MY CUP RUNNETH OVER...

 21st Sunday of Pentecost

Sunday, Oct 25

Fr. Philip Eberhart

My Cup Runneth Over...

Welcome this morning to our consideration of Psalm 23 as we move toward our renewal of covenant next weekend on All Saints Day, Nov 1.  Next week is a big week!  Our covenant commitment ingathering will be during the service on Sunday, and we will bless the articles we present to the Lord on our extended Altar table down front here.  

Since we are still both live and virtual, we will have a letter sent this week, outlining our last couple of years financially, that our leadership team for finances and the building have put together.  It will also include a page you can bring with you or send by email to Pam Bradbury.  We will have blank sheets here at the church, in the bulletin, next week for you to fill out during the Break Out time next week and bring to the Altar.

What I want to talk about this morning is our attitude of gratitude, even in the midst of all the trials and tribulations we find ourselves in, we must say, with David, "My Cup Runneth Over!"

How do they say it?  GOD IS GOOD...  ALL THE TIME!   AND ALL THE TIME...  GOD IS GOOD!

Even in the "valley of the shadow of death"  -  even in the time of Pandemic and societal confusion ... I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.

Paul tells his young protege, Timothy, that God has not given us a spirit of Fear...  at every turn when Jesus greets his disciples in surprising circumstances he greets them with the words...  FEAR NOT!   DO NOT BE AFRAID!

This morning I want to ask again, on what basis does Jesus make such a request?  Or is it a command?   FEAR NOT!!  Sounds like an imperative to me - a command from the one who holds all things together (Col 1)

On what basis are we to FEAR NOT?

I AM WITH YOU... My Rod and My Staff will comfort you.

Three things are the basis of our fear-less-ness:

1>  God's abiding PRESENCE...   the angels when speaking of the Messiah, named Him IMMANUEL, which means GOD WITH US.

     Jesus said, I will never leave you or forsake you.  It is the Presence of the God of the Universe in His Son, Jesus Christ, inside of us that gives us the overflowing joy of knowing HIM, WITH US, in every circumstance.  Bad or Good.

2>  The Rod of the Shepherd as an instrument of gentle discipline and protection.  Sheep are sometimes stubborn in going their own way!  The Rod of the Shepherd is that which God uses to gently move us according to His Will and to guard us against the enemies of our soul, even when "they are us!"  Hebrews 12 speaks of the loving discipline of the Father for the son he loves.  There can be no love without discipline!  The Rod of the Shepherd is the primary proof of God's unfailing love in our lives - when he uses his Rod (often our circumstances) to "get our attention" and direct our steps back onto the path of righteousness "for His Name's Sake."

3>   The STAFF of the Shepherd is also used by him, but in different ways.  It is the long rod with the crook on the end.  Jesus, the Gospels tell us, was moved with Compassion because the people of Israel were like Sheep without a Shepherd!  The staff of the Shepherd is the instrument of his compassion in our lives -- not unlike the ROD above, God uses the staff to gently direct our steps into His Ways.  Into the ways of Shalom that are mentioned at the head of the Psalm.  It is always His intention that we experience His unfailing love, his HESED, in real ways, and the STAFF is the primary tool for God to show his compassion in our lives.

FEAR NOT!  

I AM WITH YOU!

MY DISCIPLINE AND COMFORT ARE CONSTANT!

YOUR CUP RUNS OVER!

So as a result of these things, our attitude is one of gratitude.  WHEN the Lord is our Shepherd...  these things are all true, and we are safe, we are With HIM and He is WITH US -  Nothing can separate us from His Love (ROM 8).

Psalm 23 is a set of facts about our life in God's love.

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

So what is our response to all this?

Out of gratitude we acknowledge Him as our Great Shepherd - our GOOD SHEPHERD who has laid down his life for the sheep.

Out of gratitude we give our lives over to Him,  "We are His People and the Sheep of His Pasture"

Out of gratitude we lay down our lives for Him and for others.

Out of gratitude we live in ways that reflect and mediate His Presence to others around us, day by day.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd.  All that is written above is true of Him and it is true of US.

Let us pray...

