Zoom Sunday School Classes – 3 November 2024 at 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09
Confidence
in God’s Shepherding
(When the Road Is Long)
Lesson Text: Psalm 23
Devotional Reading: John 10:1-10
Background Scripture: Psalm 23; John 10:11-14
Daily Bible Readings |
MONDAY: I Believe, Help My Unbelief –
Mark 9:14-27 |
AIM FOR CHANGE:
EXPLORE Psalm 23’s use of the metaphor of
shepherding for trusting in God;
APPRECIATE
ways that God’s love
provides goodness and mercy to people when they face challenges, and visions; and
CHOOSE to trust God’s leading, which transforms
challenges and difficulties.
KEEP IN MIND:
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole
life long.” Psalm 23:6, NRSV
BACKGROUND:
The role of shepherd goes back to the
days of Abel. Psalm 23 is a psalm of
David, who was raised in that very occupation.
As a shepherd, he fought with lions and bears to protect his sheep (1
Samuel 17:34-35). He was well acquainted
with all the responsibilities of shepherd.
David uses his experience as a shepherd to illustrate the love and care
of God. In ancient Middle Eastern
culture, sheep were prized symbols of wealth.
Their wool was used to make yarn.
Also, sheep were a common animal for sacrifice or food, which made them
especially precious.
LESSON COMMENTARY:
God as Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-4)
1The Lord
is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in
the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4Yea, 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.
Psalm 23 presents Yahweh as the Shepherd who loves
and cares for His sheep. Sheep are
unable to survive on their own, so they depend completely on the shepherd. Psalm 23 elaborates on God’s providential
care as He cares for, guides, and gives refreshment to His people.
David
opens by affirming the lord as his shepherd, and that he has everything he
needs. First, he delights in God’s care,
providing everything he needed. As his
shepherd, the Lord also guided him. He
led David beside the still waters, which may be interpreted as a resting
place. Like a shepherd who knows the
right paths to lead the sheep home. The
Lord led David down the right path to bring glory to His name.
David
next describes God’s protection. With
God as his shepherd, David had no reason to fear evil. The shepherd protected his sheep. He fought off wild animals that might attack
them. The shepherd used his rod and
staff to protect the flock. At night,
the shepherd would lay in the doorway to the sheep pen, using his body to bar
anyone who might try to steal the sheep.
David experienced God’s presence and protection.
The
Lord is also the shepherd for believers today.
We have the same intimate, lifelong fellowship with Him. We experience God’s love and peace when
facing stressful situations. Jesus
describes Himself as the Good Shepherd (Matthew 10:14). As our leader, He provides all our needs,
restores us, and guides us to safety and paths pleasing to Him, bringing glory
to His name. Like David, we need not fear
the deep, dark valley. The believers are always under the Lord’s watchful eye,
and He never forsakes His sheep.
1. How do we resist idolizing those who
would claim to guide (shepherd) us today?
2. How can we improve at recognizing when
God is leading us toward “green pastures”? What can happen if we don’t?
3. In what ways can we be God’s
instruments of comfort to those in a dark valley of life?
Guests in God’s House (Psalm 23:5-6)
5 Thou preparest a table before me in
the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth
over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The
psalm shifts to God as gracious host and provider. God offers safety and protection, even
spreading a table of lavish hospitality.
Even in the presence of David’s enemies, the Lord made provisions for
him. God’s abundant care can be symbolized
by the anointing with oil and the overflowing cup. The psalm ends with David affirming that God
gives him victory over death and that he will spend eternity with Him.
As
in Psalm 23, God graciously protects and provides for believers today. Believers have enemies and experience
stressful and dangerous situations, just like David did. He offers us sanctuary in times of
difficulty. God can transform our
situations and our lives. As with David,
God’s blessing is always on His people.
We can dwell with the Lord and experience full communion with Him
forever.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.
God
still seeks to lead, protect, and provide for His people. As believers, we must submit to His leading
as sheep to their shepherd. How do you
relate to God as your shepherd?
2.
Even believers have
problems. We have enemies. We can experience periods of darkness in our
lives as David did. How has the Lord
protected you or comforted you during trying times?
3. When was an occasion that God’s
goodness followed (even pursued) you, but you didn’t recognize it at the time?
How did you grow spiritually from the experience?
4. What specific things can we do to
prepare better to dwell with the Lord forever?
5. The Lord cares for His people and
provides for all their needs. He
comforts and protects. We are dependent
on Him like sheep are dependent on their shepherd. In what ways has God been a shepherd to you?
LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:
Adults face difficult situations. We face danger, anxiety, and fear as we
journey through life. We can turn to God
as our shepherd to lead, protect, and provide for us. We must understand that He is our shepherd
and leader, and must submit to His leadership.
We must trust Him as our provider, asking and thanking Him for making
provision for our needs. We must run to
Him as our refuge in times of trouble.
Finally, we must maintain a vital union with God for life.
NEXT WEEKS LESSON: 10 November 2024 at 09:00 EST
Songs
of Prayer
(Who Can You Trust)
Psalm 146;150
Devotional Reading: Psalm 148
Background Scripture: Psalm 146-150
Sources:
Achtemeier, Paul J. Harper's Bible Dictionary. 1st
ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.
Biblical Studies Press:
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Brown, Raymond E., S.
S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S. J.; Roland E. Murphy, O Carm. The Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall,
Inc., 1968.
Dummelow, J. R., M.A.
Rev. The One Volume Bible Commentary.
New York: The Macmillan Company Publishers, 1961.
Tate,
Marvin E.,
Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 20, Psalm 51-100. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1991
James Orr, M.A., D.D., International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Electronic Edition, Parsons Technology, Inc., Cedar
Rapids, Iowa 1998.
Nowell,
Irene, The
New Interpreter's Bible Commentary, Volume III:
Introduction to Hebrew Poetry, Job, Psalms, Introduction to Wisdom Literature,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, New York: Abingdon Press, 2015.
Morris, William, ed., Dictionary of the English Language,
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981.
Spence-Jones,
H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The Pulpit Commentary: Psalms Vol II. Bellingham, WA:
Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004
Strong, James, Strong’s
Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Electronic Edition STEP Files, QuickVerse, a
division of Findex.com, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska. 2003.
Vine, W.E. Vines
Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Edited by
Merrill F. Unger and William White Jr., Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1996.