“THOU PREPAREST A TABLE BEFORE ME…”
1. Leonardo da Vinci made a painting of the Last Supper.
2. This famous masterpiece took over 7 years to paint.
3. In painting this masterpiece, da Vinci wanted to use live models.
4. The first model that was sought after was one that would represent Christ.
5. Hundreds of young men were studied to find the right face.
6. da Vinci wanted a face that would portray innocence and beauty.
7. Finally a man was found, and 6 months were spent with this one person.
8. For the next six years, da Vinci worked at painting the other disciples.
9. Finally, there was only one character left—Judas Iscariot.
10. After a long search was conducted, da Vinci began to get discouraged.
11. Finally
the famous painter heard about a prisoner in
12. This individual had been sentenced to die for his brutal crimes.
13. Thinking
that this man might be just right, da Vinci went to
14. The prisoner da Vinci saw looked just right for the painting.
15. The convict’s face was ugly and vicious. It had scars; full of hate.
16. da Vinci immediately knew that this man was just right.
17. The
king gave da Vinci special permission to take the
prisoner to
18. For six months, the convict let da Vinci use him for the picture.
19. Finally, the painting was done.
20. As the guards were taking the prisoner away, the convict broke free.
21. He went running to da Vinci and gasped, “Look at me!
22. Do you not know who I am?”
23. After studying the man very carefully da Vinci said,
24. “No,
I do not know you; I never saw you until you were brought before me in
25. The convict then lifted his head high and said,
26. “Oh, God, have I fallen so low?”
27. The prisoner turned to da Vinci and said,
28. “I am the same man you painted only 7 years ago as the figure of Jesus Christ.”
I. THIS TRUE STORY SETS THE STAGE FOR TONIGHT’S LESSON.
A. The text is Ps. 23:5.
B. As we have learned from previous lessons,
C. This Psalm is filled with imagery and background material.
D. The words of this Psalm are no exception. David said, READ.
E. There was a sense in which sheep had a table prepared for them.
1) The table was likely a summer range.
2) Before sheep would be taken to summer ranges,
3) Shepherds would prepare the areas.
4) Salt and minerals might be distributed over the range.
5) Shepherds would plan out where the sheep would bed.
6) The best grazing areas would be selected in advance.
7) Shepherds would also look for poisonous weeds.
8) Before sheep would be taken to these summer ranges,
9) Good shepherds would pull up the deadly weeds.
10) They would make all necessary provisions.
11) One necessary provision was making water holes accessible.
12) Water holes were often full of leaves, twigs, and stones.
13) Shepherds would clear out the debris so sheep could drink.
F. As I look at Ps. 23:5, I see two points of application for us.
G. One aspect of application is that God has prepared a table for us.
H. There are things that God has done for His people.
I. A large segment of this lesson could deal with this area.
J. My remarks will concentrate on the other point of application.
K. In verse 5 of Ps. 23, David referred to where this table was located.
L. This table was in the presence of enemies.
M. Shepherds knew exactly what this expression meant.
N. Though a man might have made all kinds of preparations for the flock,
O. Potential problems still existed; there were still enemies.
1) Predators such as cougars could come in and get the flock.
2) Lambs could still find danger if they wandered off.
3) Though the sheep had good things set before them, they could get into trouble.
4) This is exactly what happened with the man that da Vinci painted.
5) Initially this person was at a good table.
6) This man epitomized purity, innocence, and goodness.
7) This man had a good table, but some enemies got to him.
8) These enemies, whoever they were, brought this man down.
II. WHAT DAVID DESCRIBES IN PS. 23:5 IS VERY RELEVANT TO OUR LIVES.
A. 2-3 years ago I heard a lecture at FHU which dealt with preaching.
B. The speaker was discussing problems that relate to preaching.
C. One of the things he covered was a preacher’s relationship with women.
D. At one point, the speaker said something like this,
E. “A man who has left preaching because of adultery is”
F. Then the class was asked to mentally fill in his name.
G. I could have named more than one man without much thought.
H. I doubt that anyone else in this class would have had any trouble.
I. When people are at God’s table, enemies are always close by.
J. These enemies come in all forms.
1) For some, an enemy may be anger, fear, doubt, and perhaps hate.