God, give us a heart of gratitude for all that You have done.  Let us live lives of thanksgiving for bringing us to this day.

to borrow the words from the Great Thanksgiving:   "we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days."  Let us so live in love, Lord Christ that, all may know You are the Living God who loves us and who has given Himself for us.  In Your Great Name, we pray, Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

I AM...YOUR...GOOD SHEPHERD

Oct 11, 2020

19th Sunday of Pentecost 

Good Shepherd Sunday

Fr.  Phil Eberhart 

I AM ... Your... Good Shepherd 

Today we're doing several things here at Rez...

We're baptizing Caitlin... and we welcome the Early Clan to Rez for this service and celebration,  as well as those joining us through Zoom. 

This is also the first Sunday of our fall covenant or stewardship series,  aptly named WHEN THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.  Our study guide for the journey,  by the same name is available through our Amazon Smile account.   I encourage you to get the book and read it this month as we're preparing for our  All Saints Sunday Covenant renewal. 

Today,  I've titled my message

I AM... YOUR... GOOD SHEPHERD. 

Jesus claimed the title,  in fact both titles in that title!   He is both The Great I AM and He is Your Good Shepherd!   Repeatedly throughout the Gospels we hear Him talk about his I Am statements

I Am the light of the world...

I am the living bread from heaven...

     The bread of life! 

I am The Door...

I am the Way,  the Truth and the Life..

I am the RESURRECTION and the life

And,  I am the Good Shepherd!

And today I want to personalize it a bit more...

I AM  YOUR  Good Shepherd! 

We often need reminding that that relationship is ours for the asking.   The image of the Good Shepherd isn't an image of a far off 'presence'...

What I call the Bette Midler god ... watching from somewhere out there! 

While there's comfort at times knowing that we are never outside God's watch care,  more often we need The Good Shepherd,  who is with us,  day and night,  the leader and guide,  the doorway, the protector from the beasts that ravage the flock.   The One whose voice we hear and recognize and follow. 

Jesus took all this on himself in the description in John 10.  He does a deep dive into the role of the shepherd that he plays in our life..

He is our protector,  the gate or doorway through which we enter the sheepfold... an image for the Kingdom of God.  There is no other legitimate way in! 

Once in,  we come to recognize the voice of our shepherd and it's that recognition that enables the rest.   We're enabled to follow,  by that recognition.  We're secure in that recognition and can go where he (the Good Shepherd) leads us on the outside,  in safety and security.   It's about always hearing and heeding His Voice!.

He is our provider.  The Good shepherd provides safe pasture for his flock. 

Jesus takes cues from his ancestor King David the shepherd psalmist. 

The Lord is my shepherd... it's personal.  It's individual and it's corporate... it's both I and it's US.

But I want to dip in for a minute to the psalm and a particular phrase of promise... I Shall Not WANT.   It's a Hebrew word that is used interestingly in the OT, about 26 times. 

Of the receding waters after the floods of Noah's day...  Gen 8

Of the diminishing numbers in Abraham's intercession for Sodom and Gommorah... for the lack of 5?

Gen 18

In Ex 16, of the equity of God's provision in the harvest. 

In Deut 2, of the Lord's miraculous provision during the 40 years in the wilderness.

In 1 Kings 17, of the unending supply of flower and oil in the widow's vessels,  foretold by Elijah.

And many times in the Wisdom literature of psalms, ecclesiastes and song of songs as well as the major prophets of Isaiah,  Jeremiah and Ezekiel. 

Over and over 26 times this same word is used to describe God's faithful provision for his people and his land.  I SHALL NOT WANT.  There is no Recession in the Kingdom of Heaven! 

And my friends,  it's personal.  It's personal provision - not always prosperity or riches,  but equity as we share life and resources together in the Body of Christ,  the Kingdom of God!  

Let's pray this morning for this reality to set in.  To become part of our lives individually and part of our life together.  THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD... I SHALL NOT WANT. 

Oh God of Creation,  You are the one who both watches over us and dwells among us.  You are OUR Good Shepherd, and you are the Great I AM.  Open our eyes to see and hear you from day to day,  leading and speaking so we can follow.  Open our hands to receive all that you want to so generously give us,  both spiritually and physically,  for our life and godliness in your Kingdom.   Apart from you we can

Do nothing, but in you we can say truly... THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD;  I SHALL NOT WANT.

in Jesus name.    Amen.