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Lamb of God (1:29–34)
The apostle John wrote this passage on the second day of the week. Some of the same people were probably there to hear John the Baptist's message. He called Jesus "the Lamb of God" this time, and he would say the same thing again the next day (John 1:35–36). This title sums up the message of the Bible in a very special way. The Old Testament asks, "Where is the lamb?" (Gen. 22:7). "Behold the Lamb of God!" is the main point of the four gospels. Here He is! "Worthy is the Lamb" (Rev. 5:12) is what you sing with the heavenly choir after you trust Him. People in Israel knew about lambs for sacrifices. During Passover, each family had to have a lamb. The temple altar was used to sacrifice two lambs a day, plus all the other lambs that were brought for personal sacrifices. Men brought those lambs to other men, but God gave this Lamb to men! The lambs couldn't take away sin, but the Lamb of God can. Those lambs were only for Israel, but this Lamb would die for everyone! What does John's baptism have to do with Jesus being the Lamb of God? Most Bible teachers agree that baptism in the New Testament was done by immersion. It showed death, burial, and resurrection. When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, both Jesus and John were thinking about the "baptism" Jesus would go through on the cross when He died as the Lamb of God (Isa. 53:7; Luke 12:50). The Lamb of God would "fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15) by dying, being buried, and rising again. Maybe John was a bit confused. John may have been uncertain that Jesus of Nazareth was the Lamb of God or the Son of God. But the Father made it clear to John who Jesus is when the Spirit came down like a dove and landed on Him. What a lovely picture of the Trinity!
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The Son of God (1:15–28, 49)
John the Baptist is one of the most important people we learn about in the New Testament. There are at least eighty-nine mentions of him. John was blessed to be the one to introduce Jesus to the people of Israel. He also had the difficult job of getting the country ready to welcome their Messiah. He told them to stop sinning and show that they had done so by getting baptized and living differently. John told what John the Baptist said about Jesus Christ in a few words (John 1:15–18). First, He has no beginning or end (John 1:15). Luke 1:36 says that John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus, so this statement is about Jesus's preexistence, not His birth date. Before John the Baptist was born, Jesus existed. John 1:16–17 says that Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth. Grace is God's kindness and favor given to people who don't deserve it and can't earn it. If God only dealt with us based solely on truth, none of us would be alive. But He deals with us based on grace and truth. Jesus Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the law through His life, death, and resurrection; consequently, God is now able to bestow the fullness of grace upon those who place their faith in Christ. Grace without truth would be dishonest, and truth without grace would be condemning. John did not say in John 1:17 that there was no grace under the law of Moses because there was. Every sacrifice showed how gracious God is. The law also showed us the truth about God. But in Jesus Christ, grace and truth reach their full potential, and we can have this fullness. We are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8–9), but we also live by grace (1 Cor. 15:10) and depend on God's grace in everything we do. We can receive God's abundant grace because "He giveth more grace" (James 4:6). John 1:17 hinted that a new order had come in, replacing the Mosaic system. In the end, Jesus Christ shows us who God is (John 1:18). God is invisible in His physical essence (1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:27). People can see God in nature (Ps. 19:1–6; Rom. 1:20) and in His mighty deeds in history, but they can't see God Himself. Jesus Christ shows us who God is because He is "the image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15) and "the express image of His person" (Heb. 1:3). The word that is translated as "declared" is where we get the English word "exegesis," which means "to explain, to unfold, or to lead the way." Jesus Christ tells us who God is and what He means. We cannot comprehend God without knowing His Son, Jesus Christ. The first time the word "Son" is used to refer to Jesus Christ is in John's gospel (John 1:18). The term "only-begotten" signifies "singular, the sole instance of its type." It does not imply that there existed a period when the Son was absent, followed by the Father's act of creation. Jesus Christ is God, and He has always been. In John’s gospel, Jesus is called “the Son of God” at least nine times (John 1:34, 49; 3:18; 5:25; 10:36; 11:4, 27; 19:7; 20:31). You may remember that John's goal in writing was to prove to us that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31). People call Jesus "the Son" at least nineteen times. He is not just the Son of God; He is also God the Son. The truth was even acknowledged by the demons (Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41). John the Baptist is one of six people in the gospel of John who say that Jesus is God. Nathanael (John 1:49), Peter (John 6:69), the blind man who was healed (John 9:35–38), Martha (John 11:27), and Thomas (John 