Chased by Grace: Part 1

Good morning everyone. Am I on? It's warm isn't it? Goodness. If you should be up here. You know, heat rises. It's warm up here, but it's a good day to be in the house of God. And you know, God has got good things for each and every one of us. And we've got to start believing it.

We've got to start confessing that and declaring that that God has good things. He's got good plans for us. You know that? Anybody here this morning? He's got good plans for us. The trouble is we like to believe the lies that tell us otherwise. That problem is that we listen to lots of voices, lots of noise around us, lots of information that tells us otherwise.

But God has good plans for us. He's got good plans for you this morning. And that's why the joy of the Lord can overtake us, because God is a good God. He's got good plans for every single one of us. So this morning I want to look at Psalm 23. Is that okay everybody?

It's a Psalm I guess everybody can at least recite some of. Yeah, you know what it is? No? The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in Greek pastures. And so I want to talk this morning about being chased by grace, chased by grace.

God is in the business of running. We'll listen to the prodigal son story a few weeks ago. The father ran to meet the prodigal son that was returning home. The father didn't stand there with his arms folded thinking, "When you're good enough, if you make all the effort, you can come." No, the father saw him and he ran to him.

He threw his arms around him. He put a cloak on his back. He put sand on his feet. Listen, he put a ring on his finger. God loves the business of running and God is a God that chases after us. And this morning I want to look at the whole passage of Psalm 23, "Chaste by Grace."

See, God isn't just keeping you safe. He is chasing you down with his passion, with his protection. He is chasing you down with his provision and his purpose. The Bible of course shows us that God's protective love for his people. He is frequently in the Bible depicted as a shepherd who leads.

God is a shepherd who gathers. He is a shepherd that carries his people. If we look in the Old Testament we find that many of Israel's greatest leaders like King David and Moses began their lives as shepherds. In the New Testament Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. In John 10 he says, "I am the Good Shepherd."

The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. God shows the difference between himself and the hired hands that come to look after the sheep. See they run when there's danger but the Shepherd protects the sheep. He stays with the sheep. He shows his deep and personal love for the sheep.

In Hebrews 1320 it speaks of the Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep. And so the Bible is all about shepherding. Do you know even leaders of God's people are called shepherds. How many of you know a shepherd doesn't drive the sheep? Not a true shepherd.

A shepherd leads the sheep. A true shepherd speaks and the sheep listen and hear his voice and their trust is great toward the shepherd and they follow the shepherd. In the Western world we've got it upside down. We think it's right to get dogs out and drive the sheep. But the ancient practice, particularly in the Middle East and the East, is very much about the shepherd leading his flock to safety or leading his flock to pasture's green.

Three points this morning. Number one, Jesus provides for the sheep. If you turn to Psalm 23, you'll see in there, verses 1 to 3. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pasture's, He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. The Lord is my shepherd. He restores my soul. Say with me this morning, the Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need. That's what the new century version says. I have everything I need, not just I shall not want.

See, it's old English, isn't it? But the translation is, I have everything I need because He's a good shepherd. Say with me, the Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need. The Lord is also my provision. It isn't my employer. Say with me, the Lord is my shepherd.

Or the Lord is my shepherd. How about that this morning? Not just the Lord, but the Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need. The Lord is my provision, it's not my state benefits. It's not my pension. The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need.

You see, none of us today live in a culture that understands that God is our provider. We live very much in a culture that says we must go out and find work. And listen, it's not wrong to work. The Bible is very clear about the importance of finding work. But God is always intended to be our source, our provision.

One of His names is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord provides. I love the fact that the children of Israel, when they left Egypt and they went across the Red Sea into the wilderness, which they spent 40 years wandering around, God was their provision. Every day, fresh bread. God provides. God is our source.

And somehow in our Western thinking, we've got to get beyond the fact that I can take care of my needs. To actually, God is the one who is my source and my provision. My trust is in the Lord. Does that mean I don't go out to work course not? Because the Bible is clear that we work.

But our source isn't our employer. Our source is the Lord. He is our provider. You don't belong to your past. You do not belong to your mistakes. You do not belong to your economic circumstances. You are the sheep of his pasture. You belong to the great shepherd who leads you, who feeds you, who looks after you, who protects you.

