the relationship between the Elders and the church which is illustrated in Paul's relationship to these Elders, is one of love and honor. These Elders know of Paul's love and honor for them. In turn, they loved and honored him. As he turns to Jerusalem to face whatever the Lord has in store for him there, the Elders embrace him, kiss him, and provide for him and his journey. This illustrates the church's love and honor of their Elders by being grateful for them. Elders who serve well are worthy of honor. And those who labor long in leadership and the study of the word are worthy of double honor. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today CBC, and how then shall we live? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 10] Over the last several weeks Paul has been the example that Luke sets before us of what constitutes a godly church leader. We've seen how godly church leaders prioritize the spiritual instruction of God's people. We've seen the character qualities an Elder must possess in order to lead, chief among them being blamelessness. We've seen that Shepherding God's flock is the primary role of an Elder which includes both their protection from false teaching by rooting them in truth and also their physical care. And today we pivot slightly to show the mutual relationship of love and honor that ought to exist between the Elders and the church. Elders who are excellent shepherds show love and honor to the church by praying for them and with them. And the church shows love and honor to the Elders by appreciating them and their efforts. But let me express some more tangible applications for us today from this tiny little sermon. 1.) [Slide 11] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the relationship between the Elders and the church should be characterized by love and honor. a. Paul is the Pastor of these Pastors. b. He demonstrates who they should be and what they should do for the church. c. In this sense, we see the mutual relationship of love and honor between the church and their leaders. d. We've seen the great care that Paul put into these men. We've seen his heart for them, his passion for them, his sacrifice for them. They must go and do the same. e. And if they do, the church should and must respond like these Elders did to Paul. f. The church should show love and honor to them by appreciating their heart, their passion, and their sacrifice as they care for their souls. g. The relationship between our Elders and the church should look like the relationship between a husband and his wife. h. This shouldn't shock us since the relationship between a husband and wife should look like the relationship between Christ and the church. i. And the Elders are undershepherds and stewards of Christ's church until He returns for her. j. So in many ways the Elders have responsibilities that Christ would perform if He were here among us bodily. k. But no matter how many years you've lived on this earth – it is difficult for us to imagine a form of leadership or government that we could love and honor. l. In fact, it seems like we can pendulum swing far and wide when it comes to our view of leaders. More on that in a moment. m. But the picture that the Bible paints for us concerning the Elders/Pastors or Overseers and the church body itself is one of mutual love, honor, and even dependence. Neither can exist without the other. Elders have nothing to lead if the church is absent and the church is rudderless and disunified when they do not have Overseers. n. As difficult as it may be for us to do so – we must affirm and even seek to have this relationship between the Elders and the church. o. But what are some ways we get this wrong? 2.) [Slide 12] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that Elders must be served without question or treated with constant suspicion. a. In a perverted sense of honor, some churches view their pastors or overseers as leaders who have absolute authority over their lives. i. They obey whatever their Elders say without question as if the Lord Jesus Himself had said it. ii. Now although Elders are undershepherds and do tend the flock of Christ, we do not for one instant consider this flock ours. We know that you all are His, because He purchased you with His precious blood. Why do we know that so well? Well, because He had to purchase us the same way. We are mere sheep. iii. We also have absolutely no authority to command you to do anything except what the Scriptures have said. iv. This does not mean that our advice and counsel is meaningless or should be easily ignored or dismissed – but it does mean that on anything we advise that is not a command of the scriptures, it is at its best wise counsel and not a command. v. For example. 1. The Elders may NOT come together and absolutely forbid a member of the congregation from dating another Christian from a different congregation. Now the Elders may advise, based on what we know of the person, whether it would be wise to enter into a relationship pursuant to marriage with them. But we cannot forbid it. Why? Because we do not have a command from the scriptures. 2. But the Elders may come together and absolutely forbid a member of the congregation from having premarital sex, also known as fornication. Why are the Elders permitted to do this? Because this is what the scriptures teach. We are merely commanding what the scriptures have commanded. 3. Some may say – if that is all that is happening, why must the Elders command anything at all? 4. Well, that is our role! Our role is to preach and teach what the scriptures say. Not just from the pulpit but in the counseling room, in your living room, in your car, over the phone and everywhere where we give counsel, we must give the whole counsel of the Lord. And not just when it is palatable for the church, but in season and out of season too. Whether you are going to like it or not is irrelevant. It is our job to bring to bear all that God has said concerning the situation you are in. 5. We are not adding our authority to scripture but we are drawing your attention to what God has said and we must also be his earthly executives making sure His will is known to all and to a certain degree… followed. 6. You see the Lord has given us (the church) the keys to the kingdom. This means that whatever we bind on earth will have been bound in heaven and whatever we loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. When two or three are gathered in His name He is with us. Helping us. And when we find a member refusing to obey the commands of God… this is when we execute church discipline. First in private exhortation and correction but eventually in excommunication. 