20:28) are the other people. If you include our Lord Himself (John 5:25; 10:36), you have seven clear witnesses. John wrote down what happened over four days in the lives of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the first disciples. He carries on with this pattern in John 2, where he shows what could be called a "week" in the "new creation" that is similar to the creation week in Genesis 1. On the first day (John 1:19–24), a group of Jewish religious leaders questioned John the Baptist. As the keepers and protectors of the law, these men had every right to look into John and his ministry. He answered their questions clearly after they asked him a few. It made sense to ask, "Who are you?" Was he the Messiah who was promised? Was he the prophet Elijah, who was supposed to come before the Messiah (Mal. 4:5)? Many people came to hear John, and a lot of them got baptized. People may have thought that John was the promised Messiah, even though he didn't do any miracles (John 10:41). John said he was neither Elijah nor the Messiah. In a way, he was the Elijah who had been promised (look at Matt. 17:10–13). John had nothing to say about himself because he was sent to talk about Jesus! John was only a "voice," but Jesus is the Word. You can't see a voice. John pointed to Isaiah's prophecy (Isa. 40:1–3) and said that he was the fulfillment. After finding out who John was, the committee asked him what he was doing. "Why are you doing this?" John didn't get his power to baptize from people; he got it from God (Matt. 21:23–32). Back then, Jewish religious leaders baptized Gentiles who wanted to become Jews, but John baptized Jews! John said that his baptism was in water, but that the Messiah would come and baptize with a spiritual baptism. Once more, John made it clear that he was not starting a new religion or trying to make himself look good. He was telling people about the Savior, who is the Son of God (John 1:34). Later, we will learn that Jesus Christ was shown to the people of Israel through His baptism. The Light (1:4-13)
John uses the word "life" thirty-six times in his gospel. What do people need to live? There are at least four things that are essential: light (everything would die if the sun went out), air, water, and food. Jesus is all of these things! He is the Light of the world and the Light of life (John 8:12). Malachi 4:2 calls him the "Sun of Righteousness." He gives us the "breath of life" (John 3:8; 20:22) and the "water of life" (John 4:10, 13–14; 7:37–39) through His Holy Spirit. Lastly, Jesus is the Living Bread of Life that came down from heaven (John 6:35ff.). He is life, not just a giver of it (John 14:6). Light and darkness are themes that come up a lot in John's gospel. God is light (1 John 1:5), and Satan is "the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53). People either love the light or the dark, and this love tells them what to do (John 3:16–19). People who believe in Christ are the "sons of light" (John 12:35–36). The first creation started with "Let there be light!" The new creation starts when light comes into the heart of the believer (2 Cor. 4:3–6). The arrival of Jesus Christ in the world marked the beginning of a new day for sinful humanity (Luke 1:78–79). You might think that blind sinners would be pleased to see the light, but that's not always the case. The arrival of the true light caused problems because the forces of darkness fought against it. John 1:5 says, "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." The Greek verb for "comprehended" can mean "to get over" or "to understand." You will see both attitudes in the Gospel of John: people will not understand what the Lord is saying and doing, and because of this, they will be against Him. John 7–12 tells the story of how that opposition grew until it led to Christ's crucifixion. When Jesus imparted spiritual truths, those who heard them interpreted them literally. The light couldn't get through the darkness in their minds. This was true when He talked about the temple of His body (John 2:19–21), the new birth (John 3:4), the living water (John 4:11), eating His flesh (John 6:51ff.), spiritual freedom (John 8:30–36), death as sleep (John 11:11–13), and many other spiritual truths. Satan tries to keep people in the dark because being in the dark means death and hell, while being in the light means life and heaven. This fact helps us understand what John the Baptist did (John 1:6–8). John was sent to tell people that the Light had come into the world and to be a witness to Jesus Christ. Even though Israel had many spiritual advantages, they didn't see their Messiah. The word "witness" (v. 7) is crucial in this book. John uses the noun fourteen times and the verb thirty-three times. John the Baptist was one of many people who said, "This is the Son of God!" Sadly, John the Baptist was killed, and the Jewish leaders did nothing to stop it. Why did the people of the country turn down Jesus Christ? Because they "didn't know Him." They didn't know anything about spirituality. Jesus is the "true Light," and every other light is a copy of Him. The Jews, on the other hand, were happy with the copies. They had Moses, the law, the temple, and the sacrifices, but they didn't get that these "lights" were pointing to the true Light, who was the end of the Old Testament religion. As you read John's gospel, you will see that Jesus is teaching people that He is the fulfillment of everything that the law stood for. Being born a Jew was not enough; they needed