The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23
"The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He MAKETH me to LIE DOWN in green pastures.
He LEADETH me beside the still waters.
He RESTORETH my soul.
He LEADETH me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake...."

This passage of scripture is probably the most beloved and well known of all.  Even little children are able to memorize it. 

Of all the offices, types and pictures of Jesus in the Bible, by far the Holy Spirit's favorite is the one of Jesus as Shepherd.  He is the Good Shepherd!  The best!  Most of the great leaders in the Bible, like Abraham and David, were shepherds first.  Learning to lead sheep prepared them for leading God's people.

Like Jesus, pastors are shepherds.   And what does a shepherd do?  They tenderly care for and feed the sheep, water and protect them.  Unlike cattle ranchers, He doesn't walk behind them, herding and prodding with a stick or cattle prod.  No.  He goes before them, walking in front.  He leads; they follow, freely and willingly.  They know their Shepherd.  They know Who feeds and cares for them.  They know with they are safe with him.  They know His voice and will not follow a stranger.

Yea, though "I" walk.....Uh, oh; Now I go my own way and get into trouble.  But even in the valley of the shadow, He sticks with me.  There is no turning away, not even the shadow of turning!  There is no scolding or chiding.  He simply comforts, protects and defends me even if the trouble is of my own making.  At least it's only the shadow of death and not the death itself.  The shadow of a snake never killed anyone.  What a Shepherd!  No wonder we love Him so.  We love because He FIRST LOVED us!

Remember when Jesus was waiting on shore with breakfast prepared for Peter and his companions?  He singled out Peter and asked him very tenderly three times, "Do you love me?" In our English Bible it says that Jesus asked Peter this same question three times, but in Greek, Jesus used two different words.  First He said, "Peter, do you agapé Me."  Agapé is a sacrificial kind of love.  The second time Jesus asked him, "Do you agapé Me."  The third time, Jesus used the word "filéo."  "Do you filéo (like) me."

Peter's answer to Jesus' first question, "Do you agapé Me," was "Yes, Lord, I FLIÉO You."  He could only honestly say that he didn't love Jesus with agapé, love; he could only say that He liked Him.  He used filéo all three times. But that was ok with Jesus.  It was an honest answer.  The third time Jesus came down to Peter's level of faith.  He, too, used the word "filéo."  He loves you and I just as we are; no pretense.  He meets each one of us wherever we are at whatever level our faith.

The old Peter boasted that He would follow Jesus anywhere, even to death. But then, in His darkest hour, he not only didn't do that, Peter denied even knowing Him THREE TIMES WITH CURSING AND SWEARING.  This Peter on the shore, however, is a completely different Peter.  He is not the hypocrite he once was.  He is totally changed and from here on in, you can clearly see the difference in his life.

During this exchange between the two, Jesus' biggest concern was for His flock, in particular, the lambs, or youngest believers.  He wants to ensure that they will be FED.  In fact, feed them first.  Then tend and feed my sheep, meaning mature believers. He also wanted to make certain they will all be protected and kept together in a flock for therin is security and safety in numbers.

But why did Jesus address Peter?  I find it incredible that He would entrust this critical task of caring for the Church to a man who, just days ago, not only betrayed Him but denied ever knowing Him THREE times with cursing and swearing IN HIS DARKEST HOUR!  How could he do such a thing?  

Remember, he was one of the inner circle, along with James and John, who witnessed Jesus in all His Glory on the mount of transfiguration.  Jesus was even talking with none other than the two mega icons of all Judaism:  Moses and Elijah!  What a sight that must have been!  Well, anyway, he certainly would have been last on my list.  

But not Jesus.  He singled Peter out on purpose because of an event which obviously took place but the Holy Spirit has hidden from us.  We'll discuss this further on.

Before this whole scene transpired, Peter and his partners had been out on the water fishing all night but caught nothing.  Let's follow the story:

“But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. ” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. 

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, HE PUT ON HIS OUTER GARMENT (for he had removed it), AND PLUNGED INTO THE SEA."  John 21:4-7

As soon as Peter realized Jesus was standing there in the shore, he couldn't jump off that boat and get there fast enough!  Didn't even want the to wait until the boat docked.  Nope.  He jumped into the sea and swam to shore so he could be the first one there.  It was only after the others brought the boat in that he helped drag the heavily laden net full of fish to shore.