7. The Elders then are to enforce the commands of Christ upon His church. We rebuke, reprove, correct and instruct to thoroughly equip God's people to do all that He has commanded them to do. And to a certain degree – as much as we are humanly able – we, in gentleness, see to it that Christ's instructions are followed. b. Another abuse we often have when it comes to leadership is to have a persisting and underlying sense of suspicion and distrust toward them. i. Now certainly I would be a fool to combat this by pretending there is no such thing as ungodly leaders. ii. Of course there is. iii. Not only in the political realm but even in the clergy there have been several examples of leaders abusing their authority and lording over their people. iv. But just because someone is in leadership does not automatically make them worthy of suspicion. v. Elders should be trusted, loved and honored until there is some reason that they have provided to suspect something different. vi. There is no reason to withhold your trust from Elders simply because they are in a position of authority. vii. If the COVID pandemic taught us anything it is that people don't very much like being told what to do. And they will only go along with being told what to do for so long before they push back. Why? Because people are suspicious of their government leaders – and to be honest, those in government have earned that suspicion. viii. But godly Elders are not the same as government leaders. Especially in a small country church like ours. My friends there is no power here worth manipulating you for. There is no money here worth bilking you out of. And let me tell you something, there are a lot of easier and quieter and more fulfilling ways to gain authority than being an Elder of a church. If I wanted power with few headaches… Elder isn't the right choice. ix. Don't be suspicious of your Elders. Especially when they haven't given you a reason to be. x. What must you do instead? 3.) [Slide 13] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” The church must love and honor their Elders by being grateful for them and submitting to them. a. Elders who lead boldly, who are godly men, who possess truly blameless character, who are apt to teach, and strong in their faith, should be trusted, loved and honored. b. Putting your trust in Jesus means that you obey Him. The Lord actually says that if you love me, you will keep my commandments. c. And although it is to a different and lesser degree, the Lord makes it plain in Hebrews 13 that if you truly love your Elders, you will submit to their authority so that they may watch over your souls with joy. d. One way you show love to your Elders is by submitting yourself to our authority. i. As I have already said, the Elder's authority extends only as far as the Scriptures allow. ii. You should trust your Elders and submit to our authority out of a heart of love for us so that we may be joyful in our responsibility to help guide you safely to heaven's shore. iii. Go willingly and passionately with us. e. Secondly, you show honor to your Elders by being grateful for our wise and godly leadership and teaching. f. How do you show gratefulness? i. Well, in Paul's case these men fell on his neck, kissed him, and wept over his leaving. They even potentially gave him provisions for his long trip to Jerusalem. I'm not saying that is THE way – I am saying that is what they did. ii. But let me make some suggestions. iii. First, it would be wise to be thankful to the Lord. Express thankfulness to God for wise and godly leadership. Ask for His blessing on our lives and that He would keep us and preserve us in our role. Do this in your family devotions and family worship times to let your children hear that you are thankful for our sacrifice. iv. Second might be to express gratitude to the Elder personally. A card, a phone call, a gift, a strong handshake. Especially when a particular Elder has helped you through a difficult trial or has devoted extra time to your family. It is wise and even obvious to express heartfelt thankfulness to that particular Elder. Let him know that you appreciate his sacrifice for you. Even doing so toward his wife and children. Knowing that they too have had to sacrifice his presence among them so that you could be ministered to. v. Finally, you might express gratefulness publicly. You might pray a prayer of thanksgiving at a family gathering, in a church service, or express a praise during prayer request time. You might make a special service or event to honor our sacrifice and service. g. Let me clear the air really quickly. Every single Elder in this room today has been absolutely squirming at the mention of every single way you could express gratefulness. And I felt REALLY uncomfortable saying it too. h. You need to understand that I am saying this not because I want to, but because the text so obviously leads us to that conclusion. i. The Elders and I, when we met yesterday, did not spend one second complaining about how you all don't submit to us or how you are an ungrateful bunch and never appreciate our sacrifices. j. Let me read that again. k. The Elders and I, when we met yesterday, did not spend one second complaining about how you all don't submit to us or how you are an ungrateful bunch and never appreciate our sacrifices. l. I wrote that last sentence the day before we met. That is how confident I was that it wouldn't happen. And I was right. m. Why was I so confident that we wouldn't do that? n. Because we don't do that. o. The reason we are squirming today at the mention of these practical ways you can show your gratitude for us…is because WE DON'T DO THIS FOR YOUR GRATITUTDE. p. Which is exactly the reason you should express your gratefulness to us. q. Ugh – I hate saying it. But it must be said. I am holding my nose up here saying it. r. Show love and honor to your Elders by submitting and expressing your gratefulness to us. s. Yuck! t. Ok moving on. Let's beat up the Elders now. 4.) [Slide 14] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” Elders must love and honor the church by praying for her. a. My brothers. b. I have continued my quest this year to pray through our membership directory every week. c. It isn't enough. I've had to add more times of prayer. I've had to start praying immediately after hearing a request to make sure that I do actually pray for it before the next week rolls around. d. Understand, I don't hold myself up as the standard – I am simply giving a testimony of what it has done for me. e. I have grown in my love for these folks over the last couple years and I think that is because I pray for every member by name, every single week. I pray for everything I can think of regarding that member. f. I just walk around this room with my membership directory in hand praying for every name in it. g. Some weeks it takes over an hour to get through. h. I usually do this on Tuesday and hit my 8000 steps by noon.

