Tonight, we continue our consideration of Psalm 23. We've been beautifully led in a musical version of Psalm 23. And we read together as background reading for the text, which is verse 4 of that psalm. We turn to John chapter 15 and 16. Portions we read recently together. We'll read them again. chapter 15 verses 18 to 27 and then chapter 16 verses 5 through 15. John 15 beginning at verse 18 as we hear the Word of God. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you. No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their law. They hated me without reason. When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. And down to verse 5 of chapter 16. Now I am going to Him who sent me, yet none of you ask me, where are you going? Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth, it is for your good that I am going away, unless I go away. The Counselor will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment in regard to sin because men do not believe in Me, in regard to righteousness because I am going to the Father where you can see Me no longer, and in regard to judgment because the Prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear, but when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own. He will speak only what He hears and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said, the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. Verse 4 of Psalm 23 is the text tonight. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. beloved congregation of the good shepherd jesus christ this verse this text we might say is the gospel kernel of the old testament it is the good news that turns tears of anguish and fear into shouts of joy this is a confession of emmanuel god with us david a sheep in the fold of the Good Shepherd, confesses his confidence and his assurance of the Lord's deliverance in the face of death, in the face of the deepest shadows of existence, when he says, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. You see, this is a beautiful message for God's people that says you don't have to be afraid. Because even in the midst of threat and danger, his sheep shall not be in want. People of God, the presence, the very presence of the Good Shepherd turns fear into comfort in the face of deadly danger and with the tools of the trade. In the introduction to the first sermon of this series on Psalm 23, we said that this psalm has given much comfort to those on their deathbeds as well as to grieving families. And no doubt this text is the reason for much of that comfort. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Indeed, the reason that death has lost its sting for the believer who dies is because God is with us for the sake of the laid-down life of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. But the valley of the shadow of death that David speaks of cannot and must not be limited to the hour of this physical death. That is indeed included. We know that. But the valley of the shadow of death represents the most fearful darkness which includes deadly dangers. But not just dangers that are deadly to the body, but also dangers that are deadly for the soul. Dangers that tempt the confession and seek to shake the assurance of the believer. Now, a scan of Scripture reveals to us that the shadow of death includes imminent danger. Boys and girls, danger that is close at hand, around the corner, as we might say. Like that of a barren desert. We know that's dangerous. Jeremiah 2, verse 6 says, Neither did they say, Where is the Lord who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through the land of deserts and pits, through a land of drought and the shadow of death, through a land that no one crossed and where no one dwelt. Psalm 44 verse 19 shows us that the shadow of death points to terrible affliction. We read in Psalm 107 about the fear and the terror associated with the shadow of death. And Job speaks of the dreadful darkness that the shadow of death brings. And once again, David's imagery with sheep traveling through the valley of the shadow of death really is compelling. The Hebrew word for valley that he uses is not talking about an open valley miles and miles wide with gentle mountain ranges, sloping mountains surrounding it. I think a little bit of the Los Angeles Basin which when you come over the mountains from the high desert, you drop down into this giant valley which you cannot see one end from the other. That's not the kind of valley David is talking about. He's talking about a gorge type valley with those steep, jagged cliffs surrounding it that go straight up. It's the kind of valley which has been formed and shaped by mountain streams that have joined together, making a strong current that cuts and dissects its way through the landscape, creating a kind of badlands. An idea, a large illustration, sort of would be the Grand Canyon that is with those straight walls, those jagged walls that go straight up and down for about a mile. or if you've ever been to the Royal Gorge in Colorado. And you stand at the top and you look down at those jagged walls that seem to go down to a very narrow bottom. And this valley gorge represented serious obstacles for travel for a number of reasons. This was the kind of valley where the cliffs, because they went straight up high above your head, they blocked the light of the sun. And if the sun did hit the valley floor, For it was only for a very short part of the day when it was straight overhead and the rest of the day the valley was covered with shadows. And these cliffs also provided the perfect hiding spots for predators, for dangerous predators like coyotes and wolves and bears and cougars that would prey on the flock. Still another danger was that because these valleys were carved out by raging waters, when the sudden storms came, these valleys then became the natural paths for flash