to be born again, from above (John 3). He did two miracles on the Sabbath on purpose to show them that He had a new rest to give them (John 5; 9). He was the Water that gave life (John 7:37–39) and the manna that filled you up (John 6). He is the Shepherd of a new flock (John 10:16) and a new Vine (John 15). However, religious tradition bound the people, preventing them from seeing the truth of spirituality. Jesus came to the world He had made, but His own people, the Jews, didn't understand Him and didn't want to accept Him. They heard His words and saw what He did. They saw how perfect His life was. He gave them every opportunity to understand the truth, have faith, and be saved. They wouldn't follow Jesus, even though He was the way (John 6:66–71). He is the truth, but they wouldn't believe Him (John 12:37ff.). He is the life, and they killed Him! But people who sin today don't have to make those same mistakes. John 1:12–13 tells us that God has made a wonderful promise: anyone who accepts Christ will be born again and become part of God's family. John talks more about this new birth in John 3, but here he stresses that it is a spiritual birth from God, not a physical birth that depends on human nature. The Light is still shining! Have you personally received the Light and become a child of God? The Word (1:1–3, 14)
Just as our words show others what we think and feel, Jesus Christ is God's "Word" that shows us what He thinks and feels. "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father . ." (John 14:9). A word is made up of letters, and the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet are "Alpha" and "Omega" (Rev. 1:11). Hebrews 1:1–3 says that Jesus Christ is God's last Word to people because He is the highest point of divine revelation. The eternal Word is Jesus Christ (vv. 1–2). He was there at the beginning, not because He was a creature with a beginning, but because He is eternal. He is God, and He was with God. "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). The creative Word is Jesus Christ (v. 3). There is a clear connection between John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1, which talk about the "new creation" and the "old creation." God made the worlds with His word: "And God said, 'Let there be ...'" and "For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Ps. 33:9). Because God made everything through Jesus Christ (Col. 1:16), Jesus is not a created being. He is God eternal. In Greek, the verb "made" is in the perfect tense, which means "completed act." The act of creation is over. It is a completed act, even though God is definitely working in His creation (John 5:17). Creation is not a process; it is a finished product. Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (v. 14). When He lived on earth, He was a real man, not a ghost or spirit, and His body was real, not an illusion. J ohn and the other disciples had their experiences that made them sure that Jesus' body was real (1 John 1:1–2). John's main point is that Christ is God, but he also stresses that the Son of God came in the flesh and had to deal with the sinless weaknesses of human nature. John's Gospel says that Jesus was tired (John 4:6) and thirsty (John 4:7), that He groaned inside (John 11:33), and that He cried openly (John 11:35). He died (John 19:30), bled (John 19:34), and was thirsty (John 19:28) on the cross. He showed Thomas and the other disciples that He still had a real body after He rose from the dead (John 20:24–29), but it was a glorified body. How did the "Word become flesh"? The "Word became flesh" through the miraculous Virgin Birth (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38). He took on sinless human nature and identified with us in every aspect of life, from birth to death. "The Word" wasn't just a philosophical idea; it was a real person who could be seen, touched, and heard. Christ is God, and Christianity is Christ. The gospel talks a lot about how God shows His glory. In His person, His works, and His words, Jesus showed God's glory. John wrote down seven amazing signs (miracles) that clearly showed how great God is (John 2:11). The glory of the old law covenant was fading, but the glory of the new law covenant in Christ is growing (see 2 Cor. 3). The law could show sin, but it could never take it away. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ can have the fullness of His grace (John 1:16). God is Present
Solomon asked, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth?" as he dedicated the temple (1 Kings 8:27). That's a good question! God's glory had been in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) and the temple (1 Kings 8:10–11), but it had left disobedient Israel (Ezek. 9:3; 10:4, 18; 11:22–23). Then something wonderful happened: God's glory came back to His people in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. The four gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) have given us "snapshots" of our Lord's life on Earth because it is impossible to write a full biography (John 21:25). Matthew wrote for his fellow Jews and stressed that Jesus of Nazareth had fulfilled the prophecies in the Old Testament. Mark wrote for the Romans, who were busy. Matthew focused on the King, while Mark focused on the Servant, who helped people in need. Luke wrote his gospel for the Greeks, telling them of the loving Son of Man. But John, the disciple who loved Jesus (see John 13:33), was given the task of writing a book for both Jews and Gentiles that