Lead Pastor Wes Terry preaches a sermon entitled "Life in the Great Shepherd" out of Hebrews 13:20-21. This sermon was for the 2025 Easter service at Broadview Baptist Church. This sermon was the first in a series through the book of Hebrews entitled "Faith That Endures." The sermon was preached on April 20th, 2025.

Lead Pastor Wes Terry preaches a sermon entitled "Life in the Great Shepherd" out of Hebrews 13:20-21. This sermon was for the 2025 Easter service at Broadview Baptist Church. This sermon was the first in a series through the book of Hebrews entitled "Faith That Endures." The sermon was preached on April 20th, 2025.

In Genesis 1:1, the Bible begins with a simple but profound sentence. Most English translations of the Bible begin with ten words and end with ten words. In Genesis 1:1, we are told: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In the final verse of the book of Revelation the Bible concludes: The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen (Rev. 22:21). What these two verses tell me is this: We are alive and are here today because of God and by His grace. In Psalm 23, we discover that it is by the grace of God that I am brought into the fold of His sheep, and it is for His glory that He has done so. The invitation to be included as one of His sheep has nothing to do with my performance and everything to do with His grace and glory, as John Piper put it: God is the beginning and God is the end of all my righteousness. The path of righteousness has his grace as its starting point (for he leads me into it) and it has his glory as its destination (because his leading is for his names sake).[1] What happens in the in-between is the messy part. After He finds us, it is His goodness and faithfulness that keeps us with no intention of letting go. The 23rd Psalm sounds like a pilgrimage because it is. Remember that there are five images in this Psalm. We looked at the first image, which was: The Abundant Life (vv. 2-3a). God lets and makes me lay down in green pastures in that He causes me to do so. How does He cause me to lay down in green pastures? He does so by removing all that prevents me from doing so. I was made to lay down in green pastures by waters of rest, but without the Good Shepherd we blindly go astray; according to the prophet Isaiah we were both hopeless and helpless: All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way... (Isaiah 53:6). The next four images are as follows: Image #2: The Secure Life (v. 3b) Image #3: The Hard Life (v. 4) Image #4: The Victorious Life (v. 5) Image #5: The Everlasting Life (v. 6) It is to the Secure Life that we now turn our attention. What is it that makes His guiding in paths of righteousness for His namesake that brings security to those who belong to Him? Where Does the Shepherd Lead? Where does the Shepherd lead and how does where He is leading relate to our security? For starters, it is in the nature of His guiding that brings His sheep security: He guides me in paths of righteousness. The nature of His guiding is that it does not end and that it is ongoing; it is not a onetime event where the sheep are guided by Him such as a prayer that is said or a decision that was made. So, what are the paths of righteousness that He guides me into? We are given an answer through the nature of Davids prayers like the one we find in Psalm 5, Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me (v. 8). The answer to Davids prayer is Psalm 23:3, and those paths of righteousness are descripted for us in scores of verses in both the Old and New Testament. One such passage in the Old Testament is Psalm 1:1-3, Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, And on His Law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The paths of righteousness according to Psalm 1 includes delighting in the Law of Yahweh and meditating on His Law day and night. The Law of the Lord is the Word of the Lord. That which you delight in is where you desire to spend your time. If you delight in a particular person you will want to spend time with that person. If you have a hobby or job that you delight in, you will look for ways to spend time participating in that hobby or job that you delight in. The evidence that you delight in the Law is seen in the amount of time you spend in the Law. The one who delights in the Law of the Lord will thrive in the kinds of ways we were meant for. God wants you to thrive and considering the fact that it is His image we bear, thriving must include our Creator. Later in the Psalms, David wrote: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Ps. 119:105). Jesus said something similar to Psalm 1:1-3 and 119:105; He said, If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31). The Greek word used for continue is menō, which, as you may recall from last Sundays sermon, can be translated abide. If you abide, if you remain, if you continue in My word... you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. The Greek word for know is ginōskō, which is the kind of knowledge that is much more than head knowledge. Jesus said, If you remain, if you continue, if you abide in my word, you will really know [ginōskō] the truth, and the truth will set your free. Let me say it a different way so that you get what is being said here: If you take up residence in the word of the Good Shepherd, you are truly His sheep, and by listening to His voice, you will live! Listen, the Shepherds guiding does not happen apart from our abiding! I am not sure if you will find this as cool as I do, but going back to John 10 where Jesus identifies as the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm, He uses the same Greek word for know that He used in John 8:31. In John 10:14-16, I am the good shepherd, and I know [ginōskō] My own, and My own know [ginōskō] Me, just as the Father knows [ginōskō] Me and I know [ginōskō] the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. Okay, so why does any of this matter and how does Psalm 1:1-3, John 8:31-32, and John 10:14-16 help you understand the 23rd Psalm better? So here we go: You cannot be led in the paths of righteousness if your knowledge of the Good Shepherd is only about filling your head without your heart being engaged. I will say it another way: If you are not abiding in the Lord of the 23rd Psalm then you are not finding in Him what you need. If you do not find in Him what you need, then you will not find in Him the green pastures and waters of rest that you were made for. If you do not find in the Good Shepherd the green pastures and waters of rest you that were made for, then you will find that the paths of righteousness that He guides His sheep on as displeasing instead of delightful. Jesus is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm, and it is He who causes me to lie down in green pastures because He is the green pastures that will never leave me hungry. It is He who leads me to waters of refreshment because He is the Living Water who satisfies the thirsty soul. Jesus restores the soul because He makes all things new! As the great Shepherd of your soul, Jesus guides those who abide in Him in paths of righteousness. There is no guiding apart from abiding in Lordof the 23rd Psalm! Why Does the Shepherd Lead? So, why does He do it? Why does the Good Shepherd guide his sheep in the paths of righteousness? He does it for the sake of His name! What does that even mean? It means that He rescued you from the condemnation of your sins, He gives Himself to you as the Great Shepherd of your soul to meet your need for Him, He provides the green pastures and quiet waters for your good, He renews and restores your soul, and He delivered you from your crooked paths of this world and set you on the straight path of righteousness that only Jesus can provide. God did it all, and He did it by putting His reputation on the line! Our story is summed up in one verse from the prophet Isaiah: All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him (Isa. 53:6). To fall on who you ask? Ah... I am so glad you asked! The sins of us all... fell upon Jesus who is the Lamb, the Lion, and the great Shepherd of our souls! This is why the apostle Peter wrote: ...and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls (1 Pet. 2:24-25). In response to all that Jesus accomplished, Paul wrote those glorious words that ought to thrill every soul that belongs to His flock: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things (Rom. 8:31-32)? And He does so for His namesake! This is why, when you read Ephesians 1:3-14 regarding how and why God saved you from your sins that we are given three answers: The Father chose us before the foundation of the world and made us sons and daughters through His Son, and why did He do it that way? He did it, to the praise of the glory of His grace... (1:4-6). The Son redeemed us through His blood and now we have the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. Why did He do it that way? He did it, to the praise of His glory (1:7-12). The Holy Spirit made our redemption and salvation a guarantee by sealing us as Gods own possession. Why did He do it that way? He did it, to the praise of His glory (1:13-14). He chose his lambs for the sake of His name, He redeemed his lambs for the sake of His name, and He marked His lambs as His treasured possession by His Holy Spirit for the sake of His name! Listen, if the Lord is your shepherd, it is only because you have turned to Jesus for the salvation of our soul: Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other (Isa. 45:22). Listen to what Jesus said concerning all who hear His voice and come to Him for salvation: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:27-30). Psalm 23:2 is a picture of the secure life because of who it is that causes us to lie down in green pastures, leads us to inexhaustible and quiet waters, restores and renews our soul, and leads us in the paths of righteousness. The Lord of the 23rd Psalm is the God of Isaiah 46:9-11, Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a distant country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, I will certainly do it. This is why Romans 8:1 is for you Christian: Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. Conclusion So, let me say something you may need to hear. Just because you belong to the Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm, does not mean that you will not struggle with sin. Just because you are abiding in Jesus and love Him truly, does not mean that you will never be tempted by the enemys lies of greener pastures and more satisfying waters. The enemy is a dragon and a thief who comes, only to steal and kill and destroy... Jesus, the Great and Good Shepherd, has come so that we would have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). There are no greener pastures or quieter waters than what can be found and experienced in Jesus. The danger for some is that the less that you listen to His voice, the less you will delight in His Word and the less frequent you will want to abide in Him. Permit me to close with a warning from David Gibson: Life is a journey, not a viewing gallery; we are always on the move, always traveling, and were going with either Jesuss paths or a different shepherds paths. Maybe its what youre consuming online. Maybe its the choices you are making with your money or your time. Two degrees of divergence this year might mean a miles divergence next year. Take time to consider the road you are walking, who is leading you, and where that path might end. In my experience I have found that wrong steps in life are nearly always the outworking of a prior neglect of listening to Jesus speak in the Bible. When devotion to hearing his voice begins to dwindle, then eventually, inevitably, departure from his paths begins to follow.[2] There is no greener pasture outside of Jesus, for He alone is the Lord of the 23rd Psalm. Amen. [1] J. Josh Smith and Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 150, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2022), 174. [2] David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 49.

The provisions of our Great Shepherd are many! Join us as we dive into one of the most popular passages in all of scripture.

“We are His people, the sheep of His pasture." - Psalm 103:3. But there is somewhere even better the Great Shepherd will lead us. Psalm 23:6 expresses confidence in God's unwavering love and provision. It declares that His goodness and mercy will follow the believer throughout life, culminating in eternal fellowship with Him in His house forever.  Michael Roberts brings it home in this message.    