The sheep trust the shepherd to provide everything they need. The Bible calls him El Shaddai. The best Hebrew translation of that is the many-breasted one. That's the literal translation. It means he is more than enough. You can never, ever take the God-cant-provide.

He is all sufficient. He is the one who is more than enough. He is the God of supply. He will meet every need. The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need. I love what Philippians 419 says. And my God is one of my favorite scriptures. And my God shall supply all your wants.

No, no. See, I would rather like a Lamborghini. God isn't going to provide that for me, I don't think, because there's a want. I hardly need it. I don't need the insurance on it, that's for sure. Nor do I need the amount of petrol I'd have to put in it either.

No, my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches. Notice this word, His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He is all sufficient. He is all shoulder. He is more than enough. That great shepherd's warehouse never runs empty. He is a God of supply.

He's also a God of sustenance. He sustained the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years with that fresh manner. It translates what is it? Because the children of Israel looked at this stuff out of heaven and they didn't recognize it. What is it?

And so every day they got, what is it? This manner. God provided it for them. Jesus taught us to pray this way. Our Father who is in heaven, "Hallowed be thy name." Then he goes on to say in verse 6, "Give us this day our daily bread." See Jesus just going back to what happened with the children of Israel.

Every day God provided. Jesus pray this way. "Give us today our daily bread." What does that mean? It means what I need today, God provide this for me. Now listen, it's not simple. Well it is simple. We complicate it. We simply have to learn trust in God.

We simply have to put our faith in God's providing and trust Him that He will do that. He's promised to. But everything we have in the kingdom comes by faith. And someone we've got to get beyond the natural inclination to kind of doubt this because of the culture we live in. And actually come to that place where we, wow God, if you don't provide, but I trust you.

Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus himself in John 6 calls himself the bread of life. He compares himself with the manna that was provided to the children of God in the wilderness. While manna fed the body temporarily, Jesus, I am the bread of life. If you eat of me, you'll never be hungry again.

Jesus provides everlasting spiritual nourishment. And Jesus wants to daily feed our spiritual hunger with fresh manna. He is a God of sustenance. He's also a God of strength. This morning we talked about the joy of the Lord. The Lord is a wonderful way you led us in that this morning, Abioduun.

That was fantastic, amazing. And I hope this morning your faith is built up. Listen, we come into the house of the Lord this morning. However we come, we come looking to Jesus. He is the author of everything that we need. He's the source of it all. We come and let God loose in our lives as we meet together.

He is a God of strength. He revives our exhausted spirit when we feel we're running on empty. Jesus said in John 10, 10, "I have come that you may have life." We need to remind ourselves of this more often. I've come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

Do we? We need to remind ourselves of this, don't we? This is the good shepherd. He provides for an overflowing life, not a barely surviving life. I love the passage of Isaiah 40. I once preached on Isaiah 40, at least the first few verses of it, for a year.

So they tell me. Our Bible is used to open up automatically Isaiah 40. The Bible fell open at Isaiah 40. But I love Isaiah 40 and I love the bit at the end of it in verses 29 to 31. It says, "He gives power to the weak." Fill him weak this morning. Here's some power.

"To those who have no mightiness, creative strength, feeling that you need some strength, he's your source." Even the youths may faint and be weary. Come on, you young guys. I think you've really got it together with the acrobatic stuff that you do outside on a Sunday morning after church. Even the youths may faint and be weary.

The young men may utterly fall. "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." "They shall rise up or mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint." He is the God of strength and Jesus provides for the sheep.

Number two, Jesus protects the shadow. Look at verse four. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and staff, they comfort me." What a great declaration this morning. "I will fear no evil.

I will fear no evil, for you are with me." There's so much fear in the world today. There's so much fear in our neighborhoods, in the workplace, in society, online, in social media. There's so much to worry about, to get afraid about. And fear isn't satisfied with our thought life.

Like a disease, it wants to dominate every waking hour. It affects our whole being, it affects our health. It's a disease that wants to dominate, but with an act of will. How many of us can do that this morning? Just put our shoulders back this morning.

And with an act of will, with an act of will declare this, I will fear no evil. Can you do that? I will fear no evil. And again, come on this morning. I will fear no evil for you are with me. God is with us. I love the fact he's promised never to leave us, nor forsake us.

