He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley
I will 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 your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever."Ps:23
End to the beginning
I would like to read this Psalm in a different way , a way that you might not have thought of before.
Let's read it from the end to the beginning, after all God tell us through the pages of the Holy Bible that he declares the end from the beginning
" Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure' Isa:46:10
The end of the Psalm tells us where everything is ultimately leading. Home to the House of the Lord, everything in the Psalm from the first verse onward is is all because of what the last verse affirms to us, that we will dwell in the House of the Lord for ever, that last verse is not a result , it is the reason of all that we read in this Psalm.
"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
All the days of my life surely your goodness and mercy will follow meMy cup overflows, You anoint my head with oil.
In the presence of my enemies You prepare a table before me
[I am] Comforted by your rod and your staff. For you are with me I will fear no evil even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
For his name’s sake He guides me along the right paths.
He refreshes my soul, he leads me beside quiet waters. In green pastures, He makes me lie down.
I lack nothing, The Lord is my shepherd."
Every thing we read in the Psalm flows out of the truth that we will dwell with him in eternity. It also indicates that all that we blessed with comes from him alone that it is our due to his own sovereign love and workings in our lives. This place in the Lord's house is the very place that Jesus is there even now preparing for us. Jesus is preparing eternity for us and us for eternity.
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. “And you know the way where I am going.”Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Jhn:14:1-6
Goodness and Mercy
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."Eph:2:4-10
"Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and
patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"Rm:2:4
"for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."Phlp:2:13
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the
marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Then
he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the
marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words
of God"Rev:19:7-9
Cup Overflows
The Lord in his Son Jesus Christ has been so gracious to us and has lavished upon us great blessing , the cup of our lives overflows with so many blessings the greater of these we will experience to their fullest when we "dwell in the house of the Lord forever", yet even here in this life we are rich in his blessing that exceed the ability of any of us to contain these blessing should overflow to those around us.
"To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord seeing
that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life
and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His
own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature," 1Ptr:1:1-4a
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,"Eph:1:1-3
Anointed With Oil
Because we"will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" he has placed his anointing upon us as his very own. He has first of all healed the greater need of all humanity, that of sin. Anointing oil in Scripture, in the New Testament was used as a sacrament for the healing .
The Apostle James in his general Epistle to the church, which it is likely that James' letter is the earliest of all New Testament writings , instructed Christians to call upon the Church's leaders when they are sick to come and anoint them with oil and to pray for them.
This admonition would have been have taken some early Jewish Christians by surprise, for under the Old Covenant, which they lived said that the sick were to be isolated away from the worship at the Temple, but now the "Temple" in the person of the church elders was to come to them and anoint and pray with and for them the sick was no longer to be kept away from worship in the same way as they had previously had been.
"Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and
the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the
Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be
forgiven him" Jms:5:13-15
The healing of the body was not just spoken of here but speaks to the greater need of all humanity, that of the forgiveness of sin. This is great sickness of the human race that is healed above all things "if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven".
Jesus came to heal the issue of sin, from the wayward living that we all like lost and aimless sheep were headed. Peter referring to the word's of Isaiah writes. The healing that is in reference is the healing of our estrangement from our God now rectified by and through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.
"He
himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die
to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been
healed." For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls". 1Ptr:2:24-25
This anointing upon the head speaks to us of the healing of our minds toward our God, humanity is whether they realize it or not have a hostility in their minds toward God. This hostility manifest in subtle and overt ways both as doubt or rejection of or in God.
"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet
He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order
to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—"Col:1:21-22
The anointing also speaks to each of us that we called to serve God, that we have been anointed to serve him as a Priesthood , as was in the anointing of the Priest of Israel or when a King was crown.
"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."Rev:5:10
A Table Prepared
In the ancient world the table represented and was the place of coming together , of fellowship, of communion. The table was the place where your came to know one another. It was the place of gathering and joining together of celebration , of unity. The table was the place of sustenance of life. It is where bread was broken.
The host would lay out his abundance and his best for those whom he would invite and would gather at his table. We are all called to gather at the Lord's table even now even in this life to gather with him not just when we "will dwell in the house of the Lord" .
"what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may
have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father,
and with His Son Jesus Christ." 1Jhn:1:3
We called to come to the Lord's table to fellowship and come to know him. He has given us life and provided everything we could ever hope for.
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."Jhn:17:3
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing
that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life
and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His
own glory and excellence."2Ptr:2:2-3
The Lord has prepared a table for us even here and now in this world "in the presence of our enemies" , This table looks ahead and anticipates when we gather "in the house of the Lord" around his table in joyful eternal celebration.
Comforted By His Rod and Staff
As pass through this life on our way to "dwell in the house of the Lord" we can experience great comfort on the way there, we can feel the "rod and staff" of our great shepherd Jesus Christ being there to to re us and protects us leading us onward.
We can face life knowing that not only is Jesus our Shepherd willing to die for us, he has already done it. For Jesus these are not empty words.
