We can persevere as long as we can see light at the end of the tunnel. What must it be like to step on shore, and find it - heaven; To take hold of a hand, and find it - Gods. Thank you for adding so much to the meaning of it all. A good shepherd who lay down his life for the sheep. In Christ, even in our want, we want for nothing. Beautiful, as your preaching usually is. David understood what it was to be a shepherd and David knew a lot about sheep and what sheep need. You feel like right now you are walking through a valley of darkness. Credit will be given to Rev. The Lord protects, guides, and supports us. 3. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." He was fighting on a stretch of land for days on end. 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. 0000001988 00000 n Exchanging the fear of death for faith in Jesus Christ is a personal decision. It is in moments like this that I have no answers, explanations, or understanding for myself or for you. David knew that he had received God's lavish care all his life. If this is death, it is sweet! Thank you Jerry. They had sang songs of Christs birth together. As we come to honor the life and memory of Mary Smith, we come also to face the reality of death. Amen. Talk to you shepherd. Today, I invite you to respond to each want that rises up inside you with I shall not want. C. Death followed David everywhere. Dont you believe a word of it. Through Christ we pray. He said he had glimpsed a time in the future when all of them would be together in heaven, and all their earthly conflicts would disappear. The needs of sheep to depend on one who can see beyond them in time and space. I know you do Kay. The text which I have just read from the Book of Hebrews expands on David's words in Psalm 23, explaining how David's faith in God can free him from the fear of death. He leads me beside still waters. So he calls the Lord his shepherd as a beautiful illustration of his own relationship with God. 0000019265 00000 n Only He can make us right with God again. Shepherd need a shepherd and sheep dog team who know them and who claim them. He couldnt physically contain the joy, life, and vitality of the matrix within him. Psalm 23 teaches us that we, as followers of Christ, have no reason to fearever. This is what Ive been looking for. He said that he had traveled the world, gone to churches, searched in exotic and far away places, prayed in monasteries, had some wild times, and hung out with Buddhists seeking this matrix. Until that day comes when the light pierces the shadow and it will our challenge, our hope, and our way forward is to put one foot in front of the other. The source of this hope is to be found in the texts of both passages which you have heard today. That is the one critical constant in changes of our lives. He can't restore us if we don't listen to His voice. How might we understand the relationship between the sheepdog and sheep? Absolutely amazing Fr. From the Gospel of Matthew, we get a glimpse of the scripture lesson we hear most around Epiphany. I am so sorry about your fathers death. By Gene Wilder, posted October 26, 1999 in . Jesus rose from the dead, triumphant over death. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Thank you Fr. The more Ashley spoke about the matrix, the faster he talked and the more excited he got until he just started bouncing, and his arms flapping about. 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. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. But there they were, eating together at a table, or at least on the ground, in the presence of an enemy. That is easier said than done. Awakening from a sleep, he said, Earth recedes, Heaven opens before me. 0000016588 00000 n He instructed him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to put him to death. Its ok to miss her. Sin necessitates death. Second, David's faith rested in the fact that God was His shepherd. Friday: They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet. Matthew 2:5. Funeral Sermon: WELCOME. Moody said to a friend, someday soon you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody of Northfield is dead. I dont know when or where or how it will happen for you, but I promise you this, there will be moments when you catch glimpses of the light, and the day will come when the light pierces the shadow. Sometimes they tell the story about memorizing it as a child in Sunday School. For centuries the Twenty-third Psalm has been one of the most treasured passages in all of Holy Scripture. /ID [<11818585010ce5325197a63f7dcd3a5c><11818585010ce5325197a63f7dcd3a5c>] So I have to thank Judy and John for their open hearts and open pastures, as well as Keith Schneider who filmed and produced the segments. Psalm 23 reminds us that life has difficult moments, but ultimately, we find protection and joy. The basis of David's faith is expressed in Psalm 23. Psalm 90:3-6. To live as a sheepdog is a reminder that you must know the shepherd well. In fact, 32 separate times through the Bible, we hear about God or Jesus as the good shepherd. You are the author and perfector of life; You are our hope in times of trial and our peace in times of distress. /Filter /FlateDecode He was not afraid of dying because God was with Him. Through Christ we pray. Through repentance and faith. 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. And I listened to Ashleys stories about how it happened time and again in his life. The Good Shepherd leads us in the paths of righteousness. Its what attracted you and me to him. It is glorious! Even when I go through the darkest valley. Does this mean that everyone will be saved by Christ's death? 1. Furthermore, everyone who touched that child was brought into a friendly relationship with the father. The psalmist sees God in control of his life. While we do no focus on one's failures at the time of their death, we must all admit that there are failures. In baptism we are made members of the household of God already, and our destiny is made secure through faith. Thank you for that. There is nothing you need that God will not provide. Monday: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem. Matthew 2:1. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. May this hope be yours in this hour of grief. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Will you obey the Good Shepherd? Even though I walk through the valley . INTRODUCTION: We are in the middle of a three week series on this Psalm, and we are looking at what it means to have the Lord as your shepherd. His fear was replaced by faith. Grant to them an extra measure of Your grace and pour over them an overwhelming sense of Your presence. I want candy, I want my cookie, I want my toy. In death, we want to know that not everything you knew of expected changed. God loves us like a Father He will protect us, b.) God solved the problem of Abraham's lying by dealing with his fear of death. God protected Sarah, and spoke to Pharaoh, who was about to make her his wife. After this an old man was asked to present the same Psalm. He took our sickness and placed it upon himself so that we might live. On this first anniversary of my fathers death, it is especially comforting to me. God gives us a place of prominence. He did it by dying on a cross and raising from the dead. My privilege on this occasion, is to share with you how you can grieve with hope. All, except one act. He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. David had learned to smile at death. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. . We cannot remove this problem ourselves. God will never leave us or forsake - He is always there for us. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. In Psalm 23, David describes himself as a sheep, and the Lord as his Shepherd. They are mine. Whether it is Psalm 23, John 14, the last verse of Psalm 17, or a thousand other Bible passages, God's Word is powerful and will do its work. All of us can both rejoice and grieve, due to the goodness of this wife, mother, and friend. A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle he spoke again: This is my triumph; this my coronation day! you are my son - everything I have is yours! " Psalm 23. To breathe new air, and find it - celestial; To feel invigorated, and find it - immortality; To rise from the care, the loneliness, and the turmoil of earth. Others can truly identify with David, and the peace and security which he knew and cherished. And David had lost many things that led to the writing of this Psalm. Phillip Keller, author of Lessons from a Sheepdog, writes More than anything else in the world, he wants me to be His companion, His co-worker, His friend in helping tend His flock.1 In effect then, we are called to help the Good Shepherd. Ashley, I suspect, would describe it as what he called the matrix. Shortly after coming to St. Philips he started telling me about experiencing the matrix. The mother angrily replied, They dont have numbers, they have names!. %%EOF Psalm 23 has become a daily adventure for me as I try to imagine what it means for me each day. This was Abraham's faith, and thus it overcome his fear of death. He is our Shepherd. . That greater reality is what illumined his life and made him so tender hearted. 2023 West Grove United Methodist Church. Because of this, Joseph could not only forgive his brothers for selling him into slavery, he could recognize the good hand of God in this cruel act, providing him with the opportunity to return good for evil, and to spare the lives of his own family, even though they had not spared his (see Genesis 37-45; 50:20). She was married to James Roop on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1994. God spares nothing to care for me. The value of the words and their expression at the end of life is well established. Years ago I met a veteran of World War I. Scripture: His first impulse was to avoid the beggar, but there was something strangely familiar about him. Psalm 23 Funeral sermon: A Letter to the Deceased (Molin) I knew there would be many voices heard today, sharing stories and memories; laughter and tears with you who knew and loved Steve. And I think you know exactly what I mean and how I feel. I know that I preach as much or more to myself as to anyone else. Can you honestly say, the Lord is my Shepherd? A Funeral Sermon: Bishop Dehon. >> He goes with us every step of the way. What is the one thing necessary for a shadow to exist? Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. He is there, right beside you, guiding and leading step by step. As we sit in this room, and mourn but also celebrate the life of Brandy, our soul feels dead, it feels no joy or rest. God is our shepherd, and we are his sheep. Tuesday: [They were] asking, Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? God's sheep will never again leave His house. It would be so wonderful if God would simply promise to us that we would never go through difficult times. Yes, the shadow of death is our reality today. They are your questions too. There must be something we need. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. 76 0 obj /L 109273 The proof of that is not in what I say but in the life Ashley lived. A. Psalm 23:4: Courageous Faith: E. Erskine. The rest have no hope. I want. /Pages 40 0 R 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? Even though I walk through the . Click here for more messages from the Psalm 23 Series. 0000017003 00000 n There are many images in this psalm which hold particular meaning. /Size 77 He makes me lie down in green pastures. If Interrupting the Silence has been meaningful in your life or helpful in your ministry please. God will never leave us or forsake He is always there for us, b.) D.L. Wednesday: When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:3. We have come to celebrate and remember the life of. We received that news with overwhelming shock and disbelief. The third image in the Twenty-third Psalm which I would lift up today is this: Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. It is already a present reality. Bob Ingle. Here goes. 0000018271 00000 n This sin no matter how hard we try cannot be removed by any good we might do. Now, if he must put this son to death, God would raise him. A shepherd who knows this sheep will lead and this sheep will always need more attention. The end of our journey through life on earth is to be with God forever. 43 0 obj The famous historical events from WW I are being omitted. Jesus way leads to life. Will you do that today? by the Rev. 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. 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