showed Jesus as the Son of God. We know that John had both Jews and Gentiles in mind because he often "interpreted" Jewish words or customs for his readers (John 1:38, 41–42; 5:2; 9:7; 19:13, 17; 20:16). He told the Jews that Jesus didn't just fulfill the Old Testament prophecies; He also fulfilled the types. John 1:29 says that Jesus is the Lamb of God, and John 1:51 says that He is the Ladder from heaven to earth. (See Gen. 28). He is the New Temple (John 2:19–21) and He gives new life (John 3:4ff.). He is the One who was raised up (John 3:14) and the Bread of God that came down from heaven (John 6:35ff.). The first three Gospels focus on the events that happened in Christ's life, while John focused on what these events meant. All four gospels talk about the miracle of feeding the five thousand, but only John talks about Jesus' sermon on "The Bread of Life," which He gave after that miracle when He explained it to the people. There is, however, one main idea that runs through John's gospel: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and if you give yourself to Him, He will give you eternal life (John 20:31). In this first chapter, John wrote down seven names and titles of Jesus that show He is God forever. II. He Looks Out After Our Worries
Our Good Shepherd meets our second need by taking care of our worries. We are afraid of many things in life and death. We have many fears. There is no natural way for sheep to protect themselves. They are scared and shy. They need the shepherd when they go through the "deep, dark valleys." #1 We Have His Presence Look at what He does for us to calm our worries and fears. Often, we are afraid of death. In verse 4, pay attention to the phrase "the valley of the shadow of death." Jesus died on the cross for the sheep. Jesus came back to life to defeat sin and death. Jesus took the pain of death. We don't have to be afraid. In Hebrew, the phrase "valley of the shadow of death" means "valley of deepest darkness." I believe this verse could refer to death, but in Hebrew, it could mean any time of deep discouragement, fear or doubt, physical illness, grief, or loss. He is with us through whatever dark valley we are in. We don't have to be afraid of life, death, or eternity. We don't have to be afraid because He is with us. Verse 4 says, "Thou art with me." Even when I'm in a dark valley of despair and can't see what the future holds, I know who holds it. I can find peace in Him. Jesus said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5). We don't have to be afraid in the deep, dark valleys because He is with us. #2 We Have His Protection Verse 4 says that He protects us from our fears. "Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." That's how He protects me. The rod was a stick. Thank God the club wasn't for the sheep! The shepherd had a club to beat off the predators so the sheep could stay safe. David said that a bear tried to get his sheep and that he killed it. He also killed a lion that attempted to attack his sheep. David did everything with a slingshot and faith in God. The sheep could see the rod that was meant to protect them, which made them feel better. The staff was for guidance. It had a hook on the end, which the shepherd used to bring straying sheep back to the right path. #3 We Have His Provision Then, thirdly, He looks out for our ways. We have what He provides us. We don't have to be scared because He is with us, protects us, and gives us what we need. "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over," says verse 5. David talks about the Lord at the end of verse 4, but at the start of verse 5, he talks to the Lord. The picture changes from a shepherd and his sheep to a host and a guest at a party. It could still be a picture of a shepherd, but it could also be a picture of God as our host, inviting us into His house. In biblical times, when you visited someone, they would pour oil on your head, wash your feet, give you something to wear, and then you would sit down and they would fill your cup. That is a beautiful picture of what God gives us. This gives us another idea of the Lord Jehovah. The name "Jehovah Jireh" means "God provides." The word "Jireh" means "seeing," which is intriguing because it means "seeing." Whatever God knows and sees, He provides for. Have you ever needed something and prayed, "God, do you know what's going on down here? Do you know that we can't pay the mortgage this month? Do you see the issues? Do you know what's happening in our lives? Do you know what's going on in my marriage?" You cry out to the Lord. He sees and looks. God's provision is always where God's vision is. They're the same thing. God does something about everything He sees and takes care of it. You don't have to wonder if God sees what you're going through because He always provides when He does. We call him Jehovah Jireh, which means "the Lord shall provide." The psalmist said in Psalm 37:25, "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread." I like that verse. When I was a young preacher, I couldn't say that because I was still young and hadn't gotten old yet. There are some good things about getting older now. You see things in a new way that you didn't when you were younger. Youth is full of energy, optimism, and uncertainty. As you age, you may experience a shift in perspective, yet you can reflect on the kindness and mercy of God and recognize the lessons you've learned. How important it is to realize that when you're old, you can look back and see how good God has been in a whole new way. You can then see how He led you, cared for you, and took care of you. I have often shared the text of Proverbs 3:5-6 with young people: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." He will direct your path, and He won't leave you or let you down. You can count on the Lord. As I age and look back, I can see the hand of God. I've been young, and now I'm old, and I've never seen the righteous "forsaken" or "begging bread." In Philippians 4:19, Paul said, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." This means that if the Lord is your shepherd, you have everything you need and don't have to worry. You have His presence, protection, and provision. I. He Looks After Our Weaknesses