"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" Jhn:10:11
Jesus has defeated everything that could possible come against us, we can take great comfort in this, knowing that the Shepherd would never take his flock where he himself had not gone.
"do not be afraid, for I have defeated the world" Jhn"16:33
When we encounter grief or sorrow Jesus is there understanding what we face. Isaiah looking head to Jesus calls says of him him
"He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not." Isa:53:3
He can give us comfort and peace that is beyond circumstances that we might face.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."jhn:14:27
Even now he is there to comfort us so that we in turn can comfort others.
"who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."2Crth:1:4
The very prospect that we will "dwell in the house of the Lord should bring comfort to us as well".
No Fear in the Valley of Death
In the life of a flock this was the last great obstacle before they reached their home and the "house of the Lord" after passing through these narrow places
As we pas through times of transitions in this life when one season dies and another begins we pass through times of great darkness and deep valleys when we can not see our way where bandits and predators lurk. But we need to fear any evil for "you are with me ".
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."Matt:28:20
Even when the shadow that we pass through is death it's self we can face it with out fear
"in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" 1Crth:15:52-58
We can know that Jesus has passed this way and that we are safe "for you are with me" .
His Name Sake
Our God guides us by his Spirit that other see him dwelling in our lives, and come to believe, we are changed and other see his presence.
"And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and
acceptable and perfect will of God".Rm:12:2
This Fruit that brings glory to God is not produced by our efforts but through who Jesus is and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit .
This righteousness Jesus' own given to us. This righteousness this righteousness will bring eternal honor to the "house of the Lord".
"The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"Ps:29:9
" I love the habitation of thy house, And the place where thy glory dwells"Ps:26:8.
Refresh and Restores My Soul
In this life we , on our way to "dwell in the house of the Lord" can find that we become weary and worn and that we may need time of repose and refreshing, the greatest of which is found in the complete forgiveness of our sins, which when we enter therein we are in Jesus refreshed to live an all new life. Jesus came to bring a time of refreshing to us.
"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in
order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord"Acts:3:19
When we come to believe in Jesus who is our Great Shepherd, we can enter into a sense of rest all through faith in him this is the rest that the writer of Hebrews address in the fourth chapter of the Epistle. Jesus calls each all to set aside the burdens that we all may carry and come to Jesus.
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."Matt:11:28
Peter admonishes Christians, the flock of God, to cast all our concerns upon Jesus.
"casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you".1Ptr:5:7
All through Jesus can come to him who has accomplished our restoration to our God, he has provided in Jesus all that we could never have done for ourselves.
Quiet Waters
In this life there are moments when the Spirit of God places his peace upon us and he leads us into quiet moments where it is just he and our selves there alone. The still Spirit of God communions with us assuring us of our place where we will "dwell in the house of the Lord".
"Be still and know that I am God"Ps:46:10
Our God is often there in the silence of the night or the grey pre-dawn light or morning, letting us know that we need not fear .That our greatest thirst has been quenched in and by Jesus.
"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."Isa:12:3
This is the water of the Holy Spirit, that Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman in John's Gospel.
Lie in Green Pasture
There is provision and safety here with our Lord even in this life he is there to provide for us as he watches over us, here we can rest and be at ease that he watch us not to condemn but rather to protect under his care. We can lie down and be at peace .
Here in the Psalm this was the high country, the furthest place from the "house of the Lord" where the sheep loved to stay in the Spring of the year. This is the time of great contentment. This speaks to us ,that at times even this side of eternity, in Jesus we find seasons of contentment.
It looks ahead to the eternal contentment which awaits us beyond the confines of the life. It reminds of the Great blessings and joys that are ours all and through Jesus. It only begins to hint at what lies ahead for us.
Lacking Nothing
In Christ as our Great Shepherd who knows how to take us to the "house of the Lord" we have been given every good thing. Because of who Jesus is we are made complete , he gives to us everything that Jesus has and all that is his he shares with us.
"and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;Col:2:10
"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us
wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."1Crth:1:30
Jesus is everything we could never be , in him we lack nothing even now in this life and ultimately will experience to the fullest when we "dwell in the house of the Lord"
The Shepherd
Jesus is ever vigilant overseeing our lives ever watchful of you. He knows how to care for us when we listen to voice and and keep alert to him we are safe. Jesus , it is , who will care for and to tend us, he knows the way to the "house of the Lord" he has made our place there a realty.
Jesus will walk with and among us calming us and leading us. Jesus is not just the one who will lead us to the" house of the Lord" he is the way to the" house of the Lord" , he is the very door or gate that we enter the" house of the Lord" by.
" anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by
the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—" Jhn:10
All that we read in this Psalm all flow out of our God wanting to provided each and all of us place in his houses for all eternity. Everything flows out of the place which awaits any and all who will but freely receive in and by our lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who will lead us to "dwell in the house of the Lord forever"...Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.
2101 Old National Pike.
Washington,
Pennsylvania.
www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
No comments:
Post a Comment