WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:00.959 What's going on, fam? 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:05.679 Welcome back for part four, our final segment on our study of Psalm 23. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:08.480 Let's pick up where we left off at looking at verse number six. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:17.600 It says this only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.519 Remember, verse number five ends with a cup overflowing. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.800 That's really meant to create this imagery of a celebration. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:26.000 It's almost like a party. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:31.359 And such a celebration was never meant to end, as we can see that David alludes to in verse number six. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:34.880 He says, Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:36.159 Here's what goodness is. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:41.840 Goodness simply is God's will in our lives, his perfect will in our lives. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:46.719 Mercy, on the other hand, is his covenant love, his redemptive power, and faithfulness. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:56.640 So when we talk about the goodness and the and the love of God pursuing us all the days of our lives, it kind of surrounds us with this thing that we refer to as grace. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:01.759 God's power to move us forward, but also his mercy to redeem the mistakes that we've made. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:09.040 Throughout David's life, and though he wasn't perfect, he needed to lend and lean heavily upon the goodness of God and the mercy of God. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:16.000 We see this exhibited even in the story with David and Bathsheba, which is found in 2 Samuel 11 through 12. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:18.319 His mercy was available for him. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:20.799 That goodness and mercy continue to pursue him. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:27.680 David ends this final statement with this promise: I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:30.000 Here the house of the Lord is the tabernacle. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.959 It later becomes the temple in Jerusalem. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.280 Um, but for us as Christians, it's us. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.680 Our bodies are the temple of the living God. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:44.799 And what it ultimately is saying that we are going to live our lives in covenant relationship with God for all the days of our lives. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:49.359 And goodness and mercy is not only going to lead us, but is also going to pursue us. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:51.760 We are going to dwell in this house forever. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:54.640 And forever literally means no end. 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:58.159 It means that there's no end to the time that we are going to spend with God. 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:06.159 In the Hebraic mindset, eternity was not a time space, but it was actually just an endless day, just one continuous, endless moment. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:11.520 Throughout Psalm 23, we have a revelation of God's provision and his protection. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:16.240 His purpose is to usher us into his house, into his presence forever. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:18.479 In order to do this, we have to rest. 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:20.719 In order to do this, we have to experience salvation. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:26.800 In order to receive this, we have to allow the nurturing grace and power of God to feed us. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:29.360 He gives us his spirit, it quenches our thirst. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:31.039 He renews our steps. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.840 This world, how often, however, is fallen. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:40.719 It's broken. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.120 We deal with struggles every single day. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:47.919 And the Lord is still protecting us and he's still providing for us even in the shadow of death. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:52.719 Moreover, we are able to still celebrate God's goodness even in a broken and fallen world. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:58.879 That's what it means, that I'm still going to have my power, my grace, my love for you, even in the presence of opposition. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:02.879 This is the life that every single one of us gets to live every single day. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:13.280 As Jesus was journeying to the cross, he makes this statement Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be here where I am and behold my glory. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.280 This is John 17, 24. 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:18.479 Because the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:20.639 That prayer is answered in Christ. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:24.080 Ultimately, what we see is that Jesus is that great shepherd. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:38.159 And what laying his life down meant quite literally is a shepherd would lay down at the door of the sheep pen so that any any any predator that was trying to come in would have to go through the shepherd first. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:46.719 Imagine that for a moment, that our Lord, that our shepherd laid his life down, knowing that any enemy that wants to get to us has to first go through him. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:58.080 We should be encouraged in that, friends, knowing that the Lord, that Yahweh, that I am, the God who's our provider, the God who is our redeemer, the God who is our grace, all of these things are encapsulated in Jesus. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:01.520 He lays his life down so that we can have a seat at his table. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:05.599 Let us be encouraged and let us shift our dependency from the world. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:11.599 Let us shift our independence from the things that we feel like we should be able to define on our own terms. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.960 And let us now recognize that we can be dependent upon Christ. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:22.240 And it's not in an unhealthy way, but it's recognizing that He wants to provide for us, He wants to protect us, and that He absolutely wants to guide us. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:29.199 What are the areas of our lives that we need to invite the guiding shepherd into it so that we can experience the life that He has for us? 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:30.319 Let me pray for us. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:35.439 Lord, I thank you that you are our shepherd, and we want for nothing as a result of that. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:39.680 We can experience rest and salvation because of what you've done on the cross. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:53.519 We can be restored because of what you've done on the cross, that even in the midst of darkness, we can experience light that is found in your presence, Father, and that your anointing that's on our lives, Father, it can flow on us and through us, and others can experience it as well. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:05:02.399 So, Lord, I pray that as we examine this passage of Scripture and what it means for us, that we can walk in the fullness of recognizing that you are our shepherd and we are your sheep. 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:03.519 In Jesus' name. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:04.399 Amen.