Psalm 23 (NRSV)
My head anointed with oil
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in
green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff --
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the
house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Reflection
I couldn't help this reflection after reading the Psalm. In 2006 I gave a series of sermons at my friend's church while he and his wife went on an extended vacation. It's a wonderful Presbyterian Church in a very small town just outside of Hueston Woods State Park. It was wonderful to prepare this sermon and rereading it has been a great reflection today for me.
Here is that sermon as my reflection for this day.
Listen to the Shepherd's Voice
Sermon 7/23/2006Theme: Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice
Prayer for Illumination
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Readings
Psalm-Psalm 23
1st Reading-Jeremiah 23.1-6
2nd Reading-Ephesians 2.11-22
Gospel-Mark 6.30-34, 54-56
Psalm 23
The 23rd Psalm. One of many favorites of all time. But what is it about this Psalm that appeals to such a large percentage of Christians throughout all time?
The early church sang Psalm 23 as the baptized person emerged from the font and proceeded into the newly illumined church for Eucharist.
Today many a funeral has the 23rd Psalm read. This Psalm is like a walk through life with our Shepherd taking care of all of our needs. This Psalm is like a prayer of worship to God before a sermon that our Pastor would tell us of a Lord whose name is Christ and make him known to us. That during this sermon I would be attentive to listen to the words of the message as I am led to this Master and Teacher who is the Son of God.
So let’s take that journey here and now through Psalm 23. Feel Jesus’ presence; Once again hear him walking close by. Walking once again as we heard him walk in that Garden years ago. Walking with you and me through life. Our Shepherd. Our Lord – Our Savior.
The practice of Eastern shepherds was to have various flocks sheltering together in a common fold. The shepherd of a particular flock would approach the fold, come to the gate and call.
Groups of two or three sheep would know his voice and turn and follow the shepherd.
The shepherd knew each one of his sheep.
In the church we must remember that we need to exist in the fold of the sheep. If we think we as sheep can go it on our own—we deceive ourselves.
Jesus calls the flock- the flock – even though he knows each one of us- he calls us as a flock to follow him. In this we see that Christ must remain the head of the church. There is strength in membership of the flock.
Want
Jesus has called us – we hear our Shepherd’s voice. I am called through the gift of my baptism. I am called by Jesus as a Child of God. I am called unique. I am called peculiar in a wonderful way. But all the same, I am called. You are called. And we begin to move towards Jesus voice. In pairs- maybe two or three. We join together in our walk towards our Shepherds voice. We get up and walk. And we find a Lord who is a wonderful Shepherd taking care of all our wants and needs.
"I shall not want." – come on – I will want! – But who is I?
If I think of myself as a body—I will without a doubt want! – Who here hasn’t been hungry or thirsty – need rest – the body has needs and wants. As a body – as human flesh – I will want.
Let’s look at this from a different perspective though- Who is I? – How about – Do I have a Soul?—No! – I have no soul! – I have no soul! – This is a surprising and bold statement to make. An early preacher made this point years ago. I have no soul--- I am a soul and I have a body. This is the change in perspective of thinking here on "Who is I?"
I am a soul that has a body.
So when I think of myself as "Soul" – I can see that with this perspective – with Christ as my Shepherd – "I shall not want." – With Christ there is nothing- absolutely nothing else I will ever need- In Christ I shall not want. Thanks be to God.
Listen to the Shepherds Voice- "I shall not want."
Make
My Shepherd makes me lie down. He makes me. No request here. Christ makes me lie down. Just as in our reading from Mark. Jesus knows when we need rest. And he will make us lie down. He will make it happen. In command we see renewal and restoration. God throughout all time has told of us this need. Even in and through the creation story and the Ten Commandments. A rest happens. A Sabbath of renewal takes place. And as Sheep – Jesus our Shepherd makes us rest.
Listen to the Shepherds Voice. "He makes me lie down."
Restore
So at the beginning we hear his voice. Rise and slowly join together – one to two, two to three and more to follow our call together as Chosen children of God. Following our Shepherd who takes care of all our wants and makes us rest in life. Then he restores us. He restores our soul. That different perspective. I am soul – which happens to have a body. Rest-
Remember the times of rest- real rest—Life is like this – we start on a journey – then God gives us rest- rest in green pastures.
Green- green becomes green with Light and Water- Green – those refreshing baptismal waters of life- that warmth and Light of the Son our Savior- Jesus who provides that everliving water of life- that continual renewal in our baptism – day after day we relive our baptism and feel the water of life entering our souls- each morning giving thanks for those baptismal waters that restore us- combine those waters with the warmth of the Son – the Light of the world- the Word that became flesh and dwelt amongst us- God’s Water- God’s Light in a Savior for each of us and for all of us. Green with Life- Light and Water. Showers as well as sunshine-
But rest and restoration is not an end. He restores my soul- there is that soul again- I am soul that has a body--- in the restoration we see our life as movement—not stagnation- we move on by the lead of our Shepherd—after restoration the journey is not haphazard- it leads somewhere- there is spiritual gain to be found in all that God permits to happen to us.