First, in verses 2-3, the LORD, My Shepherd, looks after our weaknesses. Sheep are not strong. We would do well to pay attention to all the personal pronouns David uses as we read this Psalm 23. "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 statement shows that He cares for our weaknesses. The Psalmist says in Psalm 103:14, "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." So when you feel weak, you might question, "How could God love me or care for me?" Just remember, He knows your frame, and He knows what you're not good at and what you're weak at. The Shepherd gives us three blessings when we are weak: #1 He Gives Rest First, He gives us rest. "He makes me lie down in green pastures and He leads me beside the still waters." Both of these pictures represent a haven of rest, and it is the Good Shepherd who knows the rest I need, which is why "He maketh me." I like that He knows what I need better than what I know that I need. Sometimes life may feel like God has taken everything away from you. But He does it out of love. Sometimes, He lovingly pulls us out to make us lie down. He has to make us do things sometimes. Maybe you need to rest, so you're going to the hospital for a few days. Perhaps you should take a break because you just lost your job. Don't be quick to complain and tell God, "I don't like that!" Sometimes, God wants you to take a break. So the Lord will do things in our lives that will help us rest. The sheep need to be calm, have water, and have full stomachs. They need to lie down and rest. They also need to feel safe and full. The same goes for us. You can buy sleep at a drugstore, but you can't buy rest. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). Have you ever been worn out? At times, life has made me tired and heavy. You go to bed tired, and you wake up tired. Just remember, the only one who can truly give you rest is Jesus Christ. God tells us in His word, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21). They resemble a turbulent sea. If you haven't found rest and peace for your soul yet, you can find it in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. You need to go to Him and put your faith in Him as your Lord and Savior. He will save your soul. #2 He Restores Us He also heals our weaknesses, as seen in verse 3. "He restores my soul." In Hebrew, "restores my soul" means "brings back to health." Hebrew scholars think the phrase might mean forgiveness and restoration, or that God forgives us and restores us. It could also mean that we need to repent, be forgiven, and be restored. He brings us back when we fall and stumble. They say that if a sheep eats too much and then lies down, its balance will change and it won't be able to get back up. When the sheep can't get up, they get what is called "cast." David said, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance." (Psalm 42:5). He compared us to cast sheep when we stray from His path, get lost, and need to be brought back and restored. Jesus talked about the Good Shepherd in Luke 15. He is the one who left the 99 sheep and goes to look for the one that is lost. Before Christ, you and I are the one lost sheep. We are all in the Bible . . . we are all lost people. The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6). But aren't you glad that Jesus is the "Good Shepherd"? He loves you and me with a perfect love, and He hears our pleas. Jesus leaves the 99 to look for the 1 (see Matthew 18:12,13). But if I were the shepherd in this story and there were 99 left, I would say, "Forget about the one black sheep. That crazy sheep shouldn't have gone off in the first place! Goodbye!" You should be glad I'm not your shepherd. But not Jesus. He puts them in the pen and then goes after the one that got away until He finds it. Then He puts it on His shoulders and brings it back with joy. How many times have we gone off the path God set for us? Have we become a "cast" and cannot fix ourselves? We shout, "Baaa! . . . Baa! Please help me, Lord!" Jesus hears the bleating of His sheep and comes to help us. He picks us up, takes us back, and heals our soul. What a blessing it is to have Christ as our Good Shepherd all our lives! #3 He Provides Righteous Paths The third blessing He gives us is to show us the right way to go. So He gives us rest, healing, and right paths, verse 3. "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Sheep don't know where they're going and get lost. That's why we call them "lost sheep." But the shepherd leads, guides, restores, and brings us back into the fold. "Paths of righteousness" means that there are both right and wrong paths. The way God leads is always right and good. He does all of this "for His name's sake," which means "for His glory." As I walk with the Good Shepherd, I am more and more sure that everything God does is for His own glory. No one will ever get to share God's glory. God deserves all the praise, glory, and honor. He looked for me, bought me, and saved me with His own blood. He gives me peace, healing, and right paths. He forgives me, heals me, and guides me, all for His glory. Praise His holy name! Psalm 23 says, “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. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