floods. that would send walls of water ripping through the gorge. Rock slides and mud and snow avalanches were a serious threat to those who traveled through these valleys. A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to the shepherd-turned-pastor, Philip Keller, and he answers that question that someone is sure to ask, well, why in the world would a shepherd lead his sheep through a valley like this? And according to Keller, this is a picture of the seasonal passage, the seasonal passing from the high pastures on the mountains where the sheep grazed in the summer, moving back down to the home ranch for safety from the winter storms. And in many respects, these valleys were the best routes to get to and from the high mountain grazing pastures and back home again instead of going right down the side of the mountain. They were much easier for the sheep to travel on. But these valleys also provided plenty of water and green grass for the journey. You see, David was completely familiar with all of the dangers of the valley and he was prepared to take care of his sheep through all the difficulties. He knew that his very presence as a shepherd would turn the fear of the sheep into comfort in the face of deadly dangers. And again, that's the comfort that he had with his shepherd by the grace of God. Congregation, we know even from a study of this psalm so far that true believers dwell safely under the protection of God in the fold of the Good Shepherd. Yet we also know, many of us by experience, that Christians still face many dangers and afflictions, both by Satan and those things which are common to man. The Christian life is not always peaceful. It's not always physically joyful. It is not always, as some say, a mountaintop experience. God does exercise us with the cross, testing us to see if we are willing to take up our cross in Christ and follow Him. God gives us the valleys, and in those valleys, Satan is hiding, prowling, waiting like a roaring lion seeking whom He may devour. And He seeks to devour us through ungodly laws, through hateful people, through discrimination, through sickness, through the tempting pleasures of this life, through hardship, the loss of a job, through other difficulties that you or I have experienced, even through physical death itself. He comes out of the shadows seeking the death of the soul. And these are deadly dangers because it's in these valleys that we are tempted to turn to the left or to the right. We are tempted to compromise our faith. We are tempted at times to give in to the pressures around us. And those are the times that Satan knows that we are the most susceptible to sin and to turn from God and try to wrap ourselves in and be comforted by our own fleshly security. David says in Psalm 25, verse 18, Look upon my affliction and my trouble and forgive all my sin. I've shared that verse with you before after I was diagnosed. That verse struck me. Look upon my affliction and my trouble, David says. Take notice of it, O God. But he doesn't ask God to take the affliction away. Instead, he asked God to take away his sin. He knew that more than needing his affliction and his troubles removed, he needed his sin removed. And the temptation to give in to sin in the midst of affliction and trouble. The shadow of the valley brings fear. It makes one afraid. Yet, David can confess that he will not fear. Boys and girls, that's not because he was so strong and brave. Not being afraid had nothing to do with him, but everything to do with his shepherd. For you are with me. In Psalm 56, verse 3, David says, When I am afraid, I will not whistle a happy tune. That song has been in my mind the last few days. But David says, When I am afraid, I will trust in you. For the Lord is my shepherd, David says, who not only leads him in paths of righteousness, but who also walks beside David. In fact, the Lord's protection surrounds David. In Psalm 139, David says, You hem me in, behind and before. Another version says, You enclose me, behind and before. You have laid Your hand upon me. In Isaiah 26, the first part of that we considered at the memorial service the other night, we read about the fact that God's salvation is the wall and rampart of that city, of His people. We are surrounded by the wall of God's salvation, which cannot be broken down. It is invincible. It is steadfast forever. Because of the shepherd's presence, David can confidently walk through this shadowy valley. I would guess that most, if not all of us, if we found ourselves walking through a dark alley or a city street, it wouldn't take long for our walking to turn it into a jog, maybe even a slight run. When I was a young boy, the house that I grew up in, our driveway was right on an alley, and there were no lights in that alley. In the summertime, we parked our bikes about 50 yards up the alley in a neighbor's garage, and it was my job often to bring the bikes back to the garage, often after dark. And once I put the bikes in the garage, you can bet that I did not walk back to the house. I ran as fast as I could. You see, fear of the unknown is in the dark. And we pick up the pace. We said before that sheep are ready to run for their life with even the slightest suspicion, the slightest suggestion of danger. But David can walk. You see, beloved, that demonstrates the steady advance of the soul which knows its road and knows its end and resolves to follow the path and feels quite safe and calm. And by the grace of God, that's the believer. Christians can walk calmly through the shadows of deadly danger because the Lord is with them and even carries them if needed. Many of you have read that Footprints poem and you know that when there's one set of prints, according to the poem, Jesus says, that's when I carried you. I didn't forsake you. That's when I carried you. And this includes physical death. The Christian