Following the Good Shepherd: Day 15 - Pastor Ryan Shook
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“True to Your word, You let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.” Psalm 23:3 (MSG)
“Open my eyes to see wonderful things in Your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and Your commands are my chart and guide. I long for Your instructions more than I can tell.”
Psalm 119:18-20 (TLB)
The more I read the Bible the more amazed I am at its content and construction. Consider the Shepherd work of Christ, for example. We’ve been talking about that for the past few weeks as we learn to follow the Good Shepherd. We found various passages in the New Testament that revealed the Shepherd work of Christ in three unique ways. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. He is the Great Shepherd who rose again and lives for His sheep, and He is the Chief Shepherd who is coming again for His Sheep. The Shepherd work of Christ covers our past sins in His death, our present needs through His resurrection life indwelling us, and our future hope in His promised return to establish His kingdom where we will rule and reign with Him for all eternity! This teaching on the completeness of His Shepherd work is also revealed in the construction of Psalms 22, 23, and 24. Look at the context or setting of Psalm 23. It’s no coincidence it’s found between the 22nd and 24th Psalm. As you read all three you see it is truly like apples of gold in settings of silver. Dig a little deeper with me.
Psalm 22 opens with the very words our Good Shepherd said from the cross. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Psalm 22:1 (NKJV) I call this psalm the Psalm of the Savior. It forecasts His death on the cross in unquestionable detail centuries before it occurred. This psalm describes what took place on Mount Calvary, a hill just outside the city walls of ancient Jerusalem where the crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place according to the Bible.
Psalm 24 takes place on another mountain called Mount Zion and asks the question “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?” Psalms 24:3 (NKJV) I call this psalm the Psalm of the Sovereign. Twice the psalmist repeats this phrase, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.” (Vs. 9, 10) The Sovereign Lord is the Chief Shepherd who is coming again to rule and reign from His holy mountain in Jerusalem.
But, between Mount Calvary where our Savior died, and Mount Zion where one day He will return and reign as the King of glory, we live in a valley described in the 23rd Psalm. The psalmist calls it “the valley of the shadow of death.” It’s where you and I live. It’s in this valley that we need a Great Shepherd to lead us, protect us, and provide for us. Psalm 23 is the Psalm of the Shepherd. Jesus is the Great Shepherd who, risen from the dead, now comes alongside us and dwells within us by His Spirit to restore our souls. How does He do it? How does He guide us? Through His Word! I love the way The Message paraphrases verse 3, “True to Your word, You let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.” God is always True to His Word! As His sheep, we are wise to follow Him daily in His Word. Let Psalm 119: 18-20 (TLB) voice your prayer each day, “Open my eyes to see wonderful things in Your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and Your commands are my chart and guide. I long for Your instructions more than I can tell.”
Let God's Word be your guide as you continue to follow the Good Shepherd. You’ll be amazed how even in its construction the Bible gives us a progressive revelation of His Shepherd work in our lives that covers our past, present, and future! What a Shepherd we have to follow!