“MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES” (PS. 23:1)
1. If you have raised or are raising children, you probably know about naptime.
2. As the parent, you have wanted your child to take a nap.
3. Chances are your child didn’t want to take a nap.
4. This conflict resulted in a clash of wills.
5. It may comfort you to know that shepherds have a similar problem with sheep.
6. Getting sheep to lie down can be a difficult process.
7. These animals will usually not lie down until 4 conditions are met.
8. First, sheep will not usually lie down unless they feel secure.
9. All fear must be removed.
10. Second, if there is some kind of friction within the flock, sheep will normally refuse to lie down.
11. In this way, sheep are like a lot of wives.
12. I have known of several couples that have had a disagreement.
13. The disagreement was not solved by bedtime.
14. Even though there was tension between the husband and wife,
15. The husband was able to roll over and go to sleep.
16. The wife on the other hand could not sleep.
17. She tossed and turned because of the friction.
18. Sheep have this same characteristic.
19. The third thing that sheep need to have before lying down is peace.
20. If flies or parasites are bothering them, sheep will not bed down.
21. The fourth thing that is needed is a full stomach.
22. If sheep are not full, they are normally unwilling to lie down.
I. WHEN WE KNOW ABOUT THE FOUR THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR SHEEP TO LIE DOWN, AND WE LOOK AT DAVID’S STATEMENT IN PS. 23:2, “HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN”, THERE ARE SOME OBVIOUS LESSONS. MY GOAL IS TO LEAVE YOU WITH JUST ONE LESSON BASED UPON WHAT DAVID SAID.
A. The lesson involves friction.
B. Remember that I said sheep will not normally lie down if they are fighting.
C. There are times when sheep fight and friction does exist.
D. This is true for every society of animals.
E. In the animal kingdom, there is an established order of dominance.
F. In other words, animals know who is 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.
1) With chickens, we call this the pecking order.
2) With cattle, people refer to this as the horning order.
3) Sheep have a similar kind of order.
4) With them it is the butting order.
G. Oftentimes it is an old ewe who is at the top of the butting order.
H. The ewe enjoys the most favorable grazing and the best bed grounds.
I. When the ewe (leader) is challenged, it responds.
J. The leader will fight as hard as it can to retain its place.
K. The leader wants to stay the leader.
L. When a shepherd is not present, there can be fighting and fussing.
M. When a shepherd is present, the butting order loses importance.
N. Sometimes this is a natural response.
O. Sheep are fighting, the shepherd comes along, and the fighting stops.
P. In other circumstances, shepherds actually need to intervene.
Q. The animal kingdom is not the only place where “orders” are found.
R. Within societies and within congregations there have been “butting”.
S. Let’s go back into the Old Testament for an example, Num. 16.
1) This chapter portrays several key men.
2) Moses and Aaron are mentioned in verse 3.
3) In Num. 16:1, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are listed.
4) These three men wanted a better position.
5) Verse 3 tells us what these 3 men did to get a better position.
6) READ.
7) These men wanted a position like Moses and Aaron had.
8) These men were intent on getting what they wanted.
9) Notice verse 2. READ.
10) Dathan, Korah, and Abiram had 250 men with them.
11) Perhaps these men would have fought Moses and Aaron.
12) At the very least 250 men would have looked like a form. force.
