Sermon Tone Analysis

Shepherds During Bible Times

The Bible is filled with stories about shepherds.

Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David were all shepherds.

Shepherds in ancient Israel likely worked with, among others, the broadtail Syrian variety of sheep, which have large fatty tails and a thick fleece.

The rams of this breed are horned, and the ewes are not.

These docile animals are easily led and completely at the mercy of their environment and predators.

In the spring the Shepherd would take his flock out of the pen near his home and lead them to graze on the new grass growing in a village field nearby.

Lambs and kids would expand the size of the flock and workers would sheer the winter fleece from the sheep.

This was a time of celebration.

After the grain harvest farmers would let the shepherds take their sheep into their fields to graze on the stubble.

When the summer heat set in the shepherds would take their flocks to cooler pastures on higher ground.

They would stay with the sheep for days on end, working and sleeping outdoors.

They would build open sheep folds where they would guard their sheep, or they might shelter them in a cave at night.

Shepherds were so familiar with their sheep that they would know their names, their parents names, and even their grandparents names.

They spent so much time with the sheep—teaching them and protecting them and comforting them—that the sheep would know the shepherd’s voice.

When they would get spooked by an owl or hyena the shepherd would talk softly to the to settle them down.

Each evening the shepherd would count his sheep, checking on the health of each animal.

In the morning he would call to the animals and they would follow him to new pasture ground.

At midday the shepherd would lead his sheep to cool pools of water to drink and rest.

When the pools dried up the shepherd would take them to a well and draw water for his sheep.

At the end of the dry season the shepherd would lead his sheep to the coastal plains and valleys to find water.

When the rains started again he would lead them back home to winter indoors so the animals wouldn’t die in the rain, hailstorms, or snow.

From November till spring the shepherd fed his flocks indoors from stores of hay they accumulated during the summer harvest.

During the frigid nights the shepherd would wear a sheepskin with the fleece turned inside to protect him from the rain and cold.

He would carry a scrip, or leather bag, with food supplies like olives, bread, dried fruit and cheese.

He carried a weapon called a rod which was a three foot long stick with sharp slate rock imbedded in one end.

He carried a staff which was good for leaning on in the middle of a field, or to stabilize himself when walking among rocky hills, or to help the sheep when they had fallen in a crevice.

He carried a personal water pouch and a collapsible leather pouch for drawing water from wells.

He also carried a sling to lob rocks near sheep to startle them and bring them back to the flock, and to drive off wild animals; and he carried a reed pipe or harp to entertain himself with music.

A shepherd would risk their lives to protect their sheep, as David did when he fought a lion and a bear to protect his flock.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd

It’s little wonder that God compares the Messiah to a shepherd in

Jesus adopted the shepherd metaphor when He described himself in .

He points to himself as the doorway to the sheep:

He says that He knows his sheep and they recognize His voice and follow him above all others.

John 10:14-

John 10:

Jesus is the good shepherd who knows his sheep by name.

He leads them, feeds them and shelters them.

When someone begins with the words, “The Lord is My Shepherd...” we all know exactly what is coming next.

The 23rd Psalm is one of the most precious passages in all of scripture, and from what we’ve just seen of Jesus, it has a spiritual application to our saving relationship with Jesus.

But this passage is filled with beautiful ideas for ancient Israel and their rebellious scrapes, as well as for our current lives as Christians today.

Let’s read it together:

He is the door through which the sheep and everyone else must enter.

He gives his life for the sheep.

The passage begins by reminding us that it is a shepherd, David, who wrote this passage.

David proclaims that “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

This is the Lord, YHWH.

Jesus himself claims this name when he says in the New Testament, “before Abraham was, I Am” the same statement God made to Moses in the burning bush when he told Moses to have Israel call him, the “I Am.”

Jesus says of Himself:

I am the resurrection and the Life.

I am the resurrection and the Life.

I am the way the truth and the life.

I am the true vine.

I am the Good Shepherd.

When we read , we can confidently say, “Jesus is my shepherd...”

David goes on to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

This is the shepherd who became the favorite general of king Saul’s army and then was forced to flee for his life from Saul’s jealousy, living among the rocky hills and caves that he may have once led his sheep through during the hot summers.

To feed himself and his followers they would provide protection services for farmers, shepherds and villages.

But David knew where his food really came from—his every need was provided for by God Himself.

In verse 2 he says,

The God that David is singing about is the Shepherd who cares for every detail of the sheep’s life.

He sees the future and understands the blessings he intends for us.

The green pastures and still waters are the good life that Jesus promises us.

Some time this year we’ll have to do a series on and 6 and explore the good life Jesus plans for us.

This good life includes a life lived in the Spirit who gives us love, joy, peace, patience, and all the other fruit of having the Spirit guide our lives.

In verse 3 David adds,

In Galatians we

The word translated “restores” means to “bring back” or “turn back.”

This is the same idea for repentance, and it is appropriate that David would use that in the context of a sheep.

The shepherd might go after the sheep and physically redirect it back to the flock, or they might lob a rock nearby it to make it recognize its going too far from the fold and needs to turn back.

The life and health of the sheep is dependent on the shepherd’s redirection when they go astray.

David knew what it was like to go astray, and he knew the Lord’s redirection though the work of prophets like Samuel and Nathan.

David assures us as readers that the paths the Lord redirects us to are “paths of righteousness” or translated literally, “right paths.”

Most people want to be in control of their own lives–to have agency in their own decisions.

It takes us a while to trust the leadership of someone else who says, “this is the right direction, let’s go here.”

We hesitate, doubt and question.

If we truly understood that God’s plans for us are good and that He sees beyond what we are able to perceive, we might trust Him with our next steps.

This is true of our personal walk with God, and the direction of our church.

I believe that God has good plans for this community.

Jesus said, “I will build my church” and I believe this year will demonstrate the power and work of God in Boundary County.

He will lead us in right paths.

There might be some rough patches as we move forward, but if we keep our focus on the shepherd, when we look back on this year, I know we’ll be able to say that He has led us in “right paths.”

In David is assuring us that our shepherd is trustworthy.

He knows the way.

Look at verse 4 and we’ll discover a new element in David’s poem,

Its not too difficult to follow someone when things are looking good.

Its easy to trust when the path is easy.

But when the path of life is rough and the struggles are real, we start looking around and wondering, “am I following the right leader?

maybe if I went over there I’d find a better path.”

The phrase that is translated here “valley of the shadow of death” is most literally translated “valley of deep darkness.”

Death is the deepest darkness, and one we know all too well in this church.

It is difficult for us to see past the darkness that we face.

Maybe your darkness is the death of a loved one like the McIntosh and Shelton and Schatzel families are facing right now.

Maybe your darkness is the loss of a friendship that you have treasured.

Maybe your darkness is the news of a health complication that will change the course of your life in some way.

Maybe your darkness is the loss of a friendship that you have treasured.

Maybe your darkness is a change in your financial situation that will profoundly affect you and your family.

Maybe your darkness is a theological question or a significant doubt that you are struggling with.

Maybe your darkness is an addiction that has had your soul locked up in chains.