Spring is the season of new life. As we finish up our series on the Psalms, we come to the most famous one of all.Psalm 23:1–2 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” This psalm contains some of the most famous words ever written. It has everything: beautiful language, a man's raw honest heart for God, and a universal theme of love that God has for all people.It echoes in the universe.Think of the picture that God is painting here for us.We are bone weary, but He has actually made a place for us to rest in a garden. We hear the flowing water. We are refreshed inside and out. And He is with us. Do yourself a favor this spring. Memorize every line of the 23rd Psalm. Put it in your heart so that when you're in that dark valley, you will remember that the one true God loves you absolutely and completely.Goodness and mercy follow you. Close your eyes and sit in the cool grass. He is with you.Let's pray.Lord, you are the Great Shepherd who provides a sanctuary for us. Thank you, thank you for making a place of safety for us as we go through life. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Support the show

The 23rd Psalm is a picture Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd being resurrected from the dead. And this reminds us that just as death had no power over Jesus, it also has no power over us because He is our Great Shepherd.

John 10:11-21 The Intensity of the Shepherd (vv. 11-13) The hireling flees from the wolf. The Shepherd faces the wolf. Total commitment Total sacrifice The Intimacy of the Shepherd (vv. 14-18) He is known by the current sheep (Jewish believers) He will be known by the other Sheep (Gentile believers) He will die for all the sheep. (John 15:13-14) The Illustration of the Sheep (vv. 19-21) The reaction The response More to Consider There is a contrast here between the Pharisees (hirelings) who had no concern for the sheep, and Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. The hirelings flee and protect themselves when the enemies come; but Christ willingly gives up His life for the sheep. (See Acts 20:29.) Christ as the Good Shepherd gives His life on the cross (Ps. 22); as the Great Shepherd, He cares for the sheep (Heb. 13:20 and Ps. 23); and as the Chief Shepherd He will come again in glory for His sheep (Ps. 24 and 1 Peter 5:4). In v. 18 He speaks of both His death and His resurrection. Warren Wiresbe How clearly this must have spoken to the men and women of Israel. Their rulers, like religious leaders of many times and many faiths, were quick to demand respect and obedience. They were quick to lord it over others; quick to judge, advise, condemn. But no one in Israel would imagine for a moment that one of the authorities would lay down his life for one of the common people. Those leaders might lay down their lives for truth. More than once the men of Israel had refused to fight on the Sabbath, and had been killed easily by pagans. More than one Israelite had offered his body to Roman swords rather than permit a statue of Caesar, or even the Legion Eagles, to enter Jerusalem. To die for a conviction was not that uncommon. But to die for love of the sheep? Never! Truth was important to the authorities; people were not. Lawrence O. Richards He is giving his life still. The life that is in the man Christ Jesus he is always giving for us. It is for us he lives, and because he lives, we live also. He lives to plead for us. He lives to represent us in heaven. He lives to rule providence for us. Charles Spurgeon

In this famed chapter, Jesus miraculously gives sight to a blind man, who becomes the classic representative of all "Lambs" brought into the pastures of the Great Shepherd.

In this famed chapter, Jesus miraculously gives sight to a blind man, who becomes the classic representative of all "Lambs" brought into the pastures of the Great Shepherd.

The Great Shepherd

Pastor Philip Jeffries Meadowthorpe Baptist Church http://www.meadowthorpebaptistchurch.com 330 Larch Lane, Lexington, KY 40511 (859) 523-3815

Pastor Philip Jeffries Meadowthorpe Baptist Church http://www.meadowthorpebaptistchurch.com 330 Larch Lane, Lexington, KY 40511 (859) 523-3815

Weekly Sermon, Feb. 16th, 2025 Psalm 23:1-6 (ESV)

The post The Great Shepherd of Sheep – Hebrews 13: 20-25 appeared first on Red Village Church.

Pastor Kevin preaches this week about "Our Great Shepherd" from Psalm 23:1-3.