T. What did God say about these men who wanted a better position?
U. Verse 26 tells us. READ.
V. By inspiration, Moses called these position seekers “wicked men”.
W. A few verses later we read that these men were punished.
X. Let’s skip down to verses 32-33, & 35. READ.
Y. God used an earthquake to destroy these position seekers.
Z. For a while, this destruction had a good effect on people.
A. Verse 34.
B. As time passed, this lesson was not remembered too well.
C. We learn this from the first book in the NT.
D. Matthew 20 tells us about Mary, the mother of James and John.
E. Mary was convinced that Jesus was going to have a kingdom.
F. This woman wanted the very best for her sons.
G. Thus she said to Jesus (and this is a paraphrase of v. 21):
H. “When you come into power let my two sons sit near you.
I. I would like one son to your right and the other to your left.”
J. Mary was trying to not only create a butting order, she was trying to put her sons at the very top of it.
K. Another NT example is found in the book of 3rd John.
L. The apostle referred to a brother named Diotrephes.
M. This Christian loved the preeminence.
N. This brother wanted the church to have a butting order.
O. He also wanted to be at the head of this order.
P. If people got in his way, he would throw them out of the church.
Q. This is stated in v. 10. READ.
II. WHAT WE SEE REFLECTED IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS IS WHAT WE OFTEN SEE IN TODAY’S WORLD.
A. In many work places there is a “butting order”.
B. If you are low on the list, you know what I mean.
C. In some social circles there are butting orders.
D. Sometimes within a congregation a butting order exists.
E. Within the last week I spoke with a preacher who is relocating.
F. In the course of our conversation this man said to me,
G. “I sense that there is a pecking order in this congregation.
H. This may be a problem for me.”
I. Perhaps you have been part of a congregation that had an order.
J. If so, you may have heard a statement such as:
K. “This is so-and-so’s church. It belongs to him (her).”
L. I have heard other people say, “We have a she-elder here.”
M. These statements reflect a butting (horning) order.
N. From my trips to Russia/Ukraine, I know that this problem is also overseas.
O. Unless a Russian/Ukrainian congregation is very strong, one or two women normally want to take the lead.
P. They are usually better educated and more prone to take charge.
Q. The two congregations that I am familiar with have pecking orders.
R. The problem of a butting order is also in the United States.
S. About 8 years ago, a young preacher interviewed for a job in Montana.
T. When this man came back he said to me, “They offered me the job.”
U. This man went on to tell me that he had decided to look elsewhere.
V. From what this brother saw, a woman was in charge of the congregation.
W. A number of examples could be cited to show that a butting order can and sometimes does exist within congregations.
X. These examples would all tie in with what Christ taught about humility.
Y. Jesus said in Matt. 23:12, QUOTE/READ.
Z. The very same point was made in the parable of the Pharisees and Publican.
III. AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD, JESUS KNEW WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THERE TO BE PEACE AND HARMONY IN THE FLOCK (CHURCH).
A. One of the things that is needed is the absence of a pecking order.
B. I don’t know that this kind of order exists at Goshen.
C. If it does, I haven’t sensed (seen) it.
D. This information might make you ask,
E. “Why is Brad preaching on this?
F. If he doesn’t see a problem, why is he dealing with this matter?”
G. The answer involves a little secret I have already shared with the elders.
H. Very little of my preaching is reactionary.
I. If I were a reactionary preacher,
J. I would preach on every problem (sin) I see.
K. If I would see that alcohol is a problem and I would be a reactionary
L. Preacher, I would instantly prepare a sermon on liquor.
M. If I were a reactionary preacher, I also might “target” people.
N. A man who lost his temper Wednesday night would hear a lesson on self-control.
O. There are some wonderful preachers in our brotherhood who are reactionary.
P. I have some good friends who are reactionary preachers.
Q. I certainly do not condemn men who have adopted this style.
R. My choice has been to stay away from reactionary preaching.
S. This is one of the things that I discussed with the elders.
T. When I need to deal with a problem,
U. The matter will normally be dealt with outside of the assembly.
V. I do not prepare sermons with particular people in mind.
W. With my luck, those folks would never show up.
X. My method is to preach the “whole counsel of God”.
Y. This tactic allows me to cover what needs to be covered.
Z. This way, sin is dealt with in a comprehensive fashion.
A. If brethren are involved with things that they shouldn’t be, I normally allow Gal. 6:1-2 to guide me. QUOTE/READ.
B. I will use the pulpit to deal with wrong, but not attack individuals.
C. In addition to this, I try to deal with problems before they happen.
D. The old expression, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, is a principle I use in preaching.
E. The elders have indicated their agreement with this approach.
F. Tonight’s lesson, as far as I know, is preventative.
G. I want us to see that a congregation with a butting order is in trouble.
1) This kind of situation:
2) Hinders growth
3) Causes the congregation (flock) to lose peace and harmony
4) Results in division and dissension.
H. We want to make sure that we choose to stand against butting orders.
I. God’s plan for the church is a family that is led by elders.
J. When brethren violate this order, God is displeased.
K. In OT times, His displeasure was reflected by the opening of earth.
L. At least 253 men were killed because of a butting order.
M. God forbid that any of us will ever be party to this kind of thing.
N. This is true in the church, in social circles, and in the work place.
CONCLUSION:
1. If the world looks at us and sees us participating in the butting order,
it will conclude that we are really not any different.
2. This conclusion will be right.
3. Christians are to be different.
4. To lie down in the green pasture with the shepherd, we must be free from a butting order. Psalms 23:2
5. Are you free from this?