whose hand is safely held in and by the hand of the Good Shepherd walks calmly to death. That's why we don't need physician-assisted suicide. That's why we don't need legislation giving the right to die? The right to die. Imagine that. Normally, people are fighting to keep from death. But some want the right to die if the situation warrants it. Those who want to determine how they die because of sickness or disease or some other difficulty are trying to escape from walking that valley of the shadow of death. They're trying to outsmart God. But the Christian says confidently, I will not be afraid, for you are with me. Also, because of the shepherd's presence, David can confidently say that he walks through the valley of the shadow of death. The believer does not stay there. Death cannot keep his prey. Death is not the house, but the porch leading into it. It's not the garden of paradise, but the gate to get in. You see, beloved, for the believer, death, in a sense we might say, has been removed and only its shadow remains and shadows can do no harm. Boys and girls, the shadow of a dog cannot bite you. The shadow of a sword cannot kill you. The shadow of death cannot destroy the child of God. And where there is a shadow, what must there be? Light. And the believer says, that light is with me. The Lord is my light and my salvation. And even the evil of death will not be evil for me, but through it, through death, God will deliver me from death eternally. From all pains and cares and sorrows and miseries and the wretchedness of this world into everlasting joy. All of that through death. Delivered from all those things and ushered into everlasting joy for the sake of Jesus Christ. Death no longer stings. The child who dies in the Lord. Christ's victory over the grave belongs to His sheep. We will face the valley of the shadow of death. We will face the deadly dangers of life, but because the Lord is with His people, we will walk through it. He says, I will be with you. And that's the beauty of God's gift of faith. Faith doesn't remove the deadly dangers, but by the grace of God, He leads us through them by faith. And God uses the valley of the shadow of death to strengthen our faith. The valleys develop godly character. The valleys are a part of the path of righteousness that God leads us on. Death for the believer is but a dark valley that opens into an eternity of delight with God. And indeed, while we live here, there are disappointments and frustrations and discouragements and dilemmas and dark, difficult days for each one of us, both young and old, to different degrees to be sure. There are these things which are shadowed valleys, but they need not be disasters. Jesus said, if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage. Why? I have overcome the world. For the sheep in the care of the good shepherd, the valleys, are the road to a higher ground in our walk with God. Paul said, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. All things, we can't fathom that, especially when we're in the pit of the valley. How can this turn out for my good? I don't understand it. But yet we must say, I trust. I trust in God. I trust His truth. When Brenda and I were heading to the airport last week to come home, We saw words on a church sign that said trials are sent to make us, not to break us. And just as the shadowy valleys provide nourishing grass and water for the sheep, in spite of deadly dangers, in the face of deadly dangers, God feeds and strengthens His sheep as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. David had the comfort that God was with him in every dark trial, in every dismal disappointment, and in every distressing dilemma. He knew that nothing could separate him from the love of God. Nothing. And beloved, the greatest mountaintop experience one could ever have is to have the comfort of the Lord's presence in the valleys. You see? Paul learned that God's grace was sufficient for him. Why? Because God's grace is greater than all my fears. And then David doesn't have to worry about slipping and falling because God's presence will keep him safe with the tools of the trade. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. The rod and staff are indispensable tools of the shepherd's trade. he cannot do without them. And he knows how to use them properly. And David's fear is turned to comfort because he has the confidence that God will deliver him. Now, the shepherd's rod was his main weapon of defense for both the shepherd and the sheep. It was a symbol of strength, of power, and of authority. The rod was used for safety, but it was also used to discipline and to correct wayward sheep. Now you recall, I trust from Bible history, that the rod of Moses became the tool, his tool, to demonstrate the power of God vested in him. And every miracle the Lord performed through Moses was done through his rod. It was used to convince Pharaoh of Moses' divine commission, but also to give comfort and assurance to the people of Israel. Beloved, the Word of God is his rod among his people. His Word demonstrates authority and convicting power by trembling with, Thus saith the Lord. And indeed, we are to tremble before the Word of God. We are not to come to the Word of God and say, Well, I don't really agree with that. I think or I feel something different about what it says. No. Thus saith the Lord. With its power, with its truth and authority, the Word of God is a comfort for His sheep, especially among the many philosophies of men. The Word of God alone is the truth and we are called to defend that truth, defend against those philosophies with the truth of God's Word. Shepherds disciplined with the rod. If a sheep was going astray or heading toward poisonous weeds or getting into some sort of danger, The shepherd would throw his rod like a javelin with amazing accuracy to get the attention of the