All people want to be happy. I have spent a lot of time with people as a pastor, and the majority of couples and individuals who met with me over the years did so because they longed to be happy. It is also true that the motivation for couples seeking marriage or divorce, the desire for a new job or the determination to quit a job, what led to substance abuse or a willingness to break an addiction is all the same: the desire to be happy. In fact, there have been people who claimed to be Christians who sought marriage, divorce, drugs, freedom from addiction, debt, and freedom from debt out of the belief that God wanted them to be happy. How about you? Do you believe God wants you to be happy? Do you believe that the ends justify the means to achieve and experience the happiness you believe God wants for you? Maybe you are asking any one of the following questions: I am unhappy where I live, if I have the means to do so, can I move so that I can be happier? I am tired of driving the same old car, should I buy a new one that will make me happier? I feel unfulfilled where I work, can I look for a new job that will fill my day with a little more joy? I feel ignored and taken for granted in my marriage, my spouse does not meet my needs, I am unhappy, our children are miserable because we are miserable... something needs to change so that we can be happy. So here is what I want to do with the time we have left. I want to show you from the Bible three things: God expects you to seek happiness. God commands you to pursue your joy. Finding your joy/happiness is possible. By answering the above three questions, I hope that you will have a clear and biblical understanding as to whether God wants you to be happy. God Expects You to Seek Happiness (vv. 1-5) Let me begin by stating that in Psalm 95 alone, the word joy is repeated three times in the first two verses: sing for joy..., shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation, shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments. But Psalm 95 is not the only place where such language is used; consider the language from the Bible: Delight yourself... (Ps. 37:4) Rejoice... (Phil. 4:4) Rejoice always... (1 Thess. 5:16) Let us rejoice and be glad... (Ps. 118:24) But where is it that God expects us to find our joy? Again, consider the same above verses: Delight yourself in the Lord... (Ps. 37:4) Rejoice in the Lord always... (Phil. 4:4) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5:16-18) This is the day which the Lord has made, lets us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 118:24) Is our happiness only to be found in God? What about verses like Ecclesiastes 9:9, does it not tell us to enjoy life while we have it? Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your futile life which He has given you under the sun, all the days of your futility; for this is your reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun. Yes and no. Consider the first two verses of Psalm 19 and what it says about creation: The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. The heavens are what God created, and like your wife whom you love, like the life you enjoy, and everything else... it all points to the glory of the Creator! The reason why Psalm 95 begins with these words: Come, lets sing for joy to the Lord, lets shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Lets come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving, lets shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments is because He is the giver of all good things! Why should we worship Yahweh? Because Psalm 95:3-5 is true of only Him: For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are also His. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land. This is why, of the Ten Commandments, Jesus summed up the first four: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matt. 22:37; see also Deut. 6:5; Exod. 20:1-11). Listen, God expects us to seek our joy, but not ultimately in His good gifts but in the giver who gave those good gifts... namely God Himself. In fact C.S. Lewis rightfully observed from reading his Bible that, Joy is the serious business of heaven.[1] God Commands You to Pursue Your Joy (vv. 6-7) Psalm 95 begins with an imperative, which is a command: Come, lets sing for joy... Why does He command us to pursue our joy? Because we exist for something greater than the good gifts of His creation. We exist because of Him and for Him! The second imperative in Psalm 95 begins with verse 6, Come, lets worship and bow down, lets kneel before the Lord our Maker. Why are we commanded to bow before God? Because He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand (v. 7). The command to pursue our joy is not that we find it in anything, but in the One who made all things. He is God, and by definition there is nothing and no one that is greater than He is. To look for or expect our happiness or joy to be primarily found in anything or anyone else will not only leave you empty and disappointed, but is to worship the gift over the Giver! To worship the gift over the Giver is to expect from the gift the thing that only the Giver, God, can provide. C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, Reflections on the Psalms, something that I have found helpful, so I will share it with you: I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. Do you hear what C.S. Lewis is saying? We praise what we value and care about and our delight is not complete until our delight is expressed. If it is true, that there is no greater beauty, reality, or person than the God who created all that is beautiful and good, true worship cannot be experienced unless it is directed at Him. This is why the Westminster Catechism is right to begin with these words: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But even on this point, C.S. Lewis made the following observation that helps us get a little closer to answering the question as to what kind of happiness God wants for us; here is what Lewis wrote: The Scotch catechism says that mans chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But we shall then know that these are the same thing. To fully enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him. John Piper took it one step further by swapping out the word and in the Westminster Catechism of Faith with the word by: The chief end of man is to glorify God byenjoying Him forever. God does expect us to seek our happiness, and He does command us to pursue our joy, but a happiness and a joy that is rooted in Him. If our happiness and joy is sought in anything other than God, it will not satisfy. However, if the pursuit of our happiness and joy is sought in Him, there will be a joy and happiness that will be rooted in a contentment in Him. This is how and why James 1:2-3 is only true for those who find their joy in Jesus Christ: Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Finding Your Joy/Happiness is Possible (vv. 8-10) So, does God want you to be happy? Yes, He wants you to be happy in Him! Does that mean that He wants you to leave your marriage because it does not make you happy? No! Does that mean you should leave your job because it does not make you happy? No. Does that mean you should get a new car because it does not make you happy? No, not necessarily. Why? Because your happiness and joy cannot ultimately be found in anything or anyone except the God who is your Maker. When we come to Psalm 95:8, there is a shift from the command to find your joy in God to Israels rebellion while they were in the wilderness, and more specifically, the Psalm refers to something that happened in Exodus 17:1-7 not long after God saved Israel from Pharoh and his army by parting the Red Sea. While in Egypt, Israel witnessed their God and Maker do mighty deeds that should have left little room to doubt His goodness and love for His people. Even though they had no reason to doubt Gods faithfulness to them, they still struggled to believe His faithfulness to them, so they complained: So the people quarreled with Moses and said, Give us water so that we may drink (Exod. 17:2)! Moses response gives us a glimpse into 40 years of Israel in the wilderness: Moses said to them, Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord? Throughout Israels existence, they were known for complaining and faithlessness towards God. Even after 40 years in the wilderness, God said of His people: Be appalled at this, you heavens, And shudder, be very desolate, declares the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living waters, to carve out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that do not hold water (Jer. 2:12-13). The great evil that Israel was guilty of was that She traded God for idols that could not satisfy. Consider another example from Isaiah 55:1-3 when God invited His people to turn away from the things that could not satisfy what they really needed: You there! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. So what happened in Exodus 17? Moses immediately brought Israels complaint before God out of a fear that they might eventually stone him to death. Moses asked, What am I to do with this people? (v. 4). Listen to the way God responded to Israels lack of faith and sin: Then the Lord said to Moses, Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (17:5-6). In other words, God said to Moses: Moses, take your staff that ought to be used to strike Israel for their sins, and take your rod and strike the rock I will be standing on so that Israel will not die of thirst. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, the apostle Paul said that the rock Moses struck was a picture and example of what God would do to satisfy the thirst of all who desire to be satisfied. The rod of Gods judgment for our sin came down upon Jesus as the rock of our salvation! Paul said of the rock Moses struck: for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ (v. 4). Now, listen to what Jesus said in John 7:37-38, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. Psalm 95 begins with these words: Come, lets sing for joy to the Lord, lets shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Jesus is the rock of our salvation! Again, Psalm 95 continues, Come, lets worship and bow down, lets kneel before the Lord our Maker (v. 6). Of Jesus, the Bible testifies, ...for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). Because the rod of Gods holy wrath came upon Jesus in our place, we are told: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) The Psalmist then reminds us that not only is God our Maker, but that He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness... (v. 7). Can you not hear the words of Jesus in Psalm 95:7, did He not say: I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.... I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me.... And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd (John 10:11, 14, 16). Conclusion Is joy and happiness possible for you? The answer is Yes! But it will not come from your car, through your job, or from any other person, but your Maker and the Great Shepherd of His sheep... namely Jesus! If you are seeking your happiness and joy in anything other than Jesus, then C.S. Lewis words serve as a fitting conclusion to this sermon: It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. God wants you to be happy and He wants you to experience joy, but it is a happiness and a joy that can only be found in Him. The joy and happiness that can only be found in God is the kind of joy and happiness that does not dissolve through suffering but sustains the sufferer because of the One from Whom true happiness and joy comes from. Amen. [1] C.S. Lewis,Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer(San Diego: Harvest, 1964), p. 93.

