Fourth Sunday of Advent - Jesus Our Shepherd
Sermon Notes
The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Psalm 23).
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes (Isaiah 40.11).
BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US" (Matthew 1.23).
1. Jesus is our shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd.”
2. Jesus gives His life for us.
“The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
3. False shepherds cannot be trusted – they will abandon us to destruction, and they do not care. They care only about themselves.
“He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.”
4. Jesus knows us and we know Him as our Shepherd just as He knows His Father, His Father knows Him, and He lays down His life.
"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
5. The Father and the Son are united on this plan.
a. The Son will grow the flock.
b. The Father loves the Son and will raise Him up because He is the perfect sacrifice and perfect shepherd.
c. The Son does this freely of His own initiative.
“I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me”
(John 8.28).
For Thought, Reflection, and Application
1. Jesus loves you and gave His life for you as your shepherd. He has your every interest at heart. He will be with you and protect you when the enemy comes. He will not desert you.
2. He demonstrated His great love for you when He came to earth and when He died for your sin.
3. That’s why Christmas is all about Jesus.
4. How much can we make it all about Him? How can we make it more about Him?
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13.34-35).
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13.20-21).
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory (1 Peter 5.4).