NO ONE ELSE MAY CARE, BUT GOD DOES!

 

PSALM 23: 3

1. I THINK OF AN ENGLISH TEACHER WHO GAVE HER STUDENTS AN ASSIGNMENT. THEIR ASSIGNMENT WAS THAT THEY WERE TO WRITE DOWN SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT HAD HAPPENED TO THEM IN THE PREVIOUS WEEK. THE STUDENTS BEGAN TO WRITE FEVERISHLY.

2. AFTER THEY HAD FINISHED WRITING, THEY WERE ASKED TO GET UP AND READ THEIR PAPERS. LITTLE JOHNNY WENT FIRST, AND BEGAN TO READ HIS ESSAY. IT BEGAN, "MY DAD FELL INTO A WELL LAST WEEK…" IMMEDIATELY, THE TEACHER INTERRUPTED HIM, AND ASKED, "OH MY, JOHNNY, IS HE ALL RIGHT?" JOHNNY REPLIED, "HE MUST BE ALL RIGHT. HE STOPPED YELLING FOR HELP YESTERDAY!"

3. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT PEOPLE SURROUND US, EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES, WHICH ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP. WE WORK WITH THEM, EAT WITH THEM, VACATION WITH THEM, AND GO TO CHURCH WITH THEM. WHENEVER THE CRIES STOP, WE ASSUME THAT THEY ARE ALL RIGHT. HOWEVER, THE TRUTH MAY BE THAT THEY HAVE GROWN WEARY OF SEEING THEIR ENDLESS PLEAS FOR HELP UNANSWERED.

4. I THINK OF A YOUNG 26-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY. SHE WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED BY HER LIVE-IN BOYFRIEND, AND WAS LEFT LYING IN A POOL OF HER OWN BLOOD FOR 4 DAYS, ALTHOUGH SHE HAD CRIED FOR HELP FOR HOURS.

5. WHEN THE INVESTIGATORS BEGAN TO ASK RESIDENTS WHO LIVED IN HER SAME BUILDING, THEY WERE ASTONISHED AS TO WHY NO ONE RESPONDED TO HER CRY FOR HELP. ONE MAN SAID, "I THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST HAVING ANOTHER ARGUMENT." ANOTHER SAID, "IT IS HER LIFE, AND NONE OF MY BUSINESS." AND, YET ANOTHER SAID, "SHE IS A GROWN WOMAN. IF SHE NEEDED HELP, LET HER HELP HERSELF!" NOBODY SEEMED TO CARE.

6. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT CARES NOTHING ABOUT US. WE MAY WISH TO BE UNREALISTIC, AND CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT WE MATTER TO THIS WORLD, BUT THE TRUTH IS, WE ARE NOTHING BUT A NUMBER ON A SYSTEM, AND NO ONE REALLY CARES.

7. THEY CARE NOTHING ABOUT OUR FAMILIES, OUR FINANCES, OR OUR FEELINGS. THEY CARE NOTHING ABOUT OUR IDEAS, OUR INTERESTS, OR OUR INFLUENCE. WE ARE LEFT TO OURSELVES TO CARE FOR OURSELVES.

8. BUT, BLESSED BE GOD, THOUGH THERE MAY NOT BE ANYONE IN THIS WORLD TO CARE, THERE IS ONE OUT OF THIS WORLD WHO CARES FOR US, AND SHOWS IT TO US. AND, DAVID REMINDS US THAT EVEN THOUGH "NO ONE ELSE MAY CARE, BUT GOD DOES!" BRIEFLY, LET'S NOTICE 3 TRUTHS FROM THIS VERSE OF OUR TEXT.

1. THE GRACE HE PARTAKES TO MY LIFE!

1. THAT WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE FIRST PART OF VERSE 3 IS NOTHING BUT A DIVINE WORK OF GRACE ON BEHALF OF THE GREAT SHEPHERD. AND, THAT WORK OF GRACE IS A WORK THAT HE PARTAKES TO MY LIFE. DAVID SAYS THAT, "HE RESTORETH MY SOUL!" THERE ARE TWO TRUTHS WE MUST CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WORK OF GRACE IN OUR LIVES.