All people want to be happy. I have spent a lot of time with people as a pastor, and the majority of couples and individuals who met with me over the years did so because they longed to be happy. It is also true that the motivation for couples seeking marriage or divorce, the desire for a new job or the determination to quit a job, what led to substance abuse or a willingness to break an addiction is all the same: the desire to be happy. In fact, there have been people who claimed to be Christians who sought marriage, divorce, drugs, freedom from addiction, debt, and freedom from debt out of the belief that God wanted them to be happy. How about you? Do you believe God wants you to be happy? Do you believe that the ends justify the means to achieve and experience the happiness you believe God wants for you? Maybe you are asking any one of the following questions: I am unhappy where I live, if I have the means to do so, can I move so that I can be happier? I am tired of driving the same old car, should I buy a new one that will make me happier? I feel unfulfilled where I work, can I look for a new job that will fill my day with a little more joy? I feel ignored and taken for granted in my marriage, my spouse does not meet my needs, I am unhappy, our children are miserable because we are miserable... something needs to change so that we can be happy. So here is what I want to do with the time we have left. I want to show you from the Bible three things: God expects you to seek happiness. God commands you to pursue your joy. Finding your joy/happiness is possible. By answering the above three questions, I hope that you will have a clear and biblical understanding as to whether God wants you to be happy. God Expects You to Seek Happiness (vv. 1-5) Let me begin by stating that in Psalm 95 alone, the word joy is repeated three times in the first two verses: sing for joy..., shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation, shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments. But Psalm 95 is not the only place where such language is used; consider the language from the Bible: Delight yourself... (Ps. 37:4) Rejoice... (Phil. 4:4) Rejoice always... (1 Thess. 5:16) Let us rejoice and be glad... (Ps. 118:24) But where is it that God expects us to find our joy? Again, consider the same above verses: Delight yourself in the Lord... (Ps. 37:4) Rejoice in the Lord always... (Phil. 4:4) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5:16-18) This is the day which the Lord has made, lets us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 118:24) Is our happiness only to be found in God? What about verses like Ecclesiastes 9:9, does it not tell us to enjoy life while we have it? Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your futile life which He has given you under the sun, all the days of your futility; for this is your reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun. Yes and no. Consider the first two verses of Psalm 19 and what it says about creation: The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. The heavens are what God created, and like your wife whom you love, like the life you enjoy, and everything else... it all points to the glory of the Creator! The reason why Psalm 95 begins with these words: Come, lets sing for joy to the Lord, lets shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Lets come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving, lets shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments is because He is the giver of all good things! Why should we worship Yahweh? Because Psalm 95:3-5 is true of only Him: For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are also His. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land. This is why, of the Ten Commandments, Jesus summed up the first four: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matt. 22:37; see also Deut. 6:5; Exod. 20:1-11). Listen, God expects us to seek our joy, but not ultimately in His good gifts but in the giver who gave those good gifts... namely God Himself. In fact C.S. Lewis rightfully observed from reading his Bible that, Joy is the serious business of heaven.[1] God Commands You to Pursue Your Joy (vv. 6-7) Psalm 95 begins with an imperative, which is a command: Come, lets sing for joy... Why does He command us to pursue our joy? Because we exist for something greater than the good gifts of His creation. We exist because of Him and for Him! The second imperative in Psalm 95 begins with verse 6, Come, lets worship and bow down, lets kneel before the Lord our Maker. Why are we commanded to bow before God? Because He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand (v. 7). The command to pursue our joy is not that we find it in anything, but in the One who made all things. He is God, and by definition there is nothing and no one that is greater than He is. To look for or expect our happiness or joy to be primarily found in anything or anyone else will not only leave you empty and disappointed, but is to worship the gift over the Giver! To worship the gift over the Giver is to expect from the gift the thing that only the Giver, God, can provide. C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, Reflections on the Psalms, something that I have found helpful, so I will share it with you: I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. Do you hear what C.S. Lewis is saying? We praise what we value and care about and our delight is not complete until our delight is expressed. If it is true, that there is no greater beauty, reality, or person than the God who created all that is beautiful and good, true worship cannot be experienced unless it is directed at Him. This is why the Westminster Catechism is right to begin with these words: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But even on this point, C.S. Lewis made the following observation that helps us get a little closer to answering the question as to what kind of happiness God wants for us; here is what Lewis wrote: The Scotch catechism says that mans chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But we shall then know that these are the same thing. To fully enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him. John Piper took it one step further by swapping out the word and in the Westminster Catechism of Faith with the word by: The chief end of man is to glorify God byenjoying Him forever. God does expect us to seek our happiness, and He does command us to pursue our joy, but a happiness and a joy that is rooted in Him. If our happiness and joy is sought in anything other than God, it will not satisfy. However, if the pursuit of our happiness and joy is sought in Him, there will be a joy and happiness that will be rooted in a contentment in Him. This is how and why James 1:2-3 is only true for those who find their joy in Jesus Christ: Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Finding Your Joy/Happiness is Possible (vv. 8-10) So, does God want you to be happy? Yes, He wants you to be happy in Him! Does that mean that He wants you to leave your marriage because it does not make you happy? No! Does that mean you should leave your job because it does not make you happy? No. Does that mean you should get a new car because it does not make you happy? No, not necessarily. Why? Because your happiness and joy cannot ultimately be found in anything or anyone except the God who is your Maker. When we come to Psalm 95:8, there is a shift from the command to find your joy in God to Israels rebellion while they were in the wilderness, and more specifically, the Psalm refers to something that happened in Exodus 17:1-7 not long after God saved Israel from Pharoh and his army by parting the Red Sea. While in Egypt, Israel witnessed their God and Maker do mighty deeds that should have left little room to doubt His goodness and love for His people. Even though they had no reason to doubt Gods faithfulness to them, they still struggled to believe His faithfulness to them, so they complained: So the people quarreled with Moses and said, Give us water so that we may drink (Exod. 17:2)! Moses response gives us a glimpse into 40 years of Israel in the wilderness: Moses said to them, Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord? Throughout Israels existence, they were known for complaining and faithlessness towards God. Even after 40 years in the wilderness, God said of His people: Be appalled at this, you heavens, And shudder, be very desolate, declares the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living waters, to carve out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that do not hold water (Jer. 2:12-13). The great evil that Israel was guilty of was that She traded God for idols that could not satisfy. Consider another example from Isaiah 55:1-3 when God invited His people to turn away from the things that could not satisfy what they really needed: You there! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. So what happened in Exodus 17? Moses immediately brought Israels complaint before God out of a fear that they might eventually stone him to death. Moses asked, What am I to do with this people? (v. 4). Listen to the way God responded to Israels lack of faith and sin: Then the Lord said to Moses, Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (17:5-6). In other words, God said to Moses: Moses, take your staff that ought to be used to strike Israel for their sins, and take your rod and strike the rock I will be standing on so that Israel will not die of thirst. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, the apostle Paul said that the rock Moses struck was a picture and example of what God would do to satisfy the thirst of all who desire to be satisfied. The rod of Gods judgment for our sin came down upon Jesus as the rock of our salvation! Paul said of the rock Moses struck: for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ (v. 4). Now, listen to what Jesus said in John 7:37-38, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. Psalm 95 begins with these words: Come, lets sing for joy to the Lord, lets shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Jesus is the rock of our salvation! Again, Psalm 95 continues, Come, lets worship and bow down, lets kneel before the Lord our Maker (v. 6). Of Jesus, the Bible testifies, ...for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). Because the rod of Gods holy wrath came upon Jesus in our place, we are told: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) The Psalmist then reminds us that not only is God our Maker, but that He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness... (v. 7). Can you not hear the words of Jesus in Psalm 95:7, did He not say: I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.... I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me.... And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd (John 10:11, 14, 16). Conclusion Is joy and happiness possible for you? The answer is Yes! But it will not come from your car, through your job, or from any other person, but your Maker and the Great Shepherd of His sheep... namely Jesus! If you are seeking your happiness and joy in anything other than Jesus, then C.S. Lewis words serve as a fitting conclusion to this sermon: It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. God wants you to be happy and He wants you to experience joy, but it is a happiness and a joy that can only be found in Him. The joy and happiness that can only be found in God is the kind of joy and happiness that does not dissolve through suffering but sustains the sufferer because of the One from Whom true happiness and joy comes from. Amen. [1] C.S. Lewis,Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer(San Diego: Harvest, 1964), p. 93.

