SERIES: The Lord of Psalm 23
Text: Psalm 23:5
Message: Jesus, Our Host
“When we are close to the Lord Jesus, in the same way that David is close to his Shepherd in Psalm 23, then there are many different facets to our relationship with him. It is well observed by commentators versus 5 to 6 of the Psalm, the imagery changes from that of sheep and Shepherd to that of guest and host…(God’s) care for me is so comprehensive, so absolute, that more than the way a loving shepherd treats a precious sheep, you treat me the way a lavish host treats a special guest…this is the picture of total care and why we shouldn’t think of it as a transition that leaves off the Lord as our shepherd, rather this is how he shepherds.” — David Gibson
Q: How does God shepherd us?
Psalm 23:5 — ”You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.“
“The imagery changes suddenly in verse 5. We move from that of a shepherd to the host of a great banquet. Yet it is not a completely new image so much as it is an extension and development of the Shepherd-King picture. This King is constantly with us and caring for us in the fields and in the valleys as a shepherd. But he also seats us at his table and in his house (v. 6). He has brought us from the fields, through the valley, and into his home! Here we are both safe and satisfied.” — J. Josh Smith
Q: How does God shepherd us? With (a): (1. Warm Welcome 2. Unlikely Guests 3. Wounded Healer)
- Warm Welcome
“You prepare a table before me…”
- Unlikely Guests
“…in the presence of my enemies…”
“The Shepherd-King serves his sheep. Enemies may surround us; yet God sustains us…To our enemies this is a witness, a testimony, to the favor of God in our lives and his faithfulness to his sheep, his children. They would harm us, but God protects us. They would starve us, but God feeds us and honors us.” — J. Josh Smith
“What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything of the sort. Christians come together…because they have been saved by Jesus Christ and owe him a common allegiance. In the light of this common allegiance, in light of the fact that they have all been loved by Jesus himself, they commit themselves to doing what he says—and he commands them to love one another. In this light, they are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’s sake.” — Don Carson
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” — Luke 9:10-13
“We’re geared towards hostility more than to hospitality. This is part of why, for example, secular Western identity often struggles to let its guard down even in the company of like-minded people: increasingly, we think and talk of allies rather than friends.” — Dr. James Eglinton
- Wounded Healer
“…you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
“This, to me, is the exact picture of irritations in my own life. How easy it is for there to be a fly in the ointment of even my most lofty spiritual experience! So often it is the small, petty annoyances that ruin my repose…At times some tiny, tantalizing thing torments me to the point where I feel I am just beating my brains out. And so my behavior as a child of God degenerates to a most disgraceful sort of frustrated tirade. Just as with the sheep, there must be continuous and renewed application of oil to forestall the “flies” in my life; there must be a continuous anointing of God’s gracious Spirit to counteract the ever-present aggravations of personality conflicts..” — W. Phillip Keller
In the Christian life, most of our contamination by the world, by sin, by that which would defile and disease us spiritually comes through our minds. It is a case of mind meeting mind to transmit ideas, concepts, and attitudes that may be damaging. Often it is when we “get our heads together” with someone else who may not necessarily have the mind of Christ that we come away imbued with concepts that are not Christian. Our thoughts, our ideas, our emotions, our choices, our impulses, drives, and desires are all shaped and molded through the exposure of our minds to other people’s minds. In our modern era of mass communication, the danger of the “mass mind” grows increasingly grave…One cannot be exposed to such contacts without coming away contaminated. The thought patterns of people are becoming increasingly abhorrent. Today we find more tendency to violence, hatred, prejudice, greed, and cynicism, and increasing disrespect for that which is noble, fine, pure, or beautiful. This is precisely the opposite of what Scripture teaches us. In Philippians 4:8 we are instructed emphatically in this matter: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”! — W. Phillip Keller
“Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?…’” (Mark 10:38)
“While Jesus didn’t deserve the cup he clearly wanted it. He was drawn to it. Three times in Mark we read of his resolve to go to the cross (Mark 8.31, 9.30-32, 10.33-34). You notice in Mark 8.31 he stresses that he ‘must’ go and do this. It is what he is compelled to do and what he wanted to do. As the Son, it is the delight of his soul to faithfully discharge his Father’s wishes. As the Savior, it is the delight of his soul to save sinners like me and you. He wanted this cup (Heb. 12.1-2).” — ERIK RAYMOND
TAKEAWAYS: How does God’s care apply to our lives? In three ways:
- Remind yourself of Jesus’ welcome to you each day
- Believe that God can transform enemies to friends
- Ask for God’s healing balm over your heart & mind
John 10:11 — “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”