My minister did a very encouraging sermon on Sunday on Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Download mp3
Here are my brief notes, I’ll improve them later this week!
Introduction - The need to be restored
Soul = Life, myself. To bring back a sheep which is completely stuck. All of us can get distracted by many things in life, even good things. What can we do to be restored?? Nothing. We need God.
(1) Restored by grace “He restores my soul.”
The Good Shepherd restores. The parable of the lost sheep Luke 15:3
Hosea 11:1-8 The God loves Israel even though they go astray.
Hosea 14:4 “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.”
The Prodigal Son
Romans 8:38-39 “Nothing can separate us from the love of God”
(2) Restored to right living “He leads me in paths of righteousness”
God guides us, doesn’t bully us. We believe God is sovereign. We should be continually listening to Him, so we can know what He wants for our lives. Rom 12, in view of Christ’s sacrifice be transformed. True freedom comes when we aren’t enslaved to sin. So we may produce fruits of the Spirit.
(3) Restored for God’s glory “For His name’s sake.”
Why did God bother? Because He loves us & because of Isa 48:9-11. To the praise of His glory [which can’t be be given from Hell according to Ps 30:9]. Jesus said, “Do you truly love me?” God restores you no matter what you’ve done or how many times you’ve do it!
Also few years ago Jason also posted some good reflections on Psalm 23:
Psalm 23 application long-obscured–but being restored?