0000000017 00000 n If we are serving alongside God as sheepdog, do we know andlove the sheep? Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.". David tells us that goodness follows us all the days of our lives. He makes me lie down in green pastures. St. Peter wrote in his first letter (1 Pet 4:12) Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you., The Bible constantly tells us that there will be difficult times in life, and Psalm 23 voices such a warning. 0000018083 00000 n God is not a distant God who winds up the universe and lets it go. It is my privilege to share with you in the grief and the joy of fondly recalling the good things which God brought into our lives through Mrs. Smith. Regrettably, many of my hearers do not know the . You have simply awoken to what has always been here, what has aways been within you. The matrix Ashley experienced is the light behind the shadow. You may know the 23 rd Psalm, but do you know the Good Shepherd? Prayerfully ask God to show you prophets to whom you should listen. It describes, in poetic terms, the peace and confidence which David has, in the face of adversity and opposition from his enemies, and even death. >> It portrays God as the shepherd who is at once a protector as well as a caregiver. That is the one critical constant in changes of our lives. 0000016588 00000 n We come to You and ask for Your divine presence in this place today and grant to us Your Spirit of comfort. Not only did Jesus Christ come as the Lamb of God, to die for those who would be His sheep. b. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. It was there the day Ashley died and it is here today. And please dont hear what I have just said as an answer or explanation. All shall be well. There are many needs around the world and many good ideas about how to serve people well in the name of Jesus. Even though his path is different and sometimes seems so unusual. Both are essential. /O 45 Marsh,. he would say again. A. The goodness and kindness of Mrs. Smith is the source of the warm memories which we have sought to recall and refresh in her eulogy a few moments ago. Ted A. Giese / Friday October 23rd 2020: Season of Pentecost / Psalm 23 'Lord Take My Hand' 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 paths of righteousnessfor His name's sake. Audio Pre-Recorded: Funeral was held at Lee Funeral Home in Regina Saskatchewan. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. I will touch on that in a few minutes. For centuries the Twenty-third Psalm has been one of the most treasured passages in all of Holy Scripture. He had lost his kingdom; his family; his home; and his peace. Psalm 23:2-3 ESV. He did it by dying on a cross and raising from the dead. Fearless Comfort: A reflection on Psalm 23:4. How might we understand the relationship between the sheepdog and sheep? Jesus offers salvation to the all but many won't believe Him. It would be so wonderful if God would simply promise to us that we would never go through difficult times. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. >> For centuries the Twenty-third Psalm has been one of the most treasured passages in all of Holy Scripture. He can't restore us if we don't listen to His voice. Sheep have many wants. %PDF-1.7 . Fear can be a powerful, debilitating, paralyzing influence in our lives. << c.) God will allows us to share in His eternal victory. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. << In his epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul described these two contrasting responses to death in these words: But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). He restores my soul. Your email address will not be published. Now, there was the danger that Sarah would become the wife of an Egyptian, and bear him children. You see, Jesus was grieving. 3. Scripture: Psalm 25. /S 429 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. In the still, comforting waters of Holy Baptism, our Good Shepherd, the prince of Peace, who laid down His life for ours, provides rest, safety, and health. When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. But dont forget all the great times you had together. After extended conversation, the two armies agreed to pool some of their food together for a Christmas meal. Pastor Hromowyk preaching Psalm 23Hymns: 790 Praise to the Loard, the Almighty657 A Mighty fortress Is Our God717 Eternal Father, Strong to Save God is loving, and present, fiercely and tenderly holding all of us whom God lovingly created. And David had lost many things that led to the writing of this Psalm. No one wants to. While we do no focus on one's failures at the time of their death, we must all admit that there are failures. Don Richardson recalls his life amongst the Sawi people of Irian Jaya in a book called The Peace Child. /Size 77 My cup overflows. If Interrupting the Silence has been meaningful in your life or helpful in your ministry please. /Prev 108275 The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. It so happened that the battle continued into Christmas Day. (2) The Lamb of God died for us, and triumphed over death by His resurrection. 2023 West Grove United Methodist Church. 0000004004 00000 n For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. Matthew 2:2. It is not. If you had died last Monday morning would the Good Shepherd have lead you home? Click here to return to the Sermons page.. Psalm 23:4. And you wont be surprised when I tell you this. Tuesday: [They were] asking, Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? In my years of ministry, I had not preached on Psalm 23 before. Jesus has trod the Psalm 23-journey before us. Theres been a mistake. The wise seek Jesus. Psalm 121, Psalm 23, Psalms 23:1-6, 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. The Good Shepherd leads us in the paths of righteousness. 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. Psalm 23:1-2 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. What also works for me is the reminder each day that "the Lord IS my shepherd" as I make my way down the path. Psalm 23 is the most popular and probably the most read Psalm of all. (a) It is impossible for there to be a valley unless there are mountains. /E 36556 Shepherds know the needs of their sheep. Saturday: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. Matthew 2:6. He was truly a miracle child. Jesus himself experienced great sorrow at the loss of someone who was close to him. or: R/. David knew that he had received God's lavish care all his life. Your observation of no shadow without light is a vision I treasure. It will help you to make the sermon personal. We are the sheep in this passage. John Piper Sep 8, 1980. There are places in Scripture that are powerful, so deep, that to recite them is to experience them. Thats because when God created this world, He created us to be with him. In baptism we are made members of the household of God already, and our destiny is made secure through faith. The Shepherd fed David