2) Others may face an enemy of the flesh—
a). Sex, lust, drugs,
b). Liquor, and an attitude of “let’s party”.
3) Not a few have faced the enemy of greed; desire for money and possessions.
4) An interest in power and authority has been an enemy for many.
K. No Christian is exempt from enemies.
L. I know this because of the people I have seen succumb to enemies.
1) Preachers, elders, and deacons have been led away;
2) Wives of preachers, elders, and deacons have gone astray;
3) Bible class teachers have left the table;
4) Faithful and unfaithful members have been drawn away from the table.
M. People who are part of God’s kingdom (are at the table) are in the presence of enemies.
N. These enemies are in all kinds of places.
O. One place where enemies exist is in the work place.
P. With most companies, employers have some employees that are not honest.
1) Employees will steal form a company.
2) Some will lie about the number of hours that they work.
3) An expense account privilege will be misused.
Q. Week after week, brethren can see what some employees do.
R. Perhaps brethren are sometimes invited to participate.
S. They are enticed to leave the table.
T. In fact, Ps. 23:5 is illustrated by David’s life.
1) The time frame I have in mind is when David was king.
2) David was part of God’s table; he had a good relationship with God.
3) One day, an enemy near to David got the best of him.
4) The enemy was in the form of a woman; her name was Bathsheba.
5) David allowed the enemy of adultery to draw him away from the table.
6) David did return, but the enemy that came against David did some very serious damage.
III. AS CHRISTIANS, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE IN CHRIST AND THEREFORE PART OF GOD’S TABLE. HOWEVER, AS WE ENJOY THIS POSITION WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER THAT ENEMIES ARE CLOSE BY.
A. This fact is one that the NT emphasizes.
B. One of the places where this is taught is Tit. 2.
C. In Tit. 2 there is a passage that is seldom used; this is v. 10.
D. In the KJV and the ASV, translators have used the word purloining.
E. Purloining means pilfering (stealing).
F. Suppose that a trailer manufacturer uses all kinds of bolts and screws.
G. An employee or two needs some bolts and screws for household projects.
H. For a solid week an employee or 2 takes some hardware without permission.
I. This would be purloining.
J.
If you have found Tit.
K. READ.
1) The context of Paul’s words begins with verse 9.
2) Paul was giving some information about slavery.
3) In the first century, slaves had almost nothing.
4) The low standard of living that slaves had created a problem.
5) Poor slaves were tempted to steal from rich owners.
6) This was an ongoing temptation.
7) After Christianity was introduced into the world,
8) Some slaves became Christians.
9) These slaves were then in Christ (at God’s table).
10) Though these people were at God’s table,
11) Most of them still had nothing.
12) Most of them could also see how rich their owners were.
13) As these slaves were at the Christian table, an enemy was close by.
14) This was the enemy of theft and perhaps robbery.
L. To head off this problem Paul said: do not pilfer.
M. You need to overcome the enemy of temptation.
N. Time after time in the NT, we find guests at God’s table being enticed to leave it.
1) One well-known example is Simon Peter.
2) This apostle was at the Lord’s table; in the “inner circle”.
3) When it came time for Peter to say to a crowd,
4)
I KNOW JESUS, Peter gave into an enemy—the
enemy of fear.
5) Another familiar NT character is Demas.
6) What does 2 Tim. 4:9 say about this man?
7) Demas had been part of God’s table.
8) This man had allowed an enemy to get to him.
9)
Demas abandoned Paul for the world.
O. In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught this same idea.
P. He said that some seed was sown and it started to grow.
Q. This seed was sown among thorns and it lasted for a while.
R. The people represented by this description became part of God’s table.
S. After a while “cares, riches, and pleasure”—enemies—removed them.
T. Have you ever wondered why Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 10:12. READ.
U. Not one of us is exempt from enemies.
V. As long as we are part of God’s table, we will always have enemies nearby.
CONCLUSION:
1. If you are part of God’s family, remember Ps. 23:5.
2. Enemies are close by and they would like to draw you away from the table.
3. The enemy may be discouragement, sorrow, or a dozen other things.
4. The only right choice to make is to stay at God’s table.
5. The right response is to refuse to be enticed by what enemies offer.
6. Often an enemy can be very alluring (appealing).
7. The cost of giving in to an enemy is just too high to pay.