sheep and to restore them. The Word of God alone, applied by the Holy Spirit, has power to deliver one from sin and to keep one from sin. As Paul says, it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. And when we are lazy and cold and formal in our Christian walk, God, through His Word, gets our attention and causes us to mend our ways, becoming more fervent and active in His service and worship and obedience. The Word of God restores my soul. It is a lamp unto my feet and a light upon my path. It is our manual for life, beloved. This, the Word of God, our manual for life. The Bible talks about sheep passing under the rod. And this is talking about counting and examining the sheep. When a sheep passed under the rod, the shepherd was making sure of its place in the flock, that it belonged there. And the sheep was being carefully examined to make sure that it was doing well. The Word of God searches and knows our hearts and identifies the sheep of the Good Shepherd, those who believe the truth of God's Word. But the shepherd's rod is also used to protect the sheep and the shepherd when in danger. The shepherd uses it to drive off predators and to protect against their strikes. There are many strikes against the truth of the Word of God, even by some who call themselves preachers in our day. and society itself striking out against the truth of the Word of God. We experience it in ungodly laws. It's all around us, and we are called to use the Word of God as the rod to defend. Jesus Christ used the rod of the Word of God against Satan's temptations. Nothing can stand against the truth of the Word of God. It exposes that which is false. Paul says, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God, for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. God's Word is the sword of the Spirit. Well, the staff then has a little bit different function. It uniquely identifies the shepherd as a shepherd. Again, whereas the rod is a symbol of power and authority, of discipline and defense, the staff is a symbol of care and kindness and comfort. The shepherd uses the staff for the care and the management of his sheep. It's a long, slender stick with a hook on one end. That's what we think of when we think of a shepherd's staff. And the shepherd uses it to lean on as he watches over and inspects his sheep. He uses it to draw the sheep together and to reunite the sheep. For example, if a baby's sheep has wandered off, a baby lamb becomes separated, wandered off from its mother, the shepherd gently lifts it with the hook of his staff and places it beside its mother so that the lamb will not smell of the shepherd and be rejected by its mother. The staff is also used to draw the sheep close for inspection. It is used to guide the sheep, especially on new paths or through gates or along dangerous and difficult routes. With a slight touch, the shepherd guides the sheep and the sheep are comforted by His presence. Beloved, the good shepherd's staff of comfort is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter sent by our Lord Jesus Christ who makes His home in the church and in the hearts and lives of God's people. Who touches us to get us back to the right way. Who reunites us with the fold. Who leads us, guides us, directs us. Jesus said in John 15, 26, When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me. And in chapter 16 He says, and He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will disclose to you what is to come. The Spirit of God, the staff of the Good Shepherd, watches over, gives comfort, consolation, and gentle correction to Christ's sheep. He draws the sheep into intimate fellowship with Christ and with one another. He guides us in all truth. And He makes the truth of God plain. And you know, we don't even often realize it, do we? But that's God's tender care. By His Word and Spirit, the two always go together. The Word means nothing to us without its application by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit has nothing to apply to us apart from His Word. David had confidence that God would deliver him from deadly dangers by His presence and with the tools of the trade. And beloved, that confidence is ours in the very name of Jesus, which means He will save. Jesus Christ walked the road of death for His sheep. He is triumphant forever. His cross guarantees the protecting and preserving power of God that turns fear into comfort. He carries His sheep through the valley of the shadow of death by His Word and Spirit. Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ will be overcome by the shadow of eternal death, but those who heed the call to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and who live under the shadow of His cross. They walk by the light of His Word, led by His Spirit. Beloved, the psalmist says in Psalm 91, and there's no better way to end, He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall call upon Me. I will be with Him in trouble. I will deliver Him and honor Him. With a long life, I will satisfy Him and show Him my salvation. Amen. Shall we pray? Amen. Father, the best way that we can respond to Your Word tonight is to sing aloud, great is Your faithfulness. We thank You and praise You for Your protecting hand, that You have not left us to ourself, that You have not called us out of darkness and left us to walk on our own. But as You have brought us into Your marvelous light, You are the one who protects us, who surrounds us with Your presence, who restores us, indeed, who gives to us comfort even in the face of deadly dangers, even in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death. Father, we know that this Your Word has been such a comfort to so many who have gone before us, applied by Your Holy Spirit. And may this be our comfort as well, both now and forevermore. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.