The Great Shepherd pt 2 by William Zongwana
Description of the Shepherd:
He is Omnipotent ie: powerful God, almighty God.
He is Omnipresent ie: He is everywhere at any time, is never late, nor early but always on time.
He is Omniscience ie: He knows everything, masters everything in heaven and earth, he knows the past and the future.
GOD IS OUR KEEPER
PSALM 121:4-8 NKJV “Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.”
Therefore: I am God’s sheep
Sheep are gentle, quiet, innocent animals. It does not talk ie: its nature. It cannot do anything without the shepherd. We are sheep to be looked after by God, who is our Shepherd.
Psalm 23:1-2 NKJV “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”
The relationship between the Shepherd and the sheep
Psalm 23:1 (a) “the Lord is my Shepherd”
Shepherd – Jehovah Ra-ah, God our protector.
Relationship is the way in which two or more people are connected or the state of bing connected.
It can be by means of a blood connection, marriage connection, church fellowship, secular, work or business etc….
The Lord is my Shepherd does not mean, I own God, instead He owns me. The Shepherd owns the sheep, they are His property. They are not wild animals like lions, jackals, wild pig etc… God purchased His sheep at an expensive price and is carefully looking after them with love.
1 Corinthians 6:20 AMP “You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”
He is a Good Shepherd.
John 10:11 NKJV “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
A good shepherd loves.
A good shepherd cares.
A Shepherd supplies
Psalm 23: 1(b) “ I shall not want” – Jehovah Jireh : He provides for me.
This statemen does not mean God gives us everything we want, instead He provides as David affirms that we will never lack what we need.
Paul also confirms in Philippians 4:19 NKJV “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”
He supplies us with a healthy marriage, beautiful children, god church and our lovely rainbow country.
The Lord provides spiritual needs.
We are so blessed on the South Coast. We are being provided for by spiritual parents all the way from Johannesburg. They came to feed and look after us.
Jeremiah 23:4-5 NKJV “I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord. “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.”
The Lord provides physical needs as well.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Rest, peace and satisfaction = Refreshment
Psalm 23:2 NKJV “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”
As sheep we are always fearful, nervouse and feel insecure, always concerned about being fed and protected.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures means, the Shepherd cools me down, makes me happy and relaxed.
Ezekial 34:14-15 NKJV “I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God.”
In God we find rest through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Shepherd gives me rest.
Matthew 11:28 NKJV “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 23:2 (b) “ He leads me beside the still waters.”
Still water – Jehovah-Shalom: God is peace, harmony. In other words, the Lord is peace.
Philippians 4:7 NKJV “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”
As sheep we have to guard our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 NIV “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Satisfaction comes from the Shepherd.
Psalm 103:5 NKJV “Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
The Lord Jesus promised to be this kind of Shepherd.
John 10:11 NKJV “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
This reminds me of myself as a small rural farm boy. I grew up under unfavourable conditions, where you had to go and look after the flock, especially in summer and winter seasons, barefooted on chilly winter morning frost. However, if one sheep is missing, bare in mind that you are not going to sleep at home but you have to wait somewhere , hiding until night. Then you go and sleep with the sheep in kraal, wake up early in the morning, go and look for the missing sheep and bring it home.
Lastly you have to mark shedding season and also see the health condition of the flock when they are going out and coming back from grazing. You have to take care of the antibiotic dosages and tapeworm deworming. By doing so, your flock will know your voice and will follow you. Jesus taught that following is what true disciples do.
John 10:27 NKJV “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
Sheep hear and know the voice of the Shepherd.
- a) At Home – Children should listen to their parents.
- b) Church – Partners should adhere to God’s word.
Acts 2:41-42 NKJV “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
As a church, we once had a theme “It’s Go Time”. As we are uplifting God’s standard of service, we are having a new vision of G12, which is a great commission. We are making disciples ie: every believer a leader and every leader a disciple-maker. We are to be disciple minded, which is soul winning.
Proverbs 11:30 NKJV “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”
Matthew 4:19 NKJV “Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
- c) Marriage – both parties should honour each other.
Hebrews 13:4 NKJV “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”
Shepherd Restores
Psalm 23:3(a) “He restores my soul” Here our Shepherd is talking about the sense of peace and comfort.
I would say sheep by natures are easily hurt, bruised and victimised, therefore, a good shepherd will have to look after them and bind up broken legs.
Ezekial 34:16 NKJV “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”
1 Peter 2:25 NKJV “For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
The shepherd should speak the truth in love.
Loves does not condemn but it touches the heart for the benefit of the one who needs some adjustment to the attitude.
Ephesians 4:15 NKJV “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ”
Speaking the truth in love changes the attitude and refreshes someone leading to repentance.
Acts 3:19 NKJV “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,”
Where there is love, grace abounds as you are led by the Good Shepherd. Spontaneous love of God and fellowship is ruling and dominating.
2 Corinthians 13:14 NKJV “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”