A. A MEANING THAT MUST BE ESTABLISHED

1. NOTICE, AGAIN, THE WORDS OF THE SHEPHERD BOY, "HE RESTORETH MY SOUL." WHAT IS IT THAT HE IS IMPLYING? WHAT IS MEANT BY THIS PHRASE? IN ORDER TO PROPERLY UNDERSTAND IT, A MEANING MUST BE ESTABLISHED.

2. ONE MEANING COULD SUGGEST THAT THE SHEPHERD RESTORE THE SICK SHEEP BACK TO HEALTH. HE WILL CARE FOR THE SICK SHEEP. HE WILL HUNT OUT THE HURT SHEEP IN ORDER TO DRESS HIS WOUNDS. HE WILL BIND THE BROKEN BONES, AND DO ALL THAT HE CAN DO IN ORDER TO RESTORE STRENGTH TO THE AILING SHEEP.

3. ANOTHER MEANING SUGGESTS THAT THE SHEPHERD RESTORE STRENGTH TO THE WEAK SHEEP. AS WE STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE SHEPHERD ALWAYS LEADS HIS SHEEP FROM THE FOLD IN THE MORNING TO PASTURE. THEY WANDER ALL DAY. THEY TRAVEL IN THE INTENSE HEAT OF THE DAY, AND BOTH SHEPHERD AND SHEEP ARE EXTREMELY FATIGUED.

4. IT MAY IMPLY THAT THE SHEPHERD, SOMETIME IN THE MIDST OF THE DAY, WILL LEAD HIS SHEEP TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN REST. FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE GREEN PASTURES, AND "BESIDE THE STILL WATERS." THE SHEPHERD, HIMSELF, WILL LIE DOWN TO REST, AND WAKE UP, REFRESHED AND RENEWED. THUS, BOTH SHEPHERD, AND SHEEP ARE RESTORED, AND STRENGTH HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO REPLACE THE WEAKNESS AND WEARINESS.

5. HOWEVER, I WANT US TO CONSIDER THE WORD 'RESTORETH' THAT IS USED. THE WORD MEANS, " TO BRING BACK." IT SUGGESTS A BRINGING BACK OF SOMETHING THAT HAS WANDERED AWAY, OR STRAYED. THAT IS THE MEANING THAT IS IMPLIED HERE.

6. WHILE THE SHEPHERD MAY INDEED RESTORE HEALTH TO A SICK SHEEP, AND STRENGTH TO A WEAK SHEEP, HIS PRIMARY DUTY IS TO RESTORE, AND BRING BACK THAT SHEEP FROM IT'S WANDERING AND GOING ASTRAY. THAT IS THE PROPER MEANING THAT MUST BE ESTABLISHED!

B. A MINISTRY THAT MUST BE EXAMINED

1. DAVID, AGAIN, SAYS, "HE RESTORETH MY SOUL." THUS, A MEANING MUST NOT ONLY BE ESTABLISHED, BUT A MINISTRY MUST BE EXAMINED. THERE IS A UNIQUE MINISTRY THAT THE SHEPHERD PERFORMS FOR THE SHEEP.

2. IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT HE DOES NOT SAY, 'HE RESTORETH A SOUL;' 'HE RESTORETH THE SOUL;' OR, 'HE RESTORETH SOME SOUL.' BUT, RATHER, HE EMPHATICALLY SAYS, "HE RESTORETH MY SOUL!" IT INDICATES A PERSONAL ATTENTION, AND MINISTRY THAT THE SHEPHERD GIVES TO EACH INDIVIDUAL SHEEP.

3. THE MINISTRY OF THE SHEPHERD IS REVEALED IN THE MEANING OF HIS RESTORATION. AGAIN, THE WORD MEANS "TO BRING BACK," AND IT DESCRIBES A SHEEP WANDERING AWAY FROM THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FOLD ONLY TO BE, NOT DIRECTED, BUT CARRIED BACK TO THE FOLD.

4. THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT THE SHEPHERD MAY RESTORE, OR BRING BACK THE SHEEP. FOR EXAMPLE, HE MAY USE HIS ROD TO RESTORE A STUBBORN SHEEP. HE MAY USE HIS STAFF TO RESTORE A STRAYING SHEEP. OR, HE MAY USE HIS OIL TO RESTORE A SICK SHEEP. WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, HE WILL USE WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BRING THAT WANDERING SHEEP BACK.