He said, "Lo, I am with you even to the ends of the earth." God is with us. He's for us. I need to declare this on a daily basis. I will fear no evil. How can we be confident to make this declaration? Well, he is a God of presence. You are never isolated because the Holy Spirit walks with you.

He is the paraclete. He is the one that comes alongside to help. He is just like Jesus. Jesus said, "When I go, I will send a paraclete, another paraclete, a comforter helper to be with you." He is with us. He comes alongside to help us. He is the active guide in our situation, our counselor.

He is our comforter. He is the source of divine strength. He walks with us and he talks with us. Remember those men on the way to Emmaus in the New Testament? Jesus had died and they were discouraged and a man came and walked with them. They didn't realize at the time that it was Jesus.

He walked with them and he talked with them and eventually revealed himself to them. Listen this morning. The Holy Spirit walks and talks with you on a daily basis. We just need to get better at listening. Distinguishing the voice of noise around us to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking, saying, "This is the way.

Walk in it." He walks with us. He talks with us. Isaiah 41.10, "So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you." Do we believe it this morning? That He is with us and He will strengthen and He will help us.

We do not need to be dismayed. He's the God of presence. He's also the God of power. The shepherd's rod here in Psalm 23 was like a wooden club. It was used to protect the flock from predators like wolves and lions. Used the rod to get them out and clear them away.

For us as the sheep of His pastures, the rod actively smashes the schemes of the enemy. Jesus said, "Pray this way, our Father in heaven." He says, "Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Give us this day our daily bed and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation.

Deliver us from the evil or from the evil one. Deliver us. It's a daily prayer. Listen, God takes the rod and it smashes the predators out of the way as we put our confidence and faith in Jesus. Here's the promises of Isaiah 43 verse 2. "When you pass through the fire or through the waters, I will be with you.

Through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned." See, the promise of God is not just for fires and valleys, but the guarantee of His power and His presence when we're going through them. God is with us on the mountaintop. God is with us in the valley.

God is with us when the going is good. God is with us when it's a pain in the neck. God is with us. He is a God of power. He's also a God of peace. The good shepherd's staff gently pulls us back when fear grips our mind. When the paralyzing shadows of the valley try to overwhelm us, the staff is put out to pull us back.

The staff, remember, was used to rescue a lamb from a pit just to pull it back to safety again. Aren't you glad that God does that for us too? The Lord is my helper, rather, Hebrews 13, 6. The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. He is a God of peace and he protects us in the shadows.

Number three, and lastly this morning, I'll be brief. There's promotion before the slanderer. There's promotion before the slanderer. Look at verses 5 and 6 in Psalm 23. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows."

There's preparation. God sets up a feast of victory while the enemies of us watch. In those days, in the times that these passages were written, a host was obligated to safeguard visitors from all enemies at all costs. And so he would prepare a table out in the open. And God publicly honours and restores us in full view of those that oppose us.

In fact, no asperity can diminish God's sovereignty, can take away his protection, denounce his blessings in your life. See the good shepherd, he surprises us with his intimacy. He provides a table for us with his refreshment, a table full of good things, his abundance. Even when the enemies surround us. So rather than waiting for life to get easier, God invites us to experience his goodness right in the messy middle.

Are you finding it difficult at the moment? Are there tough times? Listen, God has prepared a table for you. Sit and feast on what God provides. Sit and feast on his love and his grace towards you. He's chasing you down with his grace. There's preparation, but there's also pouring.

He pours your head with fresh oil of the Holy Spirit. Luke 4 verse 8, "And the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." The oil of anointing is cosmetic. In 2 Corinthians 2, 14 and 15, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge in every place. For you are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."

Listen, the oil of anointing of the Holy Spirit is fragrance. It means we smell like him. We smell like Jesus. He pours the oil upon our heads and we smell like him, it's cosmetic. But it's also functional. It breaks bondages. The oil of anointing breaks bondages.

Isaiah 10, 27, the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. Sometimes we can feel bound up with all sorts of things. Habits that we can't get rid of in our lives. Habits that dominate our lives. Listen, the oil of anointing can break that bondage.

God wants to set people free. How many of you know God doesn't intend for us to remain in difficult things that we are trapped in, that we can't free ourselves from? God is a God of freedom. And today, maybe God is just speaking to one or two about this. Listen, bondages can be broken.