Listen to the Shepherds Voice. "He restores my soul."
Guide
He guides me in paths of righteousness.
Purpose in my life- I have been restored now it’s time to get up and go. Begin the journey God has called me to through my baptism. Seek to discover the gain God has for my soul. This path will not always be easy. Jesus my Shepherd will guide me but that doesn’t mean this will be a cakewalk. The path may be hard. The path may be narrow. I may have to squeeze through a gate or two. I can expect to feel some pain.
We are being led back to the main flock. That flock of saints in glory. Those souls who have taken this journey. Or a journey unique to their lives that led them by the Savior back to the fold. Back to the host of saints in heaven where we will once again gather in glory. But for now- for you- for I – we follow the lead We trust in our guide and follow in faith.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice. "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his names sake."
Walk
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death"---
Notice how we were refreshed by the still waters – before the hardest part of our journey- then while in the dark there is illumination- the Light of Christ. Even though we walk through the shadow of death- journey into the dark corners of life- we have our Light- our Shepherd as our guide. Walking there once again as always -–at our side.
Do you hear his walk? Do you hear him walking in the Garden? That Tree of Life- Can you hear the walk? – He is walking with you in the darkness of your life—hear the walk- feel Christ with you by your side- with you from the beginning and even now.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice. "Even though you will walk in the darkness I need not fear because Jesus is there with me to guide and protect me.
Comfort
Jesus there to protect and comfort me. Comfort me with his rod and his staff. I can’t defeat evil on my own. Christ defeats evil on the cross for me. He has defeated evil with his rod and I must depend on this and this alone. I can't depend on my own strength. Only through Jesus -–and he will use his rod and staff on me also- to lead me- to guide me- to discipline me as a loving Shepherd will always do to his sheep. That’s comfort! – Yea I may be disciplined- I will know my sin – but in the knowing of my sin- Jesus will guide me and redirect my path.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice- your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
Prepare
We’re going back to the fold where a table is prepared. A table spread before me. A communion table along the way in the dark valley. That table where we can take in the body and blood of Christ. Remember once again the price Jesus paid for us. Even in the dark valley. Jesus our Shepherd leads us back to this table – time and time again to remind us of what a price he paid for each one of us- and for all of us together as his Church – Jesus is our Shepherd preparing that table now and in the future and showing us the price he paid for our lives.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice-He prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies.
Anoint
He anoints my head with oil. Remember that baptism? He anoints you too! – Anoints our heads with oil. Treats us so kindly. Loves us so much. A deep deep love that we can’t understand. A love that anoints us even though we don’t deserve it. Feel the Love of the Shepherd in your life. Feel his deep love and be so gracious for it. Give him thanks day after day all your life.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice- He anoints your head with oil.
Overflow
And my cup overflows. What a wonderful Shepherd. As we walk through the valley we begin to come out. We get closer and closer to the fold – to that wonderful flock of saints in heaven and we see that in this journey – this tough and painful journey – this calling in Christ – that our cup overflows-
Now that’s Grace—a cup that overflows- that love of Christ freely given that overflows our cup- that blood at the table- beyond belief- overflowing the cup- more than we ever need- may our cups overflow with the love of Christ that his love will overflow in us to be given to the world we live in. – May Christ’s love overflow in us and spill out into each one of our worlds. Spill to every person we meet this week that they too may know and see Christ –active in our life – Christ – real and alive in and through us.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice- my cup of love overflows
Follow
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life- Our journey continues- Called- baptized- fed with the body and blood- the bread and the wine- given his love to overflowing – we now see the goodness and love God has freely given to us through our Savior. Wow! – I will follow!
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice- Goodness and Love will follow you all the days of your life.
Dwell
Then there it is – and even here it is. – Now we know – now we see- that through this journey – through this walk with the Shepherd- all along- we have already begun the journey of eternal life- We being baptized –saved- followers of the Shepherd have already begun the gracious gift of eternal life- it’s already started- right here and now we have eternal life through our Shepherd- And we already dwell with the fold- We just didn’t know it all this time- we are living our eternal life through the grace of God and right now are dwelling with God – dwelling with and in God and in his temple- We have walked to the heart of God – and in this walk we find along the way that we were already with our Shepherd.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice- You will dwell in and with God- in his house forever.
Listen
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice.
Feel Jesus walking by your side in life.
Feel his presence.
Touch his cloak. It’s real!
Hear his voice and follow his lead.
Don’t be fooled by any other voice- follow the Shepherd’s Voice.
Listen to the Shepherd’s Voice!
Amen
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