5. SHEEP ARE CREATURES OF HABIT. AND, THUS, THEY CANNOT DEPEND UPON THEMSELVES. THEY ARE AN EXTREMELY STUPID ANIMAL. THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY. THEY CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. THEY ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON THE SHEPHERD TO LEAD THEM, AND TO FEED THEM.

6. A DOG WILL FIND ITS WAY HOME, AND A CAT WILL COME BACK. BUT, A SHEEP, IF LEFT TO ITSELF, WILL WANDER AWAY, NEVER TO RETURN UNLESS THE SHEPHERD 'RESTORES' IT.

7. I THINK OF A FARMER, WHO LIVED NEAR BOSTON, WHO HAD A CAT THAT HE WANTED TO GET RID OF. HE DID NOT WANT TO KILL THE CAT, AND SEVERAL TIMES HE TRIED TO GIVE IT AWAY, BUT IT ALWAYS CAME BACK. FINALLY, A FRIEND SAID TO THE FARMER, "PUT IT INTO A BAG AND TAKE IT DOWN INTO THE HEART OF BOSTON, AND LET IT LOOSE. THEN, YOU WILL BE RID OF IT ONCE AND FOR ALL." THE FARMER DID AS HIS FRIEND SUGGESTED. AND TOOK THE CAT DOWN TO THE HEART OF BOSTON, AND TURNED IT LOOSE.

8. SOME TIME LATER THE FRIEND SAW THE FARMER AGAIN, AND ASKED HIM IF HE HAD GOTTEN RID OF THAT CAT. THE FARMER INFORMED HIM THAT HE HAD. THE FRIEND THEN ASKED, "WELL, DID YOU LOSE IT?" THE FARMER REPLIED, "LOSE IT? IF I HADN'T FOLLOWED THAT CAT, I WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUND MY WAY BACK HOME!" 1

9. HOWEVER, A SHEEP WILL NOT FIND HIS WAY BACK HOME. ONCE HE STRAYS, AND WANDERS AWAY FROM THE FOLD, HE IS UTTERLY HELPLESS, AND HOPELESS IF NOT FOR THE RESTORING OF THE SHEPHERD.

10. BUT, I NEED NOT REMIND YOU THAT, AS ISAIAH SAID, "ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY, WE HAVE TURNED EVERYONE TO HIS OWN WAY." WE, LIKE A SHEEP, IN OUR INITIAL STATE BEFORE GOD, WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR. WE WERE WANDERING HELPLESSLY AND HOPELESS WITHOUT GOD IN THIS WORLD.

11. THUS, ONE DAY, OUR GOOD SHEPHERD, LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP, AND RESTORED, OR RECONCILED US BACK TO GOD. HOWEVER, HIS MINISTRY DID NOT END AT THE CROSS.

12. THERE IS AN ONGOING MINISTRY OF RESTORATION THAT HE PERFORMS IN OUR LIVES. THAT IS, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE CONTINUE TO WANDER AWAY FROM THE FOLD. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE DO WHAT MANY HAVE CALLED, 'BACKSLIDING,' AND WE HAVE SIMPLY STRAYED AWAY FROM THAT WHICH WE KNOW TO BE RIGHT.

13. THUS, OUR SHEPHERD, BY USE OF THE ROD, FOR STUBBORN SHEEP, THE STAFF, FOR STRAYING SHEEP, OR THE OIL, FOR SICK SHEEP, COMES LOOKING FOR US, AND BRINGS US BACK TO HIMSELF. HE IS IN THE MINISTRY OF RESTORING US, AND BRINGING US BACK.

14. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE TIMES IN OUR LIFE WHEN WE GET OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD. WE MAY BECOME INVOLVED IN SIN, OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAS CAUSED US TO WANDER, AND TO STRAY.

15. OUR SHEPHERD THEN DEALS WITH US IN ONE OF 3 WAYS. HE MAY CONVICT US. IF THAT FAILS, HE MAY CORRECT US. IF THAT FAILS, THEN HE MAY CHASTEN US. IT MAY SURFACE IN VARIOUS WAYS, BE IT SICKNESS, CALAMITY, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, MARITAL PROBLEMS, LOSS OF A JOB, OR SOME OTHER TRAGEDY. BUT, REST ASSURED THAT HE, THE SHEPHERD, KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO, WHEN TO DO IT AND HOW TO DO IT TO BRING US BACK FROM OUR STRAYING.