Why don't you get anointed with oil and prayed for in the name of Jesus and receive freedom from some of those habits and addictions that can hold our lives captive? James 14 says, "If anyone among you is sick, let him call for the elders of the church. Let them pray over him, anointing him or her with oil in the name of the Lord." The anointing oil that brings healing. So sometimes we just need a call for the leader to say, "Come on, can you anoint me with oil and pray?

I need healing in the name of Jesus." And so there is preparation, there's pouring and finally there's pursuit. His goodness and His mercy will chase you down forever. The prodigal son thought he could run to a distant country, but the love of the Father was ever there for him. I don't know whether today you're a prodigal, whether God is speaking into your heart and life, even as I'm speaking now saying, "That's you, that's me, that's me.

I'm way away from God." Listen, God is wanting to chase you down today, chased down by his grace, chased by his love. His goodness and mercy will chase you down forever. Surely the goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Do you know that word, surely?

Surely. This means absolute faith and conviction. Surely, with faith and conviction, his goodness and mercy will chase you down forever. It's a declaration that despite love's life's hardship or adversaries, chased by grace, chased by grace is a guaranteed reality. Goodness, goodness and mercy.

Goodness, this is God's tangible blessings, His provision, the beautiful beneficial things He brings into our lives. Mercy, this is God's loyal and feigning love, His wonderful grace, His caring compassion, that despite our shortcomings, He still welcomes us. Goodness and mercy shall follow me, unlike being chased down by enemies. This is God chasing us with grace. God's goodness and mercy act as this constant, this active companion.

The tracks us down wherever we go, regardless of whether our day-to-day circumstances feel positive or negative. We're chased down by His goodness and His grace. All the days of my life. Don't you just love that? Not just for today. Not just for today.

All the days of my life. Being chased by God isn't reserved only for good days when you're feeling good, but it remains steadfast during times of grief, uncertainty, difficulty, a feeling of alienation from God's sin or whatever may come in the way. All the days of my life, we're being chased down by God's goodness and His mercy. From overflowing cups to unexpected feasts, Psalm 23 verse 5 reminds us that God's presence is not distant, but is deeply personal. He meets us in the valleys, He protects us at the table and fills our life with more than we can contain.

There's promotion before the slum room, there's protection in the shadow, there's provision for the sheep. Let's stand together. Isaiah 53 verse 6 says this, "All of us like sheep have strayed away. We have left God's past to follow our own, but the Lord God laid on him Jesus the sins of us all." In these moments that, these last few moments that follow, it's a call to surrender them.

See if God chases us down with his grace and his love and his compassion, his provision, his protection, surely we need to surrender to him. Surely we need to stop trying to work it all out ourselves and to say, "God, I surrender to You. I surrender to Your ways." All of us here today, all of us, like sheep, we've gone astray. We've gone our own way.

We've left God's paths. We've fallen our own way. But Jesus hung and died on the cross 2,000 years ago so that my sin, Your sin, could be laid upon Him as He died. That He could take the punishment that was rightfully mine for going astray and going my own way and doing my own thing. And Jesus died in order that we might live, that if we will put our trust in the Jesus that rose again from the dead.

The Bible says our sins could be forgiven and we can have right standing with God, we can have relationship with God restored. And we can know that not only now, but one day we can be with Him forever and ever. So I want to just say a prayer over us. And today you want to say, "God, I've tried it all my own way, but God, I choose to surrender to You today. Come into my life, be my Lord and Savior, forgive my sin.

Wipe away all the wrong things that I've done, all the shame and the guilt and make me a brand new person." I'm going to say a prayer. If you say this prayer in your heart today and you mean this prayer, I'm going to ask you at the end of the prayer if you'd raise your hand if you've said this prayer in mentee. Not to embarrass you, but simply to acknowledge you and to come and chat with you afterwards. Let's pray.

Dear Lord Jesus, my name's Phil, you might want to put your name in there. I come to you today, I acknowledge that you are my good shepherd. I recognize Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I confess that I've tried to do things my own way and to ask for your forgiveness. I surrender my life to you.

Thank you for laying down your life on the cross and restoring me. And even when I walk through the darkest valleys, I will not fear because you are with me. I place my trust in your grace and I thank you for the promise of eternal life in Jesus' name.