Community & Discipleship

Shepherd Who Walks with Me (Psa. 23:1~6)

2015.01.11Rev. Stephen Cha

Psalm 23 reminds us that the Lord, our shepherd, is not only with us in the green pastures but walks beside us through the valley of the shadow of death, leads us to the house of the Lord, and makes his goodness follow us even when we must step forward ourselves.

The shepherd who won us, restores us, and leads us (1-3절)

Psalm 23 sits between Psalm 22, which speaks of Jesus dying on the cross for us, and Psalm 24, which speaks of Jesus returning as the King of glory, so we live in the time between his death and his coming. The speaker says that Psalm 23 is a passage he preaches often, especially at funerals. The Lord pursued us as lost sheep, won us, and made us his own, then led us into abundance of green pastures and still waters. He restores our souls, doing a deep work of renewal within the brokenness that sin has caused, and he leads us for his name's sake.

In the valley, the Lord walks with us (4절)

Sheep sometimes find themselves in a valley because they are dull, defenseless, and directionless, and sometimes the shepherd leads them through dangerous places to reach the good pasture on the other side. What matters most is that he walks with us. Verse 4 shifts from speaking about him in the third person to a second-person encounter, as we hear him say, 'You are with me.' The speaker compares this to a child who is afraid of a dark basement until his father turns on the light and it becomes an ordinary place. Because Jesus himself went through death, death is only a shadow for those who belong to him.

The rod and staff are his protection and correction

The rod is a short stick with a sharp end used to fight off wolves and other enemies, so when a harm is about to strike, the Lord deflects it and protects us. The staff is a long stick with a curved top that the shepherd uses to hook a straying sheep and bring it back to the path. Through the Lord's gentle correction, he says no when we are going the wrong way and calls us back. The speaker shares that his family's youngest child was diagnosed with a developmental delay and that the family struggled with questions about whether God was punishing them. Over time they saw God's grace, and they later learned that others in the church were also facing hardship, which encouraged them.

The table and house prepared for us (5절)

The Lord prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, honoring us and calling us his beloved children even when others find fault with us. The speaker tells of a funeral he conducted for Mr. Lee, a longtime member who quietly helped people who needed interpreters in taxis and gave Japanese candies to others, often without being noticed. The Lord remembers and honors such faithfulness. Verse 5 also points to the house of the Lord, reminding us that this world is not our home and that God has prepared an eternal dwelling for us. We experience this security now as we belong to small communities that worship, pray, and encourage one another.

Goodness and mercy follow us as we step forward (6절)

In verse 6, the Lord says that goodness and mercy will follow us, which means it is now our turn to walk forward. The speaker compares this to teaching a child to ride a bike, where the parent lets go and stays close behind to catch the child if he falls. God turns our mistakes and broken situations into good, and when we look back we see his faithfulness, as when a Sunday school lesson, a hasty word, or a conflict was transformed by God's mercy. The speaker illustrates this with a friend who was caught by a police officer after street racing, showing that God's goodness and faithfulness will not abandon those who obey and follow him.

Apply to Life

  • Let us remember that the Lord walks with us even in the valley and trust him in our fear and loneliness.
  • Let us submit to his gentle guidance and return when he calls us back from our wayward paths.
  • Let us live as those who belong to God's eternal home and rejoice in the honor he gives us.
  • Let us find a community to pray and worship with, and let us not try to face hardship alone.
  • Let us step forward in obedience and serve others, trusting that God's goodness and mercy will follow us.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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