The 23rd Psalm is the most popular of the 150 psalms, and I think it is the most well-known part of the Bible. Kyle Yates said about this psalm, "More griefs have been put to rest by its sweet assurance. More sadness has been driven away. More confidence has been instilled than tongue can tell or pen can record. It pictures God in love with His people, with rest in His bosom, with grace for all of their needs.” I like that. Truly, Psalm 23 is one of the most blessed parts of the Bible to read and study. David, a shepherd boy who later became the King of Israel, wrote Psalm 23. God sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse's house to anoint the next king of Israel with oil. God had rejected Saul. Jesse brought all of his sons in front of Samuel. He had seven big, strong, and good-looking sons. Samuel was shown Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. Jesse said, "This must be your pick." "The Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (See 1 Samuel 16:7). So Samuel said, "No, it's not him," and he went down the line of sons until all seven were rejected, which Jesse was probably very surprised by. Samuel then asked, "Do you have any other boys? I know God sent me here to choose the next king, and none of these boys are it.” Jesse probably thought, “These are my oldest and best-looking." Samuel said, "I have one more son, but he's the smallest and youngest. He is out watching the sheep." Being a shepherd was the lowliest and worst job in the family. So they went out to find David. Samuel said, "We won't sit down until he gets here." I can almost see them running to get David. "David, David! Samuel is at our house and wants to talk to you. You're next in line to be interviewed for the job of King of Israel!” David probably thought, "Me? Are you kidding?” He probably put down his harp and ran home with his brothers. When the prophet Samuel saw David, God told him, "Get up and anoint him; this is the one!" So Samuel got up, took the oil, and poured it over David's head. I can picture David shaking as the oil was poured on him. He might have thought, "One minute I'm watching sheep, and the next minute I'm with the prophet Samuel! I'm going to be the next ruler of Israel!” For a while, David went back to watching his sheep and probably just forgot about what had happened. But in the end, God brought David to the throne and made him the King of Israel. This shepherd boy, who was also the King of Israel, wrote most of the Psalms. God chose David to be king because he was "a man after His own heart" (see 1 Samuel 13:14), God said, that is the heart of a shepherd. When did David write this Psalm? Maybe it was when he was a shepherd-king? We don't know. Some say it was when he was a young boy playing his harp in the woods. I can see David sitting on a rock with his sheep and the green fields below him, playing his harp and singing to them. Then he understood that God was his shepherd, just like he had been protecting his sheep out of love for them. He might have had a sword in his hands instead of a harp. David was likely middle-aged, strong, and armed in the fight against the enemy. He may have returned home after a day of battle and penned, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” But I would rather believe that David wrote this Psalm when he was older. His long hair falls over his shoulders, his beard is gray, and his crown may be crooked. No doubt, David thought about his life again. He remembered Jesse's call. He thought back to when the Lord kept him and his sheep safe from the lion and the bear in the wilderness. He thought about all the times Saul chased him and he was able to hide in a cave. He thought about how his son Absalom had died. He thought about all the sins God had forgiven him for. The Psalms are songs. They are poems in Hebrew. They were supposed to be sung to God. In this Psalm, David started to tell the Lord everything that was on his mind. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." I can picture David, an old man, sitting on his throne and writing this beautiful psalm. Although we don't know when David wrote this Psalm, but we do know that the Holy Spirit inspired him to do so. The Bible says that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable..." (2 Timothy 3:16). This means that all kinds of writing, whether it's poetry, prophecy, or literature, can be used to teach, correct, and guide people in the right way. David sees the Lord as his shepherd in this Psalm. He believes that the Lord gave him everything he needed in life, death, and for all eternity. The Good Shepherd would take care of all of his and our needs. This Psalm's main idea is in verse 1. The word "LORD" is important here. It is in all capital letters: "the Lord, Jehovah Yahweh." It is a compound name for God that means "Jehovah" or "Yahweh." The Bible has compound names for God, like "Jehovah Raah" which means the Lord my shepherd. There are other Old Testament names like: Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness; Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my