All people want to be happy. I have spent a lot of time with people as a pastor, and the majority of couples and individuals who met with me over the years did so because they longed to be happy. It is also true that the motivation for couples seeking marriage or divorce, the desire for a new job or the determination to quit a job, what led to substance abuse or a willingness to break an addiction is all the same: the desire to be happy. In fact, there have been people who claimed to be Christians who sought marriage, divorce, drugs, freedom from addiction, debt, and freedom from debt out of the belief that God wanted them to be happy. How about you? Do you believe God wants you to be happy? Do you believe that the ends justify the means to achieve and experience the happiness you believe God wants for you? Maybe you are asking any one of the following questions: I am unhappy where I live, if I have the means to do so, can I move so that I can be happier? I am tired of driving the same old car, should I buy a new one that will make me happier? I feel unfulfilled where I work, can I look for a new job that will fill my day with a little more joy? I feel ignored and taken for granted in my marriage, my spouse does not meet my needs, I am unhappy, our children are miserable because we are miserable... something needs to change so that we can be happy. So here is what I want to do with the time we have left. I want to show you from the Bible three things: God expects you to seek happiness. God commands you to pursue your joy. Finding your joy/happiness is possible. By answering the above three questions, I hope that you will have a clear and biblical understanding as to whether God wants you to be happy. God Expects You to Seek Happiness (vv. 1-5) Let me begin by stating that in Psalm 95 alone, the word joy is repeated three times in the first two verses: sing for joy..., shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation, shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments. But Psalm 95 is not the only place where such language is used; consider the language from the Bible: Delight yourself... (Ps. 37:4) Rejoice... (Phil. 4:4) Rejoice always... (1 Thess. 5:16) Let us rejoice and be glad... (Ps. 118:24) But where is it that God expects us to find our joy? Again, consider the same above verses: Delight yourself in the Lord... (Ps. 37:4) Rejoice in the Lord always... (Phil. 4:4) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5:16-18) This is the day which the Lord has made, lets us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 118:24) Is our happiness only to be found in God? What about verses like Ecclesiastes 9:9, does it not tell us to enjoy life while we have it? Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your futile life which He has given you under the sun, all the days of your futility; for this is your reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun. Yes and no. Consider the first two verses of Psalm 19 and what it says about creation: The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. The heavens are what God created, and like your wife whom you love, like the life you enjoy, and everything else... it all points to the glory of the Creator! The reason why Psalm 95 begins with these words: Come, lets sing for joy to the Lord, lets shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Lets come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving, lets shout joyfully to Him in songs with instruments is because He is the giver of all good things! Why should we worship Yahweh? Because Psalm 95:3-5 is true of only Him: For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are also His. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land. This is why, of the Ten Commandments, Jesus summed up the first four: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matt. 22:37; see also Deut. 6:5; Exod. 20:1-11). Listen, God expects us to seek our joy, but not ultimately in His good gifts but in the giver who gave those good gifts... namely God Himself. In fact C.S. Lewis rightfully observed from reading his Bible that, Joy is the serious business of heaven.[1] God Commands You to Pursue Your Joy (vv. 6-7) Psalm 95 begins with an imperative, which is a command: Come, lets sing for joy... Why does He command us to pursue our joy? Because we exist for something greater than the good gifts of His creation. We exist because of Him and for Him! The second imperative in Psalm 95 begins with verse 6, Come, lets worship and bow down, lets kneel before the Lord our Maker. Why are we commanded to bow before God? Because He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand (v. 7). The command to pursue our joy is not that we find it in anything, but in the One who made all things. He is God, and by definition there is nothing and no one that is greater than He is. To look for or expect our happiness or joy to be primarily found in anything or anyone else will not only leave you empty and disappointed, but is to worship the gift over the Giver! To worship the gift over the Giver is to expect from the gift the thing that only the Giver, God, can provide. C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, Reflections on the Psalms, something that I have found helpful, so I will share it with you: I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. Do you hear what C.S. Lewis is saying? We praise what we value and care about and our delight is not complete until our delight is expressed. If it is true, that there is no greater beauty, reality, or person than the God who created all that is beautiful and good, true worship cannot be experienced unless it is directed at Him. This is why the Westminster Catechism is right to begin with these words: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But even on this point, C.S. Lewis made the following observation that helps us get a little closer to answering the question as to what kind of happiness God wants for us; here is what Lewis wrote: The Scotch catechism says that mans chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But we shall then know that these are the same thing. To fully enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him. John Piper took it one step further by swapping out the word and in the Westminster Catechism of Faith with the word by: The chief end of man is to glorify God byenjoying Him forever. God does expect us to seek our happiness, and He does command us to pursue our joy, but a happiness and a joy that is rooted in Him. If our happiness and joy is sought in anything other than God, it will not satisfy. However, if the pursuit of our happiness and joy is sought in Him, there will be a joy and happiness that will be rooted in a contentment in Him. This is how and why James 1:2-3 is only true for those who find their joy in Jesus Christ: Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Finding Your Joy/Happiness is Possible (vv. 8-10) So, does God want you to be happy? Yes, He wants you to be happy in Him! Does that mean that He wants you to leave your marriage because it does not make you happy? No! Does that mean you should leave your job because it does not make you happy? No. Does that mean you should get a new car because it does not make you happy? No, not necessarily. Why? Because your happiness and joy cannot ultimately be found in anything or anyone except the God who is your Maker. When we come to Psalm 95:8, there is a shift from the command to find your joy in God to Israels rebellion while they were in the wilderness, and more specifically, the Psalm refers to something that happened in Exodus 17:1-7 not long after God saved Israel from Pharoh and his army by parting the Red Sea. While in Egypt, Israel witnessed their God and Maker do mighty deeds that should have left little room to doubt His goodness and love for His people. Even though they had no reason to doubt Gods faithfulness to them, they still struggled to believe His faithfulness to them, so they complained: So the people quarreled with Moses and said, Give us water so that we may drink (Exod. 17:2)! Moses response gives us a glimpse into 40 years of Israel in the wilderness: Moses said to them, Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord? Throughout Israels existence, they were known for complaining and faithlessness towards God. Even after 40 years in the wilderness, God said of His people: Be appalled at this, you heavens, And shudder, be very desolate, declares the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living waters, to carve out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that do not hold water (Jer. 2:12-13). The great evil that Israel was guilty of was that She traded God for idols that could not satisfy. Consider another example from Isaiah 55:1-3 when God invited His people to turn away from the things that could not satisfy what they really needed: You there! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. So what happened in Exodus 17? Moses immediately brought Israels complaint before God out of a fear that they might eventually stone him to death. Moses asked, What am I to do with this people? (v. 4). Listen to the way God responded to Israels lack of faith and sin: Then the Lord said to Moses, Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (17:5-6). In other words, God said to Moses: Moses, take your staff that ought to be used to strike Israel for their sins, and take your rod and strike the rock I will be standing on so that Israel will not die of thirst. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, the apostle Paul said that the rock Moses struck was a picture and example of what God would do to satisfy the thirst of all who desire to be satisfied. The rod of Gods judgment for our sin came down upon Jesus as the rock of our salvation! Paul said of the rock Moses struck: for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ (v. 4). Now, listen to what Jesus said in John 7:37-38, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. Psalm 95 begins with these words: Come, lets sing for joy to the Lord, lets shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Jesus is the rock of our salvation! Again, Psalm 95 continues, Come, lets worship and bow down, lets kneel before the Lord our Maker (v. 6). Of Jesus, the Bible testifies, ...for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). Because the rod of Gods holy wrath came upon Jesus in our place, we are told: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:8-11) The Psalmist then reminds us that not only is God our Maker, but that He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness... (v. 7). Can you not hear the words of Jesus in Psalm 95:7, did He not say: I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.... I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me.... And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd (John 10:11, 14, 16). Conclusion Is joy and happiness possible for you? The answer is Yes! But it will not come from your car, through your job, or from any other person, but your Maker and the Great Shepherd of His sheep... namely Jesus! If you are seeking your happiness and joy in anything other than Jesus, then C.S. Lewis words serve as a fitting conclusion to this sermon: It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. God wants you to be happy and He wants you to experience joy, but it is a happiness and a joy that can only be found in Him. The joy and happiness that can only be found in God is the kind of joy and happiness that does not dissolve through suffering but sustains the sufferer because of the One from Whom true happiness and joy comes from. Amen. [1] C.S. Lewis,Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer(San Diego: Harvest, 1964), p. 93.