16. MANY HAVE THE IDEA THAT WHEN A CHILD OF GOD FAILS, OR FALLS, WHEN HE IS HELPLESS AND FRUSTRATED IN A SPIRITUAL DILEMMA, THAT GOD BECOMES DISGUSTED, FED-UP, AND FURIOUS WITH HIM. BUT, NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

17. WHILE, IT IS TRUE THAT HE IS A GOD OF WRATH, JUSTICE, AND JUDGMENT, HE IS A GOD, WHO LIKE A SHEPHERD HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF HIS SHEEP AT HEART. HE DESIRES THAT WE WANDER NOT AWAY FROM THE FOLD. HE DESIRES THAT WE NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN SIN. HE DESIRES THAT WE NOT GET AWAY FROM TIME IN THE WORD, PRAYER, AND CHURCH.

18. BUT, WHEN WE DO, HE THEN DESIRES TO BRING US BACK TO HIMSELF. HE DESIRES TO RESTORE US. IF HE HAS TO RESORT TO THE MEANS OF CHASTENING, IT IS NOT BECAUSE HE DELIGHTS IN IT; BUT, RATHER, WE HAVE GIVEN HIM NO OTHER CHOICE.

19. AS ANDREW TELLFORD SAID, "GRACE IS ANYTIME THAT GOD MOVES IN OUR DIRECTION." HE HAS AN ONGOING MINISTRY TO BRING BACK WANDERING SHEEP. AND, IT IS ALL A WORK OF GRACE THAT HE PARTAKES TO MY LIFE!

2. THE GUIDANCE THAT HE UNDERTAKES IN MY LIFE!

1. NOTICE VERSE 3. DAVID STATES, "HE RESTORETH MY SOUL; HE LEADETH ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE." THUS, NOT ONLY DOES HE REMIND US OF THE WORK OF GRACE THAT HE PARTAKES TO MY LIFE, BUT THE WORK OF GUIDANCE THAT HE UNDERTAKES IN MY LIFE. IN FACT, NOTICE:

A. THE CARE THAT IS MANIFESTED TO US

1. NOTICE VERSE 3. "HE LEADETH ME." THOSE WORDS INDICATE THAT THERE IS A CARE, BY THE SHEPHERD, THAT IS MANIFESTED TO US.

2. THE WORD 'LEADETH' IMPLIES CONCERN, COMPASSION, AND CARE. IT IS NOT THAT HE DRIVES THE SHEEP; BUT, RATHER, THE OPPOSITE. HE LEADS THOSE SHEEP. HE IS NOT A HERDER, BUT A SHEPHERD. AND, IF THOSE SHEEP ARE TO FOLLOW, THEN THEY MUST BE LED.

3. THERE IS A WONDROUS LINK BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. NOTICE, "HE LEADETH ME." IT IS HE AND ME. THE CHASM BETWEEN THE SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP HAS BEEN CLOSED. THE FINITE AND THE INFINITE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER. IT'S HE AND ME!.

4. AND, THAT WHICH LINKS HE TO ME, AND ME TO HE, IS THAT "HE LEADETH ME." THUS, IT IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD THOSE SHEEP. THERE IS A CARE THAT IS MANIFESTED TO US.

5. I THINK OF DR. HOWE, THE HUSBAND OF JULIA WARD HOWE, WHO WROTE THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC. HE DESIRED TO ENTER INTO A MINISTRY TO THE BLIND. THUS, HE DECIDED THAT HE MUST KNOW SOMETHING OF THEIR DIFFICULTIES. FOR MANY, MANY WEEKS HE BANDAGED HIS EYES DAILY SO THAT NOT A RAY OF LIGHT COULD ENTER, AND HE CARRIED ON IN THE DARKNESS DAY AFTER DAY. HE WAS ABLE TO GO ON AND TREMENDOUSLY HELP THE BLIND BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN THERE, AND HE KNEW ABOUT THEIR INFIRMITY. 2

6. SO, TOO, OUR SHEPHERD IS 'TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES." HE KNOWS WHAT WE'RE FACING, WHAT WE'RE FEELINGS, AND WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN THERE.