Banner; and Jehovah Shalom, the Lord my Peace. God puts His name with these truths to show us who He is. The name "LORD" in all caps or "Jehovah Yahweh" means "I AM," which is God's supreme name. Jesus used it in the New Testament as "Ego eimi" or "I AM." We know from John 10 that this I AM or Jehovah Raah is Jesus Christ. "I am the good shepherd," says John 10:11. Jesus is saying, "I am the Shepherd, the good one." There are many bad shepherds, but Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd, which means that He is Jehovah, Yahweh, and God. It says that Jesus Christ is God and that He is our Lord and Shepherd. We are sheep because the Lord is our shepherd. I mention this to remind us that sheep are not intelligent. They are weak, defenseless, and dirty animals. They're not the adorable, fluffy, white sheep you like. They get dirty when they are in the pasture. Sheep aren't very smart either. They don't know where they're going. The Bible says that we are like sheep. It's not flattering to be a sheep, but we are His sheep, and He is our Shepherd. The sheep need to be led, fed, and kept safe. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He leads us, takes care of us, and keeps us safe in life, death, and even after we die. The first verse of the Psalm sets the tone: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." I want to divide this Psalm into three parts that show how the Lord our Shepherd takes care of us. First, He looks after our weaknesses. Second, He looks after our worries. Third: He looks out for our ways. Prayer for the Straying (5:19–20)
James didn't use the word "prayer" in these verses, but it's clear that he meant it. We should pray for the sick, the hurting, and the brother who strays from the truth. These verses talk about how we can help a fellow believer who has strayed from the truth and is sinning. The verb "err" means "to wander," which means to slowly move away from God's will. "Backsliding" is the Old Testament word for this. Unfortunately, we see this tragedy happen in our churches. Sometimes a brother "is overtaken in a fault" (Gal. 6:1), but most of the time, the sin comes from a slow, steady decline in spiritual health. This kind of situation is very dangerous, of course. It is perilous for the transgressor, as he may face divine discipline (Heb. 12). He also runs the risk of committing the "sin unto death" (1 John 5:16–17). God punished the members of the Corinthian church who were sinning, even taking some of them to heaven (1 Cor. 11:30). But this falling back is also detrimental for the church. A wandering criminal can affect other people and lead them off course. "One sinner destroys much good" (Eccl. 9:18). This is why the church's spiritual members need to step in and help the man who has lost his way. The phrase "err from the truth" (James 5:19) is where this problem starts. The truth, of course, is the Word of God. “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). If the believer doesn't stay close to the truth, he will start to drift away. "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip [drift away]." (Heb. 2:1). Peter didn't believe what Jesus said when He told him that Satan was nearby to tempt him. He even fought with God! Peter was sleeping when he should have been praying. It's no surprise that he denied the Lord three times. The result of this wandering is "sin" and maybe even "death" (James 5:20). The sinner in this case is a believer, not an unbeliever. Sin is worse for a Christian than it is for an unbeliever. We expect people who aren't saved to sin, but God wants His children to follow His Word. What should we do when we see a fellow believer going astray? We should pray for him, of course, but we should also try to help him. He needs to be "converted," which means he needs to be put back on the right path. Do people who believe in Christ need to change? Yes, they do! Jesus told Peter, ". . . and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:32). We need to seek to win the lost, but we also need to try to win the saved. If a brother has wronged us, we ought to converse with him privately and endeavor to resolve the issue. If he listens, we have won our brother (Matt. 18:15). The word "gained" means "won." The same word is used in James 4:13 to mean "get gain." It is important to win both the saved and the lost. We must have a loving attitude if we want to help a brother who has done something wrong, because "love shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). James and Peter both learned this from Proverbs 10:12: "Hatered stirs up strife, but love covers all sins." This doesn't mean that love "hides the dirt." Paul said in Eph. 4:15 that "speaking the truth in love" is important. This means that where there is love, there must also be truth. And where there is truth, there must be honest confession of sin and cleansing from God. Love not only helps the person who has done wrong face their sins and deal with them, but it also lets them know that those sins will be forgotten once they are forgiven. The fundamental interpretation of these verses is as I have interpreted, yet the application can be extended to the lost sinner. If a brother who has gone astray needs to be brought back, how much more does a sinner who has lost his way need to be brought to the Savior? The lost sinner is doomed to spend eternity in hell, while the wandering believer will at least go to heaven if he dies. A common Bible picture of soul-winning is "seeking the lost." Jesus talked about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son in Luke 15. All of these people needed to be found and brought back to where they belonged. The Lord also said that winning souls is like catching fish (Mark 1:17). Peter caught one fish with his hook (Matt. 17:24–27), but he also worked with His helpers and used nets to catch a lot of fish at once. There is a place for both personal and group evangelism. Proverbs 11:30 says that evangelism is like hunting. We read, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Literally, the writer is telling us that he who catches souls is wise. Sin wants to catch and kill (James 1:13–15), but we should want to catch and bring to life. The soul-winner is also a messenger of peace (2 Cor. 5:20). God has not declared war on this world; He has declared peace! One day He will declare war, and judgment will come. Zechariah 3:2 and Jude 23 both show the soulwinner as a firefighter who pulls people out of the fire. John Wesley saw Zechariah 3:2 as a sign for himself because he was pulled from a burning house when it looked like it was too late. We must sometimes take risks in love to save people from the fires of judgment. Jesus likened evangelism to sowing and reaping (John 4:34–38), a metaphor also employed by Paul (1 Cor. 3:6–9). There are times to plant seeds and times to harvest them, and a lot of people are needed to do the work. We are "laborers together with God" (1 Cor. 3:9). The sower and the reaper will both get their rewards because there is no competition in the Lord's fields. This chapter is the last part of our study of James, and this is our last lesson. James has been focusing on spiritual growth. Perhaps this is a good time for us to look inside ourselves and see how grown-up we really are. Example #3: Prayer for the Country (5:17–18)
James used Elijah as an example of a "righteous man" whose prayers had power. James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." 1 Kings 17–18 provides the background for this event. The evil King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, led the people of Israel away from God and to the worship of Baal. The nation was punished by God by not giving them the rain they needed (see Deut. 28:12, 23). The heavens were like brass for three and a half years, and the earth couldn't grow the crops that were essential for life. Then, on Mount Carmel, Elijah fought the priests of Baal. The priests yelled at their god all day, but he didn't answer. Elijah fixed the altar and got the sacrifice ready at the time of the evening sacrifice. He prayed only once, and fire came down from heaven to burn up the sacrifice. He had shown that Jehovah was the one true God. But the country still needed rain. Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel and knelt down to pray to the Lord. He prayed and sent his servant to look for signs of rain seven times. The seventh time, his servant saw a small cloud. Soon after, a heavy downpour occurred, saving the country. Do we need "showers of blessing" right now? Yes, we do! "But Elijah was a unique prophet of God," we might say. "We can expect God to answer his prayers in a great way." James said, "Elijah was a man just like us" (5:17). He wasn't perfect; in fact, right after he won on Mount Carmel, Elijah got scared and ran away. But he was a "righteous man," which means he obeyed the Lord and had faith in Him. God's promises of answered prayer are for all of His children, not just for the ones we think are the most spiritual. Elijah prayed in faith because God told him He would send the rain (1 Kings 18:1). Robert Law said that "prayer" does not mean getting man's will done in heaven. It's doing what God wants on earth. You can't separate prayer from the Word of God because His Word is where we find the promises we make when we pray. Elijah not only believed in his prayers, but he also kept praying. "He prayed... and he prayed again." (James 5:17–18). Elijah kept praying for rain on Mount Carmel until his servant told him there was "a cloud the size of a man's hand." Often we don't get what God promises because we stop praying. We are not heard "for our much praying" (Matt. 6:7), but there is a difference between praying a lot and really believing in what you are praying for. Our Lord prayed three times in the garden, and Paul prayed three times for God to take away his thorn in the flesh. Elijah was serious and worried when he prayed. "He prayed earnestly" (James 5:17). The Greek language says, "and he prayed in prayer." A lot of people don't pray when they pray. They just say religious words without really meaning them. During a prayer meeting, a church member was "praying around the world," and one of the men there was getting bored with what he was saying. The man finally yelled, "Ask Him something! . . . Ask Him something!" This is what prayer is all about. Prayer is the most powerful thing in the world right now. James 5:16 is telling us that a good man's earnest prayer gives him great power. History shows how people have gone from using manpower to horsepower to dynamite and TNT to nuclear power. However, prayer power is more powerful than nuclear power. Elijah prayed for his country, and God heard him. We should pray for our country today, asking God to bring conviction and revival and "showers of blessing" to the land. May we as citizens always take time to pray for the people in charge of the government (1 Tim. 2:1–3). |
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