3/19/2022

Psalm of the Good Shepherd Part 1

“Then Micaiah told him, “In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.’ ”” (2 Chronicles 18:16 NLT)

“Like sheep with a shepherd.” That is how God sees humanity as he looks upon our lives and how we live. We are Shepherdless because we have sought to “kill” our Master and indeed we did.

In our desire to be our own gods so we pushed God away, killed or refused to hear those who called us back to God and then in our self crowning achievement we killed the Son of our Master hoping to solidify our own godhood.

But our Master outwitted us (not a hard thing to do) and by His death redeemed even death and made it our way to be with Him. Jesus opened the tomb and made it not a place of death but a seed bed for life where even our bodies will be resurrected and become eternal!

In this study we will look in depth at Psalm 22 and experience the only scripture that gives us a view into the suffering of Jesus Christ whose crown is made of thorns. We will come to see the result of that suffering and hopefully see that all of our suffering can be redemptive.

For so many of us Psalm 23 is the one we want to read and listen to. But in truth there would be no Psalm 23 without Psalm 22! For we are able to trust the Good Shepherd only because He has “laid down His life for us.” For not only are we the sheep of His pasture, but the sheep of His suffering!

It is my prayer that you will experience the fullness of God’s love for you not only in Jesus but the offering and suffering of the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Please read aloud Psalm 22 and ask God to help you experience what is happening. It might be helpful to read the Gospel passages that show Jesus dying for us. See how they fit together and then you will be amazed the suffering of Jesus in the New Testament is described so vividly in the Old Testament.

In the room below jot down any questions or observations God has given to you.

“A good question does not just lead you to an answer but also to a better question!”