Does that sound like someone who feels guilty and condemned for betraying the Lord in such a manner as Peter had?  NO!  Why?  At some time prior to this exchange, he had a very private meeting with Jesus where he was dealt with and fully restored.  What you see here is a Peter who knows he has been forgiven MUCH!  Jesus said, "He who is forgiven MUCH will love Him MUCH!"  

(For more on this topic, follow this link:  

http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/06/no-one-is-forgiven-little.html)

Jesus met with him away from prying eyes at some point before this breakfast on the shore.  We don't know exactly what was said but we know it occurred.  This very private meeting which the Holy Spirit has chosen not to share with us He alludes to it in 1 Corinthuans 15:5.  

So, lest you think you really blew it SO BAD that you could never EVER face God again let alone be mightily used, remember Peter.  God can.....AND WILL.....restore you as only He can.

Peter was so changed, in fact, that the first and greatest sermon of the Church was preached by our reformed brother on the day of Pentecost.  3,000 people were saved that very day!  WOW!  Talk about a turn around! 

The Paths Of Righteousness.
You've heard the phrase I'm sure, "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake," right?  This is another in a long line of examples of phrases that mean something entirely different to Israeli shepherds than they do to the average Christian. 

(For more on this topic, follow this link:  

http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-way-truth-and-life.html)

David, who had been a shepherd as a boy, chose this particular phrase to illustrate his point in this Psalm.  

Israel is very rocky and hilly so that's where shepherds have to graze their flocks; on hillsides.  They begin at the bottom, lead the flock around and around the same hill, day after day, row upon row, each time going just a little higher, making terraces as they graze up the hill.  Shepherds, even in Israel today, refer to the inevitably formed rows as "THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS."
Know what the call the very top of the hill? "Ha-tikvah-the hope."  Coincidentally (?) it is also the title of the Israeli national anthem, too.  Isn't that cool? 

The point is, a good shepherd or pastor, will "graze," or feed, his flock on the same "hill," going round and around, over and over the same truths that feed and nourish, until the "hope" in a particular truth is bright and strong in them and they are well-fed. He "leads them in the PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS."

(The paths of righteousness.)

Because He is the Good Shepherd, Jesus doesn't see people the way we do.  In Matthew 9:36 it says, "But when He {Jesus} saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were WEARY and SCATTERED, like sheep having no shepherd."  Jesus doesn't see people as willful or rebellious; He sees them as "weary and scattered," hungry, tired and thirsty.

That's how He wants us to see people, saved or not.  They don't need to hear, "Well, they'd be able to walk more holy if they'd pay more attention to reading their Bible".....or going to church, or praying more, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. Or, "I want my church to be strong!"...this "rah, rah, rah" kind of thing.  Preaching like that serves only to starve, rob and beat His flock, the very thing Jesus wanted NOT to happen!   

The starving need Living Water and the Bread of Life:  Jesus!  That other nonsense of trying to whip up excitement and enthusiasm from the pulpit doesn't work.  POINT THEM TO JESUS.

The Church is not some kind of boot camp for warfare training per sé. Our fight is not against the devil, against him ee are no match.  Our fight is to remain in faith; to counter his lies.  You see, though he is most definitely bound, he isn't gagged...AND HE HAS A BIG MOUTH.   

Sheep who are well-fed, well-rested and at ease are nourished and strengthened.  They are the ones who have strength to go out among the lost and "fight the good fight," to remain in faith because they are filled with The Bread of Life.  

And Pastors, before you even attempt to feed your sheep, first make sure that you are filled with the bread of life and the water of the word yourself.  CAN'T POUR OUT OF AN EMPTY VESSEL.
Looking for spiritual maturity and breakthroughs for your flock? FEED, FEED, FEED your flock and then FEED, FEED FEED THEM SOME MORE.  

This is THE NUMBER ONE NEED in the church today:  REAL FOOD:  JESUS.....not milk (law.)

Finally, speaking of food, here's something good to chew on.  God loves to underscore important principles like this in the Hebrew language, like the word for "bread." 

Hebrew reads from right to left and is a form of picture writing, like Chinese.

Both bread and the word for fight are spelled with the eh same three letters.  Different vowel pointers, you understand, but nevertheless related.

Bread is spelled like this.

        [לחם]
Lechem--bread/Lacham--fight

Both the words are derived from the same root word.  What does one word have to do with the other," you ask.? What's the best way to fight the devil's lies?  FEED ON THE BREAD OF LIFE.

Feed on Jesus:  The Good Shepherd!