7. THUS, HE IS ABLE TO LEAD US BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE WE ARE GOING. IT IS NOT A ROAD LESS TRAVELED. HE HAS ALREADY TRAVELED THE ROAD, AND THUS, WITH GREAT CARE HE LEADS US DOWN THAT ROAD.

8. HOWEVER, WHILE IT IS THE DUTY OF THE SHEPHERD TO LEAD, IT IS THE DUTY OF THE SHEEP TO FOLLOW. IN FACT, A SHEPHERD CAN ONLY LEAD WHEN SHEEP ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW.

9. MANY TIMES WE BECOME DISGRUNTLED WITH GOD BECAUSE WE FEEL AS IF HE HAS LEFT US, AND IS NOT LEADING US IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION. HOWEVER, THE TRUTH MAY BE, HE HAS TRIED TO LEAD US, BUT WE HAVE DESIRED TO TRAVEL ANOTHER PATH, AND BECAUSE HE DID NOT LEAD US WHERE WE WANTED TO GO, WE FEEL AS IF HE IS NOT LEADING US AT ALL.

10. BUT, TO THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO BE LED, HE WILL LEAD. AND, A GREAT CARE WILL BE MANIFESTED TO US!

B. THE COURSE THAT IS MARKED FOR US

1. NOTICE AGAIN OUR TEXT. DAVID SAYS, "HE LEADETH ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS." HE HAS NOT ONLY MANIFESTED HIS CARE TO US, BUT HE HAS MARKED A COURSE FOR US. WE ARE LED IN 'PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.'

2. THERE ARE MANY OPINIONS, AND THOUGHTS, AS TO WHAT IS MEANT BY THE PHRASE 'PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.' HOWEVER, THE SIMPLEST DEFINITION IS THAT 'PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS' ARE RIGHT PATHS. THEY ARE PATHS FREE FROM ERROR AND DELUSION. SIMPLY PUT, THEY ARE HIS PATHS.

3. SHEEP, IF LEFT TO THEMSELVES, WILL FOLLOW THE SAME TRAILS UNTIL THEY HAVE BECOME RUTS. THEY WILL GRAZE THE SAME HILLS UNTIL THEY HAVE TURNED TO DESERT PLACES. THEY WILL POLLUTE THEIR OWN GROUND UNTIL IT IS CORRUPT WITH DISEASE AND PARASITES.

4. THUS, THE SHEPHERD LEADS THEM ON BETTER PATHS UNTO BETTER PLACES. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PREDETERMINED. IT IS A DELIBERATE ACTION TO TAKE THEM FROM ONE GRAZING GROUND TO ANOTHER WHERE THERE IS BETTER PASTURE.

5. YET, IN MUCH THE SAME WAY, THE LORD JESUS DESIRES TO LEAD US TO BETTER PLACES BY THE MEANS OF BETTER PATHS. THEY ARE NOT THE DESERT, BARREN, INFERTILE PLACES OF THE WORLD. BUT, RATHER, THEY ARE HIS PATHS, AND HIS PLACES. THEY ARE PATHS THAT ARE FREE FROM ERROR. THEY ARE PATHS THAT ARE FREE FROM EROSION. THEY ARE PATHS THAT ARE FREE FROM ELUSIVENESS.

6. F. B. MEYER SAID, "THESE PATHS ARE NOT ONLY CONSISTENT WITH THE DIVINE RECTITUDE, BUT THEY ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE REVIEW OF THE SPIRIT, WHEN IN AFTER DAYS, LOOKING BACK ON THEM FROM THE EMINENCE TO WHICH THEY HAVE LED, WE MUST CONFESS THAT THEY WERE RIGHT PATHS." 3

7. I ASK YOU, TONIGHT, ARE YOU ALLOWING HIM TO LEAD YOU IN 'PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?' ARE YOU ALLOWING HIM TO LEAD YOU THE WAY HE WANTS YOU TO GO?

8. HE DESIRES TO LEAD US TO BETTER PLACES BY THE MEANS OF BETTER PATHS. THERE IS A CARE MANIFESTED TO US, AND A COURSE MARKED FOR US. NOT ONLY IS THERE A WORK OF GRACE THE HE PARTAKES TO MY LIFE, BUT A WORK OF GUIDANCE THAT HE UNDERTAKES IN MY LIFE! !