in peaceful green pastures. Isaiah the prophet spoke of the coming Savior as a Lamb, who would suffer for the sins of men: He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Verse 1 - "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" - is really the theme of . Shepherd need a shepherd and sheep dog team who know them and who claim them. Thank you Anne. What are sheep like? ii) Psalm 23 is in between two "mountain" Psalms. God has the ability to provide for us. Rev. Death is a mystery we cannot fully comprehend. /L 109273 0000004377 00000 n We have many wants, but the psalmist points us to the reality that all that we may want in life is found and satisfied in the Shepherd. "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Death should cause us to mourn. Ps 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His names sake. by the Rev. This sermon may be particularly helpful when conducting a funeral of someone the minister did not personally know. The staff with its large crook at the end serves to support the sheeps body when it crosses a dangerous chasm. Both armies seemed to be at a stalemate. Psalm 121: A Funeral Sermon Ministry Today 42: March 2008 By Paul Beasley-Murray Chair of Ministry Today and Senior Minister of Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford I cant remember when Alan and Alison first began to attend our church - it must have been toward the end of the last millennium. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. To start saving items to a SermonFolder, please create an account. The words of David in Psalm 23 no longer are his expression of faith, but yours as well. He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Through repentance and faith. , tells us about how Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus. I want you to garner some of her insight as well. She would simply repeat over and over again I want. It also speaks to the present. c. = Confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? In the next few moments, I want to offer to you the hope which David experienced, and which he expressed in Psalm 23. And even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.". In the Old Testament, the sins of Israel were temporarily atoned for by the sacrifice of a lamb. Call it the light or call it the matrix, it doesnt matter. The table here speaks of feasting and fellowship. Throughout this series, we will hear from Judy on living with sheep and sheepdogs. When he finished there wasn't a dry eye in the place. The value of the words and their expression at the end of life is well established. Since the psalms are songs, whenever possible, they should be sung. Fourth, David's fear of death was gone because he was assured of God's presence. Isaiah spoke of it as the Sprit of the Lord God bringing good news, binding up the brokenhearted, and comforting those who mourn (Isaiah 61:1-3). My heart goes out to you with having to preach what had to be a profoundly difficult sermon for your friend. That doesnt help anyone. Even when she did not know what she wanted. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. It seems too hard. In the Revelation to John it is that one seated on the throne saying, See, I am making all things new (Revelation 21:2-7). Its trustworthy. Will you take the Shepherds hand and let him lead you through this valley of darkness so that you can say at the end of the psalm-, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Often the weather closes in and you can't see where you are going. We no longer desired God and our bodies started to break down. Our love has driven us to talk about our guests with compassion and a desire to serve those whose lives feel so different from those of us who are not worried about where we will sleep tonight. Psalm 90:3-6. It is like trying to spray perfume on a bag of trash and expecting it to remove the smell. The LORD watches over you--the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. thirty something years ago, early in my first pastorate, i preached a sermon entitled: "why we do funerals backwards." my contention then, as now, is that the traditional american funeral should be reversed. They had sang songs of Christs birth together. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. D.L. I shall have gone higher, that is all out of this old clay tent into a house that is immortal, a body that sin cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned into His glorious body. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOUR rod and YOUR staff comfort me. The veteran said after that, it was hard to go back to fighting the next day. /Linearized 1 Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. How can we walk in the paths of righteousness? Funeral Sermon for Irma Emilie Stenzel - Mount Olive Lutheran Church / Pr. Even though I walk through the valley . , we are told that when Jesus heard the news about John, he got on a boat and went to head to a desolate place. No it doesn't! But Herod was startled, because he had not studied Gods word. This summer my sister went with my family and I to New Hampshire. Isaiah 53:6 says: All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. God will never leave us or forsake He is always there for us, b.) Psalms 23:1-6, John 6:37-40, Psalms 6:1-10, Denomination: Sunday: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1. Psalm 23 gives us a glimpse of the care God gives us in both our earthly and eternal lives. God spares nothing to care for me. A "generic" message based on Psalm 23 that easily accomodates a variety of situations. While we may see this as a natural part of life, this was not how God designed this life to be. He said he never expected to find it here in Uvalde and in Utopia. Let me make a few comments about the hope which God offers to all those who face death, a hope which exchanges fear for faith. I do not remember ever taking a funeral where I did not use the 23rd Psalm. He restores my soul. The source of this hope is to be found in the texts of both passages which you have heard today. 8"2UF@'x.s!3@9]8|,Uv QYtLM'FL 6EG:81#. For if the Lord is my shepherd I can also say, 'I'll not want'. Ive seen it happen in the lives of others. Paul expects Christians to view death differently than the rest. Its a cruel hoax. Then I spoke with Z., Ashleys wife, and my denials gave way to silence and tears. Click here for more messages from the book of Psalms. You won't be afraid if you know the Shepherd because He'll take you home. May we find You evident in our lives today. Thank you. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. This was Abraham's faith, and thus it overcome his fear of death. He makes me lie down in green pastures. We are here this evening for the joyful funeral of Mrs. Eloise Roop. Yet the promise that God has already given us eternal life with him sustains us in our journey and gives substance to our hope. The basis of David's faith is expressed in Psalm 23. 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