Brown's Daily Word 4-15-08

Good Morning,
It is one of the ten best days today. It is bright and beautiful, the tulips and daffodils are blooming profusely. Jesus is Lord, praise His name. I love the verse from Psalm 100:3, “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

Phillip Keller drew from his many years as a shepherd to write, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, a book many Christians find beneficial. In one place he describes “cast” sheep: “This is an old English shepherd’s term for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself…. Even the largest, fattest, strongest and sometimes healthiest sheep can become ‘cast’ and be a casualty…. A ‘cast’ sheep is a very pathetic site. Lying on its back, its feet in the air, it flays away frantically struggling to stand up, without success. Sometimes it will bleat a little for help, but generally it lies there lashing about in frightened frustration. If the owner does not arrive on the scene within a reasonably short time, the sheep will die. This is but another reason why it is so essential for a careful sheep man to count his flock every day…. If one or two are missing, often his first thought is, ‘One of my sheep is cast somewhere. I must go in search and set it on its feet’” (54, 61). Keller reminds us that though the image of God’s people as sheep is common in the Bible, it is not completely complementary. From all accounts, sheep are helpless animals of limited intelligence. They are timid and can be startled by the slightest sound; but at other times they are so stubborn that nothing moves them. John MacArthur observes that “sheep are the most helpless, defenseless, straying, and dirty of animals. They require constant oversight, leading, rescue, and cleaning or they will die. Being a shepherd was good training for leading people.” These characteristics led Dr. Bob Smith, professor of philosophy at Bethel College, to say that the existence of sheep alone disproves evolution – they could not survive any battle for the fittest. (Quoted in Hughes, John, in loc.). In spite of the negative connotations, however, God identifies us “sheep” and Himself the “Shepherd.” When preaching on this passage, John MacArthur began his sermon by identifying 71 different Biblical names and titles for Jesus (everything from “Amen” to “Word of Life”). Then he said, “perhaps His most endearing and intimate title is ‘Shepherd’” (Commentary on John, in loc.). Calling us “sheep” might not feel like a great complement; but being the “Good Shepherd” greatly exalts God’s care and compassion. The Good Shepherd leads us to the green pastures and cool waters of Heaven. An Aesop’s Fable tells of a wolf who disguised himself in the clothing of a shepherd so he could get near the sheep. He was thrilled that they did not run away when he came near in disguise. In fact, he was so excited that he called for the sheep to come to him. But when he opened his mouth, his howling brought the shepherd running, who killed the wolf. The voice revealed him. Jesus OUR LORD, reminds us of several ways He cares for us. First, He calls you by name. Even though a shepherd kept his sheep in a community pen with other sheep, he would stand outside and call his own by name and they would come to him. Jesus knows your name. If you are a Christian it is because He called you personally. Tommy Walker wrote a beautiful song about this: “I have a Maker, He formed my heart. Before even time began, my life was in His hand. He knows my name; He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls, and He hears me when I call.” Second, He speaks a good word. You know how important it is that you get good advice, wise counsel, hope for your fearful heart, and strength for your timid soul, a salve for your guilty conscience. The Good Shepherd has left you with a perfect word – you lack nothing to equip you for every good work. He admits you to Heaven. He is the gate, the one means of entry to eternal joy. We have no key to let ourselves in, no money to bribe the gatekeeper, no right to demand entrance. Yet Jesus opens the way to the Father and invites all who are weary and heavy laden to come and find rest for your souls. He searches out the lost. Every shepherd knows that sheep wander away and need help. Jesus does not leave His own to flail without help and provision. He seeks and find and restores our souls. There are probably some here today who have wondered and are wondering if God knows, if God cares, if God seeks you. He is here today – He is calling you back to Himself; He searches and finds the lost and restores your soul. He knows us. Everyone of us has secrets, areas of our heart and life where would know we would lose friends if people knew what we are really like. Jesus knows. He knew before He created you, and He knows every struggle, every fear, every failure. He knows and He loves. Of course the critical work that unites all of the ministry of the Good Shepherd is that He lays down His life for the sheep. He was not caught in a conflation of circumstances resulting in murder before His time. His life was not taken away; He chose the time and place and manner – He laid it down of His own will to save the sheep. There is a delightful scene in Prince Caspian, the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia Series. The children are trying to find their way to Caspian’s camp, and they come to the edge of a deep gorge. The way ahead isn’t clear, but then Lucy cries out, “Look! Look! Look!” “Where? What?” everyone asks. “The Lion” Lucy says. “Aslan himself. Didn’t you see?” But no one else can see Aslan, and the majority vote to go the other way. Eventually they run into enemy troops and must retrace their steps back the way they came. That night, once again, Aslan appears to Lucy, and once again she has to try to persuade the others to follow her as she follows him. “Will the others see you too?” she asks him. “Certainly not at first,” he replies. “Later on, it depends.” Lucy then realizes that she has to go with him “whether anyone else does or not.”Whether anyone else does or not. Christ causes division (verses 19-21). You must decide if you will follow Him whether anyone else does or not. Why should you follow a man that some claim is insane, or has a demon? Because He is the good shepherd, and you will not want. He gives life, and that abundantly, and all His own hear Him calling and follow. Will you?

In Christ,
Brown