3. THE GLORY THAT HE INTAKES FROM MY LIFE!

1. VERSE 3 CONCLUDES WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE DIVINE IN EXECUTING HIS WORK OF GRACE, AND HIS WORK OF GUIDANCE IN MY LIFE. HE PARTAKES GRACE, AND HE UNDERTAKES GUIDANCE SO THAT HE MIGHT INTAKE GLORY FROM MY LIFE. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT:

A. THERE IS AN UPWARD REPUTATION TO BE HELD

1. NOTICE VERSE 3. "HE RESTORETH MY SOUL; HE LEADETH ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE."

2. WE ARE TOLD THAT HE GIVES US GRACE, AND HE GIVES US GUIDANCE SO THAT HE MIGHT GET GLORY TO HIMSELF. THIS IS NOT JUST FOR OUR BENEFIT, BUT FOR HIS. IT IS FOR 'HIS NAME'S SAKE.' THERE IS AN UPWARD REPUTATION TO BE HELD.

3. YOU SEE THE VERY CHARACTER AND NAME OF GOD IS ON THE LINE. IF HE DOESN'T LEAD THE SHEEP, AND IF HE DOESN'T FEED THE SHEEP, THEN HE HAS DISGRACED HIS OWN NAME. THUS, ALL OF HIS LEADING IS SO THAT HIS NAME MAY BE GLORIFIED.

4. 'FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE' DENOTES THE HONOR AND CHARACTER OF GOD HIMSELF. THESE ARE IMPLICATED, AND THEY ARE AT STAKE.

5. HIS NAME WONDERFUL IS AT STAKE. AND, BEING WONDERFUL, HE TAKES CARE OF THE DISTRESSES OF LIFE. HIS NAME COUNSELOR IS AT STAKE. AND, BEING THE COUNSELOR, HE TAKES CARE OF THE DECISIONS OF LIFE. HIS NAME THE MIGHTY GOD IS AT STAKE. AND, BEING THE MIGHTY GOD, HE TAKES CARE OF THE DILEMMAS OF LIFE. HIS NAME THE EVERLASTING FATHER IS AT STAKE. AND, BEING THE EVERLASTING FATHER, HE TAKES CARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE. AND, HIS NAME THE PRINCE OF PEACE IS AT STAKE. AND, BEING THE PRINCE OF PEACE, HE TAKES CARE OF THE DISTURBANCES OF LIFE.

6. THUS, IF HE CARES NOT FOR THE SHEEP, OR HE FAILS TO LEAD THE SHEEP, THEN HE HAS MARRED HIS OWN NAME. HE IS KNOWN AS A GOOD SHEPHERD, A GREAT SHEPHERD, AND A CHIEF SHEPHERD; AND, IF HE IS TO KEEP THE IMMUTABILITY OF HIS NAME, THEN HE MUST CARE FOR HIS SHEEP. IF HE DOESN'T PROTECT US, PRESERVE US, AND PREPARE FOR US, THEN HE HAS DISGRACED HIS OWN NAME. THE UPWARD REPUTATION OF GOD HIMSELF IS TO BE HELD.

B. THERE IS AN OUTWARD REPUTATION TO BE HEEDED

1. NOTICE AGAIN DAVID'S CONCLUSION OF THE VERSE. "HE LEADETH ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE." THERE IS NOT ONLY AN UPWARD REPUTATION TO BE HELD, BUT THERE IS AN OUTWARD REPUTATION TO BE HEEDED.

2. IN ANCIENT DAYS, IT WAS CUSTOMARY FOR THE SHEPHERDS TO GATHER TOGETHER AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY TO TALK OVER THE HAPPENINGS OF THE DAY. FOR DAYS, OR MONTHS, OR EVEN YEARS AFTERWARDS, IT WOULD BE MENTIONED AS A DISGRACE TO ANY SHEPHERD WHO PERMITTED A STRAY LAMB TO PERISH WITHOUT GOING AFTER IT.

3. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF HE DID GO AFTER THE WANDERING SHEEP, AND EXPOSED HIMSELF TO GREAT DANGER TO RESCUE THE LAMB, THEN IT WOULD BE MENTIONED TO HIS CREDIT. IF HE NEGLECTED THE WAYWARD SHEEP, HE WAS A ZERO. HOWEVER, IF HE WENT AFTER THE SHEEP, HE WAS A HERO.