Christians today struggle with the inclination to drift away from what they believe and why they believe it. The main message of Hebrews brings us back to God's truththat Jesus, the eternal son of God, is supreme and sufficient. And that understanding can help us stay securely moored to Him and His Word. This is the 9th message in Jill Briscoe's 9-message series Drifting Away, in which she explores practical ways we can endure and persevere in our faith, while deepening our relationship with Jesus. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1141/29

This episode is an introduction to the book of Ephesians which was taught by Jackson Hankey at River City Church on Thursday, Jan. 9th, 2025. As stated in the episode, the book of Ephesians is one of the most important documents in the history of the world. That is largely due to the fact that even though this letter is relatively short, it is one of the clearest and most comprehensive statements of so much of the substance of the Christian beliefs that we hold so dear. Many of God's sheep in all ages have been led by the Great Shepherd to find in this book green pastures and still waters for their souls.This overview of the book covers a few things:1. The Historical Context & Relevant Background of the letter2. The Clear Teaching of Ephesians on SalvationThat it's by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, and to the Glory of God Alone 3. The Teaching of Ephesians on the Christian Life4. The Teaching of Ephesians on the Church

Jake Allen preaches on Psalm 23 in the first of a 2-week mini-series on our Great Shepherd.

Brandon VanMarel preaches from John 10 continuing the mini-series on our Great Shepherd.

A new MP3 sermon from Pineville Sovereign Grace Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Great Shepherd of The Sheep Subtitle: Devotional Speaker: Larry Phillips Broadcaster: Pineville Sovereign Grace Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 12/30/2024 Bible: John 10:11 Length: 14 min.

Pastor Jeff shares about shepherds today and how Jesus is our Great Shepherd! Luke 2:8 8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.    

In this episode of The Integrated Life podcast, Diana shares a powerful part of the Christmas story: the birth of Christ as both God and man, bringing redemption to the world as the Lamb of God. She delves into the role of the shepherds, who were visited by an angel announcing the Messiah's birth. Tune in to discover what happened when the shepherds met the Great Shepherd. Connect with Diana: integratedpurposemanagement.com Like us on Facebook Follow us on LinkedIn Quick Episode Summary: Diana Romero hosts a special holiday episode, reflecting on the story of the shepherds and their encounter with Jesus at His birth. She reads Luke 2:1-20, focusing on the shepherds' role in being the first to hear and share the news of Christ's birth. Diana highlights the humility of the shepherds, noting how God chose social outcasts to proclaim the birth of the King of Kings. She reflects on the significance of the baby Jesus being wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, a humble beginning for the Savior of the world. Diana explores the idea that these shepherds might have cared for the temple flock, connecting Jesus to the sacrificial lambs used in the temple. She discusses the heavenly host appearing to the shepherds, praising God and bringing the message of peace and goodwill toward men. Diana emphasizes how Jesus' life, starting with His humble birth, set the tone for humility, servanthood, and impact. She encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives, seek humility, and ask God for a word or message for their current season. The episode concludes with a call to embrace the Christmas story's lessons of faith, humility, and service, and to spread the hashtag #GodGetsMe to share evidence of God's presence in their lives.

Welcome back to the kitchen table at Christmas. Join Bethany for the next six episodes as she explores the various names of Jesus to help you settle the Christmas season's tensions, overwhelms, and chaos. In today's episode Bethany takes listeners through a story in scripture as to why Jesus is called the Great Shepard. She unpacks why this name is important and why would we want to know the deeper meaning behind the Great Shepard.  He tends to us, and during the Christmas season we tend to be wandering while consumed by our to-do lists but we can led the Great Shepard into contentment and peace.  Anchoring Scriptures: Ezekiel 34 1 Peter 2:25 Psalm 23 Connect with Bethany here Follow her on Instagram @bethanykimsey Stop feeling defeated in your motherhood. Join the Reset:Anchoring Your Motherhood in Gospel Truths course and transform your story in just 6 weeks. Grab your spot here. 

The prophet Ezekiel foretells of the shepherd that will come for his sheep. Learn how Jesus becomes the Great Shepherd and what it means to be one of His sheep. Pastor Nate Keeler shares "The Shepherd" from Ezekiel 34. Please sign our digital Connection Card

In today's message, we dive into our new series, Christology, where we explore the person of Christ. Pastor Bayless Conley shares an inspiring message about Jesus as our Great Shepherd, highlighting six profound ways the Lord acts as our Shepherd—and what it means for your daily life. If you've ever felt lost, overwhelmed, or in need of peace, this message will encourage your heart and strengthen your faith.