Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Lord is My Shepherd, Part 2 of 10

TEXT: Psalm 23

IDEA: If the Lord is our shepherd, that implies that we are His sheep.

PURPOSE: To help listeners admit that they are dependent and defenseless and helpless in facing the great issues of life.

I. When David writes “The Lord is my shepherd,” he implies that I am a sheep.

This is a strange way for a mighty near-Eastern king to think of himself.

Sheep are dependent, defenseless and helpless.

II. We resist thinking of ourselves as sheep.

Children would not want to be thought of as sheep.

The nations of the world do not march under the emblem of a sheep.

Sports teams use the logo of an animal, but none uses the logo of a sheep.

III. Yet for Christians who appreciate the benefit of the 23rd Psalm, we have to confess that in the great issues of life, we are like sheep—helpless, dependent, and sometimes stupid.