4. THUS, THERE WAS AN OUTWARD REPUTATION TO BE HEEDED OF THE SHEPHERD. IT WAS TO A SHEPHERD'S BENEFIT TO BE WELL THOUGHT OF AMONG OTHER FLOCKS, AND OTHER FOLDS.

5. IN THE SAME WAY, THIS IS NOT AN EGOISTICAL EFFORT BY THE SHEPHERD TO MAKE HIS NAME LOOK GOOD. GOD'S HONOR IS AT STAKE BY THE WAY WE LIVE AS HIS SHEEP. WE ARE REFLECTIONS OF HIM, AND HOW WE LIVE IS A RELECTION UPON HIM AS OUR SHEPHERD, AND OUR SAVIOR.

6. JUST AS CHILDREN ARE A REFLECTION OF THEIR EARTHLY PARENTS, SO WE, AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD, ARE A REFLECTION ON OUR HEAVENLY PARENT. THUS, ANYTHING WE DO, ANY PLACE WE GO, AND ANYWHERE WE MAY BE, WE ARE A MIRROR REFLECTING THE ONE WE CONFESS TO BELONG TO.

7. THUS, IT WOULD STAND TO REASON THAT WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS DONE FOR US, IN US, TO US, AND WITH US, WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE HIM LOOK THE BEST THAT WE POSSIBLY COULD. WE ARE WALKING ON THE PATHWAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SO THAT HIS GLORY MAY BE KNOWN TO A WATCHING WORLD.

8. THAT IS WHAT JESUS MEANT, WHEN IN MATTHEW 5: 16, WHEN HE SAID, "LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN."

9. IT MATTERS HOW WE LIVE, WHAT WE SAY, AND WHERE WE GO. WE ARE NOT ONLY REFLECTIONS OF HIM ON SUNDAY, BUT ON MONDAY. WE ARE NOT ONLY REFLECTIONS OF HIM AT THE CHURCH HOUSE, BUT AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE. WE ARE NOT ONLY REFLECTIONS OF HIM TO OUR NEIGHBOR ON A PEW, BUT TO OUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR.

10. TO A DARK, DOOMED, AND DESPERATE WORLD WE ARE REFLECTIONS OF GOD IN CHRIST, AND THERE IS AN UPWARD REPUTATION TO BE HELD, AND AN OUTWARD REPUTATION TO BE HEEDED. HE GIVES GRACE AND GUIDANCE SO THAT HE MAY INTAKE GLORY FROM MY LIFE!

11. I THINK OF THE WORDS OF THE SONGWRITER:

"THERE WERE NINETY AND NINE THAT SAFELY LAY

IN THE SHELTER OF THE FOLD,

BUT ONE WAS OUT ON THE HILLS ASTRAY,

FAR OFF FROM THE GATES OF GOLD

AWAY ON THE MOUNTAINS WILD AND BARE,

AWAY FROM THE TENDER SHEPHERD'S CARE.

LORD, THOU HAST THERE THY NINETY AND NINE;

ARE THEY NOT ENOUGH FOR THEE?

BUT THE SHEPHERD MADE ANSWER, 'THIS OF MINE

HAS WANDERED AWAY FROM ME,

AND ALTHOUGH' THE ROAD BE ROUGH AND STEEP

I GO TO THE DESERT TO FIND MY SHEEP.'

BUT ALL THRO' THE MOUNTAINS, THUNDER RIV'N,

AND UP FROM THE ROCKY STEEP,

THERE AROSE A GLAD CRY TO THE GATE OF HEAV'N,

'REJOICE, I HAVE FOUND MY SHEEP!'

AND THE ANGELS ECHOED AROUND THE THRONE,

'REJOICE, FOR THE LORD BRINGS BACK HIS OWN!'

12. THOUGH WE MAY WANDER, AND THOUGH WE MAY STRAY, THERE IS A GRACE HE PARTAKES TO MY LIFE, A GUIDANCE HE UNDERTAKES IN MY LIFE, AND A GLORY HE INTAKES FROM MY LIFE. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT "NO ONE ELSE MAY CARE, BUT GOD DOES!"

1. THE PSALM OF PSALMS, ROBERT MOYER, PG. 29.

2. IBID, PG. 32.